DIY home security systems (2026)
A DIY alarm system is a base station, sensors on doors and windows, and a motion detector that you fit yourself, with professional monitoring optional. In an outage, two things matter: how long the base station runs on its backup battery, and whether it can switch to cellular when your internet goes down. On every system here, cellular backup needs a paid plan. Specs are from the makers' pages, read on the date in each card's notes; we haven't used these ourselves.
By Tom Calder · Updated November 9, 2026 · 6 products, 4 of 6 price-tracked
Our picks
Photo: AmazonSimpliSafe 8-piece
An alarm that switches to cellular with a monitoring plan
as of Nov 9, 2026, 11:40 AM ET · Details
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Photo: AmazonRing Alarm Pro (8-piece)
Keeping the alarm and the internet up in an outage
as of Nov 9, 2026, 11:40 AM ET · Details
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Photo: AmazonSimpliSafe 7-piece with outdoor camera
Alarm plus one outdoor camera in one box
as of Nov 9, 2026, 11:40 AM ET · Details
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.All 6 compared
| System | In the kit | Battery backup | Cellular backup | Monitoring | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Base Station with eero router, 4 contact sensors, motion detector, plus other pieces (check the listing) · Up to 24 hours in Low Power Mode (Ring) · Built-in; needs a compatible paid Ring plan (3 GB/month) · Professional monitoring optional, paid Keeping the alarm and the internet up in an outage | Base Station with eero router, 4 contact sensors, motion detector, plus other pieces (check the listing) | Up to 24 hours in Low Power Mode (Ring) | Built-in; needs a compatible paid Ring plan (3 GB/month) | Professional monitoring optional, paid | $299.99 at Amazon as of Nov 9, 2026, 11:40 AM ET · DetailsProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.In stockCheck price → |
Our verdictOur verdictResearched An alarm base station that is also an eero Wi-Fi 6 router, with a battery and, with a paid Ring plan, 3 GB a month of cellular backup internet. In Low Power Mode the battery lasts up to 24 hours, but Wi-Fi turns off. Best for Keeping the alarm and the internet up in an outage Good
Worth knowing
Who shouldn't buy it: Don't buy it if you're happy with your current router and only want sensors: the plain Ring Alarm does that. | |||||
Base Station, keypad, entry sensors, motion sensor, panic button (third-party list) · Up to 24 hours · Built in; used with a professional monitoring plan · Without a plan it works as a siren; self-monitoring and professional monitoring are paid plans An alarm that switches to cellular with a monitoring plan | Base Station, keypad, entry sensors, motion sensor, panic button (third-party list) | Up to 24 hours | Built in; used with a professional monitoring plan | Without a plan it works as a siren; self-monitoring and professional monitoring are paid plans | $206.99 at Amazon as of Nov 9, 2026, 11:40 AM ET · DetailsProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.In stockCheck price → |
Our verdictOur verdictResearched SimpliSafe's base station runs up to 24 hours on its backup battery and, with a professional monitoring plan, switches to cellular when Wi-Fi goes down. No contract. Best for An alarm that switches to cellular with a monitoring plan Good
Worth knowing
Who shouldn't buy it: Don't buy it if you want cameras in the box: pick the outdoor-camera kit. | |||||
 Base Station, keypad, contact sensors, motion detector, range extender (exact count not on Ring's page) · Up to 24 hours · With a compatible paid Ring plan · Professional monitoring optional, paid A plain alarm that keeps running for a day without power | Base Station, keypad, contact sensors, motion detector, range extender (exact count not on Ring's page) | Up to 24 hours | With a compatible paid Ring plan | Professional monitoring optional, paid | $249.99 at Amazon as of Nov 9, 2026, 11:40 AM ET · DetailsProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.In stockCheck price → |
Our verdictOur verdictResearched Ring's standard alarm: battery backup of up to 24 hours, and cellular backup if you pay for a Ring plan. Without a plan it still sounds the siren and sends app alerts while your internet is up. Best for A plain alarm that keeps running for a day without power Good
Worth knowing
Who shouldn't buy it: Don't buy it if you want the alarm to call for help in an internet outage without a subscription: no system here does that free. | |||||
Base Station and sensors with an outdoor camera (check the listing for the exact pieces) · Up to 24 hours (base station) · Built in; used with a professional monitoring plan · Camera recording with select monitoring plans Alarm plus one outdoor camera in one box | Base Station and sensors with an outdoor camera (check the listing for the exact pieces) | Up to 24 hours (base station) | Built in; used with a professional monitoring plan | Camera recording with select monitoring plans | $377.79 at Amazon as of Nov 9, 2026, 11:40 AM ET · DetailsProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.In stockCheck price → |
Our verdictOur verdictResearched The SimpliSafe alarm with an outdoor battery camera. The alarm side keeps its 24-hour battery and cellular fallback with a plan; the camera needs Wi-Fi and a plan to record. Best for Alarm plus one outdoor camera in one box Good
Worth knowing
Who shouldn't buy it: Don't buy it if you mainly want cameras: a dedicated battery camera records locally without a plan. | |||||
iota hub (1080p camera, motion sensor, 93 dB siren), 1 door/window sensor, 1 keyfob · Ni-MH backup; abode gives no hours · With paid Standard or Pro plan · Self-monitoring free; professional monitoring optional A small home or apartment: hub, camera and siren in one | iota hub (1080p camera, motion sensor, 93 dB siren), 1 door/window sensor, 1 keyfob | Ni-MH backup; abode gives no hours | With paid Standard or Pro plan | Self-monitoring free; professional monitoring optional | |
Our verdictOur verdictResearched One box that is the hub, an indoor 1080p camera, motion sensor and 93 dB siren. abode doesn't give a backup-battery runtime, and cellular backup needs a paid plan. Best for A small home or apartment: hub, camera and siren in one Good
Worth knowing
Who shouldn't buy it: Don't buy it if you need a stated battery runtime: Ring and SimpliSafe give up to 24 hours. | |||||
Security Hub, 1 door/window sensor, 1 keyfob · Up to 12 hours (abode, varies with use) · 4G, requires a plan · Self-monitoring free; professional monitoring optional A starter hub to build on with abode's own sensors | Security Hub, 1 door/window sensor, 1 keyfob | Up to 12 hours (abode, varies with use) | 4G, requires a plan | Self-monitoring free; professional monitoring optional | |
Our verdictOur verdictResearched A small starter kit: the hub, one sensor and a keyfob, with up to 12 hours of backup battery and 4G backup on a plan. You'll add sensors to cover more doors. Best for A starter hub to build on with abode's own sensors Good
Worth knowing
Who shouldn't buy it: Don't buy it if you want a whole-house kit out of the box: the Ring and SimpliSafe kits include more sensors. | |||||
ⓘ As an Amazon Associate, PreparedStates earns from qualifying purchases. We may earn a commission when you buy through our links. When two products are close, commission can decide which one we pick. A clearly better product always wins. Amazon prices come from Amazon's own product data and can change at any time.
Before you buy
Backup battery
Ring Alarm (2nd gen) and SimpliSafe up to 24 hours; Ring Alarm Pro up to 24 hours in Low Power Mode; abode Security Kit up to 12 hours; abode iota gives no figure.
Cellular backup
Built in on all of these, but switched on only with a paid plan (Ring subscription, SimpliSafe professional monitoring, abode Standard or Pro).
Monitoring: Ring and abode offer free self-monitoring in the app; SimpliSafe's self-monitoring is a paid plan, and without one its system works as a siren.
Professional monitoring is a monthly plan on all of them.
Kit size: count your doors and ground-floor windows.
Kits can be expanded with extra sensors.
Router: Ring Alarm Pro is also an eero Wi-Fi 6 router, so it can replace yours.
We verify every product's specifications against at least two independent sources, re-check its US price and stock on a schedule where we can track it automatically, and cross-check safety-relevant claims against official guidance. Every review is labeled Researched or Used and reviewed by us: where we've bought a product, or been sent it free, and used it ourselves, its review says which; where we haven't, our verdict is a considered spec-and-evidence comparison, not a hands-on test. When two products are close, commission can decide which one we pick. A clearly better product always wins. Read our full methodology →
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Common questions
Do DIY alarm systems work in a power outage?
Yes, for a while. Ring and SimpliSafe base stations run up to 24 hours on battery; abode's Security Kit up to 12 hours. Sensors run on their own batteries.
Do they work without internet?
Locally, yes: the siren sounds and SimpliSafe's keypad arms and disarms. To alert you or a monitoring center without internet, you need the cellular backup, which takes a paid plan on every system here.
Is professional monitoring required?
No. Ring and abode offer free self-monitoring in the app; SimpliSafe works as a siren without a plan, and its self-monitoring is a paid plan. Professional monitoring is optional on all of them.
Which is best if my internet goes down often?
Ring Alarm Pro, with a Ring subscription, gives your whole home 3 GB a month of cellular backup internet, not just the alarm.