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Tuesday, March 19th
For more than 10 years, Frontpoint has been revolutionizing the alarm system industry. As the first company to combine DIY installation with professional monitoring, they're the leader in customer-driven home alarm systems. Over several years, Frontpoint has maintained its first-place ranking in a very competitive field, edging out their next-closest rival mostly because of their platform that expands to include most home automation components (even ones not purchased through Frontpoint itself).
Choose your equipment
You can customize your alarm system right on the Frontpoint website, or start with one of their three ready-made kits:
Add in any extras you like, including home automation
There's even more you can include with your home alarm system. Just look for the additional equipment choices as you set up your alarm system: there's a dropdown with categories like Best Sellers, Cameras, Intrusion, Hazard Sensors, Home Automation and Accessories for you to browse. At the time of this review, Frontpoint was offering a 25% discount on all equipment (though we suspect that it's not really a limited-time offer; there almost always seems to be a sale here). You may not find dozens of options for sale through Frontpoint, but fortunately their systems are compatible with most Z-Wave equipment and you can add your own.
Flat-rate monitoring
How about monitoring? You'll pay $49.99/month for a system that includes up to four cameras (including the doorbell), and most customers don't use more than that. When we reached out to Frontpoint's live support chat, the rep said if we set up our account to debit automatically from a checking or savings account, the monthly fees would drop by $5. Be aware that when you get to the checkout page, it's going to list a three-year monitoring plan: that represents the length of time your monthly fees are guaranteed to stay the same and not a required contract. You can cancel your Frontpoint service at any time, and you also get a 30-day risk free trial to put your alarm system fully to the test.
Complimentary identity protection
One nice perk included with your Frontpoint service is ID Protect, powered by Allstate Identity Protection. If you're already paying for another service (like LifeLock), you may be able to ditch it and use this complimentary feature of your home alarm system's coverage.
Over 10,000 four- and five-star reviews
Compared with many alarm system companies, Frontpoint's reputation is excellent. They enjoy an "A+" rating and accreditation from the Better Business Bureau, and out of 12,000+ independently-verified client reviews more than 90% of them give this service a 4- or 5-star rating. It's even more encouraging to read compliments from people who have used these alarm systems for several years, or even a decade, to protect both home and business with no issues. The only problem we've seen mentioned repeatedly in recent complaints is some challenges with reaching support for billing and equipment issues - but not with interruptions in the monitoring service.
Best choice for alarm systems
Once again, Frontpoint comes out as the first-place winner among providers of alarm systems. We love their reputation for quality, their straightforward pricing on both equipment and monitoring, and the fact that you get all of it with absolutely no required contracts. Especially if home automation features are important to you, we encourage you to make Frontpoint the first home alarm system you consider.
There are so many options today, from well-known providers that have been around for fifty years or more to brand-new companies selling DIY-installed, wallet-friendly home alarm systems and automation all in one.
You've got plenty of reasons to use an alarm system, whichever route you choose. Not only can they protect you against break-ins while you're away, but they can also give you extra peace of mind if you're one of the millions of Americans who find themselves working from home on a regular basis. Need to know who's at your door before you open it? Many systems will send live video right to your smartphone, letting you decide if you should interrupt that conference call with your team!
What are the basics of an alarm system? Most packages come with a few window/door sensors and some kind of control panel. You can still find traditional equipment that includes a wall-installed panel, but most of today's systems have a portable tablet used to arm and disarm it. From there, the options are nearly limitless and can include indoor/outdoor cameras, video doorbells, smoke/fire and carbon monoxide detectors, and many other features to keep you feeling secure.
Beyond safety, alarm systems now give you plenty of choices for home automation. What might have seemed like space-age tech just ten years ago is commonplace: use your smartphone to turn down the thermostat before you get home from work, arm your system with a voice command even when you're already in bed for the evening, or sign into your system from your computer at work to make sure you really did remember to lock the front door (and take care of it if you didn't!).
With so many options, it can feel overwhelming to choose an alarm system. There are several things to keep in mind that can help make the decision clearer and lead you to the package that will meet your needs:
TopConsumerReviews.com has evaluated and ranked the best alarm systems available today. We're confident that this information will help you get the right protection to keep you, your loved ones, and your property safe and sound!
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