Ratings Methodology for Home Security Systems

Our comprehensive rating system evaluates providers across 99 data points to help you find the best security system to keep your home safe.

9+ providers reviewed

11+ categories assessed

99+ data points analyzed

Methodology, broken down by category

We assess five weighted categories and 11 subcategories for all providers. We give rating factors a weight toward the overall score based on which features are most important to consumers and impact the consumer experience the most. Here’s how we weight these categories.

5.0

Overall score

If the provider’s list price for home security equipment is $200 or less, it earns the highest rating in this category. If the provider charges more than $500, it earns the lowest rating. We also factor in the number of products in the starter kit and the cost of monthly monitoring.

Features (30%)

We score providers on comprehensive device offerings. These include video doorbells, outdoor cameras, indoor cameras, alarm systems and smoke detectors. We consider whether the providers' cameras can zoom in and have night vision, a wide field of view, and battery and wired options. We also factor in the providers' free self-monitoring options. These options include video recording, smart detection, app notifications, remote arming and disarming capabilities, and cellular or battery backup.

Ease of setup (15%)

For this category, we consider how easily the devices connect to each other and to WiFi. We also factor in the app's user-friendliness and the overall ease of device setup.

Privacy (5%)

We consider whether providers offer two-factor authentication or encryption. We also look for a history of security breaches.

Customer reviews (10%)

We consider average customer ratings from Trustpilot, a consumer review site, and Google and App Store reviews.

Data collection and review process

NerdWallet reviews several companies that provide home security systems for U.S. customers. We collect information from provider websites and contact them for more information when needed. We also have home security specialists conduct firsthand testing of each provider's signature product suite. We score each provider's performance with star ratings from poor (1 star) to excellent (5 stars). We round ratings to the nearest half-star.

Data accuracy

Our writers and editors review providers on an annual basis. Throughout the year, we may maintain contact with providers and update any changes to their offerings.

The review team

The review team includes writers and editors who cover a wide range of home services topics. Our team has more than 30 years of experience in finance. Each writer and editor follows NerdWallet’s strict guidelines for editorial integrity. The combined expertise of our team is infused into our review process. We do this to ensure thoughtful evaluation of products from the customer's perspective.