You can meaningfully improve your home's security today — some of it free. These are the field-tested tips the providers we recommend actually recommend, minus the fear-mongering.
Free things you can do today
- Lock everything, every time — including the garage side door and second-floor windows.
- Trim shrubs near windows and entry points so there's nowhere to hide.
- Don't broadcast trips on social media until you're back.
- Keep valuables out of sight from windows.
- Use timers or smart plugs so lights suggest someone's home.
Low-cost upgrades with big impact
A few inexpensive additions punch above their weight: motion-activated exterior lights at every entry, a video doorbell to stop porch theft and see visitors, and reinforced strike plates on exterior doors. These are cheap, fast, and genuinely deterring.
Not sure which system you need?
Answer a few quick questions and we'll match you with a top-rated provider for a free, no-obligation quote — or compare our top picks yourself.
Where a full system earns its keep
Habits and hardware help, but they can't dispatch help or record an incident. That's where 24/7 monitoring and well-placed cameras come in — see our camera placement guide for the exact spots. If you want a personalized checklist, the Home Security Score quiz flags your specific gaps in two minutes.