Bay Alarm charges $35-55/month on 36-month contracts and only covers Northern California. No DIY option, limited app control, and 3-year total cost hits $1,460-$2,480 before equipment. We compare Bay Alarm to Abode, SimpliSafe, and Cove — national DIY systems with no contracts and lower monthly rates.
Home Security Systems
Sonitrol Security Review 2026: Verified Audio, Video, Access Control, Monitoring, and Quote Checklist
Updated August 2026. Sonitrol is a dealer-installed commercial security platform built around verified intrusion, video, access control, and monitoring. Its best-known feature is impact-activated audio verification: trained operators can use alarm-site sound to help determine whether an intrusion event needs escalation. Current Sonitrol material also presents video verification and the Sonitrol CORE platform. This is […]
August Smart Lock Review 2026: The Retrofit Lock That Keeps Your Existing Deadbolt — But Yale Owns It Now (Full Comparison)
August Smart Lock: The Original Retrofit Lock (Now Part of Yale) The August Smart Lock pioneered a simple idea that changed the smart lock market: replace only the interior side of your deadbolt, keep your existing keys, and control everything from your phone. No locksmith needed. No drilling. No landlord drama. Since Yale (ASSA ABLOY) […]
American Alarm Review 2026: New England Coverage, Professional Installation, Monitoring, Contracts, and DIY Alternatives
American Alarm & Communications: Company Overview American Alarm is New England’s largest independent alarm company — a genuine rarity in an industry dominated by national chains and private equity rollups. Founded in 1971 by three MIT engineers in Arlington, Massachusetts, they’ve stayed independent for over 50 years while competitors got acquired, rebranded, or went bankrupt. […]
My Alarm Center Review 2026: Alert 360 Merger, Current Support, Contract Checks, and Alternatives
Short answer: My Alarm Center is no longer best evaluated as a separate new-customer brand. Alert 360 and My Alarm Center announced a merger in 2021, and current My Alarm Center support routes redirect to Alert 360. Existing customers should start with their own signed agreement, equipment schedule, billing history, account notices, and the current […]
