Best Home Security Companies: Xfinity vs Vivint vs Link Interactive
Today we will be comparing three of the top home security providers in Xfinity Home Security, Vivint, and Link Interactive. So let’s dive right in and see how they stack up! We’ll go over equipment, monitoring plans, and more!
We understand that shopping for a home security system can be difficult due to the amount of information that must be sorted through. We've broken down some of the top security companies' products and services to make the process easier for you. Today, we'll look at and compare the services provided by Xfinity Home Security, Vivint, and Link Interactive.
Xfinity Control Panel
Xfinity is widely known as a provider of cable, phone, and internet services. Just like many other cable companies, Xfinity also offers a security system to their customers called Xfinity Home. Xfinity has a offers a full colored touchscreen control panel that is packed full of features. It has a very thin designed which means it can be placed pretty much anywhere. The panel works by connecting wirelessly to your home’s WIFI network. If your WIFI is down the Xfinity Home touchscreen control panel has a cellular chip as a backup so it will still continue to work even if your internet is down. It is powered through an AC power source so you want to make sure you have one nearby. If your power does go off, the touchscreen has a backup battery. The touchscreen displays the current time and weather in your specific area. You can also arm and disarm your system, add sensors, and view video right from the touchscreen. Xfinity Home control panel is pretty expandable as well, and you can use other branded devices with it.
To see an alternative DIY (do-it-yourself) option, check out our home security system at Link Interactive >>
Vivint Smart Home Control Panel
Vivint decided to design a control panel that had a ton of features and is easy to use. Vivint offers their Smart Hub control panel as the main component of their security system. Their Smart Hub control panel is a full colored 7-inch touchscreen control panel. You can quickly arm and disarm your system right from the control panel along with adding new devices and customizing features. The Vivint Smart Hub’s full colored touchscreen will also display your current time and temperature. The Vivint Smart Hub is a wireless and cellular control panel which means you don’t’ need a landline or internet connect for your Smart Hub to work. The Vivint Smart Hub has a cellular chip that transmits all your security data securely, and the Vivint Smart Hub can connect to your home’s WIFI as a backup. It is powered by an AC power source, and it comes with a 24-hour backup battery. The Vivint Smart Hub also includes a 2-way audio feature that allows you to directly respond to and communicate with your central monitoring station. It has a built-in Z-Wave protocol that allows you to use other branded security and home automation devices like smart thermostats and smart locks. If your system or sensors are triggered by an event, the Vivint Smart Hub will sound its internal siren.
See our cutting-edge control panel by Qolsys >>
Who wins?
Protect America’s and Vivint’s control panels are quite different from one another. Protect America’s control panel is the Qolsys, a great cutting-edge home security control panel. Vivint’s control panel is packed full of features, has an amazing display, and its easy to use. But because Protect America’s control panel has a ton of more features than that of Vivint’s, we are giving them the win for this category.
To see our Crash and Smash enabled control panel by Qolsys, check out Link Interactive >>
Link Interactive Control Panel
Link Interactive has a couple control panels for you to choose from. Link’s best selling control panel is the Qolsys IQ Panel 2 control panel. This control panel has the most features, and has a sleek thin design that is sure to look good inside any home. It is a wireless and cellular system, but you can connect to your home’s WIFI so that you have double the connection. It is powered by an AC power source, and it includes a backup-battery. You can control your system and any connected devices right from the IQ Panel 2’s 7-inch full colored touchscreen. The touchscreen also displays your system’s status, time, and local temperature. It has a 5 MP front facing camera that will trigger to take a snap shot when your system is armed or disarmed. The IQ Panel 2 includes Bluetooth arming and disarming which is feature that will automatically arm and disarm your system when you leave or return home. One really standout feature for the IQ Panel 2 is that it has a built-in glass break detector that will listen for the sound of breaking glass. This panel also includes an internal siren that will sound if your system or any connected devices are triggered. The IQ Panel 2 includes a Z-Wave protocol that allows you to use a variety of other branded smart home automation devices with it like smart locks, making it super expandable.
See our cutting-edge control panel by Qolsys >>
Vivint Smart Home Equipment
Vivint offers some wonderful basic devices that work seamlessly with their Smart Hub control panel. They offer a variety of intrusion sensors that are used to protect the interior of your home. They offer wireless and battery-operated door/window, motion, glass break, and tilt sensors. These are the main sensors that protect the entryways to your home. Their names pretty much describe their function with the exception of the tilt sensor which is used detect if your garage door has been opened or shut. To quickly arm and disarm your system you can use Vivint’s keychain remote which has a push-button design and includes a built-in panic button. To protect yourself from environmental dangers you can purchase smoke, CO, and flood sensors through Vivint. These sensors are known as environmental safety sensors and they will monitor for dangerous rises in the above environmental factors. If these rises in these factors are detected these sensors will make an audible alert. Vivint’s environmental safety sensors are also wireless and battery-operated. All equipment purchased through Vivint is professional installed so you don’t’ have to worry about setting up the equipment yourself.
Recommended: An alternative DIY (do-it-yourself) option called Link Interactive >>
Home Automation
Due to Vivint’s Smart Hub control panel having a Z-Wave protocol, you will be able to use a lot of home automation equipment with it. Vivint offers smart locks that allow you to create custom user codes for different users. You can quickly lock and unlock your Vivint smart lock through its push button keypad. You can also remotely control Vivint’s smart lock remotely through their app. Vivint has smart thermostats that can have customers timers for when your heating and cooling systems comes on and goes off. You can remotely control your Vivint smart thermostat through their app, and smart thermostats are great at cutting down on your home’s energy consumption per month. To remotely control your garage doors, you can use Vivint’s garage door controller. Vivint’s garage door controller will send you an instant notification anytime your garage door has been opened or shut. Vivint also offers smart bulbs that use custom timers for when they come on and go off. You can also remotely control their smart bulbs through their app.
Monitoring/Cameras
When it comes to video surveillance equipment Vivint offers an indoor, outdoor, and video doorbell camera. Their cameras include 2-way audio, night vision technology, motion sensors, and can produce video in HD quality. Their cameras work by connecting to your home WIFI network with their indoor and outdoor camera being powered by an AC power source, and their doorbell camera powered through your existing doorbell setup.
Recommended: See all of our Alarm.com powered video monitoring options at Link Interactive >>
Nest Secure Equipment
The Nest Secure doesn’t have a lot of components to its security system. The sensors they do offer are high tech, battery-operated, and wireless. Nest Secure’s main entryway sensor is called the Nest Detect. The Nest Detect is a combo door/window and motion sensor built into one sensor. The Nest Detect will inform you when your door/windows have been opened while also being able to monitor for any motion in the area it is placed. Another way to arm and disarm your system is the Nest Tag. This RFID Tag that is wireless and battery-operated that allows you to arm and disarm your system by tapping it near or on the Nest Guard. Nest currently only offers one environmental safety sensor which is called the Nest Protect. The Nest Protect is a wireless and battery-operated sensor that will monitor for dangerous rises in smoke or CO gas. If these are detected it will make an audible alert. It also includes a light up feature that will illuminate an area in which it is placed. All equipment offered by Nest is DIY, but they do include a step by step setup guide.
Recommended: An alternative DIY (do-it-yourself) option called Link Interactive >>
Home Automation
Nest has partnered with a lot of great companies over the years which is reflected in their premium selection of add-on equipment. Today we will only be going over a few of these devices, for a more complete list of add-on equipment you can use with your Nest Secure, you can visit their website. Nest has partnered up with Yale to produce the Nest X Yale Lock. This smart lock has a touch-screen keypad that illuminates and allows for one touch locking. You can create custom user codes for your Nest X Yale Lock that can be enabled and disabled at any time. It is powered by 4 double A batteries so you don’t have to worry about having an existing doorbell wiring for it to work. It connects to your home’s WIFI network wirelessly and can be controlled through the Nest app. To make your home greener, Nest offers their smart thermostats. The Nest Learning Thermostat is our favorite. This thermostat is powered by a rechargeable battery, and it works by connecting to your home’s WIFI network. The Nest Learning Thermostat comes with temperature sensors that can be placed in different rooms around your home. These temperature sensors will learn your home’s temperature and automatically adjust to your preferred temperature setting while also making sure you are saving energy on your home’s energy consumption per month. You can also remotely control the Nest Learn Thermostat through the Nest app. The Nest secure system also works with smart bulbs and switches such Phillips and GE.
Monitoring/Cameras
When it comes to video surveillance equipment, Nest has a huge variety. They offer indoor, outdoor, video doorbell, and other varieties of video surveillance equipment. Generally, their video surveillance cameras can capture video in HD, have advanced motion sensors and advanced night vision, and include 2-way audio.
Recommended: See all of our Alarm.com powered video monitoring options at Link Interactive >>
Link Interactive Equipment
Link Interactive wanted to make sure you could really expand your Link Interactive security system to give your home total coverage which is reflected in the selection of basic equipment. All the basic equipment we will be going over is wireless and battery-operated. Link Interactive offers a variety of intrusion sensors. Link offers door/window, gate, tilt, glass break, motion, and image sensors. The gate sensor is unique in that it is a door/window sensor but for the gates/doors of the outside of your home. The image sensor is another unique sensor due to it being able to take snap shots when motion is detected in an area it is placed. Tilt sensors are used for the garage doors of home, and they will alert you to when your garage door has been opened or shut. Link Interactive offers a secondary full colored touchscreen remote. You can control all of the basic functions for your IQ Panel 2 through this keypad. Link interactive offers a panic button that will immediately trigger your system if the button is pushed. To protect your home from the elements, Link Interactive offers a temperature/smoke sensor and a CO sensor. Their temperature/smoke sensor will detect for smoke and detect rises and drops in temperature while their CO detector will monitor for dangerous rises in CO gas. If these are detected these sensors will make an audible alert while triggering your Link Interactive security system. All equipment offered by Link Interactive is DIY, but a step-by-step setup guide for a fast and easy installation is included.
Recommended: An alternative DIY (do-it-yourself) option called Link Interactive >>
Home Automation
Link Interactive has a ton of home automation and video surveillance equipment you can use with the Qolsys IQ Panel 2. Today we will only be going over some of these items. If you are looking for a more complete list you can visit Link Interactive’s website at https://www.linkinteractive. Link Interactive offers a few different smart locks that you can buy directly from them. The smart locks offered by them have a push-button keypad that allows for quick one touch arming. You can create custom user codes along with remotely control the smart locks offered by Link Interactive through their smart phone app. Links offers smart lights and modules in where custom timers can be set for when they come on an off. These devices are great at cutting down on your home’s energy consumption down, and they can also be remotely controlled through the Link Interactive App. To remotely control the garage doors of your home, Link Interactive offers a garage door controller. You will also receive push notification anytime your garage doors have been opened or shut. To make your home a little greener you can add a smart thermostat from Link Interactive to your system. The smart thermostat offered by them works for the majority of HVAC heating and cooling systems. Custom timers along with remote control of this thermostat is just some of its features.
Monitoring/Cameras
Link Interactive also offers a huge selection of indoor, outdoor, and video doorbell cams. The basic features for all the cameras include HD video resolution, motion sensor, 2-way audio, and advanced night vision. Due to the IQ Panel 2 having a Z-Wave protocol you can also use other home automation equipment not listed or offered by Link Interactive with your Link Interactive security system.
Recommended: See all of our Alarm.com powered video monitoring options at Link Interactive >>
Xfinity vs Vivint vs Link App
All three companies offer professional, self, and video monitoring services. For self-monitoring, the apps are free to download and work for Apple and Android devices. Their apps will allow you to remotely control your system and all connected equipment while you’re on the go. You will also receive push-notifications whenever your system is triggered. You can also view and stream video through their apps. Professional monitoring services work the same. You will have a professional monitoring station watching over your home 24/7.
Recommended: For the best way to control your safety, look at our security system here at Link Interactive. Our system comes complete with Crash and Smash protection, and all the bells and whistles of a modern day home security system!
Xfinity vs Vivint vs Link Interactive
The winner: Link Interactive. A Link Interactive system is one of the few Alarm.com powered security systems on the market (the gold standard in home security), that not only fits your budget, but blows every other security system on the market out of the water in terms of features and reliability. Don’t believe us? Try a Link system for yourself, hassle-free and with no obligations for 30 days. Click here to see Link Interactive’s offer >>
We encourage you take a look at Link’s offer here, get a quote and compare. You can also call direct at 1-877-826-5443 for further details and speak with a rep!
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