Xfinity Home Security System Review 2024
With no lock-in contracts for monitoring and many smart integrations, there’s a lot to like about Xfinity’s home security system.
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Last Updated on Oct 17, 2024
What We Like
- No contract monitoring plans: Keep an eye on things yourself for $10, or get 24/7 protection for $55 per month.
- Works with other smart home devices: Xfinity has partnerships with companies like LIFX, Philips Hue, August, Kwikset, and more, allowing for convenient home automation.
- Cellular backup: Xfinity Home’s professional monitoring plan includes cellular backup, ensuring your system is online even if the power or internet isn’t.
What We Don't Like
- No free self-monitoring plan: There’s no way to avoid monthly fees with Xfinity Home, even if you pay for your equipment upfront.
- No integrations with voice assistants: We couldn’t use Alexa or Google Assistant to control our Xfinity home security system hands-free.
- Professional installation required: The motion and door/ window sensors, part of all of Xfinityt’s systems, need to be professionally installed for a fee.
Bottom Line
Most people think of Xfinity as a cable and internet provider, but they offer a pretty robust home security system, too. They have DIY and professionally monitored plans, and the a la carte pricing for equipment makes it easy to tailor your system to your individual needs.Xfinity is a master of many trades. You might know them as a cable TV, mobile phone, and internet provider. But they also offer home security systems.
But how good can it possibly be? Is bundling it with other Xfinity services worth your while? Sure, you can buy Xfinity Home as a standalone service. But why would you choose it over a company specializing in home security like ADT or Vivint? We’ve tested Xfinity Home to see how it compares to some of our favorite home security systems to see if the savings are worthwhile.
Our Thoughts On Xfinity Home Security
Xfinity Home is definitely an intriguing security system, mainly because of how well it plays together with other Xfinity and Comcast services. That said, if you’re not currently a Comcast or Xfinity customer, you may want to look elsewhere as there are not a lot of reasons to pick Xfinity Home over our top-pick security systems. See why in our Xfinity vs ADT comparison page, where we compared Xfinity with our top-rated security system ADT. And see other top-rated options below.
What’s In The Xfinity Box?
We bought the Base Home System from Xfinity, which includes a touchscreen controller, three door/ window sensors, one motion sensor, a pet-friendly motion sensor, plus a yard sign. Here’s a little bit more info on our experience using each device.
Touchscreen Controller
We placed the touchscreen controller right near our side door, as that’s where we enter and exit our home most of the time. That way, we could disarm our system as soon as we returned home, and vice versa. But that wasn’t the only thing we could do on the controller. We got notified whenever any of our sensors went off. We could also review recent events from there and interact with other connected components, especially smart home devices. Basically, it was our all-in-one control center.
Another important thing the controller can do is send emergency alarms. Just hold a button for two seconds and boom— the alarm will sound and the monitoring team will contact the police for you, which fortunately we didn’t have to do. But don’t worry; if you click the emergency button by accident, you can easily cancel it by inputting the same keypad code you used to arm/ disarm your system in the first place. No harm, no foul!
FYI: The alert chimes can be annoying, especially if you have a sleeping toddler you wouldn’t want to wake up cranky. We learned that you can actually turn on Do Not Disturb to silence the controller and receive alerts only on your phone.
>> Learn More: Do I Need a Home Security System?
Door/ Window Sensors
To catch intruders as soon as they entered our home, we asked the technician to install door/window sensors on the ground level so we could get alerted ASAP if they were opened. Ground floor doors and windows are often the easiest entry points, so it’s necessary that they are secured and monitored.
We like that the sensors are wireless, even though we needed a professional to install them. They even look sleeker than the door sensors we received to test Vivint – which by the way, required professional installation too. In any case, door sensors from both brands did their job of protecting our home’s entryways, so aesthetics don’t matter that much.
Pro Tip: While the glossy, off-white finish worked out for us, you might prefer a different color or finish. Now, we don’t encourage picking a security system based on looks, but when we tested ADT in a house with brown wooden doors, the technician was kind enough to install door sensors that matched. That may be one of the perks of choosing a top-tier professionally installed security system.
Motion Sensor
We asked for the motion sensor to be placed in the corner of our front hallway for maximum coverage of the front of our home. Now, we don’t personally own any pets, but if you have a pet 85 pounds or under, the motion sensor won’t detect it. Rather, you’ll only be alerted when people walk by when the system is armed.
Overall, this is a really minimalist system, although we could’ve added a number of different add-ons like cameras, smoke detectors, and the like. But for our small house, the Base Home System was sufficient. It was a touch expensive for a $360 system – a similar system from SimpliSafe costs only $280, and that’s before the discounts – but we don’t think it’s obscenely expensive; not when there are options like Vivint that start at over $500.
Installation with Xfinity
Now, being home security experts, we’re used to installing systems ourselves, a process otherwise known as DIY. But with Xfinity Home, things worked a little bit differently. Parts of their system, i.e the smoke detector, motion sensor and the door/ window sensor, had to be professionally installed. That’s pretty unusual these days, as most systems have DIY installations like SimpliSafe.
FYI: If you don’t see an Xfinity Home package that meets your needs, we recommend starting with the base package and adding extra equipment. We grabbed the new Xfinity Indoor Camera, which we put in our living room to see what our dog does when we’re out of the house.
The system we bought only had one component that we could install ourselves, and that was the touchscreen controller. But since all of our other components required professional installation, we decided to roll everything over to the pros to make our lives easier. That means that, while we sat back and relaxed, a technician came and installed everything for us, testing each part as he went on. Now, this wasn’t free; we paid about $100 for installation, but the price will differ based on your equipment and where you live. We wish Xfinity was more transparent about their installation pricing, but we guess you can’t have it all.
>> Learn More: Best Professionally Installed Security Systems of 2024
Xfinity Home’s Monitoring Options
In the past, Xfinity Home had some pretty complicated pricing, but today they’ve simplified things. They offer two packages — self-monitored and professionally monitored. Here’s a quick breakdown of what you’ll get with each along with the prices.
| Feature | Self-Protection | Pro Protection Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Professional Monitoring | No | Yes |
| 24/7 Video Recording | No | Yes |
| Contract Required | No | No |
| Powered by xFi Gateway | Yes | Yes |
| Customizable Systems | Yes | Yes |
| Smartphone App | Yes | Yes |
| Monthly Price | $10 | $55 |
Similar to the Ring Home Security system, Xfinity Home gives you the option to self-monitor a system that you build out yourself, and since they’re a great no contract security option, you have unlimited control over how you want to tailor things.
FYI: While there are no contracts, you can finance your equipment instead of paying a lump sum upfront. The minimum length of the contract is 24 months. We handed over our $360 upfront, but we could have paid $15 per month for two years in addition to the monitoring fee.
Keep in mind, though, that their equipment prices aren’t transparent. There may be other taxes and fees you have to pay depending on where you live. After signing up, you’ll have to work with a customer service agent to figure out exactly what you need and how much it will cost. In sum, this is all similar — cost and customer experience-wise — to what we saw when we reviewed ADT.
How Xfinity Worked With Other Smart Home Devices
One of the best things we could do with our Xfinity Home security system was connect it to other IoT devices we have to create a smart home. We were very pleased with the sheer number of products that Xfinity Home works with, which included:
- Caséta lighting
- August smart locks
- Chamberlain garage door openers
- Sengled lighting
- Hue lighting
- Kwikset locks
- GE lighting
- ecobee thermostats
- Cor thermostats
- LIFX lighting
- Yale locks
- Tile Bluetooth trackers
That’s a mouthful, but it made possible tons of automations. Need some ideas? We had our Hue lighting automatically turn on in the front hallway whenever our system was disarmed, meaning we just got home. We also had our August smart locks close automatically whenever our system was armed, meaning we’ve left. Now, we never have to worry about leaving the door unlocked again, just one thing to cross off our list of anxieties!
FYI: If you’re like us, the lack of caffeine in your system can leave you wondering if you’ve closed the garage door after leaving for work in the morning. Instead of turning back around, we could check if we did it on the app. We did the same thing when we tested our Vivint home security system. It’s why it topped our list of best garage security systems.
But while Xfinity Home works with devices from third parties, it doesn’t work with any voice assistants like Alexa or Google Assistant. That’s a bit of a bummer, as companies we reviewed like ADT and abode work with both, but if voice assistants aren’t your thing, this may not matter much to you.
One saving grace is that if you have Xfinity X1, their cable, and streaming service, then you’ll be able to livestream your footage on the big screen and do voice commands using the wake word “Xfinity Home”. Completely hands-free, you’ll be able to livestream footage and cloud storage, control scenes, or groups of connected devices like light bulbs, or even arm your system. While we didn’t personally test this out as we don’t have Xfinity X1, it seems like a good option for those that do.
>> Read More: Best Home Security Systems That Work With Alexa in 2024
Customer Support, Xfinity Edition
There’s almost nothing as dreaded as customer support, and with a company that’s known primarily for cable and Internet, we don’t have high hopes when it comes to Xfinity. But, keeping an open mind, we checked out the options at hand. There’s an online support center as well as a live chat feature. Plus, for the more social among us, you can even get help over Twitter, Facebook or Reddit, as well as Xfinity’s user forums. But for the more old-fashioned people reading, you’ll be able to request a call or call them directly if you prefer.
FYI: We had a better customer service experience when we reviewed Cove. They had an excellent online support center as well as options to speak to someone via live chat, phone, email, or online form. We could even send a letter through the post. But the support we got was excellent. They were fast and helpful.
Call us anti-social, but we opted to use the live chat feature after not being able to find some information on the online help center. After going back and forth with what was clearly a robot, we were siphoned into the sales queue, where we were 36th in line. There was no option to have them email us, which was a bit annoying, so answering our single question took about an hour. Overall, it’s safe to say that customer support isn’t Xfinity’s strong suit.
The Xfinity Home App
Sure, Xfinity Home comes with professional monitoring, but that doesn’t mean that we didn’t want to get in on the action too. From the Xfinity Home app, available on the Apple and Google Play stores, we could remotely arm and disarm our system (useful for when the house sitter had to get in the house to water our plants), control and automate connected devices, and receive notifications if any of our alarms had gone off.
Pro Tip: The app also let us livestream camera footage directly to our TV. It was helpful to see if it was our Uber Eats delivery driver or a guest we invited over. We could then tell them to either leave the food on the doorstep or unlock the door to let our friend in.
If you are interested in an Xfinity camera, it’s good to know that this one was made specifically for Xfinity and is built to record in up to 1080p HD quality. This was a simple, plug-in, indoor/outdoor device that you can control with ease from the Xfinity Home app, and it doesn’t require that you buy a larger Xfinity system with professional monitoring. Instead, you can opt for a Self-Protection Plan and pay up to $10 per month for cloud video recording and storage.
In general, we had an easy time using the Xfinity Home app, and other customers seemed to agree; the app has 4.5 stars on the Google Play store and 4.4 stars on the Apple store, which is really impressive. Whether you’re an iPhone or an Android user, Xfinity Home’s security and smart home app works well.
Closing Thoughts
For many people, Xfinity’s security system could work well to protect their homes, but it’s probably a better option for those who actively want professional monitoring and cellular backup. Here’s a breakdown of exactly who we think it would be good for:
Choose Xfinity as your home security provider if you want…
- 24/7 professional monitoring and cellular backup: Both are requirements when you buy an Xfinity security system.
- Monthly contracting: As long as you pay for your equipment upfront, you won’t have to sign any long-term contracts.
- Financing options: If you’re okay with signing a two-year contract, you can take advantage of Xfinity Home’s financing option and pay only $15 or $25 a month for your equipment.
But look elsewhere if you want…
- Alexa or Google Assistant integrations: Xfinity doesn’t work with any voice assistants, although it integrates with a high number of IoT products.
- Completely free installation: You’ll have to pay for at least a portion of your system to be installed by technicians.
While we wish Xfinity Home gave its customers some more flexibility and options when it comes to monitoring, installation, and voice assistants, this smart security system will still keep your home safe, which in the end, is the most important thing. Even just having a good home security system will increase your home’s protection2, so Xfinity will at least make intrusions less likely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Many people aren’t aware that Xfinity offers home security, so when they found out, questions abound.
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Is Xfinity Home Security any good?
Xfinity Home Security is a good security system for someone that wants professional installation, extensive smart platform integrations, and 24/7 professional monitoring.
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How much is Xfinity Home Security?
An Xfinity Home Base Home System is either a one-time payment of $360 or $15 per month for 24 months. Xfinity has other packages to choose from and extra products you can add, like cameras and video doorbells. You’ll also need to pay $10 per month for a self-monitoring plan or $55 per month for professional monitoring.
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Which is better, ADT or Xfinity Home Security?
We prefer ADT over Xfinity Home Security. ADT has a more extensive collection of equipment to choose from plus a better iOS app. Although it may be more expensive than Xfinity Home on a month-to-month basis, we prefer the over 140 years of experience in home security that ADT brings.
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Does Xfinity Home Security call the police?
Yes, if an alarm goes off and you do not respond to a notification, Xfinity Home Security’s monitoring team can call the police for you. You’ll need the professional monitoring plan for this service, which costs $55 per month.
ResearchGate. (2016). An Investigative Study for Smart Home Security.
researchgate.net/publication/301644543_An_Investigative_Study_for_Smart_Home_Security_Issues_Challenges_and_CountermeasuresRutgers. (2009). Rutgers Study Finds Alarm Systems Are Valuable Crime Fighting Tool. rutgers.edu/news/rutgers-study-finds-alarm-systems-are-valuable-crime-fighting-tool