All of these systems make almost none, or very small sacrifices to meet this price range, whilst still focusing on high quality security features. They are also great starting points for any future plans you may have for building upon it once you have the funds available.
YI 4 piece Home Camera System
with 24/7 Recording – $119
If you’re simply looking for camera surveillance, you can’t go wrong with the 4 piece system from YI. You get four cameras that record 1080p at 15 frames per second. You can record audio too, and each of the four cameras have an enhanced night vision mode. Noise and motion detection features are available and you can get notifications for any movement sent straight to your phone. You can also view your cameras remotely through the YI app, and if you sign up to YI Cloud, you can get cloud storage to save your recordings. If not, you can still use a microSD card to backup any footage. So long as you either backup regularly or have YI Cloud switched on, you are able to record with these cameras 24/7 without running into any issues.
Wink Lookout Smart Security
Starter Kit – $199
The Wink Lookout smart security kit is a nice step up for anybody that needs a bit more security than from what cameras can provide. In this kit, you get one motion sensor, a siren for signalling an alert if your home is broken into, and two sensors for windows or doors. Setting up the kit is easy – all of your devices will connect to each other right away and you can use the Wink Hub 2 included in the box to pair it with other smart products. Supported manufacturers include Nest, Philips, Ring, Sonos, Ecobee, Arlo, and much more. With this in mind, it becomes easy to integrate the Wink security starter kit into an existing smart home, or set it up and have it ready for when you purchase any future smart home equipment in the future. The incredible compatibility with so many other systems is why it’s such a good starting point, or accessory for an existing home security system. Alongside the hardware, you get access to the Wink app. With this, you can be notified when any activity happens at your home. You can set it up so that your siren goes off automatically, or even manually switch it on via the app to alert your neighbors and hopefully cause any would-be thieves to scatter.
Fortress Security S03 WiFi Deluxe
Pet Kit – $229.99
Fortress offers a variety of bundles at varying prices points. The S03 WiFi Deluxe Pet Kit is essentially their top tier option in their Alexa controlled range. In this bundle, you get a main panel for connectivity, 8 window and door break-in contacts, an outdoor flashing strobe siren, a panic button, 3 remote fobs, a loud plug-in white siren, and 4 RFID key tags. With the included app, you can control everything remotely, set up voice control via Alexa, and view activity even when you’re not at home. With the two included sirens, it’s possible to remotely activate or deactivate the alarms, or change whether an alarm will sound if it gets triggered. The four key tags are nice touches for those with pets. You can set it up so that the local emergency number is automatically dialled should there be a break-in. Alternatively, you can set it to call out to your own personal number, or up to 6 other numbers, should you be in a location where you don’t have internet to access the Fortress Security app. The main panel features a two-way intercom system for talking remotely with those at home, which could be used in a pinch, but mostly it’s the other remote security features that make this kit stand out.
SimpliSafe Wireless Home Security
System – 12 Pieces – $399
This particular security system has been highly rated by industry greats like CNET and PC Magazine. It gets a lot of credit for featuring great security hardware and cheap security monitoring, too. You can pay to have your home monitored for just $14.99 per month. In the kit, you get the base station that can send alarm signals to the monitoring center, both via WiFi or through cellular connectivity. The monitoring center also helps the whole system to run even in the case of a power outage. They keypad can also be used to enter your home without tripping the system, and if it is damaged, it’ll send an alarm signal too.
Arlo Pro 2 – 2 cameras with Doorbell – $417
The Arlo Pro 2 is a powerful camera-centric smart security system. This kit includes the base system and 2 cameras with 2-way audio. Each camera has night vision mode, weather resistant designs, and flexible powering options. The cameras record in 1080p and capture higher quality, clearer footage than most cheaper options. When somebody rings your doorbell, you can get notifications or even straight up calls via the Arlo smartphone app. You can also talk remotely through the doorbell. Visitors can leave voice messages, too. You can get rechargeable batteries or purchase additional cables to keep the cameras plugged in at all times. Arlo offers a subscription for cloud storage and the system comes with a 7 day free trial. Arlo’s magic comes into play when you integrate it into an existing smart home. Arlo can work with Alexa, Google Assistant, Samsung SmartThings, and even IFTTT. You are given a lot of freedom over how you integrate Arlo 2 into an existing system. You can also purchase existing cameras for $216.
Summary
That wraps up our look at the top smart security systems for under $500. What did you think of these options? If you have any questions, feel free to leave them below and I’ll get back to you when I can. For a quick reminder, here is what we covered: YI 4 Piece camera system – Cheap cameras and remote access via the app for $119 Wink Lookout Kit – A great starter kit for those hoping to expand in the future for $199 Fortress Security S03 Deluxe Pet Kit – Do it yourself security with many gadgets for $229.99 SimpliSafe Security System – A kit for $399 and a monthly monitoring subscription for $14.99 Arlo Pro 2 – an excellent camera and doorbell kit for $417
