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With seamless integration with Alexa and smart home equipment, ADT can keep your home safe with the power of your voice.
Updated March 11, 2025
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Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant provides a gateway to the amazing world of smart home automation. So, if you’re as invested as we are in building an Alexa smart home, one of the key components you should get is an Alexa-enabled home security system. There are plenty of options, but which ones are the best?
Well, we tested over a dozen different security systems that work with Alexa to see which ones offer the best integrations. But that’s not all; we looked for Alexa-compatible systems that can best keep homes safe. After all, that’s the primary reason we recommend using a home security system. We found that ADT is the best home security system for Alexa smart homes. While it has a close partnership with Alexa’s rival, Google Nest, ADT is the best security system of 2025 and a great fit with Alexa. Keep reading to learn more.
From Anthony Travaglia, Retired Police Officer, Home Security Expert
“Time and information is the police officer’s best friend when it comes to solving a crime. The faster the police can arrive and start their investigation, the more likely they are to solve that crime. ADT and Vivint offer the fastest response times in the industry.”
In our experience, the only way to make trustworthy and unbiased recommendations is through first-hand testing of security systems. We do this by purchasing the equipment with our own money, installing them in our own homes, and testing them extensively for weeks and sometimes months. It’s how we get a feel for the features, usability, app, and response time of each security system. It’s also how we keep our recommendations honest and accurate.
We also do our best to provide a level playing field. We start by installing all of our test units in the same location. For this guide, we used a two-story, 2,200-square-foot home owned by one of our security experts. Testing security systems in a real house versus a lab provides the most accurate results.
We also buy the same equipment for every test system and set the devices up in identical locations. Here’s how our typical testing setup looks:
We also use our extensive security experience to identify points of comparison. These are the top priority for Alexa security systems:
After comparing our top picks, here’s our verdict.
Rating the Best Security Systems That Work With Alexa
We’ve all seen those websites reviewing everything from basketballs to cowboy hats. Unlike those, our team of experts exclusively reviews security and safety equipment. It means we can focus all our attention on the topic at hand. The experts who worked on this review include:
With more than 75 years of combined industry experience, we are the most accomplished home security team online. Since 2106, SafeHome.org has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and many major outlets. Collectively, we have:
Every recommendation we make is based on first-hand product experience and a true understanding of how home security works. Now let’s dive right in and check out the best home security systems that work with Alexa.
| System | ADT | Vivint | SimpliSafe | Ring Alarm | Cove Security |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ranking | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th |
| SecureScore™ | 9.2/10
Best Professional Monitoring |
9.1/10
Best Home Automation |
9.2/10
Best DIY Security |
8.2/10
Best Camera Integration with Alexa |
8.8/10
Most Affordable |
| Monthly Monitoring Fee | Starts at $24.99 | Starts at $29.99 | Starts at $21.99 | Starts at $9.99 | $19.99 per month |
| Equipment Price | Packages start at $349 | Packages start at $599 | Packages start at $249.96 | Packages start at $199.99 | Packages start at $99 |
| Installation | DIY or professional | Professional | DIY or professional | DIY or professional | DIY or professional |
| Read Review | ADT review | Vivint review | SimpliSafe review | Ring Alarm review | Cove Security review |
Even though ADT partnered with Google, one of Alexa’s competitors, it still offers a fully-featured Alexa integration. Beyond that, ADT offers the most reliable professional monitoring in the business, with 12 redundant monitoring centers and cutting-edge capabilities. For instance, their SMART Monitoring feature enables monitoring agents to group text you and everyone you live with for faster responses. So, if you’re looking for reliable home security that lets you simply tell Alexa to arm your system and ensure everything is professionally monitored, ADT is the top option.
ADT even sells Google products with its home security systems, such as Google Nest Learning Thermostats and Google Nest Cams. Still, ADT’s home-integration capabilities extend beyond Google Home with an impressive Alexa Skill. Here are a few of our favorite Alexa commands to use with our ADT security system:
We particularly liked the way we could turn our exterior lights on or off. If our Google Nest Cam overlooking our driveway sees someone lurking near our home, we can turn on the driveway light to let them know we are home. That’s a great way to scare them off. That’s what makes the Nest Cams some of the best security cameras in the market.
Pro Tip: Setting up ADT with Alexa is really easy. All you have to do is go to the Alexa app and search for the ADT skill. Follow the prompts to enable the skill and link your ADT account to your Alexa. All set!
Our Google Nest Cam’s facial recognition capabilities enable intricate home automation.
ADT offers a few different monitoring plans. The least expensive plan is for systems without security cameras. It doesn’t include smart home automation, although you can still integrate your ADT system with Alexa. Then, there’s a mid-tier plan that adds home automation. We found ADT’s home automation impressive, but most of it relied on the Google Nest Cam’s facial recognition capabilities. That brings us to the most expensive ADT plan, which includes full camera support with cloud storage and video verification.
Here’s an overview of ADT’s monitoring plans:
| Monitoring Plan | Secure | Smart | Complete |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24/7 professional monitoring | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cellular backup | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Alexa integration | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Home automation | No | Yes | Yes |
| Camera support | No | No | No |
| Cost for DIY systems | $24.99 per month | $29.99 per month | $39.99 per month |
| Cost for professionally installed systems | $34.99 per month | $39.99 per month | $49.99 per month |
Even though they have all the same features and capabilities, ADT charges less for DIY security systems. Find out if a DIY ADT system is right for you in our ADT Self Setup review.
>> Learn About: Best Home Security Systems with Great Customer Service in 2025
FYI: ADT’s SMART monitoring technology uses group texts to alert you and your family of any security events. This lets anyone in your house respond, reducing the risk of emergency personnel arriving for false alerts. This feature makes ADT the best cellular security system available. It also differentiates ADT from DIY home security systems, as most lack sophisticated monitoring.
The biggest testament to ADT’s mobile app is its transition from a touchscreen control panel to a base station with just an analog keypad. ADT made this change knowing that users always use the mobile app to control their system — us included. The app’s simple interface offers tons of control. This is where we went for everything from setting up our Trusted Neighbors to bypassing the entry sensor on our backyard door during a porch party.
Did You Know? ADT’s Trusted Neighbor feature lets you grant specific people home access using your Google Nest Cam’s facial detection. You can set triggers for access, such as an ongoing alarm or scheduled times. We set ours to allow our cleaners in every Thursday from 9:30 to 10:00 a.m.
| Equipment Cost | Packages starting at $349 |
|---|---|
| Monitoring Options | Professional or DIY |
| Monitoring Cost | Starting at $24.99 per month |
| Contract Length | Monthly |
| Installation Options | Professional or DIY |
| Smart Platform Integration | Alexa and Google Home |
We bought a full Vivint package to test out its main security components in our home.
Hands down, Vivint offers the most technologically advanced security system. That extends to its Alexa integration as well. Vivint provides complete control over your home security system with your voice on any Alexa device. The only things it can’t do are disarm your system, unlock doors, and open your garage — Vivint made that so for security purposes. You wouldn’t want a burglar to yell, “Alexa, unlock the door” and gain easy entry. Add to that Vivint’s impressive home automation with the most technologically advanced security components available, and it’s easy to see why Vivint took a spot on this list.
When you’re looking for a ton of capabilities, Vivint delivers. It offers tons of customization for controlling your Vivint system through Alexa. We tested our Vivint system in the middle of winter, so we set up a morning routine. That way, we can say “Alexa, start the morning routine,” to bring the lights up and crank up the heat without ever having to leave our comfortable bed. If you’re using a Vivint system coupled with Alexa, the sky’s the limit in terms of what you can make the system do.
That much flexibility also means you’ll need to spend some time setting up your morning routine. We had to group together different actions we wanted performed when we gave Alexa a specific command. Without this setup, you’d only have a few basic commands to choose from. So if you go with Vivint, make sure you’re prepared to spend some time getting everything set up just the way you want.
>> Read More: 2025 Guide to Home Automation Systems & Smart Home Products
Vivint’s system is so technologically advanced that they required us to have our system professionally installed.
Brass tacks? Vivint’s professional monitoring costs $29.99 per month, but that varies based on the size of your system and the features you’re looking for. While Vivint remains one of the best security systems for large homes, be aware that you’re likely going to pay more for a bigger monitoring system. We have more in our guide to Vivint’s costs, but here’s the breakdown:
| Feature | Smart Security Monitoring | Smart Home Monitoring | Smart Home Video Monitoring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alexa integration | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Medical pendant support | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Professional 24/7 monitoring | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Smart home integration | No | Yes | Yes |
| Video monitoring | No | No | Yes |
| Cost | $29.99 per month | $39.99 per month | $44.99 per month |
What does that money get you? One of the best professionally monitored systems out there. Its response times are quick — in our tests, nothing ever exceeded the industry standard of 30 seconds or less.
Vivint let us decide which system events triggered notifications.
Unlike ADT, Vivint still offers a touchscreen control panel. That doesn’t mean its mobile app is worse, though. We were really impressed with their mobile app — Vivint managed to fit just about as much functionality onto our smaller smartphone screen as they did on their tablet-sized control panel. And that’s a lot of functionality considering Vivint’s impressive home automation capabilities.
However, what really stands out to us about Vivint’s mobile app is its rich alerts. Those let Vivint’s system tell you exactly what the alert is for. We used this feature to know exactly when our kids get home from school. Every day around 3:00 p.m., we received a notification that our front door opened. That way, we knew our kids got home safely — without having to scroll through our video doorbell’s footage.
Pro Tip: Vivint’s rich alerts are also fully customizable. You can decide which alerts you receive and when. So, if you don’t want an alert when the garage door opens between 4:30 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. — because that’s when your kid goes for a bike ride — you can ignore those alerts while keeping your system armed.
| Monitoring Options | Professional only |
|---|---|
| Installation | Professional |
| Smart Platform Integration | Alexa and Google Home |
| Equipment Cost | From $599.99 |
| Monthly Monitoring Cost | From $30 |
| Contract Length | 48 to 60 months |
SimpliSafe made it easy for us to install our security system with peel-and-stick backings on each sensor.
When it comes to smart home capabilities, SimpliSafe sits on the opposite end of the spectrum from Vivint. It still integrates with Alexa but only offers basic commands like arming your system and checking the status of your system. If that’s enough for you, SimpliSafe’s DIY approach to home security offers great value and tons of flexibility. In fact, it’s our favorite DIY security system. They also don’t require a monthly subscription, but if you opt for one, their plans are affordable.
Sure, SimpliSafe doesn’t offer the most advanced Alexa integration on the market. That said, SimpliSafe makes it really easy to use Alexa. Pairing our SimpliSafe system with Alexa only took two steps, and then we had its full capabilities. Once we paired our system to Alexa, we could arm it in Home or Away mode, and check our system status. Here are the commands we used for each of those actions:
While that’s not a ton of functionality, it also means you don’t need to memorize a huge list of commands like you have to with Vivint. That makes using SimpliSafe with Alexa, well, simple. Check out our SimpliSafe vs. Vivint comparison for more guidance on which approach will fit your lifestyle best.
We bought the new SimpliSafe Wireless Indoor Camera to test out its Intruder Intervention monitoring feature.
This is where SimpliSafe gets a little less simple. They offer more monitoring plans than any security system we’ve tested, with a total of six plans to choose from. Making things even more confusing, the $9.99 per month plan includes Alexa integration, but the $21.99 per month plan does not. Basically, any plan with cloud storage for cameras includes Alexa integration. That brings it down to four plans to choose from. We’ll still give you an overview of each SimpliSafe plan, though:
| Plan | Unmonitored | Self-monitoring | Standard | Core | Pro | Pro Plus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Live video feed and notifications | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cloud storage for 10 cameras | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Alexa integration | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 24/7 professional monitoring | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Intruder intervention | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Active guard outdoor protection | No | No | No | No | Overnight | 24/7 |
| Cost | Free | $9.99 per month | $21.99 per month | $31.99 per month | $49.99 per month | $79.99 per month |
FYI: SimpliSafe’s Intruder Intervention and Active Guard Outdoor Protection features allow their monitoring agents to access some of your security cameras to assess alarms and spook off intruders with two-way audio. Intruder Intervention works with the Wireless Indoor Camera, while Active Guard Outdoor Protection works with the Outdoor Camera and Video Doorbell Pro.
SimpliSafe’s mobile app guided us through the process of pairing all of our equipment with our base station.
Surprisingly, SimpliSafe offers a great mobile app. It has an intuitive layout, so it’s easy to download onto your phone and get straight to using it. There’s hardly a learning curve. There aren’t as many features as Vivint or ADT’s mobile app, but there’s something to be said for the ease of use that SImpliSafe offers. Best of all, SimpliSafe gives access to their mobile app regardless of which plan you choose, even the free plan. That makes it one of the best security systems with no monthly fee.
>> Read About: SimpliSafe Deals, Sales, Discount Codes, Coupons, & Promotions
| 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 $21.99 |
| Contract Length | Monthly |
We recently tested the 2nd generation of Ring Alarm equipment.
As an Amazon-owned brand, it’s no surprise that Ring Alarm has a robust Alexa integration. They’re one of the few providers to offer two-way audio for their security cameras and video doorbell through Alexa. Those security cameras and video doorbells are nothing to scoff at either. They did invent the video doorbell, after all.
We communicated through our Ring Doorbell’s two-way audio using Alexa.
Pairing our Ring Alarm system, or any Ring device for that matter, to Alexa is as easy as can be. It’s like SimpliSafe in that way, except Ring offers more capabilities. With Ring, we could do everything from answering our video doorbell and viewing its live feed to enabling or disabling specific sensors.
We spent the time setting up groups in our Ring app as well, so we could say a command to adjust multiple devices at once. For instance, we set up a living room group that included the motion sensor and indoor camera in our living room. That way, when we say “Alexa, disable Ring Motion Alerts in the living room,” we stop getting alerts related to both devices.
Pro Tip: Ring’s Alexa integration supports their video doorbells and security cameras as well. That means you can respond to someone at the front door using the two-way audio of your video doorbell on any Alexa device.
Ring focuses more of its efforts on its self-monitoring options than its professional monitoring options. They still offer professional monitoring, but they take a unique approach by offering it as an add-on to their self-monitoring plans.
The minimum you’ll need to pay for professional monitoring is $19.99 per month, although you can spend as much as $118.99 per month. That gets you live guard monitoring similar to SimpliSafe’s Active Guard Outdoor Protection and cloud storage for cameras even when your internet is down. To get full access to Ring’s Alexa integration (but without professional monitoring), you’ll need to spend at least $9.99 per month.
Here’s an overview of Ring’s subscriptions:
| Feature | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 180 days cloud storage | For one camera | For unlimited cameras at one address | For unlimited cameras at one address |
| Full Alexa integration | No | Yes | Yes |
| Intelligent alerts | No | Yes | Yes |
| 24/7 video recordings & backup internet | No | No | Yes |
| 24/7 professional monitoring | Not available | +$10 per month | +$10 per month |
| Virtual security guard | Not available | +$99 per month | +$99 per month |
| Price | $4.99 per month | $9.99 per month | $19.99 per month |
>> Check Out: SimpliSafe vs Ring Comparison – Which is Most Secure?
Ring Alarm gave us a quick warning before sounding the siren when we hit the panic button.
When we compared ADT and Ring Alarm, we preferred ADT’s mobile app. But, Ring Alarm’s app is still good. It offers all the features we expect in a security system app, like custom groupings for sensors to enable or disable specific parts of your security system, customizable push notifications, and an accessible panic button.
We also liked how Ring integrated its “Neighbors” app directly into its security system app. This keeps you updated on incidents reported by other Ring users in your area.
| Monitoring Options | 24/7 professional and DIY |
|---|---|
| Installation | DIY |
| Smart Platform Integration | Alexa and Google Home |
| Equipment Cost | From $244.95 |
| Monthly Monitoring Cost | $20 |
| Contract Length | 1-12 months |
Cove’s low prices meant we could afford two security cameras and enough sensors to cover every first floor door and window.
With security systems starting as low as $99, Cove offers Alexa-compatibility at a great price. All of their components are inexpensive as well, so you can build out a comprehensive system for your home without breaking the bank. We were impressed with the quality of their equipment given the prices. Don’t expect ADT-quality equipment, but Cove definitely punches above its weight class.
While Cove doesn’t offer much in terms of Alexa functionality, we were surprised they let us disarm our system through Alexa. That’s a feature most companies don’t offer due to security concerns. An intruder could tell Alexa to disarm your system just as easily as you could. Cove gets around this issue by requiring you say your PIN code after stating the disarm command. Here are the four Alexa commands Cove offers:
Cove did a great job at making their equipment easy for us to install.
One drawback of Cove is that, unlike SimpliSafe and ADT, it doesn’t offer any option for self-monitoring. That means you will have to pay more in addition to the equipment that you just bought, but the good news is that its contracts are month-to-month and its two monitoring plans are both affordable.
| Feature | Cove Basic | Cove Plus |
|---|---|---|
| 24/7 professional monitoring | Yes | Yes |
| Smash-and-grab protection | Yes | Yes |
| Cellular backup | Yes | Yes |
| Hourly automated system check | Yes | Yes |
| Equipment warranty | 1 year | Lifetime |
| Smartphone control | No | Yes |
| Alexa integrations | No | Yes |
| Monthly cost | $19.99 | $29.99 |
We’re a bit disappointed that Cove requires their Cove Plus plan to integrate your system with Alexa. In our opinion, that should be included in the Cove Basic plan. Still, $29.99 for full security system monitoring and camera support is less than you’d spend with an ADT, SimpliSafe, or Vivint system. Pair that with Cove’s low equipment costs, and we still think Cove is one of the best affordable security systems.
Pro Tip: When installing your Cove system, make sure you take advantage of their geofencing capabilities. Simply put, this can arm and disarm your system as you approach or leave your property. If you’re into the convenience voice commands give you, you’re going to love geofencing.
After installing our sensors, Cove tested them to make sure they paired with our security system hub.
We don’t like to sugarcoat our opinion on security systems, and Cove’s mobile app is one of its drawbacks. It’s not that it’s a bad app, but compared to all the other security providers on this list, Cove’s mobile app is our least favorite. We ran into a couple of issues that left a bad taste in our mouth.
The biggest issue was when we were pairing our security cameras. It didn’t give us clear directions for connecting them to our Wi-Fi. Eventually, we figured out that we needed to use a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi band instead of a 5 GHz band. The app should know what band we’re using, as it’s connected to our Wi-Fi router too. That said, once we got our security cameras paired, Cove’s app gave us a straightforward interface for controlling our security system.
>> Learn More: Everything to Know About Security Cameras
| Monitoring Options | Professional or DIY |
|---|---|
| Installation | Professional or DIY |
| Smart Platform Integration | Alexa and Google Home |
| Equipment Cost | From $300 for hub and keypad |
| Monthly Monitoring Cost | From $19.99 |
| Contract Length | Monthly |
We mounted one of the Nest Cams that came with our ADT system indoors.
While using Alexa's voice commands to control your home security system might seem like a futuristic novelty, there are several real-world reasons why it's a good idea. Those include:
The home automation features that Alexa enables allow you to control many functions of your home and lifestyle. This is commonly referred to as a smart home. Home automation features are easily integrated and controlled through Alexa and other compatible products, including:
With a fully automated system, almost any function in your home can be controlled by just your voice. How futuristic is that?
>> Learn More: Best Smart Home Automation Security Systems in 2025
Alexa can be integrated with Amazon Echo. The Echo is a hands-free, voice-controlled device that uses voice recognition to enable you to perform many home security and home automation functions with your voice rather than doing it manually. This can save time and add convenience. You can also get Alexa on your phone for this same functionality without requiring a new device.
Our Ring Stick Up Cam announced when it detected someone through Alexa.
With Alexa paired to your cameras, you can control and monitor your home 24/7. In our latest Wyze Cam review, for instance, we found that Alexa can actually talk to us, instead of the other way around. If a person enters the camera's field of view, Alexa will say, “Person detected in the living room,” without you having to lift a finger or use your own voice. Ring offers this too.
Additionally, you can have Alexa control your smart door locks as long as you have the proper locks and set up a four-digit PIN code, which enables you to use this feature. This is important, especially if you live in a state where crime is particularly high.
While controlling your security system using nothing but your voice is pretty convenient, there are a few downsides to consider.
First, voice recordings can be captured and replicated, so you should always look for a security system that adds a second layer of security, such as a PIN, so a criminal can't use a recording of your voice, then manipulate that recording using a speech synthesis system like WaveNet to trick your voice identification system. The age of AI is upon us, folks. Take the necessary precautions.
Another potential pitfall is the loss of privacy that having an Alexa device in your household can create. All of the commands your Alexa responds to travel across the internet and are stored in Amazon's servers. There are plenty of ways that can go sideways — from overzealous law enforcement agencies snooping around to hackers looking to crack Amazon’s security. It pays to weigh the privacy risks against the benefits.
FYI: We find the benefits of using an Alexa-enabled security system far outweigh the risks. Most burglars are not going to be able to use an AI that can replicate your voice. As for the privacy of Alexa, although they’ve experienced data issues in the past, they revamped their data security to minimize the risk of it happening again.
If the security system you decided to go with is Alexa-compatible, then connecting your account with the security provider to your Amazon account shouldn’t be too difficult.
In the Alexa app, click “Add a Device” and then search for your security system. If it’s not immediately available, you can also ask Alexa to “discover devices.” It should be able to locate your system — just make sure everything is on the same Wi-Fi network.
Integrating your security system with Alexa can definitely improve your home’s safety. It’s not the only factor you should consider when choosing a home security system, though. That’s why our top recommendation for an Alexa-enabled security system is ADT. They offer great all-around security with top-tier equipment and monitoring. Plus, their Alexa integration is impressive when paired with Google Nest smart home products.
For most home automation capabilities, we recommend Vivint. They create the most technologically advanced equipment, and that extends to their Alexa integration. With Vivint, you have access to more Alexa commands than any other security system.
If you’re trying to save some money and take a more DIY approach, we recommend SimpliSafe. They don’t offer the most advanced security equipment or a ton of Alexa capabilities, but the low cost of their equipment and tons of monitoring options make up for it. Plus, there are no contracts, so you can switch between self-monitoring for free and professional monitoring on an as-needed basis.
Still have a few questions about how to use your home security system with your Alexa voice assistant? Don't worry — we have the answers!
Amazon sells security systems through two brands it owns, Ring and Blink. Both systems work with Alexa, as another Amazon technology, but we prefer Ring as it offers more comprehensive security.
Alexa Guard used to let you use Alexa to contact emergency services. They offered their own agents to help direct you to the appropriate emergency group. However, Alexa has stopped supporting Alexa Guard and even when it was operational, it was not an appropriate replacement for a security system. After all, it couldn’t monitor your home for threats, it only helped you respond if you were already home.
Yes, Amazon replaced Alexa Guard with Alexa Emergency Assist. This better describes what Alexa Guard was for as it never guarded your home. Alexa Emergency Assist connects you with an Urgent Response agent during an emergency so that they can dispatch appropriate emergency personnel to your house. This is still not a replacement for a home security system though.
We like to use Alexa’s Burglar Deterrent skill in our home. Whenever we leave, we set it to the Guard Dog mode so our Alexa speakers make the sound of a dog barking. That helps deter criminals from targeting our home since they’ll think a dog’s inside.
Yes, ADT still integrates with Alexa. In fact, now that they offer Google Nest smart home products, their integration with Alexa is even better than before. You can control all of your ADT equipment and Google Nest smart home products with Alexa voice commands.
Alexa-compatible home security systems have a number of features. Most of these features are related to home automation, and these home security systems that work with Alexa help create a safe and secure smart home.
Alexa fits seamlessly into many home security systems, offering Voice Recognition among its suite of features. We’re talkin’ hands-free voice control via Alexa-controlled Echo device. This puts your home security and automation controls at the tip of your tongue — which is far more elegant and sophisticated than having to manually input requests and commands. Manual controls are so last year.
Home security systems that work with Alexa come stacked with entryway sensors — a standard feature that you can customize to fit your home. Simply mount the magnetic sensors on your doors, windows, and other entry points. The moment a sensor is tripped, your system sounds the alarm and alerts you of the potential security breach.
Amazon’s Alexa and Echo make it easy to “self-monitor” your home security system with real-time mobile alerts. Both devices can be configured to send activity alerts. These alerts go straight to your mobile device via the Amazon app, allowing you to take necessary action to keep burglars at bay. It’s another helpful feature that saves you a monthly monitoring bill.
Security systems that work with Alexa also offer Remote Access. Simply login to the companion app and take total control of your home security system — no matter where you are. Depending on your system’s features and technology, you can lock and unlock your doors, arm and disarm the system, control your lights, thermostat, and much more.
Similar to the remote access feature, Heat/AC controls and customization is another way Alexa supercharges security systems. Simply say, “Alexa, turn up the heat!” and get ready for toasty. You can set the thermostat to any specified temperature using only your voice. Not too hot. Not too cold. Just right. Alexa dials in home automation like never before.
You thought Heat/AC controls were hot — wait till you see what Alexa can do to set the mood. She can control both on/off switches and dimmer switches too. Just say the words. You can also give commands via the companion app. Home security systems that work with Alexa and Echo are a solid investment — especially if you’re into home automation.
If your home is outfitted with smart locks, have Alexa do your bidding. “Alexa, lock the door.” After all, you might be watching your favorite flick and don’t want to be bothered (who could blame you?). This is yet another convenient benefit of having a home security system that works with Alexa. Your home is your kingdom, rule it with Alexa.
The majority of security systems that are compatible with Alexa offer Motion Detectors. As an added layer of security, this feature is especially useful in difficult to monitor areas and/or rooms that hold valuables like art and jewelry. The system sounds the alarm and sends alerts when triggered. Thankfully, many motion detectors can distinguish between, say, your dog Bailey and a burglar.
Even garage doors listen to Alexa. But you first have to buy Alexa-compatible garage door equipment like Nexx. Once you do, flex your vocal chords by opening and closing the garage door without lifting a finger. Certain third-party equipment comes with a nifty companion app and lets you assign permissions for other users. That’s the value of a security system that works with Alexa.
From Anthony Travaglia, Retired Police Officer, Home Security Expert
