Reviews Report

• Independent 2024–2025 guides continue to rank SimpliSafe among the top DIY home security choices for Houston households, with Wirecutter and PCMag also highlighting Ring, Abode, Arlo, and ADT Self Setup for their flexibility, device ecosystems, and monitoring options. 
• To narrow our list, we compared price, contract length, equipment and smart device compatibility, privacy posture (e.g., Ring’s 2024 shift on police video requests), and whether providers offer modern video verification/validation workflows like TMA AVS-01.
• The top systems favored today are DIY-first with optional month-to-month professional monitoring and no long-term commitments, while pro-installed leaders (Vivint, ADT) remain strong options for full-service setups.

Whether you’re new to the Houston area or a native, adding a home security system has many benefits. Securing your home against intrusions and events such as a fire or a flood can reduce the risk of costly losses and, in some cases, earn an insurance discount. Newer systems increasingly pair sensors with video for faster alarm validation to reduce false dispatches (see AVS-01).

You don’t have to spend a fortune to buy and install a system. Today’s state‑of‑the‑art systems are wireless and DIY. Typical DIY starter kits run about $200–$600, with professional monitoring commonly $20–$30/month; pro‑installed systems often run $45–$65+/month depending on features (SimpliSafe, Ring, ADT, Vivint). We analyzed the leading best systems available from home security companies serving Houston, factoring in ecosystem fit and recent developments like Abode Edge (hubless Wi‑Fi), Arlo’s all‑in‑one sensors, and ADT Self Setup.

The 6 Best Home Security Systems in Houston

• SimpliSafe: Best Overall Houston Security System
• Ring: Best for Devices and Accessories
• Abode: Best for Smart Device Compatibility
• Arlo: Best for High-Quality Video
• Blue by ADT: Best Professional Monitoring Subscription (now replaced by ADT Self Setup)
• Cove: Best for Money-Back Guarantee

Compare the Best Houston Home Security Systems

Information updated as of 2025; pricing and features subject to change. See independent overviews from Wirecutter and PCMag.

*J.D. Power’s 2024 U.S. Home Security Satisfaction Study. Vivint ranks highest among professionally installed systems; based on a 1,000-point scale.

Home Security in Houston: What You Need to Know 

Houston, TX, crime statistics

For the most current picture, use official Houston Police Department (HPD) crime statistics. After peaking in 2021, violent crime has declined in 2023 and again in 2024, while property-crime trends are mixed. Third-party summaries like AreaVibes can provide additional context.

• Murders fell from 471 (2021 peak) to 399 (2023) and declined again in 2024, per HPD
• Overall violent crime in 2023–2024 is lower than 2021–2022 but remains above 2019
• Motor vehicle theft surged relative to 2019, with signs of stabilization/decline in 2024

Based on these trends, a modern alarm system with optional video verification and professional monitoring can help deter crime and speed emergency response in Houston (learn more about AVS‑01).

Research your neighborhood

Although crime is high in Houston, there are safe pockets with few incidents. To find the safest areas to live in Houston (and which ones to avoid), check out the statistics published by the following websites:

• Neighborhood Scout: Provides maps of the safest areas 
• Area Vibes: Compares how safe Houston is to other cities in the U.S.
• Houston Police Department: Interactive crime maps and spreadsheets of incidents
• Niche: Reviews and opinions from residents

According to Neighborhood Scout, some of the safest neighborhoods in Houston are:

• Kingsland Blvd/Baker Road
• Westheimer Parkway/South Ferry Road
• San Felipe Street/Kirby Drive
• Meyerland
• Porter Heights

The safer areas in Houston and its suburbs are usually inhabited by families and young professionals. If you’re moving to Houston, it’s best to visit and get a feel for the areas you’re considering. If a visit isn’t possible, see what locals have to say on websites such as Niche.com or by joining local Facebook groups for the area to meet other residents.

Register your home security system in Houston 

Houston has a burglar alarm ordinance. You’ll need to register your system and pay an annual fee of $50 to renew your permit (residential; commercial sites are $100). Program details and the current fee schedule are published by the City (Alarm Administration; FY2025 fee schedule). You can have up to three false alarms per year without a fee — if the system is registered. Otherwise, there is a false alarm fine of $116.75 for unregistered burglar alarms.

To register your system:

• Fill out a burglar alarm permit application and mail, fax, email, or deliver it in person
• Apply online

How to Choose Your Houston Home Security System

• Interior/exterior cameras: Adding cameras to your alarm system Houston expands on its functionality. You and your monitoring service can filter out any false alarms by checking to see the video feed to see what triggered a motion or door sensor. Houston is a hot, high-humidity area, If you’re considering an outdoor camera, make sure it’s rated for high temperatures and moisture. For privacy and resilience, prefer options with end‑to‑end encryption or local/on‑hub recording, and enable multi‑factor authentication (HomeKit Secure Video is one privacy‑first example). To extend the life of your camera, consider placing it in a protected area, such as an alcove or porch, or buying protective housing for the camera.
• Control panel: The control panel is the center of your home security system. Most come with a keypad where you arm and disarm your system, change your passcode or configure your devices. Some DIY home security systems use your smartphone as the control panel. When choosing an alarm based on the quality of the control panel, look for battery and cellular backup for outages and ask whether your monitoring center supports validated dispatch (e.g., AVS‑01).
• Compatibility: If you already have smart devices in your home, such as Alexa, a smart plug or a thermostat, a home security system that is compatible can create a more functional home. Choose a smart-home compatible system so you can use voice commands from Alexa or Google Assistant to arm or disarm the alarm. Matter- and Thread‑based sensors are becoming more common for cross‑ecosystem reliability (Matter 1.4).
• Storage: All video cameras will stream footage live for you to see what’s going on in your property. Video recording isn’t always included for free, but is an essential part of home security. If the motion sensor in the camera is triggered, the camera will start recording whatever triggered the event. Cameras are able to store the recorded events for several days, so you can review the videos. Should an intruder enter your home or someone stole packages from your front door, stored videos could provide police with the evidence of who is responsible.
• Window/door sensors: Window and door sensors often come with a chime to alert you of an opening window or door and can be installed in most rentals and homes with double-stick tape or small screws. Your monitoring company or anyone in the house will get alerted if someone tries to enter, providing you or your monitoring service with an early warning of an intruder. Prefer vendors aligned with recognized security practices (e.g., the FCC’s U.S. Cyber Trust Mark).

Local vs. national companies

Houston Home Security Systems FAQ

Methodology 

We evaluated home security companies based on equipment cost, monthly costs, contract options, installation, and customer satisfaction to determine Reviews.com scores and create our best home security reviews. To compare home security companies with other providers across the board, we calculate each Reviews.com score based on the following:

• Monthly Price: The lower the cost of a home security company’s monthly contract, the higher the score. Inversely, the higher the cost of the monthly contract, the lower the score in this metric. 
• Equipment Cost: Affordability is important with home security, so we awarded higher scores to home security companies with lower prices on equipment.
• Contracts: Reviews.com reviewed the flexibility in contracts of the home security companies. The more flexibility, like having no contracts to bind customers for long periods, the higher the score. 
• Customer Satisfaction: With J.D. Power’s 2024 U.S. Home Security Satisfaction Study, we assigned a score to each company based on the rating it received.
• Installation: Just like with contracts, we award higher scores to companies that have flexible installation options, like DIY or professional option

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