With so many different companies offering smart home security solutions, it can be hard to decide which one to pick. After all, this is a crucial decision seeing how the said company will be in charge of protecting your home and family.
Frontpoint and Abode are two of the leading companies in the home security niche. They have plenty of customers and are well-established, but what are the differences between them?
Both Frontpoint and Abode don’t require signing long-term contracts and a wide array of different security equipment. Abode offers cheaper monitoring plans, and, unlike Frontpoint, you can even choose not to pay for a monitoring plan at all. Compared to Abode, Frontpoint customers seem to be more satisfied.
Below I continue to go more in-depth, further exploring the subtle differences between Frontpoint and Abode. By the end of the article, you will have a better idea of which company will be more suitable to meet your needs.
Frontpoint vs Abode
Ease of Use
Frontpoint security systems are designed in such a way as to be user-friendly and easy to install.
Frontpoint systems are DIY; they are entirely wireless—that means you will not have to do any drilling or complicated installation work. Frontpoint security systems can be installed in as little as 30 minutes.
The company offers a few prebuilt security systems that can be purchased directly, or, alternatively, you can customize and build your own security system. The process is very straightforward and easy to follow.
Once installed, you can easily control and manage your security system through the Frontpoint App. Frontpoint systems are also fully compatible with Google Home and Amazon Alexa.
And lastly, Frontpoint systems are capable of a good level of automation.
Abode security systems are also DIY, meaning you can install them by yourself. However, if you feel like you will need some help, Abode does offer professional installation.
You can quickly and easily adjust and manage your security system through the use of the Abode app.
Abode has great integration; it can work with Google Home, Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, etc. You can even automate the whole system to meet your needs.
Upfront Costs
Frontpoint upfront costs can be as low as $99 for the basic home security system and as high as $59,988 for the most expensive prebuilt security system.
Sensors cost between $19.99 and $69.99, and the cameras are between $99.99 and $199.99. The other devices, like the smart door lock, keypads, keychain remotes, wireless light controls, and more, are going to cost anywhere between $24,99 to $149.99 each.
Depending on how many devices and sensors you need, the total can easily exceed $1,500.
Abode also offers a few prebuild security systems that you can buy; they cost anywhere between $199 and $299.
You can also customize and build a security system that will be tapered towards your personal needs and preferences. In doing so, you will have to buy the basic security kits and build on top of it.
Abode has a very comprehensive product line that can meet the needs of almost all homeowners. Abode offers:
- Indoor and outdoor cameras, motion cameras, and motion sensors.
- Different door and window sensors.
- Vibration and acoustic glass break detectors.
- Smart keypads and key fobs.
- Water and smoke sensors.
- Smart electrical outlets.
- A panic button, and more.
Sensors cost between $25 to $60 apiece, cameras are between $110 and $229, and the majority of the rest security products are between $19 and $89.
Overall a fully-fledged home security system by Abode can range from $199 to well over $1,200 depending on what you need to purchase.
Abode also offers professional installation, which starts at $99.
Contracts
Frontpoint used to be one of those companies that would have their customers sign a long term contract—a three-year contract to be precise.
In the past several years, though, companies have been moving to a more flexible subscription-based business model. Although some companies will still try to bind you in a contract that you will have a hard time getting out of, Frontpoint is no longer one of them.
Frontpoint currently offers subscription plans that are paid on a month-by-month basis.
But how does Abode compare to Frontpoint?
Abode offers a lot of flexibility, as well. They will not have you sign any long-term contracts, which gives a lot of freedom.
Monthly Plans and Subscriptions
Frontpoint comes with two monitoring plans.
The first monitoring plan is the Interactive plan, which costs $1.48 per day. And the second plan is the Ultimate plan, which is $1.64 per day.
Both plans work over a wireless network but have a cellular backup and 24/7 professional monitoring. There are automated system checks, history logs, remote access and control, and more.
However, with the Ultimate plan, you can also use the camera’s night vision capabilities, live video streaming, video and image history, light control, and more.
It is worth noting that you may have to purchase the Ultimate plan depending on the type and number of devices and sensors you need.
Abode, on the other hand, offers three options that you can choose from when it comes to their monitoring services.
The Standard plan is the cheapest plan, and it costs only 20 cents per day—which comes to a very modest $6 a month.
The payment is made on a monthly or yearly basis. If you choose to pay yearly, you will only need to pay for ten months instead of twelve. Which brings the monthly costs even lower.
For this very low price, you get some excellent security features. The biggest downside to the standard plan is that it is somewhat limited, and it doesn’t offer professional 24/7 monitoring.
The Pro plan costs 66 cents per day, which is about $20 per month. The Pro plan includes everything the standard plan comes with, but you also get the professional 24/7 monitoring and other neat extras. With the Pro plan, you also get a 4G cellular backup and an unlimited warranty.
The next option is to use Abode with the Basic plan (In other words, no monitoring plan whatsoever). This means that your Abode home security system will be extremely limited in its capabilities. But you will not be paying any monthly fees.
You will be able to self-monitor your system; view the live video feed, and get push notifications. However, you will not be able to automate your system, store video footage for later viewing or view the event logs.
What’s more, is that Abode offers on-demand professional monitoring with the standard and basic plans. This means that you can pay for a professional monitor whenever you decide you need it. (Which is something that not many companies offer.)
Overall it will end up being more expensive compared to the Pro plan, but depending on how often you need to pay for it, you might save on a good chunk of money. (You pay $8 for three days and $15 for seven days.)
Customer Satisfaction Ratings
To see the whole picture, part of the mandatory due diligence is to review what customers are saying about each company.
On Trustpilot, Abode has a strong presence and multiple reviews.
Abode has 4.1 stars out of 5 on Trustpilot.
On both Yelp and Better Business Bureau (BBB), Abode has a relatively low number of reviews. On Yelp, Abode has 3.5 out of 5 stars, and on BBB, again, 3.5 stars out of 5, with a BBB rating of “C”.
Compared to Abode, Frontpoint has a lot more reviews on all three websites, which will give us a more reliable idea of what their services are like.
On Trustpilot, Frontpoint has 4.6 out of 5 stars, and on Yelp, 3 out of 5 stars.
Frontpoint is BBB accredited since 2009; it has an “A+” rating and has a customer rating of a little below 2 out of 5 stars.
Frontpoint vs Abode: Which one to Choose?
Both Frontpoint and Abode offer good levels of flexibility and contract-free service, with Abode being slightly more flexible.
It seems that most of the Abode customers are satisfied with how their security systems work. Nonetheless, there are the occasional hiccups here and there.
One of the things that attracted people to Abode was the ability to use cellular data instead of the internet. (Something that is great for people who don’t get a good and reliable internet connection.)
However, one of the common complaints by Abode’s customers is that as of lately, it seems the company is pushing customers toward using internet data and the cellular data only as a backup feature.
Judging by the significantly more customer reviews and higher ratings on average, Frontpoint seems to be doing a little better than Abode.
Frontpoint has a good number of security products, but their only downside is that you will be paying more for the monitoring plans.
Abode, however, seems to be more flexible in what they offer. You have the freedom to choose if you even want to pay for a monitoring plan. And if you want to go with professional monitoring, their services are cheaper, on average.
If there is a downside to Abode, that would be their cameras, which are not as sophisticated as the cameras from the other security companies. Other than that, their security systems are excellent.
Several years ago, people were extremely pleased about what Abode was offering; nowadays, Abode is still one of the top home security providers, however, Frontpoint is also doing exceptionally well.
Which one would be best for you will depend on your personal requirements, needs, and monthly budget.
