Do-it-yourself home security systems that you control from your smartphone are appealing because most are relatively affordable, easy to install, and offer contract-free professional monitoring services. Accordingly, the Scout Alarm Home Security System starts at $120, and you can either monitor it yourself or sign up for a full, 24/7 monitoring service. It works with a number of popular third-party platforms, offers a useful selection of add-on components, and worked well in testing. That said, our Editors’ Choice winner for the category, the SimpliSafe Home Security System, offers a wider range of more affordable add-on devices.

Pricey Parts, But Lots of Third-Party Support

Scout sent us a $220 bundle with a hub, a door panel sensor, a motion sensor, and an access sensor (door or window) for testing. The components are available in Arctic White or Midnight Black, and you can order as many sensors as you need for your home.

The hub is the brain of the system. It measures 1.1 by 5.3 by 5.3 inches (HWD) and houses an Ethernet port, a 105dB siren, a 12-hour lithium-ion backup battery, a 4G cellular radio, and an LED indicator. It also contains Zigbee and Z-Wave radios.

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The door panel sensor is fairly large. The main component, which attaches to the inside of the door, measures 4.3 by 3.5 by 0.9 inches with its magnetic reed switch (the skinny part that attaches to the door jamb). It comes with two key fobs and an RFID sticker. The panel acts as an open and close sensor, but also contains an RFID sensor that allows you to arm and disarm the system with the swipe of a key fob or sticker. Scout also sells an indoor camera ($99) and a video doorbell ($99) that work with these key fobs. Two CR123 batteries power the panel, and it houses a 105dB siren, a Zigbee radio (to communicate with the hub), and a temperature sensor. The backs of the panel and reed switch have double-sided tape for easy tool-free mounting, as do the other sensors.

The access sensor is much smaller than the door panel, and is suitable for things like windows, cabinets, and safes. It measures 2.6 by 1.9 by 0.8 inches, requires a single CR2 battery for power, and has a temperature sensor. The motion sensor has a 25-foot range and a 90-degree field of view. It measures 3.5 by 2.0 by 1.1 inches and has beveled sides for corner mounting. It runs on two CR2 batteries and includes both a temperature sensor and a passive infrared sensor for detecting motion.

Scout offers a variety of add-on sensors, but some cost a bit more than those you can get for a SimpliSafe system. For example, Scout charges $20 for each access sensor, while Simplisafe prices them at $14.99. Similarly, the Scout glass-break sensor lists for $50 while SimpliSafe sells one for $34.99. Finally, Scout's water sensor costs $30, while one from SimpliSafe is $19.99.  

Furthermore, Scout doesn't offer a handful of add-ons that you can get with SimpliSafe, including a temperature sensor, a panic button, an external siren, and an outdoor camera (although one is set to launch soon). Also missing from the Scout lineup is a wall-mounted LCD control panel like you get with the LiveWatch, Protect America, and Vivint Smart Home systems, although you can purchase a $50 keypad.

The Scout system integrates with LIFX and Philips Hue smart lighting systems; First Alert smoke and CO detectors; and Kwikset and Yale smart locks. It also works with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice control, and fully supports IFTTT, with a dedicated channel for the platform.

The company offers two monitoring plans, both of which operate on a monthly subscription basis. The Always On self-monitoring plan costs $9.99 per month and unlocks email and push notifications; cellular backup in case you lose your internet connection; text message alerts; and access to the company's mobile app. The $19.99-per-month Always On Plus plan includes everything in the Always On plan and adds 24/7 professional monitoring with police dispatch and free cloud storage for your first camera (each additional camera costs $2.99 per month).

If you opt to not pay for either plan, you can't use the mobile app, won't receive push and text notifications, give up the cellular backup option, and forgo the option to integrate with any third-party platforms. All you can do is arm and disarm the system via the keypad.

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App Experience

The Scout Alarm app (available for Android and iOS) opens to a Mode screen that displays your house name. The home section shows tabs for four preset modes (Home, Away, Sleep, and Vacation), but you can also create custom ones. Tapping any mode highlights the selection and arms the system in that mode. You can tap and hold any of the modes to configure how the system responds to sensor triggers. For example, you can enable the siren, push notifications, and text alerts if something triggers the front door only when Vacation mode is active.

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At the bottom of the screen are House, Activity, Device, and Members buttons. Press the Activity button to view a timeline of all triggering events and resolutions. The Device button lets you see a list of every sensor you own, add-on components such as Nest cameras, and linked services such as IFTTT; tap on any of the devices to test or remove them.

The Members button shows everyone who has access to the system and their current rights (Admin or Member). Here, you can add new members or delete current ones. This screen also shows information about the key fob and lets you assign permissions such as 24/7 access or scheduled access by the time of day and day of week.

The gear icon in the top left corner opens a Settings menu where you can view and edit account details; change your subscription plan; shop for sensors; contact support; and configure notification settings for when the battery backup turns on or you lose a connection to a sensor.

Quick Setup, Reliable in Testing

The Scout system was easy to install thanks to comprehensive printed and in-app instructions. To begin, I downloaded the app, created an account, connected the hub to my router, and turned it on. The internal LED blinked for a few seconds and then glowed solid green to indicate that it connected to the Scout server. I then entered the installation code and waited several seconds for the four bars in the app to turn blue and indicate a successful connection with the hub. After I clicked Install Devices, a screen opened with buttons for each sensor in the package.

To install the door panel, I pulled the battery tabs and waited around five seconds for the sensor to pair with the hub. I then paired the two key fobs and the RFID sticker, followed the directions for placing the sensor components using the double-sided tape, confirmed that the sensor was working, and named it. I repeated this process for the access sensor and the motion sensor. I paired the key fobs by swiping them across the door panel, naming them, and giving them permissions (disabled, scheduled, or 24/7 access). To complete the process, I configured notifications (sound all sirens, send and email, send a push notification, or receive a text message) and chose a monitoring plan. The entire process took around 25 minutes.

The Scout sensors were very responsive in testing. Push notifications, email alerts, and text messages arrived within seconds of triggering events. The hub and door panel's sirens are quite loud and more than capable of scaring off intruders. I created an IFTTT applet for an Arlo Pro camera to begin recording when something triggered the motion sensor, too. This integration worked as intended, as did Alexa commands to arm and disarm the system.

I also connected the Scout to my Nest account. Doing so enabled me to receive motion alerts from the camera and change my Nest devices (and Scout system) between Home and Away modes. However, I wasn't able to stream video from my Nest Cam via the Scout app because that feature requires a Nest Aware subscription.

A Solid Security Solution

Whether you want to monitor your home by yourself or with the help of professionals, the Scout Alarm Home Security System is worth considering. It provides protection via an array of door, motion, and window sensors, it's easy to set up, and it works with lots of third-party devices and platforms. It’s a solid DIY security system, especially if you already have a number of third-party devices and platforms you want to use. If you're just getting started with smart home tech, however, the SimpliSafe Home Security System offers more affordable add-on components. And if you want a setup that offers mesh Wi-Fi connectivity, check out the Ring Alarm Pro, another Editors’ Choice winner.