Houston Home Security Companies.How to choose the right one.
The Houston alarm companies you’ll run into, with their published prices, contract terms, monitoring centers and Houston offices, all read on October 15, 2026. We’re on the list too.
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Flat $19.99/mo monitoring, no contract required — while the big brands charge $50–90 on long contracts.
Who are the best home security companies in Houston? The companies you’ll compare.
For a monitored home alarm in Houston, the companies to compare are Smith Thompson, Allied Home Security, Alert 360, True Protection and Home Security Systems Inc on the local and Texas side, and ADT, Vivint and SimpliSafe nationally. The best one for you depends on contract, price and who monitors the system.
“Best” lists for Houston tend to mix in locksmiths, guard services and fence companies. Every company below installs and monitors home alarms.
Texas companies with a Houston presence
- Smith Thompson. Texas company founded in 1978, headquartered in Plano, with a Houston office at 5100 Westheimer Rd #200. Publishes its prices, says it has never required a contract in Houston, and runs its own UL-listed dispatch facility in Texas.
- Allied Home Security. Presents itself as Houston-based, with an office at 6454 Theall Rd. Advertises $19.95/mo monitoring on a compatible system and $0 installation. Texas license B-18799.
- Alert 360. Founded in 1973, Houston office at 6650 W Sam Houston Pkwy N Ste 400. Publishes package pricing and requires a 36-month agreement. Central Security Group’s website now redirects to Alert 360.
- True Protection. Founded in 2011, lists its Houston location in Katy. No long-term contract, monitoring through Brinks Home. Texas license B17442.
- Home Security Systems Inc. Serving the Houston area “since 1972” with local monitoring. Texas license B00803. No prices published.
National brands
- ADT. The largest name, with six monitoring centers across the U.S. Professionally installed plans carry a 36-month monitoring agreement.
- Vivint. Houston office at 2807 Gulf Freeway. Smart-home focused, installed by Vivint, with equipment financing.
- SimpliSafe. Do-it-yourself kit with optional professional monitoring and no contract. A good fit if you want to install it yourself.
Commercial-only
Nexlar Security (2825 Wilcrest Dr) and Fortress Security, now part of Pye-Barker Fire & Safety, show up in Houston searches but focus on businesses, not homes. If you need business security, see our commercial security page.
Alamo Smart Home also serves Houston. We’re new here, and the details are below.
How much do Houston home security companies cost? The published numbers.
Published Houston monitoring runs from about $16.95 to $59.99 a month, as of October 15, 2026. The bigger difference is the contract. Smith Thompson, True Protection, SimpliSafe and Alamo don’t require one. Alert 360 and ADT’s installed offers require 36 months. Several companies don’t publish a price at all.
| Company | Monitoring (as published) | Contract | Houston office | Monitoring center | Equipment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smith Thompson | $16.95/mo + $89 one-time; $21.95/mo with app; $29.95/mo smart home | No term contract | 5100 Westheimer Rd #200 | Own UL-listed dispatch facility in Texas | Not stated |
| Allied Home Security | From $19.95/mo, compatible system; “other fees may apply” | Not stated | 6454 Theall Rd | UL-certified partner, not named in the copy | “Free Equipment You Own” |
| Alert 360 | $1.41 to $1.74 per day, plus $315 to $790 equipment and install | 36 months, approved credit | 6650 W Sam Houston Pkwy N | Not stated | Not stated |
| True Protection | Not published | No long-term contract | Katy (Commercial Center Blvd) | Brinks Home, UL-certified | Not stated |
| Home Security Systems Inc | Not published | Not published | Not published | “24/7 Local Monitoring” | Not stated |
| ADT | Pro monitoring from $59.99/mo | 36 months on the pro-install offer, early cancel fees | Not listed | 6 ADT centers in the U.S. | Not stated |
| Vivint | “Starting at $24.99/mo”; $29.99/mo on its HomeProtect offer | Month-to-month if equipment bought upfront | 2807 Gulf Freeway Ste A | Not stated | Purchased or financed |
| SimpliSafe (DIY) | $1.10 to $2.66 per day | None | None | Not stated | You buy the kit |
| Alamo Smart Home | $19.99/mo; $24.99/mo with video | None required | None yet; local technicians | UCC: UL-listed, TMA Five Diamond | Customer owns it |
All prices are as published on each company’s own website on October 15, 2026. Prices change, promotions expire, and taxes and fees can apply, so confirm in writing before you sign. Daily rates are shown the way the company publishes them.
One thing the table can’t show is total cost. A low monthly rate on a 36-month agreement, plus financed equipment, can add up to more than a higher rate you can cancel any month. Our guide to no-contract home security walks through that math.
How do I check a Houston alarm company’s license? Two minutes on the DPS site.
Every company that installs or monitors alarms in Texas must hold a license from the Texas Department of Public Safety Private Security Program. You can search any company or technician in the state’s TOPS system. A license number starting with “B” means a licensed alarm company. If it isn’t listed, don’t hire them.
Most reputable companies print their number in the footer. On October 15, 2026 we found these: Allied Home Security B-18799, True Protection B17442, Home Security Systems Inc B00803, Nexlar B14634. Ours is B05229001.
Look up the company name, then confirm the license is active. Ask whether the technician who comes to your house is registered with DPS too.
Who monitors my alarm in Houston? Often not the company you hired.
Many Houston alarm companies sell and install the system, then hand monitoring to a third-party central station. There’s nothing wrong with that. Make sure the center is UL-listed and, ideally, TMA Five Diamond certified. Ask for the center’s name, and not only “24/7 monitoring.”
From the companies’ own sites: Smith Thompson runs its own UL-listed dispatch facility in Texas. True Protection monitors through Brinks Home. Allied describes a UL-listed partner and links to a Brinks authorized-dealer page. ADT runs six centers of its own. Alamo uses UCC (United Central Control) in San Antonio, which is UL-listed, FM-approved and TMA Five Diamond certified.
What to ask
- What is the monitoring center’s name, and where is it?
- Is it UL-listed? Is it Five Diamond certified?
- Does it signal over cellular with battery backup? Houston power goes out in storms, and a landline-only panel goes quiet when it does.
- Who installs: an employee or a subcontractor? Who comes back for service calls?
Do I need an alarm permit in Houston? Yes, and it’s $50.
Yes. Every monitored alarm inside Houston city limits, or anywhere Houston Police respond, needs a permit from the City of Houston Burglar Alarm Administration. A residential permit costs $50 a year. Without one, each police response to your alarm is billed at $116.75, as published by the Houston Permitting Center.
With a permit, your first three false alarms in 12 months are free. The 4th and 5th cost $50 each, the 6th and 7th $75 each, and $100 each after that. After the 7th the city can revoke the permit and stop police response.
A good installer should tell you about the permit before the system goes live. Our Houston alarm permit guide covers how to apply online, by mail or in person. If you live outside city limits in unincorporated Harris County, the rules are different. See our Harris County alarm permit guide.
Is Alamo Smart Home an option in Houston? Yes. No office yet, local technicians.
Yes. Alamo Smart Home installs and monitors home security in Houston at $19.99 a month, or $24.99 with video analytics and cloud recording, with no contract required. We don’t have a Houston office yet. Our Houston technicians are local, and they handle installs and service calls.
- Price. $19.99/mo monitoring, or $24.99/mo with video analytics and cloud recording. Two months of monitoring free.
- Contract. None required. We’ll write one only if you want to lock your rate.
- Equipment. Bought once, owned by you, quoted after a free on-site security analysis. We can often take over a compatible existing panel.
- Monitoring. 24/7 through UCC in San Antonio: UL-listed, FM-approved, TMA Five Diamond certified.
- Platform. Alarm.com with the newest Qolsys IQ Panel 5, cellular and battery backup.
- Who installs. Salaried Alamo technicians, not subcontractors.
- License. Texas DPS #B05229001 (Orenda Securities LLC).
On reviews: we hold 4.9 stars across 1,300+ Google reviews. We’re new to Houston.
If you want an office down the street, Smith Thompson, Alert 360 and Allied have one in Houston today. If you care more about price, no contract and owning your equipment, call us for a free quote. More on us at Houston home security and our reviews.
What should I ask a Houston security company before I sign? Seven questions.
Ask for the full monthly price in writing, the contract length and cancellation fee, who owns the equipment, the monitoring center’s name and certifications, the company’s Texas DPS license number, who installs and services it, and whether they’ll file your Houston alarm permit. Any good company answers all seven.
- What is the total monthly price, including taxes and fees, and does it go up after year one?
- How long is the contract, and what does it cost to cancel early?
- Do I own the equipment, or is it financed or leased into the contract?
- Which monitoring center watches my system, and is it UL-listed?
- What is your Texas DPS license number?
- Is the installer your employee, and how fast do service calls happen in Houston?
- Can you take over the panel I already have?
The big names have their strengths. ADT has scale and its own monitoring centers. Vivint’s smart-home hardware is polished. SimpliSafe is the cheapest way in if you’re comfortable installing it yourself. Get two or three quotes and compare them on the table above. For more, read local vs. national home security or Alamo vs. ADT.
Meet your local team — and your first 2 months of monitoring are on us.
A trained security analyst walks your property in person and recommends exactly what you need — nothing you don’t. Then a licensed, salaried Alamo technician installs it and sets it up around how you actually live. No commissioned sales reps. No pressure.
- Free on-site analysis with a local security analyst
- Two months of professional monitoring, on us
- No contract required — it’s optional, never mandatory
- The same local, salaried team for as long as you own the home
You’re choosing one of Texas’ most trusted security teams.
As smart devices and cameras grow, having a reliable local service company is essential — even if you hope never to need it.
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- 24/7 professional monitoring
- Remote app control
- Monitoring starting at $19.99
- True local company
- Highest quality equipment
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- No required contracts
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- Long contracts
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Don’t get trapped in high monitoring rates. Switch to Alamo at $19.99/mo — no required contracts, same local Texas team.
Get a free quoteHouston home security companies, common questions.
Prices are as each company published them on October 15, 2026. Still wondering about something? Call the local team at (210) 625-6575.
What are the best home security companies in Houston?
For a monitored home alarm in Houston, the companies to compare are Smith Thompson, Allied Home Security, Alert 360, True Protection and Home Security Systems Inc locally, plus ADT, Vivint and SimpliSafe nationally. Compare them on monthly price, contract length, equipment ownership and the monitoring center’s UL listing. Alamo Smart Home also serves Houston with local technicians.
How much does home security monitoring cost in Houston?
As published on each company’s website on October 15, 2026, Houston monitoring ranges from $16.95 a month (Smith Thompson’s basic plan) to $59.99 a month (ADT’s professionally installed plan). Alamo is $19.99, or $24.99 with video. Equipment and installation are usually extra, and some companies require a 36-month agreement.
Which Houston home security companies don’t require a contract?
As published on October 15, 2026, Smith Thompson says it has never required a contract in Houston, True Protection says no long-term contract is required, SimpliSafe has no contract, and Vivint offers month-to-month when you buy equipment upfront. Alamo Smart Home doesn’t require one either. Alert 360 and ADT’s installed offer require 36 months.
Do I need an alarm permit in Houston?
Yes. Monitored alarms inside Houston city limits, or anywhere Houston Police respond, need a permit from the City of Houston Burglar Alarm Administration. A residential permit is $50 a year. Without one, each police response is billed at $116.75. The first three false alarms in 12 months are free with a permit.
How do I check if a Houston alarm company is licensed?
Search the company in the Texas Department of Public Safety’s TOPS license system. Alarm companies hold a license number that starts with “B.” Reputable companies print it on their website. If you can’t find an active license, don’t let them install anything in your home.
Is local or national home security better in Houston?
Neither is automatically better. National brands like ADT and Vivint bring scale and their own hardware ecosystems, often with longer contracts. Local and Texas companies more often offer no-contract monitoring and owned equipment. Compare the contract, the total cost over three years, and who installs and monitors your system.
Does Alamo Smart Home have an office in Houston?
Not yet. Alamo Smart Home is headquartered at 503 E Ramsey Rd in San Antonio, and Houston customers are served by local Houston technicians. Monitoring is the same for every customer: 24/7 through UCC in San Antonio, which is UL-listed and TMA Five Diamond certified. We hold 4.9 stars across 1,300+ Google reviews.
What should I look for in a monitoring center?
Look for a UL-listed central station, ideally with TMA Five Diamond certification, and ask the company to name it. Many Houston companies use a third-party center, and that’s common. Also ask whether your panel signals over cellular with battery backup, so it keeps working when storms knock out power.
Can a new company take over my existing alarm system in Houston?
Often, yes. Many panels can be moved to a new monitoring company without replacing everything, as long as the panel is compatible and you aren’t still under contract with the old provider. Alamo Smart Home can often take over compatible existing panels. Check your current agreement’s cancellation terms first.
Is SimpliSafe a good choice in Houston?
SimpliSafe is a solid choice if you want to install a system yourself and avoid a contract. As published on October 15, 2026, its monitoring plans run $1.10 to $2.66 a day. You’ll handle setup, and there’s no local technician. If you want professional installation, compare it against an installed, no-contract option.
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