Andrew Becker

Last updated: April 2026 Vivint and ADT are the two biggest names in professionally installed home security. Both require contracts, both send a technician to your house, and both charge $30–60/month. But they target different buyers. Vivint sells a premium smart home experience. ADT sells 150 years of brand trust and six monitoring centers. Here’s […]

Last Updated: April 2026 Google Nest and Frontpoint sit on opposite ends of the home security market. Nest sells cameras and smart home devices — no alarm panel, no door sensors, no professional monitoring dispatch. Frontpoint sells a traditional alarm system through Alarm.com — cellular sensors, 24/7 dispatch, but at $45/month with no self-monitoring option. […]

Last Updated: April 2026 SimpliSafe and Ring are the two biggest names in DIY home security, but they take different approaches. SimpliSafe is a sensors-first alarm system with optional cameras. Ring is a cameras-first ecosystem backed by Amazon, with an alarm tacked on. Both charge $20/month for full monitoring — but what you get for […]

Abode and Cove both sell no-contract DIY security systems with professional monitoring — but they go about it differently. Abode gives you a free self-monitoring tier, HomeKit support, and a hub that doubles as a smart home controller. Cove keeps things simple: affordable cellular monitoring with basic sensors and a touchscreen panel. Here’s the honest […]