Is a Home Security System Subscription Worth It? (2026)

2026年：家庭安防系统订阅服务值得买吗？

No one wants to worry about a break-in. But no one wants to end up paying fees every month just to check their video doorbell feed or find out their window was broken, and most smart security systems (even the original ones that weren’t touted as smart!) rely on your fear to have you paying month after month for the promise of catching burglars and stopping intruders for you. 没人希望整天担心家里被闯入。但也没人愿意为了查看视频门铃画面或确认窗户是否被撬，而每月支付费用。大多数智能安防系统（甚至那些最初并未标榜为“智能”的系统）都在利用你的恐惧心理，让你为了“抓捕窃贼、阻止入侵者”的承诺而月复一月地付费。

These systems do work, and they can give you a lot of peace of mind. This comes with a hefty price tag, though, and plenty of people would be more than happy with a system they build themselves sans monthly fees. If you’re not interested in a system that will call the police or fire department if you don’t respond fast enough to something that turns out to be minor, or don’t want to have strangers looking through your security cameras at your property, I’m here to help with that. 这些系统确实有效，也能带来不少安全感。然而，这伴随着高昂的代价。许多人其实更乐意自己动手搭建一套无需月费的系统。如果你不需要那种在小事发生时因你响应不够快就直接报警或叫消防车的系统，也不希望陌生人通过摄像头窥探你的私人领地，那么这篇文章正是为你准备的。

This guide collects a handful of our favorite smart home security accessories that won’t paywall you left and right, and will give you local storage options for video so you aren’t locked into the cloud. This way you can build the system that works for you. Here’s everything I recommend if you want smart home security without the subscriptions. 本指南汇总了我们最喜爱的几款智能家居安防配件，它们不会处处设置付费墙，并提供本地视频存储选项，让你不必被云服务绑定。通过这种方式，你可以构建一套真正适合自己的系统。如果你想在没有订阅费的情况下实现智能家居安防，以下是我所有的推荐。

What Exactly Is a Smart Home Security System?

究竟什么是智能家居安防系统？

Smart security systems can look like whatever you want, in my opinion, but there are a lot of starter kits you’ve probably seen. Smart-home brands like Abode and SimpliSafe have starter packs you’ve likely seen before with motion sensors, door sensors, and security hubs that sound an alarm when one of those sensors is triggered. 在我看来，智能安防系统可以根据你的需求呈现出各种形态，但你可能已经见过不少入门套装了。像 Abode 和 SimpliSafe 这样的智能家居品牌，其入门套装通常包含运动传感器、门窗传感器以及安防主机，当传感器被触发时，主机就会发出警报。

But smart home security can go way beyond that. Most systems let you add on cameras and even video doorbells to monitor movement around your home and catch people at your door who shouldn’t be there. (This is also a handy way to know when it’s a package delivery or another random salesperson.) These systems are usually modular and customizable, whether you DIY or go with a brand. Overall, the goal is to protect and monitor your home through motion sensors and video feeds. 但智能家居安防的范畴远不止于此。大多数系统允许你添加摄像头甚至视频门铃，以监控家周围的动向，并捕捉出现在门口的不速之客。（这也是确认快递送达或推销员上门的便捷方式。）这些系统通常是模块化且可定制的，无论你是选择 DIY 还是购买品牌套装。总而言之，其核心目标是通过运动传感器和视频监控来保护和监测你的家。

Home security brands usually have various subscription options and some kind of self-monitored, subscription-free tier, but you usually lose out on a variety of features to encourage you to subscribe. 家庭安防品牌通常提供多种订阅选项以及某种无需订阅的“自主监控”层级，但为了鼓励你订阅，他们往往会限制或阉割掉许多功能。

What Do Smart Home Security Systems and a Subscription Get You?

智能家居安防系统和订阅服务能为你带来什么？

I remember running into the issue of paywalled features for the first time a few years ago when I was testing Abode’s smart lock. I liked the lock, but I woke up to unclear notifications that happened in the dead of night. Had the lock been hacked? Had it sensed itself being manually opened when we were asleep? There was no way to tell because Abode’s base level would only tell me the lock was interacted with without explaining how. I signed up for the Abode membership that day to be able to review the events, and luckily it was just a loss of Wi-Fi connection and reestablishment that happened within a minute of each other. Crisis averted. 几年前，我在测试 Abode 智能锁时第一次遇到了功能付费墙的问题。我很喜欢那把锁，但有一天深夜，我被一些模糊的通知吵醒了。锁被黑了吗？还是在我们睡觉时被手动打开了？我无从得知，因为 Abode 的基础层级只会告诉我“锁被操作过”，却不解释具体发生了什么。当天我就注册了 Abode 会员以查看事件记录，幸运的是，那只是 Wi-Fi 连接断开又在一分钟内自动重连导致的。危机解除。

The main thing that subscription services paywall is video storage, which allows you to review past events at your home. Sometimes it can also be notifications, whether that’s the type of notification or the ability to review notification history. What is or is not paywalled largely depends on the brand and its offerings. Professional live monitoring, however, is almost always paywalled, whether that’s an agent calling police when an alarm has been triggered or an agent reviewing flagged footage (e.g., motion alerts) to either notify you of a situation or call emergency services on your behalf. That’s one thing you can’t DIY—if you’re on vacation or otherwise not able to call police if there’s an issue, you’re out of luck. 订阅服务最核心的付费墙通常是视频存储，它允许你回看家中的历史事件。有时，通知功能也会被限制，比如通知的类型或查看通知历史的能力。哪些功能收费很大程度上取决于品牌及其产品策略。然而，专业实时监控几乎总是收费的，无论是警报触发时由客服代为报警，还是由客服查看标记的录像（如运动警报）来通知你或代你呼叫紧急服务。这是你无法 DIY 的部分——如果你在度假或因故无法在出事时报警，那就只能自求多福了。

Base stations from home security companies like ADT, SimpliSafe, and Vivint will act as a smart-home hub to connect and control sensors and other devices, and be able to sound an alarm. It might have a keypad that you can use to arm and disarm the system too. 像 ADT、SimpliSafe 和 Vivint 等家庭安防公司的基站，充当着智能家居中枢的角色，用于连接和控制传感器及其他设备，并能发出警报。它通常还配有一个键盘，供你对系统进行布防和撤防。

A lot of subscription services also have a higher tier that gives you an on-staff specialist who will review live footage if a camera is triggered, or even use the microphone to speak to an intruder. It’s a useful feature if it’s something you’re worried about, but those subscriptions can cost as much as a casual grocery trip each month. 许多订阅服务还提供更高级的套餐，配备专门的工作人员，在摄像头被触发时查看实时画面，甚至通过麦克风与入侵者对话。如果你对此类安全问题感到担忧，这确实是个有用的功能，但这些订阅费每个月可能相当于你去超市买一次菜的开销。

Do You Need a Smart Home Security System Starter Kit?

你需要一套智能家居安防入门套装吗？

You don’t need a formal, branded home security kit to protect your home, but if you’re interested in window and motion sensors that will trigger and sound an alarm, you might want one. You can buy a kit and even have a brand representative come and install the devices for you. (But as someone who’s seen the bill for those, I’d recommend installing everything yourself, since it has to be connected to your phone and personal accounts anyway.) 你并不一定需要一套正式的品牌安防套装来保护家庭，但如果你对那种能触发警报的窗户和运动传感器感兴趣，那么套装可能适合你。你可以购买套装，甚至让品牌代表上门安装。（但作为看过账单的人，我建议你自己安装，因为无论如何，这些设备最终都需要连接到你的手机和个人账户。）

If you’re just looking to know who’s at your door, get alerted when a window is opened, or prove you have trespassers with video footage, DIY-ing your own system with a handful of devices that fit the needs you’re looking for is a fine solution. Personally, I worry most about my front door, while someone else might worry about trespassers in their backyard. Buying accessories à la carte allows you to get exactly what you want without paying extra. 如果你只是想知道谁在门口、在窗户被打开时收到提醒，或者通过视频录像证明有入侵者，那么根据自己的需求挑选几款设备进行 DIY 组装是一个不错的方案。就我个人而言，我最担心的是前门，而其他人可能更担心后院的入侵者。按需单买配件可以让你精准获得所需功能，而无需支付额外费用。