The best home security systems

A home security system is a group of devices that all work together to protect your home, usually using a combination of visual surveillance, motion detection, audible alarms, and system alerts. These systems may also include home monitoring for a monthly or annual fee.

Traditionally, home security systems were installed by professionals from companies such as ADT or Vivint, then combined with home monitoring. However, the rise of DIY home security systems from companies like SimpliSafe and Ring have drastically changed the options (and prices) available to consumers. DIY home security solutions allow you to install security cameras, motion sensors, and other alarm systems yourself. Often, these smart security systems connect to your home's WiFi, letting you store security camera footage in the cloud or view videos remotely in real-time.

The average home security system typically includes a camera or two, motion sensors that can make out infrared energy, a handful of sirens (either built into the sensors and cameras or standalone devices), and a base hub syncing all of the hardware. You'll control the latter manually using a keypad or key fob, or with a companion mobile app.

From there, most home security companies will give you the option of fleshing out your system with à la carte accessories for further protection. Popular add-ons include:

• A glass break sensor that alerts the system when it detects the sound frequencies or vibrations of shattered glass.

• Environmental sensors that can detect water leaks, smoke, and carbon monoxide.

• A panic button that quickly alerts law enforcement in emergency situations.

• Yard signs and stickers that serve as visual (and inexpensive) deterrents to wannabe intruders.

Most home security companies are also in the business of home automation these days, which means you'll be able to control your setup using smart assistants and connect it to other devices like smart locks, lightbulbs, and thermostats. If you want to get really fancy, several brands also offer support for "If This Then That," or IFTTT, a free web-based service that lets you connect and build commands for internet-enabled devices and apps.

Most home security companies give their customers the option of free DIY installation, which is usually as simple as plugging in a device (or putting some batteries into it), hooking it up to your home's WiFi system, and pairing it with its hub and/or your smartphone. SimpliSafe, our No. 1 pick, says 97 percent of its customers go this route.

For more complicated setups (and those of us who aren't especially tech-savvy), professional installation typically starts around $100.

Many home security companies give their users the option of self-monitoring for free, but you may want to leave this part to the professionals simply because you can't be on guard duty 24/7. Work happens, sleep happens, binge-watching Love Island happens, going to the dog park with your new puppy happens — it's easy to miss an alert if you aren't staring at your phone all day. It's also on you to decide whether or not to contact law enforcement in case of an emergency if an expert isn't doing it for you, which is a pretty big ask.

In most cases, you'll also get more out of your system's mobile app if you sign up for a monitoring plan. We'll use SimpliSafe as an example again: Its service comes standard with a live video feed of your cameras and the option to arm or disarm your system from the app, but that's it. Additional features like cellular connection backups, scheduled arming, and even push notifications are locked behind its monitoring plans, which start at 66 cents per day (or around $20 per month).

It's difficult to measure "could-have-beens," so research is mixed on how well home security systems actually deter crime. One expert told The New York Times that he's seen little evidence of risk mitigation with things like alarms and locks, while the National Council for Home Safety and Security, an industry trade association, boldly claims that homes without any kind of protection are 300 percent more likely to be burglarized. (The FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program defines burglary as "the unlawful entry of a structure to commit a felony or theft," FYI.)

Even the culprits themselves are divided. Some convicted burglars surveyed by an Oregon news station in 2017 said they weren't daunted by security system signs and alarms, which could be disabled or avoided, but most would steer clear of a home with a big, loud dog. Yet 60 percent of burglars surveyed for a frequently cited University of North Carolina survey several years prior would find a different target if they saw an alarm on-site.

These findings should also be considered alongside the fact that burglary rates have seen a decline over the past decade; they only accounted for about 16 percent of overall property crimes as of 2019. (That also includes motor vehicle theft and arson.) Burglary crime rates have continued to fall since the pandemic; however, only one in three property crimes are reported to the police, according to the Pew Research Center, so take these statistics with a grain of salt.

The one thing everyone seems to agree on is that most break-ins occur when people aren't home — and in that case, a home security system or camera serving as your eyes and ears from afar can provide invaluable peace of mind.

As an aside, installing a home security system may also qualify you for a serious discount on your homeowner's insurance, which certainly doesn't hurt. Contact your insurance provider to learn more.