Link Interactive Home Security Review

Link Interactive’s prices are somewhere in the middle of the pack. You’ll pay more for Link home security than you would for a cheap, no-contract alarm system like SimpliSafe but far less than you’d pay for ADT.

Overall, we think $30.99 per month isn’t a bad deal for this type of system. Especially considering you get top features like cellular-connected equipment and home automation functionality.

Link Interactive’s top-priced package, the Elite, is in the same price range as Vivint’s top-priced alarm monitoring package—and both companies are cheaper than ADT’s top-priced plan.

Keep in mind, that monthly monitoring service price doesn’t include equipment. You’ll have to choose your equipment separately and pay an additional cost.

Link Interactive’s customer service does offer “agreement discounts” for signing a contract—which, in our case, knocked a couple hundred dollars off a $1,000 bill. But it’s still a big up-front investment.

If you go with security systems from companies like Vivint, Frontpoint, or ADT, you’ll end up signing a contract most of the time. Contracts usually last for about three years, but sometimes they go as long as five.

Link Interactive is one of only a few traditional companies that lets you go contract-free if you buy all your equipment upfront. If you can afford such big cash spend at once - it's not a bad deal.

Link Interactive gives you more contract length options than any other company we've seen. This is a plus if you can't swing the upfront costs.

Link Interactive contract length options: 

• 12 months
• 24 months
• 36 months

And pro tip: If you don’t want to pay for all your equipment up front, you can finance it over the length of your contract. But that means you do have to sign a contract. The no-contract option is only available if you buy all your devices outright.

Link Interactive doesn’t charge many fees. You don’t have to pay for installation (since you do it yourself). You don’t even have to worry about an activation fee.

You might run into a contract cancellation fee, though. If you sign a contract and then need to end it early, be ready to fork over 75% of the cost of your remaining contract.

Any basic alarm system includes a control panel, sensors, and, ideally, 24/7 professional alarm monitoring. Most companies offer preset equipment packages or tie in certain components with the monthly monitoring price while making you purchase other devices separately.

Link Interactive simplifies the process.

Everything is priced separately and you can choose which sensors you want, what type of control panel you want, and how much security equipment to install in your home. You can buy online or call Link Interactive customer service directly.

Normally, we have to dig to figure out how the equipment process works, so we find Link Interactive’s approach quite refreshing.

Link Interactive offers two control panels:

• 2GIG Go!Control Panel
• Qolsys IQ Panel 

These are the same kind of control panels you get from other security companies. They have touchscreens, and they allow you to arm or disarm the system and view its status.

Both panels also have two-way talk, which means representatives at  Link Interactive’s alarm monitoring station can talk to you through the panel when an alarm goes off. If you accidentally tripped a sensor in the kitchen and don’t actually need the police, you can tell Link Interactive through the control panel, just like a phone.

In our experience, the two-way talk function in control panels helps reduce false alarms. Considering you can face some hefty fines from your city if the police answer too many rogue calls, we consider this a good thing.

Link Interactive offers a range of doorbell, indoor and outdoor security cameras with all the features we expect.

Our favorite camera Link Interactive offers is the Premium Indoor Camera. Link’s not the only one that has this (you can also get it from Frontpoint), but it’s an impressive little cam.

If you have kids who walk home from school, or you get a lot of package deliveries, or you just like to see who’s at the door before you get off the couch, Link’s Skybell video doorbell gives you total porch power.

Skybell doorbell camera features: 

• Motion detection
• HD video
• Two-way audio
• Night vision
• Doorbell-triggered video clips

We tested installing the Skybell doorbell and it was a bit tricky. It took us a little while to figure out the wiring, but we still had it up and running within 30 minutes.

The Skybell uses a broadband connection, not cellular. Make sure your Wi-Fi signal reaches your porch—or invest in a Wi-Fi range extender—before you invest in a Skybell.

Link Interactive’s not just about cameras and control panels. It also has a bunch of home security devices we don’t see very often from other companies, including a grill guard, an outdoor sensor, and a gun lock.

Link Interactive standout sensors: 

• Grill guard: Detects whether a grill or stove is still hot after a set period of time.
• Outdoor sensor: Can be used on sheds, pool covers, or any other outside item you want to make sure stays closed.
• Gun lock: Keeps your firearms under lock and key with a tilt sensor and a numerical lock.

If you want to make sure your kids don’t open the outdoor pool cover, or you keep wondering if you really did turn the stove off before you left for work, then Link Interactive’s devices could make your life a whole lot easier.

Link Interactive works with Z-Wave technology, the standard for smart home connective technology.

Z-Wave technology works a lot like Bluetooth. You connect devices into one central hub (your Link Interactive control panel) and then you can turn off lights and lock doors through the mobile app, whether you’re at work, in bed, or at the beach.

You can buy smart devices like light dimmers and locks when you order your full Link Interactive system or get third-party equipment and add it yourself. Just double check with Link Interactive's customer support that the device you want will integrate with your system.

Link Interactive uses the Alarm.com mobile app. The app can do basically everything your control panel can: arm and disarm the system, control smart home devices, and view camera video feeds.

If you have the Skybell doorbell camera, a live feed will come up on your phone whenever someone steps on your porch or rings the doorbell. You can see that your kids got home from school safely, unlock the door with the app, and lock it behind them once you’ve seen them go inside. You’ll never have to copy a key again.

Before Link Interactive ships a system out the door, it sets up all the sensors so they’re already named and connected to the control panel. That makes the setup super easy for you.

You don’t have to drill any holes in your wall for your Link Interactive system—all the sensors are just peel-and-stick.

Link Interactive’s customer service reviews aren’t quite as good as Frontpoint’s and Cove’s,^1,2 but it still gets really positive feedback from its customers.³ The company is pretty accommodating, and we’ve heard about several things they do to go above and beyond, like helping customers install third-party smart home devices they bought on Amazon.

If you want simple pricing and ordering where you can pick exactly the security equipment you want and leave the rest, then Link Interactive is a good choice. We like Link Interactive’s equipment, customer service, and buffet of security options for customers.

Pricing: Link Interactive has pretty good, mid-range pricing. It’s about on par with what you’d see from companies like Vivint and Frontpoint—and it’s cheaper than some ADT plans.

Equipment: Link Interactive uses most of the same kind of equipment you’ll see from other companies like Cove and Scout. But we like that Link Interactive offers some things other companies don’t, like special sensors.

Home automation: Link Interactive has full home automation support for Z-Wave devices, so add on whatever lights, locks, or smart home devices you want.

Installation: Link Interactive has pretty simple DIY installation and everything comes pre-configured and ready to go.

Customer experience: Link Interactive is known for prioritizing its customers’ needs. The customer reviews aren't the best that we've seen, but they aren't the worst either.

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