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    Best Home Security Systems of 2025

    We surveyed over 11,000 security system, security camera, and video doorbell owners to find the best options for your money

    Couple leaving their house and setting the alarm using a home automated system.
    The best home security systems work reliably and are easy to set up and use.
    Photo: Getty Images

    Choosing a home security system is anything but simple. You have to decide whether you want to install it yourself or hire a professional, what security cameras and sensors you want, and if it’s worth paying a monthly subscription for professional monitoring or camera video storage.

    On top of that, the vast majority of home security systems look almost interchangeable, using similar sensors, monitoring services, and (often confusing) pricing strategies. Despite appearances, though, your experience can vary drastically depending on the brand you choose.

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    More on Home Security

    Home security systems differ in ways you can’t see, such as the reliability of their sensors and their tech support services. These differences came to light in our first-ever survey on home security systems owned by more than 11,000 Consumer Reports members. We used those results to create our first home security system satisfaction ratings. (For more info on how we created the ratings, see our methodology.)

    Below you’ll find the top four home security system brands for each of two categories: professionally monitored systems, and systems you monitor yourself.

    Some brands, such as Ring and SimpliSafe, allow you to choose whether you want professional monitoring and, as a result. These brands appear in both categories, with slightly different scores. The survey results also include data on systems that are only composed of security cameras and/or video doorbells and lack common alarm system hardware (such as door/window sensors and sirens).

    The results below show overall satisfaction ratings and scores for three individual attributes: value for price paid, pricing transparency, and tech support. Members also rated other attributes of their systems, such as how reliable the alarms and sensors were, how helpful alerts or notifications were, and—for professionally monitored systems—satisfaction with the monitoring service. To see all of these scores, check out our home security system satisfaction ratings.

    If you need help understanding what to look for in a system, see our in-depth home security system buying guide.

    Best Professionally Monitored Home Security Systems

    These systems require a monthly fee for professional monitoring services, with some even requiring a multi-year service contract. These contracts will often help subsidize the cost of the system hardware and may include professional installation.

    Become a member to read the full article and get access to digital ratings.

    We investigate, research, and test so you can choose with confidence.


    Daniel Wroclawski

    Dan Wroclawski is a home and appliances writer at Consumer Reports, covering products ranging from refrigerators and coffee makers to cutting-edge smart home devices. Before joining CR in 2017, he was an editor at USA Today’s Reviewed, and launched the site’s smart home section. In his spare time, you can find him tinkering with one of the over 70 connected devices in his house. Follow Dan on Facebook and X: @danwroc.