Abode

Why We Like It

Abode's on-demand monitoring model is genuinely clever for families who travel seasonally or want professional coverage only part of the year — pay $8/mo to self-monitor normally and activate full professional monitoring for your vacation weeks. The broad smart home compatibility also makes it the best choice for households that have already invested in HomeKit or Google Home devices.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• On-demand monitoring lets families activate professional coverage only during vacations or extended trips
• Works with Apple HomeKit, Google Home, Alexa, and Z-Wave — the broadest smart home compatibility of any system here
• Door and motion sensors configurable as arrival alerts to notify parents when kids enter the home

Cons

• Smaller professional monitoring network than ADT or SimpliSafe
• Self-monitoring requires active attention — not ideal for parents who want fully hands-off coverage

Score Breakdown

Home security systems were evaluated on family-relevant safety features, ease of installation, monitoring quality and flexibility, smart-home integration, and total cost of ownership including equipment and monthly fees.