Home security pricing is opaque on purpose. Most security companies hide their real cost behind 'starting from' marketing, lengthy contracts, and bundled packages that obscure the actual line items. This guide breaks down every cost component so you can compare apples to apples.
The five components of home security cost
Every home security system consists of five cost components. Different vendors emphasize different ones in their marketing, but all five exist in every offer.
1. Monthly monitoring subscription
The recurring fee for whatever level of monitoring service the system provides. Self-monitored (you watch your own cameras through an app) typically runs $0-$15/month for cloud video storage. Limited professional monitoring runs $20-$45/month. Full UL-listed central station monitoring runs $40-$100+/month. The variation is huge, and what you actually get for the money varies just as much.
2. Hardware (cameras, sensors, hub)
The physical equipment installed at your home. DIY consumer hardware (Ring, SimpliSafe) costs $60-$200 per device. Professional-grade ONVIF cameras cost $80-$250 per device. A typical residential install needs 4-8 cameras plus a hub plus optional door/window sensors. Total hardware cost ranges from $200 (basic DIY) to $1,500+ (professional whole-home).
3. Professional installation labor
If you don't DIY, you pay for professional installation. Most professional installs are bundled into the contract or charged as a one-time fee of $99-$499. DIY systems save this cost but transfer all the work — and risk of poor placement — to you. Bad camera placement causes blind spots, false alarms, and reduced effectiveness.
4. Activation and setup fees
Many traditional security companies charge a one-time activation fee of $99-$299, sometimes presented as 'waived' as a sales incentive. The activation fee covers central station provisioning, account setup, and initial system configuration. Halstead and most modern competitors include this in the standard package without separate billing.
5. Hidden fees and contract complications
The fees that surprise customers: early termination ($300-$2,000+), price increase clauses (some contracts auto-escalate 5-10% annually), required contract renewals, equipment return penalties, and reactivation fees if you cancel and resume. Read the contract carefully or work with a vendor like Halstead that doesn't use 36-month contracts.
Real pricing from major brands (2026)
- ADT — $40-$60/month monitoring + $99-$199 install + 36-month contract. Total 36-month cost: $1,540-$2,360 plus equipment.
- Vivint — $60-$100+/month combined hardware financing + monitoring under 5-year agreement. Total 5-year cost: $3,600-$6,000+ minimum.
- Ring — $4-$20/month for Ring Protect, plus DIY hardware $60-$200/device. Total 36-month cost: $144-$720 plus hardware.
- SimpliSafe — $19-$30/month for monitoring, plus $230-$500 hardware kits. Total 36-month cost: $684-$1,580 plus hardware.
- Halstead — $30-$75/month for monitoring, plus $399-$799 hardware kits. 12-month minimum then month-to-month. Total 12-month cost: $360-$900 plus hardware.
How to compare costs honestly
When evaluating security companies, calculate the total cost of ownership across the full contract length, not just the monthly subscription. Add the activation fee, the hardware cost, the monthly monitoring multiplied by contract length, and any guaranteed price increases. Then compare to alternatives.
For Halstead specifically, the comparison usually goes like this: a 36-month ADT contract at $50/month plus $99 activation is $1,899 minimum. Halstead's equivalent (Premium tier $50/month for 12 months then month-to-month, with $399 hardware kit) is $999 in year one and you can keep going at $600/year after. ADT locks you in; Halstead earns your business each month.
Insurance discount math
Most homeowners insurance policies offer 5-15% discounts for monitored security systems. On a $2,400 annual premium, that's $120-$360 in savings per year. Some companies (Halstead) automatically submit your monitoring certificate annually so you actually receive the discount. Others (ADT, Vivint) leave the paperwork to you and most homeowners never bother. Factor the actual realized discount into your cost comparison.
What you should actually pay
For a typical single-family home with 4-6 cameras, expect to pay $30-$75/month for monitoring (depending on tier) plus $400-$700 for hardware. Avoid contracts longer than 12 months. Avoid systems that bundle hardware financing into the monthly fee — they obscure the real numbers. Insist on hardware ownership rather than rental.