Last updated: March 2026
Honeywell was once the most trusted name in home security — powering millions of alarm panels installed by local dealers across North America. But after a corporate spin-off, acquisition, and the rise of DIY systems, the Honeywell Home security landscape is confusing. Here’s what happened, what still works, and whether you should stick with Honeywell or switch to modern DIY.
What Happened to Honeywell Security?
| Year | Event | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Honeywell Total Connect launches | App-based control for Lynx Touch panels — industry standard |
| 2018 | Honeywell spins off home division → Resideo Technologies | Brand splits: “Honeywell Home” is now Resideo, not Honeywell |
| 2020 | Total Connect 2.0 replaces original app | Modernized interface, same dealer model |
| 2023 | Resideo acquired by Snap One | Pro-installer focus deepens — further from consumer DIY |
| 2024-2026 | ProSeries panels + Total Connect 2.0 still active | Works fine but locked to dealer ecosystem |
Key point: “Honeywell Home” security is no longer Honeywell the corporation. It’s Resideo (now owned by Snap One). The brand name persists but the company behind it is different.
How Honeywell Home Security Works in 2026
Unlike consumer brands, Honeywell Home equipment is sold exclusively through authorized alarm dealers. You cannot buy it directly or self-install.
| Aspect | Honeywell Home (Dealer) | DIY Systems (Abode, Ring, SimpliSafe) |
|---|---|---|
| How you buy | Through local alarm company | Direct from manufacturer online |
| Installation | Professional (technician comes to your home) | Self-install (15-30 minutes) |
| Equipment cost | $500-2,000+ (marked up by dealer) | $50-300 |
| Monthly monitoring | $25-55/month (dealer sets price) | $0-28/month |
| Contract | Typically 2-3 years (dealer requires) | None (month-to-month) |
| Who you call for support | Your local dealer (not Honeywell) | The company directly |
| Equipment ownership | Often leased or subsidized with contract | You own it outright |
| Cancellation | Early termination fee ($200-1,000+) | Cancel anytime, no fee |
Current Honeywell Home Product Lineup
| Product | Type | Key Features | Connectivity | Price (Dealer) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ProSeries PROA7PLUS | Alarm panel (flagship) | 7″ touchscreen, 8 partitions, 146 zones, built-in camera | WiFi + LTE + Z-Wave | $400-800+ |
| ProSeries PROA7 | Alarm panel (base) | 7″ touchscreen, 4 partitions, 127 zones | WiFi + LTE + Z-Wave | $300-600+ |
| Lyric Controller | Alarm panel (legacy) | 7″ touchscreen, HomeKit support (discontinued) | WiFi + Z-Wave | $200-400 (if available) |
| SiXSeries Sensors | Wireless sensors | Encrypted 2-way communication, 5-year battery | 319.5MHz (proprietary) | $30-80 per sensor |
| Total Connect 2.0 | App/platform | Remote arm/disarm, video, automation, alerts | Cloud (via Alarm.com) | Included with monitoring |
What’s Good About Honeywell Hardware
| Strength | Details |
|---|---|
| Enterprise-grade hardware | ProSeries panels are built for commercial reliability — 5+ year lifespan typical |
| Massive zone capacity | 146 zones on PROA7PLUS vs ~100 for most DIY systems |
| Encrypted sensors | SiXSeries uses AES-128 encrypted 2-way communication — harder to jam |
| Professional installation | Wiring done correctly, optimal sensor placement, code compliance |
| Alarm.com integration | Total Connect 2.0 runs on Alarm.com — industry-leading platform |
| Partition support | Separate zones for different areas (e.g., garage vs house) — rare in DIY |
What’s Wrong With the Dealer Model
| Problem | How Bad | DIY Alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Equipment markup | Dealers charge 2-5x retail — $400 panel costs $800+ | Abode Smart Security Kit $150 |
| Contract lock-in | 2-3 year contracts with $200-1,000 early termination | Abode/Ring: no contract ever |
| Monthly cost | $30-55/month for basic monitoring | Abode: $0-20/month |
| Dealer dependency | If your dealer closes, you’re stuck finding a new one | DIY: you control everything directly |
| No self-monitoring option | Must pay for pro monitoring — no free tier | Abode: full self-monitoring at $0/month |
| Can’t switch monitoring providers easily | Panel may be locked to dealer’s Alarm.com account | DIY: switch plans instantly in-app |
| Support goes through dealer | Quality varies wildly — some great, some terrible | DIY: direct support from manufacturer |
| No HomeKit/smart home | Z-Wave support but no HomeKit, limited smart home | Abode: HomeKit + Alexa + Google + Z-Wave + Zigbee |
Honeywell vs DIY: Full Feature Comparison
| Feature | Honeywell ProSeries (Dealer) | Abode | Ring Alarm | SimpliSafe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equipment cost | $500-2,000+ | $150 | $200 | $250 |
| Monthly (self-monitor) | ❌ Not available | $0 | $0 | $0 (limited) |
| Monthly (pro monitor) | $30-55 | $20 | $20 | $28 |
| Contract | 2-3 years | None | None | None |
| Cellular backup | ✅ | ✅ (free) | ⚠️ ($10/mo) | ⚠️ ($16/mo) |
| Battery backup | ✅ (24hr) | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| HomeKit | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Z-Wave | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Zigbee | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Geofencing | ✅ (Alarm.com) | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| DIY install | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Zone capacity | 146 | ~160 | ~100 | ~100 |
| Encrypted sensors | ✅ (AES-128) | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
3-Year Cost Comparison
| Setup | Equipment | Monthly | 3-Year Total | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honeywell (budget dealer) | $500 | $30 | $1,580 | 2-year contract, basic monitoring |
| Honeywell (premium dealer) | $1,500 | $50 | $3,300 | Full install, cameras, premium monitoring |
| Honeywell + Alarm.com | $800 | $40 | $2,240 | Mid-range with video, automation |
| Abode (free) | $150 | $0 | $150 | Self-monitoring + cellular backup |
| Abode (Pro) | $150 | $20 | $870 | 24/7 pro monitoring, no contract |
| Ring (Plus) | $200 | $10 | $560 | Cellular backup + video storage |
| SimpliSafe (Standard) | $250 | $16 | $826 | Camera access + cellular |
| ADT (traditional) | $200-600 | $28-52 | $1,208-2,472 | Contract required |
The math is brutal for Honeywell: A budget dealer setup costs 10x more than Abode’s free tier over 3 years ($1,580 vs $150) — and Abode includes cellular backup, HomeKit, and no contract.
Should You Stay With Honeywell or Switch?
| Your Situation | Recommendation | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Happy with current dealer, panel works fine | Stay (for now) | If it’s working and you trust your dealer, no rush |
| Contract ending soon | Switch to Abode | Save $400-1,400/year, gain HomeKit, lose nothing important |
| Dealer closed or unresponsive | Switch immediately | Orphaned panels become bricks without dealer support |
| Want smart home integration | Switch to Abode | HomeKit + Z-Wave + Zigbee vs Honeywell’s Z-Wave only |
| Want self-monitoring option | Switch to DIY | Honeywell has no self-monitoring — you must pay for pro |
| Large commercial property (50+ zones) | Stay with Honeywell | ProSeries handles commercial scale better than DIY |
| Insurance requires “professionally installed” | Check policy carefully | Most insurers now accept DIY with pro monitoring |
| Existing Z-Wave devices | Switch to Abode | Abode supports same Z-Wave devices + adds Zigbee + HomeKit |
How to Switch From Honeywell to DIY
- Check your contract — find the end date and early termination fee
- Don’t cancel monitoring until new system is ready — never leave your home unprotected
- Choose your new system — Abode recommended for Honeywell upgraders (Z-Wave compatibility)
- Check Z-Wave device compatibility — your existing Z-Wave locks, switches, sensors may work with Abode
- Install new system — 15-30 minutes for basic setup
- Cancel old monitoring — in writing, keep confirmation
- Remove old equipment — or leave wired sensors in place (some integrations possible)
- Notify your insurance company — update monitoring certificate if applicable
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Honeywell Home the same as Honeywell?
No. Honeywell spun off its home division in 2018 into Resideo Technologies, which was later acquired by Snap One. “Honeywell Home” is a brand name used under license — the actual company is Resideo/Snap One, not Honeywell International.
Can I use my Honeywell panel without a dealer?
Sometimes. If you own the panel outright (not leased), you can try switching to a direct-to-consumer monitoring service like Surety or GeoArm that supports Alarm.com. But many dealers lock the panel to their account, making this difficult.
Are Honeywell sensors compatible with DIY systems?
Honeywell wireless sensors (345MHz SiX series, 5800 series) are NOT directly compatible with DIY systems like Abode, Ring, or SimpliSafe. You’ll need new sensors. However, any Z-Wave devices (locks, switches) should work with Abode’s Z-Wave hub.
Is Total Connect 2.0 any good?
It’s functional but dated compared to modern apps. It runs on the Alarm.com platform (which is excellent), but the interface feels 5 years behind Ring or Abode. Features depend entirely on your dealer’s Alarm.com tier — some charge extra for video, automation, or geofencing that come free with DIY systems.
What happens if my dealer goes out of business?
Your panel may become an “orphan” — still functional locally but unable to be monitored or updated. You’ll need to find another authorized dealer willing to take over your account, which can be difficult. This is one of the biggest risks of the dealer model vs. DIY.
Is Honeywell worth the price for anyone?
Yes — for large properties (50+ zones), commercial applications, or situations where insurance specifically requires professional installation. For typical homes, DIY systems like Abode offer 90% of the functionality at 10-20% of the cost.
William is a tech buff and former corporate security officer turned cybercrime analyst. Computers have few secrets left for him, but home security and alarm systems… Well, those have plenty of secrets for their users, which William is now uncovering and explaining. His articles on home security helped many people take the matter seriously, invest in highly performing systems, and avoid becoming victims of burglaries.
Abette Scent says
Honeywell has been doing an excellent job in recent years, and they have excelled in their field. I really like their Z-wave and the automated scene lighting in the house, aside from the fact that it helps you feel secure inside the house, which will turn cozy and achieve a relaxing ambiance anytime you like. I did not have any regrets about purchasing the Honeywell home security alarm system. Hopefully, in the future, they will enhance more of their equipment so that everyone will notice that every penny you invest in Honeywell is never put to waste.
Dan Worland says
Honeywell seems to go unnoticed to the individual consumer looking to buy home security yet they are HUGE. Dealers use them over GE and their equipment is superior. They are the only company keeping up with (or ahead) with Vivint in home automation innovation (my opinion). It is hard though to buy one of their systems on a DIY basis and connect it all yourself; thus why they go after dealers. I’m loving the new camera doorbell by Honeywell that recently came out.
Chris says
Honeywell/Ademco is the de facto security brand and has been for decades though frankly they have fallen behind in technology but are trying to fix this with their Lyric all-in-one system. Any legitimate security company can monitor a Honeywell security system, regardless if wired or wireless. Every security system has a backdoor so not knowing the passcode is easy to correct assuming you have full access to the control panel. I agree with the author that many features on security panels are not used, or even needed by most customers, but always nice to have just in case.
Look online for central station monitoring as well as interactive services so you can arm/disarm, control zwave devices, etc from anywhere. Pricing is half of what most local dealers and ADT will charge – and usually no multiyear contracts. This is where most dealers make their money, monitoring.
Jack dawson says
Why should I buy their unnecessary add-ons such as their sensors when there are many options of value for money camera surveillance solutions in the market. Minting money for ages with outdated technologies..When I have my pet dog at home, these outdated ones are just buck burners..long live these products.
Tom says
I am interested in getting the Honeywell Lynx Touch L7000 wireless alarm systems, but my question is, do I need total connect or these monitoring companies such as alarm.com,ADT or other providers to remotely access and control my system? Can I use 3rd parties apps to remotely access and use the automation function without subscribing? I am not talking about calling 911, I believe most cheap providers can offer this service, but I find it somewhat disappointing to know that I can’t use the full functionality of these system unless I go back to the manufacturer or vendor!
MICHAEL HALPRIN says
I am being told, that I have a honeywell system in my current new bought home without the password, I am being told that the control has to be changed out, and I will be charged for the 4 cameras at around 150 per outdoor camera and $200 for the doorbell camera to be sold in about 2 months when its slimmer. The monthly cost is $62.00 per month and no mention of thermostat or Z waves or anything like that. Now I have every door contact already in place, every motion detector in place and even a siren in the ac filter location. Why am I being charged $62.00 per month with a $550 installation, Includes the 3 cameras, when I see Frontline charging $45 per month
Alarm Reviews says
Hey Michael,
Depends who your monitoring company is that is using the Honeywell system in your home. Honeywell and GE are compatible with most home security providers and it is up to them how much they charge to monitor your home. Find out who it is and then cancel and sign up with a new company. The new provider may use some of your existing equipment or just get you a full new home alarm system. Hope that helps!
Alex says
Hi Michael,
Don’t give these sharks any money to rip out your equipment. I run into this all the time. They just want to standardize to their product line for ease of service. There are other options available for cameras as well. You can put in a separate DVR with no monthly fees for remote connection. You can also look at adding a Tuxedo Touch to your existing system. Yes, you are looking at larger upfront product costs, but your monitoring costs will be way below $62 or even $45 a month. Basically when you buy the product, you own it and have full control over your system; which is real peace of mind.