Renting doesn’t mean you need to compromise your safety. Use the best apartment security systems without drilling into the walls.
Updated Jan. 29, 2024 3:00 p.m. PT
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While many home security systems require drilling to install, even if you do a DIY installation, renting doesn’t mean you have to miss out. Even if your landlord doesn’t want extra holes in the doorframe or walls, you still have home security options. There are a few good systems out there we’d consider to be the best apartment security systems.
To put together our list of the best home security systems for renters, we tested every major security system on the market, from professionally installed systems to DIY ones. In general, the professional systems don’t make much sense for renters because they tend to rely on permanent fixtures and sometimes come with contracts that last longer than a lease. The better picks for home security systems for a rental property are going to be cheaper, DIY products. Here are the best systems for the job.
Read more: 7 Home Security Tips for Apartment Dwellers
Best Apartment Security Systems
Wyze’s home security system is ridiculously cheap — even after the price bumps many of its products saw in early 2021. The company’s home monitoring system costs about $100 and comes with two door/window sensors, a motion detector, a keypad, and a base station with a built-in siren — plenty of devices for an apartment.
In short, Wyze’s is a solid system with a really appealing price tag — and it’s cheaply and easily scalable for a variety of apartment or home sizes (adding a camera, for instance, will set you back as little as $30). The big drawback? It doesn’t have cellular backup, which means if the power or internet goes down, you lose the professional monitoring service and remote alerts. The system will still work locally, so if someone breaks in while the power is down, the siren is still going to sound.
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Editors’ note, Sept. 22, 2023: A reported security breach has affected some Wyze camera users. Out of caution and until Wyze resolves its systems for reporting breaches to users, we’ve removed our Editors’ Choice designation from Wyze products. We will update this page as we reevaluate home security cameras and accessories.
Wyze’s home security system is ridiculously cheap — even after the price bumps many of its products saw in early 2021. The company’s home monitoring system costs about $100 and comes with two door/window sensors, a motion detector, a keypad, and a base station with a built-in siren — plenty of devices for an apartment.
In short, Wyze’s is a solid system with a really appealing price tag — and it’s cheaply and easily scalable for a variety of apartment or home sizes (adding a camera, for instance, will set you back as little as $30). The big drawback? It doesn’t have cellular backup, which means if the power or internet goes down, you lose the professional monitoring service and remote alerts. The system will still work locally, so if someone breaks in while the power is down, the siren is still going to sound.
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What I like most about this Ring Alarm for renters is that it works with the Ring Peephole Cam, which is one of the only video doorbells that works with those peepholes you often find in apartment buildings. Like Wyze, Ring unfortunately doesn’t have cell backup.
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Ring has a ton of baggage, but its five-piece home security system is a solid midrange DIY security option for renters. It comes with a door/window sensor, a motion sensor, a keypad, a range extender and a base station. While it’s not as good as its Ring Alarm Pro system, many renters don’t need a new router — let alone a mesh Wi-Fi system.
What I like most about this Ring Alarm for renters is that it works with the Ring Peephole Cam, which is one of the only video doorbells that works with those peepholes you often find in apartment buildings. Like Wyze, Ring unfortunately doesn’t have cell backup.
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Security systems for renters compared
Wyze Home Monitoring | Ring Alarm (5-piece) | SimpliSafe (6-piece) | |
---|---|---|---|
Price | $79 | $200 | $280 |
24/7 professional monitoring fees | $10 | $20 | $0.99/day |
System hardware | 2 door/window sensors, 1 motion detector, 1 keypad, 1 base station with built-in siren | 1 door/window sensor, 1 motion sensor, 1 keypad, 1 range extender, 1 base station | 1 base station, 1 keypad, 3 entry sensors, 1 motion sensor |
Setup | DIY installation | DIY installation | DIY installation |
Extra features | 24/7 professional monitoring, remote alerts, false alarm prevention, no long-term contracts, Alexa and smart home integration | Mobile notifications and remote alerts, integrates with Alexa and other Ring products | Cell backup, 24/7 professional monitoring service, customizable system, Alexa and Google Assistant integrations, 24-hour battery |
Review score | 8.4 | 7.5 | 8.5 |
For each system we test, we install it ourselves just as you would at home, or we have an installer come set it up in the case of professional systems like ADT and Comcast Xfinity. Once it’s installed, we spend at least a week testing the system and all the device-by-device features. Our ranking puts a priority on value but also takes into strong consideration the quality of hardware, service and general user experience — including how easy it was to set up and the frequency of false alarms. For more robust information on any of the recommended security systems above, please read the full reviews.
If you want to read more about our review process, check out our in-depth article on how we test home security systems and services.
Home security for renters FAQs
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Installing a home security system that monitors entryways and the interior of your apartment is one of the best ways to secure your dwelling, but there are other measures you can take. It’s a good idea to keep any valuables out of sight, especially from windows (where someone may see them from the outside).
The buddy system can be a free but invaluable way to enhance your apartment’s security: Make friends with your neighbors, communicate suspicious activity and ask them to keep an eye on your property while you keep an eye on theirs.
You may also want to consider renter’s insurance to minimize losses in the event of a burglary or other security breach. To learn more about home security for apartments, check out these home security tips for apartments.
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