Home Security Systems and Monitoring Cost | Honest U.S. Pricing

Home security monitoring runs from about $10 for self-monitoring to $80 a month for premium professional plans, depending on the provider and features.

Figuring out the real home security systems and monitoring cost for your house means sorting through a maze of plan names and add-ons. The good news is that both SimpliSafe and ADT list their monthly prices openly, so you can compare apples to apples before committing. The catch? You have to compare the right tiers — mixing a self-monitoring plan with a professional one makes the price gap look far larger than it is.

What Does SimpliSafe Charge Per Month?

SimpliSafe’s U.S. residential monitoring plans are paid monthly with no contracts or hidden fees, per the company’s official plan pages. The lineup spans a self-monitoring option up to a fully loaded professional tier.

The key distinction SimpliSafe draws is between Self Monitoring, which sends alerts to your phone but does not call emergency services, and the Core, Pro, and Pro Plus tiers, which are professional monitoring services. If you want a dispatcher to respond when an alarm trips, you need at least the Core plan.

How Much Does ADT Monitoring Run?

ADT’s pricing depends on which system you buy. For its newer Blu line, the company lists three monitoring tiers on its official page: Video Connect at $9.99/month, Self-Protect at $14.99/month, and Pro-Protect at $34.99/month. The Video Connect and Self-Protect tiers are self-monitoring plans, while Pro-Protect adds professional dispatch.

ADT’s separate DIY Self Setup program shows a different pricing framework, advertising monitoring starting at $24.99/month, though that offer requires a minimum equipment purchase of $700. The lesson here is to check which product line you are pricing — the Blu monitoring plans and the Self Setup offers are not the same package.

For a professional ADT installation with traditional equipment, expect to pay more; the lower $9.99 and $14.99 figures apply only to the Blu self-monitoring tiers.

What Is the Difference Between Self-Monitoring and Professional Monitoring?

Self-monitoring sends push notifications to your phone when a sensor trips, letting you check camera feeds and decide whether to call for help. Professional monitoring routes those same alerts to a central station that can verify the alarm and contact police or fire services on your behalf.

That difference explains nearly the entire price gap between a $10 plan and a $35 plan. A self-monitored system works well if you are home often and respond to alerts quickly, but it fails when you are asleep, away, or unable to reach your phone. Professional monitoring costs more because a human being is watching the signal 24/7. If your priority is peace of mind during a vacation, the extra $20 per month is the difference between a notification and a response.

Which Home Security System Should You Choose?

The right choice depends on your equipment and your tolerance for false alarms. SimpliSafe sells its own hardware and offers professional monitoring without a contract, which makes it easy to switch providers later. ADT’s traditional systems require professional installation but come with the brand’s long track record in full-service dispatch.

For DIY-minded owners who already bought a camera system, a self-monitoring plan is usually enough. For anyone who travels or wants a genuine emergency response, budget for at least the professional tier — the $10 savings is not worth being unreachable when it matters.

If you are shopping for equipment now, check our tested roundup of the best affordable home security systems with cameras to see which hardware pairs well with the plans above.