What smart home security options are there — and are they worth the upgrade?

The past few years have seen the best home security systems change beyond recognition, from expensive hard-wired systems that required professional installation to cheap cameras and sensors that homeowners can self-install.

There’s still a place for wired systems (particularly if you have a larger property), but for the large majority of homeowners, smart security has become much more accessible thanks to devices such as video doorbells.

Smart home security integrates sensors such as cameras, components such as doorbell chimes and alarms, with smartphone apps and smart speaker systems such as Amazon’s Alexa or Google Assistant. Increasingly, these systems are modular and customisable. Smart security systems can even include both wired and wireless elements, often connected via a home Wi-Fi network.

What are smart home security systems?

Traditional security systems are either hardwired or wireless and rely on a keypad and a loud siren, with manual control via a physical keypad and PIN code, explains Anthony Neary, managing director of Safe.co.uk.

Smart security systems meanwhile offer instant personal alerts delivered to a phone, and can be armed and disarmed from anywhere in the world.

Neary says, "Essentially, smart systems shift security from being a localised, passive deterrent to a remotely managed, active alert system."

Anthony Neary

Anthony Neary, managing director and security expert at Safe.co.uk has long-standing expertise in smart home security systems

What smart home security systems are there?

1. Smart doorbells

The best video doorbells have become a common "first purchase" for smart security systems, offering camera, intercom and motion alerts.

It’s now very possible to buy a smart doorbell first, then add more elements such as cameras and alarms later. Amazon’s Ring doorbell, for instance, now offers indoor cameras and alarms as part of the Ring "family".

While systems such as Amazon’s Ring work with Amazon’s apps and require an Amazon account, other smart doorbell systems such as Arlo will work with multiple different smart home systems including Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, If This Then That (IFTTT), and Samsung SmartThings.

2. Smart locks

Smart locks can be locked and unlocked remotely using an app and internet connection, meaning homeowners can offer temporary access with codes or key fobs, to visitors such as AirBnB renters or couriers.

Smart locks can also alert owners to unlawful entry attempts, with popular brands including the Nuki Smart Lock from Amazon, which allows homeowners to use their smartphone as a "key".

Other brands such as the Burg-Wächter’s secuENTRY Active from Amazon can support up to 30 users, with a mechanical key lock for emergency opening.

Anthony Neary says, "these devices often integrate with the main alarm, allowing you to grant access remotely or check if a door is locked using your phone or voice assistant."

3. Security cameras

Home security cameras without a subscription have become cheaper and more capable, and less reliant on professional installations, such as Eufy's wireless security cameras, which are easily available to buy on Amazon.

Meanwhile wireless home security systems such as Google’s Nest Cam on Amazon offers customisable alerts whenever the system spots movement. Systems such as the Arlo Standard from John Lewis offer functions such as two-way audio (so you can talk to people directly from a smartphone) and night vision detection.

"They are a major deterrent," says Anthony Neary. "Thieves will avoid a property with visible, clear cameras, and they allow you to cover vulnerable, out-of-sight areas like gardens or side access points."

4. Alarms and sensors

Door and window sensors can offer alerts of unwanted intrusions, while glass break sensors have become increasingly advanced, with systems such as Amazon’s Ring Alarm Glass Break Sensor from Amazon now offering the capability to accurately detect breaking glass at distances up to seven metres, either triggering an alarm or sending an alert.

Paired with security lighting, these are a particularly powerful way to keep your home safe from burglars.

“Automatic, motion-activated lights positioned at the front and rear of the property are a vital, low-cost deterrent," advises Anthony Neary." Burglars prefer to work under the cover of darkness and are immediately put off when they are put in the spotlight."

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What are the pros and cons of smart home security?

While the benefits of smart home security systems might seem obvious, you do need to shop around for what might be more suitable for your individual needs.

For instance, you may only need a very basic, inexpensive smart system if you only have a small front garden that needs coverage. But if you live in a more rural location, with lots of outbuildings or a garden with plenty of places for intruders to hide, you may well need a more substantial, high quality smart home security setup.

That's why it is worth weighing up the main pros and cons to consider when choosing your home security system and considering how much it is worth budgeting for your home security system costs.

Pros

• Cheap peace of mind with systems starting around £150
• Instant alerts direct to your phone
• Installation is often easy and often very quick
• Convenience (keyless entry, remote access, temporary guest access)
• Integration with other smart home systems
• Can monitor your property 24/7 on your phone
• Automatic lighting can not only scare off and deter intruders but you can get notifications when activated

Cons

• Cost of systems can spiral when you start adding extra sensors
• Subscriptions: some brands only "record" footage if you pay a subscription
• Battery failure or Wi-Fi outages can interfere with security
• Installation costs can be higher for wired systems if you need to call in a professional
• Theft of your home security system is worth considering too, if it is easily removed or accessible
• Smart technology is still evolving. Often older systems can get made redundant, forcing you to keep buying new ones to keep up with the technology
• Drain on your Wi-Fi system so you need to ensure that you have a decent bandwidth that can cope with it
• Placement can be key in terms of weather, some system are designed to be easy to move (often using magnets), but this can also leave it vulnerable to blowing off in strong winds if in an exposed position
• Can cause privacy concerns from neighbours and other household users if not positioned well

Worth the upgrade?

Smart home security systems can do everything from offering instant alerts of suspicious activity to turning on lights to make homes appear more occupied. The presence of visible sensors, such as smart doorbells, which light up when approached, also helps to deter burglars.

But there is a generational divide in attitudes when it comes to relying on home security technology. Those aged 60 years and older would still prefer to ask a neighbour to check their home (56%), according to those surveyed by specialist home insurer, Homeprotect. Only 34% of Gen Z would ask a neighbour.

In terms of using smart home security, the figures are still modest. While 32% of Gen Z would use smart security for their homes, only 20% of those aged 60 and above would use smart security systems.

David Joyson, chief customer officer at Homeprotect, adds, “In today’s society, it’s hardly surprising that many younger homeowners favour smart tech to monitor their homes while they’re away. After all, many have grown up in a digital-first world, so video doorbells or remote monitoring are an extension of their everyday tech habits.

"But strong neighbourhood relationships have helped prevent crime for many years. The Neighbourhood Watch – a voluntary crime prevention movement since 1982 – is a good example of this. Home insurers often favour households with a combination of both. Home security systems and becoming a member of a Neighbourhood Watch scheme can help to protect your home from criminal damage or burglary, and could even reduce your home insurance premium."

If you are looking at adding smart home security to your home, it's well worth taking a look at our piece on home CCTV laws to make sure you aren't unintentionally falling foul of any privacy rules. This can be particularly useful when planning the positioning of your home security and where you put your security cameras.