Fear of commitment is something we are all familiar with. We either fear commitment ourselves or know someone else who does. When it comes to home security and remote monitoring services, however, there is no need to be afraid. Month-to-month monitoring is gradually becoming the industry norm.
Month-to-month monitoring services are just what their name implies. You pay for service on a monthly basis rather than being locked into a multi-year contract. With a month-to-month program, you can cancel at any time. You have the freedom to take advantage of professional monitoring when you want and need it. You can also cancel service without being hit with punitive early termination fees.
Monitoring Service Can Be Expensive
A fear of commitment in the home security space tends to revolve around monthly monitoring fees. Let’s face it, monitoring can be expensive. The latest numbers from 2025 suggest the average cost of a basic monitoring plan is $25 per month.
Basic monitoring involves connecting your system to a remote monitoring center. Any alarms the system trigger are sent to the monitoring center where they are evaluated and acted upon. Security companies will often try to interact with homeowners before moving forward with any type of response.
Here is the thing with basic services: all you get is the monitoring. If you want cloud video storage, you will pay an additional fee. Likewise for services related to smart home add-ons.
It’s possible to spend several hundred dollars per month if you are combining home security monitoring with complete home automation services. But if you just want basic home security monitoring, you should look at a price tag closer to the $25 mark.
Contract Length Is a Concern
For some homeowners afraid of commitment, the bigger issue is contract length. Home security contracts typically have lengths of 12 to 60 months. However, the industry standard is 36 months. Still, imagine being locked in for a full 3 years. That’s a significant commitment.
There are ways around multiyear contracts. The first option is self-monitoring. You set up your security system to send alerts directly to your phone. It is a workable solution, but it requires that you always pay attention to your phone. And if you are already getting so many notifications that you’re ignoring them, self-monitoring may not be your best choice.
A second option is to look for a home security system you can get without a contract. Vivint’s HomeProtect program is a great example. You get an entry-level system at a decent price. You can choose professional monitoring or monitoring yourself. If you go the professional route, you are not forced into a contract. HomeProtect is a month-to-month program.
24/7 Protection With Professional Monitoring
Month-to-month monitoring services are a tremendous benefit to consumers when you consider what professional monitoring actually accomplishes. It provides consumers with 24/7 protection. Think about what that means in a practical sense:
- Vacation Protection – Professional monitoring protects your home even while you’re on vacation. The best part is that you don’t have to pay attention to your security system. Let someone else do it while you are relaxing on the beach or skiing down the mountain.
- Overnight Protection – Professional monitoring keeps an eye on your system while you’re asleep. You don’t have to be on edge, wondering if your phone is going to buzz in the middle of the night.
There are a lot of great reasons to invest in home security with professional monitoring. Fortunately, security providers have seen the light and are now offering month-to-month monitoring packages that are ideal for homeowners afraid of commitment.