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Featuring motion detection, video monitoring, and remote access, we ranked ADT the highest for garage security.
Updated August 29, 2024
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Garages are often overlooked entry points to our homes, and thieves absolutely love taking advantage of that — especially considering it’s where we store our vehicles, power tools, and other expensive items. If you have a garage — either detached or attached — you need to include it in your overall security posture.
The good news is there are plenty of high-end security providers that offer garage-specific equipment. After personally testing dozens of these devices, I’ve narrowed it down to the top four based on product quality and costs. ADT took the top spot with its extensive range and best-in-industry monitoring service. But Vivint, SimpliSafe, and Frontpoint impressed me with their equipment designed specifically to protect garage contents.
Read on to learn more about my experiences with these security systems.
All my lists start with intensive research. I read consumer product reviews, company materials, and online testimonials about popular security systems to get an understanding of how they work and what they offer.
If they look interesting, I test them in my own home for a few days to a few weeks to understand how they operate, where they excel, and where their shortcomings and vulnerabilities may be.
For this list, I paid special attention to systems that offer garage-specific protections, including garage door sensors, entryway sensors, security cameras, lighting, and app control. I also looked at the systems holistically to determine how well they’d protect a home overall.
Ready to see which security systems are the best for homes with garages? Keep reading to find out.
If you’re even remotely interested in home security, I’m sure you’ve heard the name ADT — or at least you’ve seen the company’s little blue signs in some of your neighbors’ yards and windows. There’s a good reason for that. ADT is one of the best professionally monitored systems out there, and its high-quality equipment is all installed by ADT technicians, which means you don’t have to lift a finger to keep your home — and garage — protected.
ADT offers a garage door controller that is compatible with most major brands of automatic garage doors and can be hardwired or battery-operated. When I was reviewing ADT, the technician had my system set up in a few hours, and I was able to operate my garage door from pretty much anywhere on my property using the extremely intuitive ADT app.
FYI: I really appreciated that I automatically received notifications if I drove off without closing my garage door. I’m a pretty forgetful guy, and it happened way more often than I thought it would during my test period.
I also appreciate that ADT has partnered with Google to provide Nest products, including the indoor/outdoor battery-operated Nest Camera. It’s extremely effective at keeping an eye on things, and it has a ton of really interesting AI-driven features, such as facial recognition that immediately tells me if there’s a problem lurking around my truck or motorcycle. For more information on that, read my review of the Google Nest Cam.
My ADT outdoor camera watching over my garage.
One of the ADT system’s primary drawbacks is the price. Simply put, ADT’s costs are among the highest in the industry. Equipment packages run for at least $400 – more if you’re looking to customize your system.
ADT Entryway Sensors
You’re not required to pay anything up front and you can get an ADT system installed for around $100, but you’ll be paying off the remainder of your tab over the course of your 36-month contract. A three-year commitment — and bill — may be a turnoff to some folks, but I’d argue that the benefits of an ADT system outweighed my commitment-phobia.
One last thing before we move on: ADT is almost always offering a deal for new customers. I have more on that in my guide to ADT’s sales, but the long and short of it is that you can definitely save on a system if you time things right.
Did You Know? You can save yourself $100 by choosing one of ADT’s new Self Setup packages. The equipment doesn’t require any hardwiring and includes some Google Nest products. Check out our full ADT Self Setup review to learn more.
| Equipment cost | Packages starting at $499 |
|---|---|
| Monitoring options | Professional |
| Monitoring cost | Starting at $29.99 per month |
| Contract length | Starting at 36 months |
| Installation options | Professional or DIY |
| Smart platform integration | Alexa and Google Home |
Vivint’s home automations are what the company is known for, and I have to say, after testing the system for an extended period of time, it’s one of the best smart-home security systems on the market. It may sound like a gimmick, but it’s nice to set up routines to protect your property that you don’t have to think about, such as having your back door unlocked when your garage door opens. I thought it was super handy, especially when lugging in the groceries late at night!
Similar to ADT, Vivint offers garage control. Using the company’s award-winning app, you can control the door not just from your property, but from anywhere in the world. If you find yourself on a transatlantic flight and wonder if you remembered to lock everything up, you can just whip out your phone and make sure. Super reassuring.
Even more reassuring? If you go with Vivint’s Car Guard — an antitheft system for your vehicle — you can have your garage door close automatically when you drive away. That definitely came in handy when I was reviewing the Vivint system.
Pro Tip: The Vivint app also lets me customize my notifications. I have a habit of getting halfway down the street and wondering if I hit the button to close the garage door. Now I get a notification to let me know it’s shut and I can go back to thinking about what type of donut I’m going to have with my morning coffee.
I would be remiss if I didn’t also mention Vivint’s state-of-the-art security cameras. The company offers something called “smart deterrence,” which relies on AI video analytics to determine if threats are nearby — you know, someone lurking around, checking door handles, and spying through windows. Using lights and sounds, the security cameras make themselves known to would-be intruders. When I tested it, I’d say it worked. It worked well enough to bring my neighbor out of his house to ask what was going on. If you’re having trouble picking between the first two systems, don’t worry. I have a Vivint vs. ADT comparison guide that lays out everything side by side.
A view of my cars in the driveaway from the Vivint Camera.
Here’s where we hit Vivint’s first big drawback: It is not cheap. I have more information in my guide to Vivint’s prices, but here’s a crash course on how the company does things.
Vivint Smart Home Equipment
Vivint sells packages starting at around $500 to $600. But you’ll need to call for a quote to get the pricing for the system you want. Mine cost a little more than $800. And then after choosing a package, Vivint will let you customize your system with add-ons. I got an outdoor camera for an extra $400.
At the end of the day, my equipment alone cost well over $1,000. When you add Vivint’s monitoring — starting at $29.99 per month — the monthly bill was pretty steep, but not entirely unmanageable. Just like with ADT, you don’t have to pay for it all up front, but you will pay a solid chunk of it every month for at least four years.
If you’re looking for something a little easier on the wallet, you can check out my guide to the best affordable home security systems. Or you can just keep reading for my next choice!
Did You Know? You’ll need to make up your mind quickly if you want to keep your Vivint equipment. They only give you three days to cancel your service before the contract kicks in. It’s another reason I put it second, as ADT gave me a six-month money-back guarantee.
| Monitoring Options | Professional only |
|---|---|
| Installation | Professional |
| Smart Platform Integration | Alexa and Google Home |
| Equipment Cost | From $599.99 |
| Monthly Monitoring Cost | From $40 |
| Contract Length | 48 to 60 months |
SimpliSafe offers customers the best of both worlds. You can pick your home security equipment from an a la carte menu or grab one of their packages that comes with everything you need for any type of property. They also have some of the best monitoring plans available, including a free self-monitoring option and their Fast Protect feature for indoor cameras, which sends video evidence to dispatchers so you get a quicker police response.
Technically, SimpliSafe doesn’t have a sensor designed specifically for garages like ADT or Vivint. But its Entry Sensor works a treat. We installed the main component to the frame and the magnet on the roller door, ensuring both parts were two inches apart.
This is the same Entry Sensor I use for my garage door.
As we opened the door, the security system was alerted, and the countdown to disarm began. We used the app to avoid a false alarm and the siren blaring so all the neighbors could hear.
Pro Tip: We recommend setting the Entry Sensor to Secret Alert. This way, you’ll only get notifications when the garage door is open, and you won’t need to rush inside to disarm the security system before the monitoring center is notified.
A free self-monitoring plan is great, but it means you’re responsible for contacting emergency services when you need them. But with a SimpliSafe professional monitoring package, its center is on standby 24/7, and you can access other great features like video verification and even live camera monitoring. Those “great” features are included in the Fast Protect plan that costs $29.99 per month. A more basic professional monitoring plan is available for $19.99. 
SimpliSafe EquipmentYou can build your own home security system with the products you need, and it’s easy to add more devices if something changes in the future. The website makes it simple to pick your equipment by breaking it up into categories.
However, if you’re not sure what products to buy, you can get one of SimpliSafe’s equipment packages, which are designed for different households. These packages start at $250, but you can often find discounts on SimpliSafe’s website itself that will mark them down by up to 60-percent.
Did You Know? SimpliSafe is really easy to install. I set up an entire security system myself in around 30 minutes. But if you don’t feel confident getting it right, they offer professional installation starting from $125. The technician will even explain how each device works.
| Monitoring options | Professional and DIY |
|---|---|
| Installation | Professional and DIY |
| Smart platform integration | Alexa and Google Home |
| Equipment Cost | Packages starting at $249.96 |
| Monthly Monitoring Cost | From $9.99 |
| Contract Length | Monthly |
Frontpoint does a really good job of bridging the gap between traditional systems and the DIY upstarts in this space. The company requires professional monitoring, but it helps keep costs low by having customers install everything themselves. If the acronym “DIY” makes you wince, don’t worry — the system is incredibly easy to set up and use day to day. And, hey, if you can’t figure it out, Frontpoint offers some of the best customer service in the industry.
Unlike the other two brands on this list, Frontpoint unfortunately doesn’t offer any sort of remote control for your garage door. What it does offer, though, is a tilt sensor that will trigger an alarm if someone opens the garage while the system is armed.
My Frontpoint Sensor ready to be installed.
Here’s how it works: The sensor attaches to your automatic garage door and will wirelessly send an alert to your hub if the door changes position by more than 45 degrees. If the system is armed, it will cause the alarm to go off, get the authorities on their way, and hopefully scare away the intruder before they take anything of value.
It took a little getting used to when I was reviewing the Frontpoint system. Just keep in mind you need to open your garage door before you arm the system, not after. I have a detached garage, so it took a little back and forth. It didn’t cause too many issues once I got the routine down, but at first I triggered false alarms almost every time I left the house — much to my partner’s chagrin.
Frontpoint’s equipment pricing is definitely the most on this list. Packages start at only $79, and frequent discounts cut the prices of individual components by as much as 60-percent. I was able to build a comprehensive system with cameras and smart home devices for around $500. The same amount of money got me only a basic package from Vivint.
The downside is that unlike SimpliSafe – the second-most affordable here – Frontpoint requires a monthly fee for monitoring. The cost is an eye-watering $49 per month, and that goes for any size of system. So whether you have just one sensor or dozens of them, you’ll pay $49 per month. That’s why I believe Frontpoint is better for large homes than apartments or condos. Just something to bear in mind if you’re trying to purchase a security system on a budget.
Did You Know? Frontpoint’s monitoring uses the local cellular network. My internet can drop out from time to time, so this was a bonus as it didn’t rely on my dodgy connection to stay online.
| Equipment cost | Packages starting at $79 |
|---|---|
| Monitoring options | Professional |
| Monitoring cost | Starting at $49 per month |
| Contract lengths | Monthly or 36 months |
| Installation options | DIY |
| Smart platform integrations | Google Home, Alexa, and Siri |
According to our recent research, most burglars enter via open windows or doors. But another tactic involves breaking into garages, especially if it has access to the main home. Some of the other interesting facts we learned include:
Garages don’t just house cars. A garage is also a great place to store tools, outdoor equipment, and valuables you don’t have room for in the house. Criminals know this and won’t hesitate to take advantage if there is easy access to it.
This is the door that goes to my garage and where I put an ADT Entryway Sensor.
The automatic garage door is the obvious vulnerability — and it should be protected by a tilt sensor or remote access control and alerts — but don’t overlook windows or standard doors that could serve as an entry point for a burglar. They should be covered by glass-break and entryway sensors. You should probably invest in an internal motion sensor too.
It’s no surprise to anyone who has talked to me in the past five years that I’m a pretty big security camera nerd. Why? Because they are one of the best pieces of security equipment for a homeowner to invest in, primarily because they do double duty. Not only do they help you actively respond to emergency events — some will even trigger alarms for you — but they also passively deter would-be criminals from coming onto your property.
Vivint Outdoor Camera Pro
When you’re considering how best to protect your home, you don’t want to be low-hanging fruit. If a would-be intruder sees security cameras around your property and a big “protected by ADT” sign in the front yard, they will more than likely keep walking.
Criminals like to sneak in and out of garages unnoticed, which is why a motion-activated floodlight, like the Ring Floodlight Cam, is a great investment for keeping your property safe. Make sure you test the devices to ensure they will trigger at the appropriate times. Some models have blind spots that thieves can get around easily.
Pro Tip: Don’t try to hide your security system. Our report found that homes without a visible security system are up to 3.5 times more likely to be targeted by thieves. So we recommend making sure thieves will spot it, especially at night.
Unfortunately, even with security systems armed, cameras pointed in the right direction, and floodlights ready to go off, garages still get burglarized. If you find yourself victimized, there are a few steps you should take.
Immediately after discovering the incident, ensure your own safety and that of the other people in your home. Get everyone to a safe location. If you suspect the burglar may still be nearby, do not pursue or confront them. That’s how property crimes turn violent.
Immediately contact the authorities to report what happened. Give them as much detail as you can remember about what you observed, including obviously missing property, signs of forced entry, or anything suspicious you noticed leading up to the event.
After the police have conducted their investigation and given you the all-clear, take photos or videos of the damage and write down anything you notice that’s missing. That documentation will be extremely important if you’re going to make an insurance claim or if police are able to make an arrest.
Contact your insurance providers to report the incident and file a claim for any stolen or damaged property. You’ll likely be asked to provide the police report number and any photos you took of the scene.
A burglary is a traumatizing event, and you may not feel safe in your home for quite some time. Don’t hesitate to seek support from your friends, your family, or even professional counselors if you’re having trouble sleeping, grappling with intrusive thoughts, or finding your anxiety overwhelming.
When choosing a garage security system, look for the following important features. These are some of the most helpful features of garage security systems.
Specialized alert zones are a great feature that comes with select garage security systems. Configure custom alert features for areas of the home that house high-value items (like your garage). It’s a wise choice to get a home security system with specialized alert zones, especially if you live in a larger home or keep a fancy car or expensive tools in your garage.
Step into streamlined home protection with door locks. A garage security system that features smart door-lock capabilities lets you remotely lock and unlock your doors. Many offer helpful mobile activity alerts and notifications. If someone attempts to gain access to your home through your garage, you’ll be the first to know with a door-locks feature.
The technology that ties it all together. Mobile alerts keep you in the loop whether you’re at work, visiting family in another state, or halfway around the world on vacation. The alerts ping your smart device when you leave your garage door open or ajar (it happens). If you give a burglar an inch, they’ll take a foot — and your stuff.
Open sesame. It’s really that easy with remote access, an impressive feature that comes with many garage door security systems. Need to let the kids in after school? How about the dog walker? Remote access allows you to open and close your garage door remotely at any time from anywhere for any reason.
Entryway sensors come standard with home security systems that work with garage doors. Strategically place the magnetic sensors on door frames, windows, and even your garage door. When the magnet sensors separate, the alarm sounds and mobile alerts are sent. Entryway sensors are simple, but they’re highly effective at stopping break-ins.
Here’s another brilliant feature for ultimate garage security. Motion detectors are mounted in your garage and elsewhere in your home. When they detect movement, the alarm sounds and alerts are sent. Many are powered by sophisticated technology — the type of tech that can distinguish between people and pets and even offer facial recognition. Add this extra layer of protection to keep burglars at bay.
The best garage security systems come stacked with outdoor cameras or camera compatibility. This feature lets you keep a finger on the pulse of your home. Most criminals won’t bother touching your home if they see a camera, but just to be sure, get infrared LED night vision for crystal-clear imaging even in the darkest hours of night.
Shed some light on the situation and send burglars packing with outdoor lights. Outdoor lights are triggered by motion, illuminating your garage door, driveway, and any suspicious activity. Smart outdoor lights will even integrate with garage security cameras. The best systems automatically flood an area with light and begin recording when motion is sensed. Criminals hate it. Homeowners love it.
Transform your garage door into the smartest door on the block. With garage door control, you can remotely open and close your garage door — no matter where you are in the world. Sophisticated functionality is what sets this feature apart from the remote access feature. With garage door control, you can give permissions to multiple users, track activity via a nifty mobile app, and more.
