Abode Home Security

Affordable Home Security Solutions With Abode

Abode Home Security is a simple DIY installation system that offers affordable preset equipment packages to start building your security system. You can choose between the Smart Security kit with a centralized hub called the Gen 2 Gateway or the iota All-in-one Security kit. The iota is a unique, multipurpose security device with a built-in HD camera, motion sensor, and two-way audio.

The Abode home security starter kits start with the highly expandable, essential security devices purchased through Abode’s catalog list or third-party companies. You have the flexibility to add as many components as needed, such as motion sensors, cameras, door/window sensors, and many more, at an extra cost.

The Abode DIY system is managed mainly through its app or from a PC using the web portal. You can buy an Abode home security keypad or a key fob to quickly arm/disarm your system. Unfortunately, you will have to pay for the equipment upfront. If you prefer to soften the blow, financing plans are available.

The wireless equipment is a straightforward DIY installation; If you prefer, Abode offers professional installation services for an extra cost.

The Abode security systems offer three monitoring possibilities: the standard Do-It-Yourself monitoring, the DIY monitoring with cellular backup, and the professional monitoring service with included cellular backup (recommended). All three use a Wi-Fi connection for coverage and have access to Abode’s app.

One truly unique feature is Abode’s On-demand professional monitoring alternative. You can pay for a three-day or seven-day monitoring service, perfect for someone going on a vacation or a trip. It sets Abode apart from other leading DIY companies like the Honeywell alarm system with no professional monitoring available.

Abode does not have any long-term contracts; It is available as an option but not necessary to operate the system. You can choose from a monthly monitoring fee or get a discount by paying an annual monitoring fee. The contracts can be canceled at any time. Unlike other industry competitors, Abode’s equipment comes with a short one-year warranty but has a 30-day no-questions-asked return policy.

Contact us to learn more about Abode security systems

Cost and contract information

Abode security system is an affordable DIY system that offers two preset equipment kits to start building your security system. For an extra cost, you can incorporate as many devices as you like for a full customization experience.

Abode is a simple DIY-install system with no installation or activation fees, saving you money to put towards the upfront equipment cost. The company does offer professional installation services for an extra charge.

With Abode, you have to purchase the equipment upfront, which could get slightly expensive. However, it still is one of the least costly for the starter system price in the industry. If you don’t wish to pay the equipment upfront cost at once, you can spread it out in monthly installments using Affirm financing plans.

With Affirm, all orders over $100 are suitable for monthly payments over 12, 18, or 24 months, with rates from 10-30% APR. Down payment may be required, and the estimated payment amount excludes taxes and shipping fees. For purchases under $100, limited payment options are available.

Abode Home Security offers three monitoring line ups: The Basic, The Connect, and the Secure plan. The first two are self-monitoring; the difference is the Basic plan is free, while the Connect plan comes with Cellular backup (for uptime stability) and a monthly fee. The Secure package includes cellular backup and 24/7 professional monitoring (recommended).

Professional monitoring is available as an option but not crucial to run the system. By bundling your Abode home security starter kit with a monitoring plan, you will receive a discount on your equipment purchase.

Abode has no-contract requirements, and the service can be canceled at any time, something pretty rare in the industry. You can sign up for monthly fees or save up on an annual fee that comes with a hefty discount.

Abode’s On-demand professional monitoring is a unique monitoring service, something we haven’t seen from any other security company. Abode equipment comes with a one-year warranty and a 30-day moneyback guarantee.

Coverage

Abode Home Security is a DIY wireless system that uses a Wi-Fi connection; No landline required. The company includes cellular backup in the Connect and Secure plans for a more reliable connection. Abode is available in the United States and Canada, except for the Secure Plan accessible only in the US.

If you want to buy Abode home security equipment, check out the best home security providers in Seattle, WA, or any city across the nation.

Abode security systems have a no-contract policy. You can pay for a monthly or annual monitoring fee that you can cancel at any time or go with the free self-monitoring option. Please note Abode does not offer refunds for partial months or years.

The equipment comes with a one-year warranty that extends to unlimited while you subscribe to the annual Secure plan. Abode has a 30-day moneyback guarantee to test the system out.

Equipment

Abode Home Security provides two equipment starter kits that go from basic to advanced home protection. It grants the flexibility to add more home automated components as you need for the ultimate customization experience. The Abode home security starter kits come with either the Gen 2 Gateway or the iota as one of its core items.

Both equipment bundles come with a mini door/window sensor and a key fob. You can purchase many security devices, like motion sensors, indoor cameras, and environmental sensors. You can even add even a keypad if you prefer the traditional arming/disarming method for ease of use.

Abode has an incredible new smart camera that works as an indoor/outdoor camera and a fantastic video doorbell. Plus, with its powerful integration with other home automation products, you could easily add many smart devices to your system through third-party companies. We recommend always check first with the manufacturer to see if it is compatible with the Abode systems.

All Abode equipment works using a Wi-Fi connection, with cellular backup for an extra cost. The basic plan does not include cellular coverage, which means that if your internet goes down, the communication with your system goes offline too.

The professional monitoring plan comes with cellular backup. Even if there is a power outage or a burglar cuts down your home phone lines, Abode’s monitoring center will continue to communicate with your system through its cellular connection.

Abode’s black-and-white modern design is aesthetically pleasing. With clean, sleek lines, Abode’s products blend smoothly with your home décor. Its equipment comes with some benefits, for instance:

Home automation

Abode has built up an excellent reputation for being one of the most flexible and extensive home automation integration systems in the market today. It makes it a fantastic customizable DIY system. Abode Custom Engine (CUE) is the home automation platform that powers and programs all of your Abode smart home devices and customizable features and actions.

With CUE, you can create automations for all devices connected to your Abode system. You can set multiple activities to occur once defined triggers are met and set conditions to guarantee actions only happen when you want them to.

You can set up all connected devices in your system to respond to each other. The Abode CUE is included with every Abode system and plan and is available in mobile and web apps. It comes with cool features, such as:

•  An enhanced geo-location interface will let you trigger actions when you are close to home, being detected via your phone’s GPS.
   
• Use the dynamic sunrise and sunset feature based on your home’s latitude and longitude to trigger conditions in your home automation system to adjust the times. It will make your home automation work correctly every day.
   
• Conditional automations that allow you an additional requirement for automations to run, using three simple steps:
  • Triggers: They determine when automation should happen to make sure your automation runs when you want. For example, you can set your system to turn on the entry lights when your front door is opened at night.
     
  • Actions: They are events you would like to take place when home automation is run. You can set up any device connected to your Abode system to act. Continuing with the example of the lights before, you could add more than one action. For example, when your entry lights are turned on, then open the garage door, allowing your dog to go out for a walk.
     
  • Conditions: They are an optional setting that ensures the automation only runs if the conditions are true. With conditions, you set statements that must be met for an action to take place. Imagine how irritating it would be if every time you enter your home, the lights go on, and your garage door opens? With conditions, you can narrow down when or how the action takes place. You can add a statement like: “Turn the entry lights when the front door is opened. Then open the garage door, only if the automation is triggered between 6 pm and 7 pm”.
     
• Program blackout periods to prevent automated activities from running at inconvenient times.

Abode integrates smoothly with many smart home products allowing you to connect and control your system. It offers robust integrations with devices from leading companies such as:

Abode Home Security System comes with additional features, such as:

Customer experience

The Abode Home Security System comes with two monitoring possibilities: DIY-monitoring and professional monitoring. If you choose to self-monitor, you will be in charge of overseeing your entire home security. You will save money on monitoring fees and have quick communication with your security system.

Keep in mind that Abode is mainly controlled from the mobile phone app or a PC using the web portal. The main drawback is that you need to have your phone with you at all times or quick access to a PC, or you won’t receive any notifications from triggered events at home.

Without professional monitoring, if an incident occurs and there is no communication with your smartphone, no one will contact you. If a possibly dangerous situation is taking place, nobody will call the authorities on your behalf.

If, for example, you are planning to go on vacation, you probably don’t want to spend your downtime glued to your phone watching over your home security. Abode provides a unique option for On-demand professional monitoring.

With On-demand monitoring, you will have professionals monitoring your home 24/7, and you can choose between a three-day or a seven-day plan for an extra fee.

Abode offers two plans for its DIY monitoring: The Basic and the Connect; both have Wi-Fi coverage, but only one has a cellular backup. We recommend that if you are going the Self-monitoring route, to subscribe to the Connect plan that includes cellular backup, being a more reliable and secure connection. Besides, the monthly fee for cellular backup is only $8, a very affordable option for better coverage.

Abode’s Secure plan includes a 24/7 professional monitoring service that has trained experts watching over your system, ready to respond if one of your sensors is triggered.

Professional-monitored homes are more secure; the Wi-Fi coverage will have fast communication with the center. The Secure plan comes with a cellular backup, so even if your internet goes down, your system will remain active.

Abode does not have the best reputation when it comes to customer service. Its shortcomings are reflected in the tier-ranking system for contacting customer support.

If you are an Abode customer, you can contact them via email and support site. But if you want to speak to them via phone, only the Connect and Secure plans have access to customer support.

Inside this ranking-type method, there is a Premium phone support feature. It is exclusive for Secure plan subscribers, giving them priority over other calls.

On a positive note, Abode’s website is extremely easy to navigate, with an extensive support section that includes user manuals, related articles, videos, and FAQs. If you are a new customer and would like information on Abode’s system, you can contact them via phone call or email.

A nice feature that needs to be pointed out is regarding their sales tactics. Using the webpage to create a custom-built security system from the ground up is a very positive experience. First, you have to answer a few questions regarding your home’s layout, entry points, and security preferences. You will receive an email with general recommendations for the devices needed to cover your home. There were no overly aggressive sales tactics, and the suggested security items were adequately indicated.

Abode installation

Abode Home Security System is a very straightforward Do-It-Yourself (DIY) installation system. During the DIY installation, you will be responsible for planning and placing all the devices around your home. It saves you money on professional installation services that will increase the total cost of your system setup.

Abode’s equipment is wireless; no irritating cables are hanging loosely or punched holes on your walls. All Abode devices come paired up with the Gateway/iota for a smooth installation process. With life’s busy schedule or a lack of technical experience, taking on a DIY project may be a little overwhelming for some people.

Remember that you could always ask a family member or a friend to help you out with all the installation. However, If you want a professional to take care of the setup, Abode offers a Professional installation service through its third-party partnership with HelloTech (available only in the US).

With a professional installation, expert technicians do all the placing and connectivity for you; you won’t have to lift a finger. You can choose this option, and once your order is shipped, you will receive an email from HelloTech to schedule an appointment. The drawback: the service comes with an added cost, starting at $99, and goes up according to how many devices you need to install.

Abode Home Security provides two preset equipment kits to start building your system up. The company offers a wide selection of security and home automation products for you to add. If you are new to the home security industry, it is best to go with one of the preset kits. If you opt for the “build your system” option, Abode offers recommendations based on what information you provide about your home or business layout and security needs.

After purchasing your Abode system and monitoring service, you will receive your Abode equipment box at home. The DIY installation process is straightforward: First, you will download the Abode app and create a new account. Follow the quick setup process shown on your mobile phone.

Start by plugging in the Hub to a wall outlet and connect it to your router. The devices included in the kit have already been paired up before shipping. Follow the installation process in the app to activate and name your devices.

After that, you are ready to go. Remember, you can also access the web portal for a more comprehensive view of the entire system. If you don’t have too much technical experience, you can choose Abode’s professional installation.

Abode Home Security System offers a choice between self-monitoring or a professional monitoring plan, a pretty rare option in the industry. The Basic plan is one of the two self-monitoring options that is free and comes only with Wi-Fi and access to Abode’s mobile app. The Connect plan is a self-monitoring plan with a cellular backup for an extra layer of security, and it is only $8 a month or an annual fee of $80.

The Secure plan is Abode’s 24/7 professional monitoring plan with cellular backup at an affordable $20 a month or $200 on the annual fee.

One feature that makes Abode stand out from other security companies is its unique On-demand professional monitoring alternative. You can pay $8 for a three-day or $15 for a seven-day professional monitoring service.

Keep in mind that by bundling your starter kit with a monitoring plan, you will receive a discount on your equipment purchase. Abode has a no-contract policy, again, something pretty unusual by other security companies.

Bottom line

Abode home security system is a low-cost, simple DIY installation system with a broad selection of home security products. The system has outstanding integrations with home automation devices, voice assistance, and third-party products.

You can add these items to your security system to get the ultimate customizable experience. Abode’s equipment has a simple DIY installation process that comes in two preset kits for easy setup and control, or you can opt for a professional installation service.

The system works mainly using the app or the web portal, which could be an issue to some users, but it gives the option to add a keypad and key fobs for quick access. Abode offers a couple of monitoring paths: two self-monitoring options and one professional monitoring service.

Abode has a unique feature that makes it stand out in the security industry: The On-demand professional monitoring service. It comes with three-day or seven-day options, perfect if you’re going on a vacation or a trip. And with the no-contract policy, it provides its customers the freedom to cancel at any time.

It is pretty rare when compared with other top security companies like Frontpoint home security that only offer a professional one. All monitoring plans have Wi-Fi coverage, but only two come with cellular backup for a more secure connection.

If you want to buy Abode home security, it is an excellent option for budget-conscious buyers. It provides the flexibility to build up your security system over time, with no long-term commitments with no cancellation or moving fees.

Abode is an excellent option to protect your property, ideal for renters, small or large homes, and first-time buyers looking for an affordable DIY system with great third-party home automation integrations.