Arlo vs Brinks: Which Home Security System Is Better?
One is a DIY camera-first ecosystem you self-install on your own schedule, with monitoring reserved for its priciest plan. The other is a traditional professionally-installed, professionally-monitored alarm company built around a 36-month contract. Six rounds. Real prices. One honest scorecard.
The verdict
Rounds split 3–3; Arlo edges it on total score.
Arlo rewards anyone who wants low commitment and DIY control; Brinks rewards anyone willing to sign a multi-year contract for a fuller, professionally installed system.
Choose Arlo if…
- • You want the lowest-cost entry point with no credit check and true cancel-anytime flexibility
- • You'd rather self-install on your own schedule than wait on a technician
Choose Brinks if…
- • You want 24/7 monitoring included by default and a full professional-grade alarm system
- • You're comfortable committing to a multi-year contract for broader hardware and hub control
Round by round
- Round 1Monitoring & ResponseBrinks winsArlo4/10
$24.99-$29.99/mo
Premium tier only; lower tiers are self-monitoring push alerts
- Premium tier adds e911 emergency calling
- No 24/7 monitoring below the Premium tier
- No published average response time
Source: Arlo Secure plan pricing
Brinks8/10All 3 tiers monitored
Essential, Complete, and Ultimate all include 24/7 professional monitoring
- 24/7 monitoring included on every package, not just the top tier
- Decades of monitoring experience, nationwide dealer network
- No independently published average dispatch time
Source: Brinks package data
Brinks monitors every plan by default; Arlo only monitors its most expensive one.
- Round 2Cost — Equipment & Monthly FeeArlo winsArlo7/10
$39.99+ entry price
No credit check, scale up only if you choose to
- Low-cost single-camera entry point, no credit check
- Cameras owned outright, no financing needed
- No full alarm hardware, cameras only
Source: Arlo pricing data
Brinks4/10$29.99-$54.99/mo monitoring
Installation often bundled free only with a 3-year monitoring contract
- Broad equipment catalog including environmental sensors
- 0% APR financing available for qualified customers
- High upfront package cost ($360-$1,099+)
- 'Free' install requires a 3-year contract; financing needs a credit check
Source: Brinks pricing data
Arlo lets you start for under $50 with no credit check; Brinks' 'free install' comes with a 3-year price tag.
- Round 3Contract & CancellationArlo winsArlo9/10
No ETF
Month-to-month or prepaid annual, cancel anytime in-app
- No contract on any plan
- No prorated refund on annual plans
Source: Arlo cancellation policy
Brinks2/10'They said it was 48 month'
- ETF waived for military deployment, death, or nursing-home placement
- Mandatory 36-month contract with strict cancellation terms
- 3,000+ BBB complaints in 3 years, largely billing/cancellation disputes
Arlo's cancellation is a tap in the app; Brinks' is a 30-day written process that starts only when they say it does.
- Round 4Installation & SetupArlo winsArlo8/10
DIY, no technician needed
Self-install at your own pace, no appointment required
- Fully DIY — no technician visit required
- Install on your own schedule
- No professional setup verification
Source: Arlo installation type
Brinks4/10Pro install standard
Requires booking a technician appointment
- Free installation often bundled with contract
- Professional setup verification included
- Missed technician appointments reported as a recurring complaint
- Requires working around the installer's schedule
Source: Brinks installation type
Arlo installs on your schedule; Brinks installs on the technician's.
- Round 5Equipment & Device LineupBrinks winsArlo5/10
5 camera models + doorbell
Deep camera lineup, no alarm panel or entry sensors
- Wide range of camera resolutions and form factors
- Solar accessory for continuous outdoor power
- No door/window sensors or alarm panel
- No smoke/CO/water sensors
Source: Arlo device lineup
Brinks9/10119 connected devices
Panel, entry/motion/glass-break sensors, environmental sensors, cameras, locks
- Entry, motion, environmental sensors, cameras, and smart locks in one system
- Alarm.com hub controls up to 119 connected devices
- Camera/doorbell tier automatically bumps you to top-tier monitoring pricing
Source: Brinks device lineup
Brinks covers entry, motion, environmental, cameras, and locks in one hub; Arlo covers whatever a camera can see.
- Round 6Trust & ComplaintsBrinks winsArlo3/10
'Cannot speak with a rep at any time'
- 1.5/5 on PissedConsumer (1,800+ reviews)
- Support widely reported as hard to reach
Brinks6/10'Satisfied with their services' after 15+ years
- 94% of surveyed customers would recommend (Forbes Home)
- A+ BBB accreditation
- 3,000+ BBB complaints in 3 years, mostly billing/cancellation
Brinks' complaint volume is real, but so is a 94% recommend rate from long-term customers — Arlo's reviews don't have that counterbalance.
Which one is for you?
Household wanting monitoring included on every plan, no upsell
→ Brinks · 24/7 professional monitoring standard on Essential, Complete, and Ultimate
Renter or first-timer who wants to start cheap with no credit check
→ Arlo · Single camera from $39.99, no financing or credit check required
Anyone who wants to be able to cancel without a fight
→ Arlo · No contract, cancel anytime in-app, no early-termination fee
Household wanting one hub to control a large smart-home setup
→ Brinks · Alarm.com hub can control up to 119 connected devices
Side by side
- No financing contract — cameras purchased outright
- No contract, cancel subscription anytime
- No credit check or financing required
- Wide range of camera resolutions and form factors
- Professional installation handles setup for you
- Often advertised as free when bundled with monitoring
- ETF forgiveness exists for documented hardship cases
- 0% APR financing available for qualified customers
- Core cloud storage and AI features gated behind a subscription
- SmartHub required for Pro/Ultra models adds $99.99-$149.99
- Annual-plan cancellations aren't prorated
- Cancelling strips cloud storage and AI detection immediately
- Requires scheduling and waiting on a technician visit
- 36-month contract with strict, narrow cancellation terms
- Reports of surprise contract extensions after service calls
- Equipment costs run far higher than Ring's