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I’m a shut-in, which makes me the perfect candidate for a smart security system. I want to know exactly what’s going on outside at all times of day, even while I’m still tucked tightly in bed. You don’t have to be a serial introvert to benefit from a few cameras and connected devices in your home. If you’re frequently away, you may also want to keep a record of packages and people who have passed through while you’re out.
Smart security systems are not just about catching a neighborhood cat in the act. They help keep a watchful eye when you can’t, and they can be automated to trigger other devices as needed—such as a motion sensor turning on a smart light and recording a video clip, or a door opening to trigger a deafening alarm. The good news is that smart security systems are fully customizable to meet your specific needs. Some brands offer third-party monitoring as an added security measure, providing extra assistance when you’re away from home.
Setting up a smart security system is just as straightforward as setting up a smart home. You’ll want to choose your smart security ecosystem first, then decide if you want something that’s highly expandable later on. You can also keep it simple with a video doorbell that syncs with a smart display inside the home, especially if you’re renting and don’t have many customization options. Here’s how to get started.
Choosing a method of smart security
Smart security systems range from the expansive to the simplistic, just like the smart home does. You choose the ecosystem you want to live in and then build from there. But before you can select that, you need a device to function as the entry point. It could be a security camera, a video doorbell, or a smart lock. The idea is that whatever you use to enter your home is the first line of defense. Everything after that is an add-on.
Most people start with a security camera, with the most popular option being the video doorbell. The video doorbell offers it all: a window to the world, a clear indication that there’s an eye on the outside, and the ability to deliver instant notifications for sound and movement at your door. It also serves as a button that people can press to let you know they’ve arrived. Installation can vary from easily mountable to more involved, depending on whether you integrate an existing doorbell chime. (I’ve personally eschewed this way because the chime on my old house is broken and I have no intention of ever addressing it.) As long as you have smart displays or speakers inside the home, or a smartphone with connected accessories that blare notifications, you don’t need to connect it to a chime.
Not all smart locks take over the door! This August smart lock works over existing door hardware so you don’t have to swap out the deadbolt.
Credit: Florence Ion/Lifehacker
Smart locks are another way to start a smart security system, though they are pricier and a bit more complicated to install, since there’s no one-size-fits-all turn-key solution for every front door. The installation process will vary depending on the type of door you have and whether you can easily swap out the lock. If you’re a renter or love your door, there are “retrofit” smart locks from brands like August that allow you to keep the original keys and hardware intact. Smart locks offer access logs that track who has entered and exited the home. Some also provide tamper alerts, conditional access codes, and lockouts for repeated incorrect access codes. And with most other smart locks, you won’t have to manage physical keys.
There are smart security systems that extend beyond cameras and door locks to include a base station with a siren, a centralized control panel, and motion and door/window sensors. This is the route to take if you need something particularly sophisticated, especially if you want home monitoring included in the package. It requires more setup beforehand, but you can effectively string together a security system without hiring a professional to do it. The security system can also integrate with an existing smart home. If you have smart bulbs, for instance, you can set them up to turn on when a sensor detects movement.
The major players in smart security
Smart security can be more overwhelming to start with than a smart home, due to the breadth of options available. But the only wrong route to take is the one that complicates the eventual goal of having a connected home you can monitor remotely.
Let’s start with the most straightforward entry points through the typical smart home tech players, where you might have already established yourself. Google’s smart security ecosystem, Nest, includes security cameras and smart locks. It offers the benefit of professional monitoring through ADT, and you can integrate third-party cameras and sensors from brands like TP-Link’s Kasa or Tapo accessories. However, brands outside of Nest may not be manageable through the Google Home app, meaning you won’t have access to video clips or previews from the main app feed (though you can still ask Google to stream them to a smart display).
For diehard iPhone users, there’s Apple’s ecosystem of HomeKit-compatible smart security hardware, including devices that have been vetted and approved by the company. You can choose cameras from Eufy, Logitech, Eve, and Aqara, all of which support Apple’s HomeKit Secure Video (HKSV) for encrypted video storage in iCloud. Professional monitoring is typically offered through a handful of third-party solutions that are HomeKit-compatible, such as ADT, Vivint, or Ring.
Amazon also has its own lineup of offerings, which I like to call “platform agnostic,” as they are designed to work on either Android- or iPhone-compatible smart homes. Amazon’s Alexa ecosystem comprises smart speakers and smart displays that deeply integrate with Ring and Blink’s various security cameras, as well as other compatible devices. Ring and Blink are established flagship brands in the Alexa ecosystem, and they work best if you stick to one or the other, with Blink being the “affordable” brand and Ring having more premium options.
If you’re particularly set on going with a brand that has its original bearings in home security, ADT can help you get set up with Google’s hardware and other compatible bits. Vivint also offers professional installation, along with options for building out the smart home beyond cameras and motion sensors. This route can be particularly pricey, since you’re paying a third-party to handle the installation for you, as well as a monthly or annual subscription price.
A more affordable route to take, and one that most people will likely find themselves drawn to, is the do-it-yourself approach with contract-free professional monitoring, allowing you to pay only for what you need, when you need it. Companies like SimpliSafe and Abode make it super easy to concoct your own network of smart security devices that work in tandem with one another. SimpliSafe offers month-to-month monitoring, while Abode offers on-demand, temporary professional monitoring by the day or week. SimpliSafe and Abode feature base stations, which are smart home hubs equipped with all the requisite connectivity hardware for automating devices, including cameras and motion sensors, as well as providing battery and cellular backup, and a loud alarm that blares in the event of an intruder or other emergency. This route can be cheaper, although it may also cost more if you want something particularly expansive.
If you build your own smart security system, you can choose to mix and match as you please. With the advent of Matter, the unifying connection protocol, it has become easier to link ecosystems. However, Matter does not yet fully support the ideal streaming bandwidth required for security cameras and video doorbells, so you won’t be able to trigger automations based on that criterion.
The do-it-yourself route is attainable for anyone who doesn’t mind a weekend of customizing and adjusting a new system. But if you have security cameras in your setup, I recommend sticking with the camera brand as the main “anchor” of the security system and building around that. If you have a Ring video doorbell, for instance, consider adding Abode or SimpliSafe as an option for third-party motion sensors and similar devices, especially if you’re not using the Ring base station. It is easier to manage if you stick with the full Ring security system, as you’ll only have to interface with one main app to check in on the home. But the option is there to mix in another provider.
Picking the right smart security system
Some security cameras are so easy to install they magnetize to a metal rack.
Credit: Florence Ion/Lifehacker
The best way to determine which system suits your specific needs is to consider the situation. If you’re already a tech enthusiast, consider one of the DIY routes and integrate a system like Abode with one of the three main digital assistants—Google, Apple, or Alexa—as your main controller. This offers the most combination of mixing and matching brands, plus the added benefit of on-demand professional monitoring as needed.
If you’re a renter, consider the less permanent option. SimpliSafe and Ring’s ecosystems were built around this flexibility, as it’s each brand’s bread and butter. They include everything you need right out of the box, like a base station that connects to a variety of renter-friendly accessories, stick-and-peel motion sensors, and rental-friendly camera mounting. Ring lets you pay for professional monitoring on a month-to-month basis, although it’s not required to use the hardware, whereas SimpliSafe accommodates self-monitored systems. Amazon’s Blink is also a viable option to consider for temporary or non-DIY living situations, especially if you prefer notifications via a smart display or speakers.
For first-time home owners, consider a hybrid approach that works right out of the box, but also allows you to add to it later. Google’s Nest products work particularly well in a household that’s all-in, from Nest security cameras to the Nest Thermostat, which also serves as a motion sensor in the connected home. If you want to add professional monitoring at a later time, you can integrate a SimpliSafe or Abode system into an existing setup without disrupting what you’ve put together, or have ADT take over on a month-to-month basis.
If you don’t have the patience for this kind of smart home maintenance, or you’d rather opt for a professional monitoring company to handle it all, there is no shame in choosing ADT or Vivint. It will cost you more, but both companies have had ample time to establish secure device partnerships. You can get the whole kit and kaboodle through either brand, from motion sensors to security cameras. This is also the route to take if protecting your property while you’re not there is key. Companies like ADT boast a massive network of monitoring centers across the continental U.S., and again, you don’t have to handle everything yourself.
A smart home with sirens
It can be overwhelming to start your journey into smart security. But once you set it up, you won’t be able to live without the constant reminders that everything is in perfect order in your house. Indeed, I use the cameras to check in with my home and make sure it’s still standing there. Sometimes that peace of mind is all it takes to allow yourself hard-earned time off.
Regardless of which route you choose for your smart home, don’t feel like you have to jump in all at once. I started my smart home security system with a doorbell camera and a connected thermostat. They weren’t even from the same ecosystem—the doorbell camera was Ring, and Nest handled the thermostat—but I learned how to use mobile apps to develop routines around each of them. Now I live with mostly Google’s Nest cameras, which take on the bulk of the surveillance work. I’ve incorporated a few budget-friendly brands, such as TP-Link’s Kasa, around the house for a little added extra help when I need it, and a smart lock that can be remotely managed to let me know when I’ve left the front door unlocked.
