Frontpoint vs Ring Alarm: An Expert Comparison

Today we will be comparing home security providers Frontpoint and Ring Alarm, and see how they stack up! We’ll go over equipment, monitoring plans, pricing, and more!

There are several thousand home break-ins that happen across the United States every month. These types of crimes can leave home owners at great financial loss and a loss of their security. The best way to protect yourself against this type of crime is to invest in a security system. There are several great companies that can provide you with a home security solution that fits your specific security needs. Today we will be taking a look at what Frontpoint and Ring Alarm have to offer.

Frontpoint Control Panel

Frontpoint offers a great control panel that connects all your equipment to one place. The control panel that Frontpoint offers has a simplistic design, and it is easy to use. The control panel comes with the base station and the keypad. The keypad allows you to control all of the functions for the control panel. Frontpoint’s panel offers Crash and Smash protection as well. Crash and Smash is a feature that is built-in which means that even if the control panel is damaged by an intruder, it will still transmit a signal to your monitoring station. The Frontpoint control panel has cellular chip which means you don’t have to have a landline or internet connection for it to work. The Frontpoint control panel can also connect to your internet connection just in case you the area you live in doesn’t get great cell coverage. The panel comes with a rechargeable 24-hour backup battery just in case your power goes out. The Frontpoint Control panel has a Z-Wave protocol that allows you to use other branded devices with it, making it pretty expandable.

Recommended: To see our Crash and Smash enabled control panel by Qolsys, check out Link Interactive >>

Ring Alarm Control Panel

The Ring Alarm system has an easy to use control panel. The control panel comes in two parts: the station and the keypad. The station itself is powered by an AC power source and comes with a backup battery. The keypad has a push button design that allows you to enter your user code along with being able to quickly arm and disarm your system with just a touch of a button. The keypad is battery operated and can be recharged by plugging it in to an AC power source. The Ring Alarm’s control panel is wireless and cellular, but its primary connection is through your WIFI network. To use the control panels cellular backup, you will need to pay a month to month price. The Ring Alarm’s control panel includes Z-Wave protocol that lets you expand your system to use some home automation equipment.

Recommended: An alternative DIY (do-it-yourself) option, our home security system at Link Interactive >>

Who wins?

You will probably notice quite of few similarities between Frontpoint’s control panel and Ring Alarm’s control panel. They both have a very simplistic design, and work by connecting to your home’s WIFI network with Frontpoint focusing more on the use of the cellular chip as the main connection for their control panel. They both are controlled by a separate keypad. The biggest difference is that Frontpoint offers Crash and Smash with their control panel. Due to Frontpoint offering Crash and Smash with their control panel, we are giving them the win for this category.

Recommended: To see our Crash and Smash enabled control panel by Qolsys, check out Link Interactive >>

Frontpoint Equipment

Frontpoint offers door/window sensors that are wireless and battery-operated. The door/window sensors are smaller than other door/window sensors making them easier to place. Frontpoint also offers motion sensors that are wireless and battery-operated. Their motion sensors are pet immune, and can detect motion in large areas. Frontpoint offers wireless and battery-operated glass break sensors. Their glass break sensors work by recognizing the sound of breaking glass, and they will alert you and trigger your system if this event is detected. They offer key fobs that sport a 4-button design that allows consumers to arm and disarm their system with only a push of a button. Their panic buttons will allow you to instantly trigger your system, and you will instantly get a response for your central monitoring station. Their panic buttons come with an elastic band and neck pendant so you can always have them with you.

Frontpoint also offers wireless and battery-operated temperature sensors. These sensors will detect changes in temperature, and they will alert you to drastic rises and drops in temperature. They also offer smoke sensors that are wireless and battery-operated. Their smoke sensor will detect rises in smoke and will make an audible alert when this is detected. Frontpoint also offers CO detectors that will alert you to potentially dangerous levels of CO gas in your home via an audible alert.

All the equipment offered by Frontpoint is DIY (do it yourself) which means you will need to set up up all the equipment by yourself, but they do include a setup guide for fast and easy installation.

Click here to read our full Frontpoint product review >>

Frontpoint Home Automation

Frontpoint has spectacular selection of add-on equipment that really allows you to expand your system, and allow you to use a lot of home automation devices. They offer smart LED bulbs which are great at saving you some money on your energy costs for your home. You can turn on and off these smart lights remotely through the Frontpoint app. If you are looking for a way to control small appliances or light fixtures you can purchase a wireless light control from Frontpoint. Their light control plugs directly into an outlet, and you can control any small appliance that is connected to this smart plug remotely through the Frontpoint app. Fronpoint’s also offers automated door locks. Fronpoint’s automated door locks have a fingerprint resistant keypad design that will allow you to create custom user codes. Frontpoint’s offers garage controls that will allow you to remotely control your garage doors on the go. If for some reason you forget to close your garage door, an alert will be sent to you through Frontpoint app. Frontpoint offers smart thermostats as well. Frontpoint’s smart thermostat will automatically adjust the temperature of your home when a drop or rise of temperature happens past the temperature you have set for your home.

Frontpoint Video Monitoring/Surveillance

Frontpoint has a great selection of video surveillance equipment that you can use with their system. Frontpoint offers the Alarm.com V622 Indoor Camera. This camera is wireless, and it is powered by an AC power source. The video resolution of this camera is 1080P with a 180-degree viewing angle which allows this camera to capture video in a wide area. The V622 indoor camera also has 2-way audio built-in with Bluetooth audio streaming capabilities. You can also use other Alarm.com cameras with Frontpoint such as their outdoor cameras.

Ring Alarm Equipment

Ring offers a variety of sensors for you to give your home basic security coverage. The sensors that they offer for their Ring Alarm security system are wireless and battery-operated. They offer door/window sensors that have double-sided adhesive stick tape to easily to place them on your door or window frames. Ring also offers motion sensors that are great at providing protection for large areas of your home. Their motion sensors can be placed using the double-sided adhesive tape or wall mounted with the included brackets. Ring also offers a range extender for their Ring Alarm security system. Their range extender plugs directly into an AC power source, and it will make sure that your devices connected to your Ring Alarm security system are getting consistent signals. The last piece of basic equipment that Ring has to offer is their Smoke and CO2 listener. This device listens for the alert sounds of your already existing smoke and CO2 detectors, and it will trigger your system if these sounds are heard. If you are looking to replace your smoke and CO2 detectors, you can purchase Ring’s smoke and CO2 alarm. This alarm is wireless and battery-operated, and it will make an audible alert and trigger your system when rises in smoke or CO2 gases are detected.

All equipment that is sent to you by Ring is DIY (do it yourself), but if you are not wanting to set up your equipment yourself you can schedule a professional installer to come out and set up your equipment for a one-time fee.

Ring Alarm Home Automation

Ring doesn’t have a ton of add-on equipment for you to choose from, but because their control panel has a Z-Wave protocol you can use other branded devices with it. Ring offers Yale, Kwikset, and Schlage smart locks. These locks allow you to create custom user codes that can be enabled and disable at any time. You can also remotely lock and unlock these locks on the go right through the Ring app. Ring doesn’t offer much more add-on home automation equipment than what we just went over, but you can use other branded smart thermostats, GE smart outlets and lights switches, and Z-Wave enabled garage door controllers with it.

Ring Alarm Video Monitoring/Cameras

Ring however has a huge selection of video surveillance equipment for you to use with your Ring Alarm system. You can get any camera you could think of including indoor, outdoor, spotlight, and video doorbell cameras. Their cameras recorded video is stunning HD, and most include a 2-way audio feature. They all include night vision technology that allows you to capture images in the dark. Ring’s cameras are powered by being directly plugged into an AC power source, or some of their cameras are battery-operated. All of Rings cameras work by connecting directly to your home’s WIFI network. You can view live or recorded video on the go right from the Ring app.

Who wins?

You will see a bigger difference in this category in what Frontpoint and Ring have to offer when it comes to their basic equipment. Ring only offers the basics when it comes to security equipment, but we do like their smoke and CO listener due to its ability to keep your from replacing your existing smoke and CO detectors. Frontpoint has a great selection of basic equipment, and they offer sensors Ring doesn’t have like glass break sensors. Because Frontpoint has a larger selection of basic equipment, we are also giving them the win for this category.

Frontpoint and Ring really let you expand your system to include all the products you could possibly need for your security, video, and home automation needs. We really like the smart locks offered through Ring due to their high-quality make and ease of use. We really like that Frontpoint use Alarm.com cameras due to all of their features. Frontpoint however allows you to purchase most of the products you need directly from them unlike Ring making shopping easier. Due to the fact that Frontpoint offers more add-on equipment directly, we are giving them the win for this category.

Frontpoint vs Ring Alarm App

Frontpoint and Ring offer professional, self, and video monitoring services. Their self-monitoring services are done through their apps which are free to download and work for Apple, Android, and Window devices. Their apps allow you to receive push notifications for events, customize and add devices, and stream live and recorded video. Fronpoint’s app however is powered through Alarm.com which means you will have more features to use like Geo Fencing technology.

There is a month to month fee to use the Frontpoint app, but Ring allows you to use their app to self-monitor your system at no cost. Their video monitoring services and professional monitoring services work the same, however there is no contract with Ring and their month to month prices for professional monitoring services are much cheaper than that of Frontpoint.

Recommended: Here’s a better Alarm.com alternative. Check out Link Interactive. That’s right, our Link Interactive home security system. With us you’ll get the exact same Alarm.com app but at a lower price point. Take a look at our security system here at Link Interactive. Our system comes complete with Crash & Smash protection, and all latest bells and whistles of a modern day home security system, powered by Alarm.com

Frontpoint and Ring offer great security systems that are affordable and easy to use. The Ring Alarm system has a low month to month cost for professional monitoring services, and their self-monitoring service is free of charge. Frontpoint offers a hug selection of basic and add-on equipment that really lets you personalize your security solution. Because Frontpoint has a larger product selection than Ring we are making them all over all winner.

The Better Alternative

If you want a better bang for your buck without sacrificing on features and quality of service, take a look at our security solution at Link.

Link Interactive and Frontpoint are very similar in terms of equipment and monitoring services. At Link we offer a better, more advanced control panel in the the Qolsys IQ 2 Panel with Aarm.com self-monitoring (just like Frontpoint) and third-party professional monitoring. We also offer cutting-edge video monitoring services, all at a much better price than Frontpoint!

We have thousands of 5-star reviews on various reputable third party review sites complimenting our awesome after-sales support! We encourage you take a look at our offer here, get a quote and compare. You can also call us direct at 1-877-826-5443 for further details and speak with a rep!

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