How Much Does Alarm Monitoring Cost?

Alarm monitoring costs vary depending on the company and the services offered. At Alarm Grid, we can only speak for the services we offer. Our plans range from $10 to $45 per month depending on the services provided. Plans are split between central station monitoring and self-monitoring.

Central station monitoring means that the security system is able to communicate with a central monitoring station. A central station is a dispatching center that operates continuously, 24/7. When a system goes into alarm it sends out a signal that is ultimately received by the central station. A trained dispatcher will check this signal and (in most cases) attempt to contact the end user. If the dispatcher is unable to contact the end user, if the end user is unable to provide their false alarm passcode, or if the end user speaks their duress code, they will send out the necessary local authorities.

Automatic dispatch from a central station can include the police, fire department, and emergency medical services in most jurisdictions. Please note that all central station monitoring plans that include automatic dispatch (Silver & Up) also provide texts and/or email alerts. This is in addition to central monitoring service. In other words, a central station plan of Silver Plan or higher will essentially function as both a central station plan and a self-monitoring plan all-in-one. Our central station monitoring plans range from $15 per month (Bronze) to $45 per month (Platinum).

Self-monitoring means that the end user receives text and/or email alerts regarding any system activity, including alarms. It is then up to the end user to contact the necessary authorities on their own. The system will not be enabled to communicate with a central monitoring station for automatic emergency dispatch. Self-monitoring can be very useful if the end user can reliably and quickly check their text messages and/or emails. and they don't really benefit from central station monitoring. The text and/or email alerts are sent from Total Connect 2.0 or Alarm.com, depending on which communicator the system has. Our self-monitoring plans range from $10 per month (Self-Bronze) to $35 per month (Self-Platinum).

The table below outlines all of the main plans featured on our monitoring page:

There are also two other plans that we offer. These plans are less commonly used, but they can be useful in certain situations. These are the Cellular-Only and Video-Only plans. The Cellular-Only Plan is similar to the Central Station Bronze Plan, but it allows the use of cellular connectivity, in addition to IP connectivity. The user will not have access to an interactive service platform like Total Connect 2.0 or Alarm.com. The Cellular-Only Plan is good for users who want fast and reliable cellular monitoring service, but they don't care about the interactive features of TC2 or ADC. The Cellular-Only Plan costs $25 per month.

The Video-Only Plan is not technically an alarm monitoring plan, but it is still a monthly service offered from Alarm Grid. This plan doesn't actually use a security system. It just uses Total Connect 2.0 IP Cameras or Alarm.com IP Cameras. The end user will be able to access TC2 or ADC strictly for using these cameras. They can check the live feed of their cameras and view previously captured clips. The end user will not have service with a central station, and they will not receive text and/or email alerts regarding any type of security system activity. In fact, a Video-Only Plan can be used without owning a security system at all. However, they can receive TC2 or ADC alerts regarding security camera activity. A Video-Only Plan is good for users who just want video surveillance for their home or business, and nothing more. The Video-Only Plan costs $15 per month.