What we actually checked before reaching this conclusion
The security industry has a strong financial incentive to convince you that professional monitoring is essential — and a lot of the content you'll find online is written by people who earn a commission when you sign a monitoring contract. We went the other way: we looked at peer-reviewed criminology research, insurance industry data, FBI crime statistics, and independent consumer analysis to separate what the evidence actually shows from what the industry wants you to believe. We also looked hard at where professional monitoring does add genuine value, because a blanket "it's a scam" conclusion would be just as misleading as the opposite.
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Criminology research on deterrence reviewed A landmark University of North Carolina study surveying 422 convicted burglars confirmed that visible security indicators — cameras, signage, lighting — deter the majority of opportunistic burglars before an alarm ever sounds, meaning the deterrence benefit does not require professional monitoring.
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Police response time data examined FBI Uniform Crime Report data and local police department studies consistently show average burglary response times of 5–11 minutes in suburban areas, and longer in urban ones — meaning most break-ins are completed before a dispatcher can route help, which limits the practical value of monitored response for stopping an in-progress intrusion.
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Insurance discount reality checked Insurance industry and consumer research (including analysis from the Insurance Information Institute) shows monitored system discounts typically range from 5–15% on the home insurance premium — which, for the average homeowner, amounts to $60–$180 per year, often less than half the annual monitoring fee.
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Self-monitored system capabilities assessed Current self-monitored platforms (Ring, SimpliSafe self-monitor tier, Wyze) provide real-time smartphone alerts, live video, two-way audio, and optional police-call features that deliver most of the functional capability of professional monitoring at $0–$10/month in storage fees.
There's no single right answer — here's how to choose for your situation
Your risk profile, lifestyle, and how often you're actually home all change the calculation meaningfully. Here are the four approaches worth considering, ranked honestly.
What people do first that wastes money or gives false confidence
Security is an industry with skilled marketers and motivated salespeople — there are several common moves that feel sensible but don't hold up against the evidence.
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Signing a long-term monitoring contract through a door-to-door salesperson — Door-to-door security sales is one of the most complaint-prone industries in the FTC's consumer database; contracts of 2–3 years often carry $300–$1,500 early termination fees, and the monitoring service provided is identical to month-to-month plans from the same or competing providers. Never sign a multi-year contract at the door.
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Relying on a monitored alarm alone without visible exterior deterrents — Because most burglars make their decision before approaching the door, an interior alarm that only sounds after entry has already occurred does nothing to deter the most common break-in pattern. An audible alarm and professional monitoring is most effective layered with visible cameras, motion lighting, and maintained landscaping — not as a standalone solution.
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Assuming a monitored system means police arrive quickly — Monitoring companies dispatch alerts to local police, but they cannot prioritize your call above other calls. In many jurisdictions, police have policies that de-prioritize unverified alarm calls because false alarm rates run as high as 94–98% industry-wide. Some cities have instituted "verified response" policies that require visual confirmation before dispatching at all. Don't buy monitoring on the assumption that it guarantees a fast police response.
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Buying an expensive "smart home" bundled security package from a cable or telecom provider — Telecom-bundled security (Xfinity Home, Cox, etc.) typically costs 40–70% more per month than equivalent standalone systems and locks you into a service agreement tied to your internet contract. The hardware is often the same or inferior to standalone brands. The convenience of one bill is not worth the premium.
What others did
214 community results-
MR
I'd been paying $44/month to ADT for four years — just under $2,100 total. After reading through the research on deterrence and response times I switched to a Ring Alarm self-monitor plan and a floodlight cam over the garage. My insurance discount stayed the same (my insurer just required a listed burglar alarm, not professional monitoring). I genuinely feel the same level of secure and I'm saving $528 a year. The cancellation fee was $180 but I recouped it in five months.
87 found this helpful -
DP
We travel internationally about five weeks a year for work and my husband was worried about going self-monitored with no one to respond if something triggered at 2am. We compromised — we're on SimpliSafe's self-monitor plan the rest of the year and manually switch to their professional monitoring tier ($29/month, no contract) for the specific weeks we're both away. We pay roughly $87/year for monitoring instead of $480. That felt like a genuinely honest trade-off for our situation rather than a blanket "monitoring is useless" answer.
62 found this helpful -
TK
I live in a neighborhood that has a genuinely above-average burglary rate — I checked the city's crime map and it confirmed what we'd suspected. I switched from a big-name monitoring company to Ring Alarm with professional monitoring at $20/month, which cut my cost by $25/month. But I have to be honest: when my motion sensor tripped at 3am last November, the monitoring center called me, I couldn't answer in time, and they did dispatch police. The officers arrived 18 minutes later, which was after the would-be intruder had already left (our outdoor cam caught him leaving after the siren sounded). So the alarm itself deterred him — not the dispatch. It's useful, but I'm not under any illusions about what I'm actually buying.
51 found this helpful
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