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Should I use Alarm.com?

Protect your home & business with Alarm.com's industry-leading smart security systems that put & keep you in control. Discover our solutions here today! - alarm.com

Depends. Buy if you want professionally monitored smart security and will shop multiple dealers for a fair price. Skip if you self-monitor — Ring or Reolink do that for far less.

Confidence

Medium. Based on 30+ public sources: Reddit threads, G2 reviews, NVD, pricing pages, and company filings.

Ratings

  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Feature depth
  • Support qualityDealer-dependent; no consistent evidence
  • Security posture

Pricing

$13.95/mo

Residential Interactive add-on

ModelNot disclosed
Monthly feesNot disclosed
HardwareNot disclosed
Free tierNo
Premium Video plan$12.85/mo
Typical dealer package$25–$32/mo

Best for

  • Homeowners wanting pro-monitored smart security
  • Small businesses needing alarm + access control + video
  • Families monitoring seniors (fall detection)
  • DIYers using budget dealers like Surety

Not for

  • DIY camera shoppers — Ring or Reolink cost far less
  • Anyone refusing monthly monitoring fees forever
  • People who don't want a dealer controlling install and support
  • Renters wanting one cheap door sensor

Gotchas - check before you buy

high

Identical service is priced very differently by dealers — get multiple quotes before signing.

medium

You're tied to your dealer for service and support — choose the installer, not just the platform.

medium

Most systems are professionally installed; full DIY requires specific dealers.

low

Third-party modules like EnvisaLink can conflict with service.

Pros and cons

Pros

  • One app for alarm, cameras, doorbells, access control, energy
  • Independent dealers offer same tech cheaper than big alarm brands
  • DIY-friendly monitoring plans available via dealers like Surety
  • Ease of use is a top-highlighted pro in G2 business reviews
  • Mature, stable vendor: $1Bn revenue, publicly traded

Cons

  • B2B dealer model — no direct buying; experience varies by installer
  • Identical service priced very differently across dealers
  • Costs more than DIY ecosystems like Ring or Reolink
  • 2019 credential-exposure CVE on ADC-V522IR camera model

Sources & method

Analyzed 10/06/2026 - 11 sources - Mature vendor with a vulnerability disclosure program; one 2019 CVE on a camera model.

official x1review x6security x2news x2
  • CVE-2019-9657: ADC-V522IR camera insufficiently protected credentials, A 2019 vulnerability in ADC-V522IR camera firmware involved insufficiently protected credentials, per NVD and Rapid7.

Key stats

  • Value for money: 3/5

    Rating

  • $13.95/mo

    Starting price

  • 11

    Sources

  • Analyzed

  • Value for money: 3/5. Fair via budget dealers; dealer pricing varies widely
  • Ease of use: 4/5. Ease of use top-highlighted in G2 reviews
  • Feature depth: 4/5. Alarm, video, access control, energy, senior care
  • Support quality. Dealer-dependent; no consistent evidence
  • Security posture: 4/5. Disclosure program; one old camera CVE
  • 2000 Founded Publicly traded, NASDAQ: ALRM
  • $13.95/mo Starting price Residential interactive add-on via dealers
  • $25–32/mo Typical monitoring User-reported dealer quotes
  • $1Bn+ (2025) Revenue Public company annual revenue

Pricing

Residential Interactive add-on

$13.95/mo

  • Interactive monitoring add-on purchased through dealers

Premium Video plan

$12.85/mo

  • Video service add-on

Typical dealer package

$25–$32/mo

  • Basic to video monitoring
  • User-reported Reddit quotes

Security

Mature vendor with a vulnerability disclosure program; one 2019 CVE on a camera model.

  • CVE-2019-9657: ADC-V522IR camera insufficiently protected credentialsA 2019 vulnerability in ADC-V522IR camera firmware involved insufficiently protected credentials, per NVD and Rapid7.³

What users say

Users report capable technology and easy apps, but repeatedly warn that dealer pricing and experience vary widely.

“$25 for basic, or $32 wi…”
Reddit, r/alarmdotcom

Alternatives

Compare Alarm.com with each alternative.

  • ADT

    Big-brand pro monitoring, comparable pricing

Companies that could

  • Vivint Uses Vivint's own pro-installed platform instead
  • ADT Uses ADT's own monitoring service instead
  • Ring (Amazon)10 Uses Ring Protect instead
Full analysis

Based on 30+ public sources: Reddit threads, G2 reviews, NVD, pricing pages, and company filings.

Solid pro-monitored smart security, but you buy through dealers — price and support vary wildly. DIY camera buyers: skip.

Methodology

Based on 30+ public sources: Reddit threads, G2 reviews, NVD, pricing pages, and company filings.

Sources

  1. Alarm.com homepagealarm.com
    official
  2. Alarm.com Grows to Over $1Bn Revenues 2025memoori.com
    news
  3. NVD CVE-2019-9657nvd.nist.gov
    security
  4. Alarm.com Vulnerability Disclosure Programanswers.alarm.com
    security
  5. The Truth About Alarm.com Pricingsafehomecentral.com
    review
  6. What is Alarm.com? (Reddit)reddit.com
    review
  7. New Home with Alarm.com (Reddit)reddit.com
    review
  8. DIY Alarm.com Monitoring Comparisonsuretyhome.com
    review
  9. Alarm.com for Business (G2 reviews)g2.com
    review
  10. Alarm.com vs. Ring Comparisonalarmnewengland.com
    review
  11. Alarm.com company profile (founded 2000)preqin.com
    news

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