Best Home Security Systems in Canada

We’d all like to think we live in the safest neighbourhoods in the world. But the second your neighbour has a break-in or someone steals your kid’s bike, suddenly you could really go for some peace of mind.

Luckily, security systems really do make potential burglars think twice.¹ We’ve rounded up and researched the best home security systems in Canada, so you can stop standing at your front window with a hockey stick and let someone else keep an eye on things for a change.

Although our top recommendations are US-based, we recommend using similar criteria when looking for a local Canadian home alarm system. That means you should look for ease of use, features that will make your life easier and your home safer, and, where possible, flexible contracts.

• Affordable
• Professional monitoring option
• Flexible contracts
• Addresses your needs

Shopping for a home security system can get really subjective. You may feel like it’s worth it to pay beaucoup bucks for TELUS's flexibility, for instance, while someone else may just want a basic, cheap Ring system.

Ring Alarm takes affordable to a whole new level—for both equipment and professional monitoring.

Ring Alarm is a no-contract security system that you can install yourself. It’s also a total steal, with super affordable equipment prices and the lowest cost for professional monitoring we’ve ever seen. Unfortunately, Ring has had a history of security issues over the years.⁶ Which could be a dealbreaker for some users.

Ring has really affordable equipment. For a starter pack of security equipment, you’ll pay only $199. (Compare that to Vivint’s $599.)

You can also get professional monitoring through Ring without breaking the bank. You’ll pay only $20 per month for someone to keep an extra set of eyes on your system 24/7. And if you’d rather just monitor your system yourself with your phone, then you can do that for free. (Just remember you won't be able to view past footage.) But if you want to view past footage for just one camera or doorbell, you'll only pay $3.99 a month.

Despite its low cost, Ring Alarm still comes with Z-Wave support. That means you can add on compatible smart home devices that also work with Z-Wave.

We’re talking smart door locks, smart lights, smart outlets. You can get it all and integrate it with your Ring system.

As far as we’re informed, the Ring products available in Canada are the same products available in the United States. Those products include:

• Base stations
• Keypads
• Entry sensors
• Motion detector
• Flood and freeze sensor
• Smoke and CO listener
• Panic button
• Lights
• Smartbulbs
• Transformer
• Bridge
• Indoor cameras
• Outdoor cameras
• Video doorbells
• Video doorbell faceplates
• Battery pack
• Chimes
• Charging stations
• Solar panels
• Solar chargers
• Transformer
• Adapter

You can purchase the security sensors in an Ring Alarm Security Kit, while the cameras, accessories, and smart home items are typically separate.

View on Amazon | Read Full Ring Alarm Review

Frontpoint gets high marks for customer service. Plus, it’s easy to install yourself.

We’re not the first ones to give Frontpoint some major kudos for its customer service and support.^²,³  Plus, as DIY-installed security systems go, Frontpoint has a wide range of affordable equipment and detectors (including standards like glass break sensors and a motion sensor), that’s super easy to set up—and it gives you all the home automation integrations you could ever want.

Frontpoint’s system is easy to set up and get going. In our own experience, we had everything up and running for a three-bedroom, two-bathroom house in about an hour.

You might see faster installation times from preconfigured systems like Link Interactive, but all things considered, Frontpoint was a cinch to install.

The real price you pay for those affordable equipment rates is with a more expensive monitoring plan. Frontpoint offers professional monitoring for $40 to $60 each month. There’s no scaling down the price for self-monitoring or fewer equipment pieces. And you must order over the phone in order to access Frontpoint's 2-year or month-to-month plans—which isn’t the best look compared to the competition.

Still, the equipment prices and the top-notch customer service might make the higher monitoring price worth it to you to get the best service.

To our understanding, Canadian Frontpoint and US Frontpoint share the same equipment. That includes the following:

• Frontpoint hub
• Keypad
• Touchscreen
• Door/window sensor
• Motion sensor
• Glass break sensor
• Smoke and heat sensor
• Carbon monoxide sensor
• Flood sensor
• Smart door lock
• Outdoor smart plug
• Wireless light control
• Indoor camera
• Outdoor camera
• Doorbell camera
• Keychain remote

Frontpoint gives you some pretty huge discounts on equipment—it basically always has a deal going on for its equipment packages. (Don’t worry though, if you don’t see a package that has everything you want, you can still add on devices, like that extra door/window sensor, à la carte.)

View Plans | Read Full Frontpoint Review

Brinks Home goes beyond the phone call and sends you alerts through multiple channels.

Brinks Home has pretty standard equipment, and its prices aren’t super expensive but aren’t super cheap either.

What we like about Brinks Home is its monitoring. Brinks Home has super fast response times, and it uses a bunch of different ways to get in contact with you.

If something (or someone) sets off your security system, most security companies will try to call you. They might also try to call some other people you’ve designated as emergency contacts, but the phone is still usually how they try to reach you.

Brinks Home uses not just phone calls, but also text messages, emails, and what they call LiveAssist to try to get in contact with you if something triggers your system. The multiple channels of contact make it way easier for you to get the message.

According to Brinks Home, other providers can take as long as five minutes to contact you after an alarm.⁵ But because its reps use so many channels to try to get in touch with you, Brinks Home can respond in as little as 30 seconds.⁵

Five minutes strikes us as a bit longer, and definitely longer than we’ve ever seen it take an alarm provider to respond. But we do think using multiple channels helps Brinks Home get in touch with its customers faster.

You’ve heard this story before: Brinks Home makes you sign a 3-year contract for service. Clearly, that’s not unusual, but more and more no-contract systems are coming onto the security market, so we’d love to see the big-name providers ditch the fine print.

The equipment available for Brinks Home in Canada includes the following:

• Beyond Smart Hub
• Door sensor
• Window sensor
• Motion detector
• Smoke detector
• CO detector
• Flood sensor
• Smart door lock
• Garage door controller
• Smart thermostat
• Smart switch
• Smartbulb
• Smart water valve
• Smart irrigation controller
• Indoor camera
• Outdoor camera
• Video doorbell
• Wellness camera
• Playback DVR

You can also buy Amazon Echos and Google Homes directly from Brinks for a more complete smart home setup.

View Plans | Read Full Brinks Home Review

The US might think it’s all that, but as far as home security goes, it doesn’t have everything the Great White North has. That’s right— with TELUS's acquisition of ADT and Vivint, TELUS SmartHome Security now offers the widest selection of security services across Canada. 

TELUS is a plan-oriented service with tons of options. You can pick self- or professional monitoring—cameras or no cameras—smart home service or no smart home service.

And while some of the plans cost more than average, TELUS SmartHome Security also offers bundling services that can net you some substantial discounts. So if you already have or sign up for TELUS phone, TV, or internet, your home security service costs will go down quite a bit. In some cases, with discounts, TELUS plans are cheaper than competitors’ equivalents.

You’ll also see some cool benefits rolled into every TELUS plan, like online security benefits such as VPNs and device protection. That way, TELUS protects your home and your devices.

Because TELUS is so focused on plans, the equipment takes something of a backseat. TELUS uses standard home security devices you’ll see with other brands like Frontpoint and Brinks Home. It’s good stuff, but it’s not groundbreaking.

TELUS also isn’t a smart home compatibility leader. The brand works with Google Assistant, Alexa, and a curated list of products from a few different brands. It also has a neat Scene function in its app.

But the main drawback with TELUS is the contracts. Because TELUS lets you essentially rent the equipment and pay it back over time, you’ll need to commit to a minimum of three years and sometimes as many as five. If you can’t see yourself staying put that long, you’re better off with Ring.

TELUS has the following equipment options:

• TELUS control panel
• Door/window sensor
• Motion sensor
• Glass break sensor
• Flood sensor
• Smoke sensor
• Carbon monoxide sensor
• Garage door controller
• Smart lock
• Smart thermostat
• Smart plug
• Smartbulb
• Indoor camera
• Outdoor camera
• Doorbell camera
• Amazon Echo Show 5

View Plans | Read Full TELUS Review

If you want to go to sleep at night and rest easy knowing someone’s keeping an eye on your house for you, then a home security system is your ticket to dreamland. Choose the best alarm system for you and get some decent shut-eye.

• TELUS is the only service we currently recommend that’s actually from Canada. But it doesn’t just bleed maple syrup; it also has flexible plans and lots of discount options, especially for current TELUS customers.
• Frontpoint has excellent customer service and easy DIY installation. Plus, we love the equipment discounts (even though its monitoring is a bit pricey).
• Brinks Home uses a ton of different channels to contact you when an alarm goes off. You can get alerts through text, email, phone calls, or even directly through your control panel.
• Ring Alarm is shockingly affordable for a system that still gives you tons of home automation options. That being said, they haven't had the best reputation in the past.

When choosing home security systems to review, we consider the following factors:

• Price
• Equipment
• Home automation
• Cameras
• Customer service

We’ve tested the US versions of Frontpoint and Ring and read customer reviews of all the services to help form our star ratings.

Sources