Scout Alarm Smart DIY Wireless Home Security System | 9 Piece Kit - Perfect for Homes & Apartments Above 2000 Sq Ft | Works with Alexa | 24/7 Professional Monitoring | No Contract

I bought this as a replacement to my traditional wired Honeywell system. My thought was that I could set it up as a DIY monitoring system, and then add professional monitoring as needed. The system advertised you can use it with no contract. Be warned: no contract means you can cancel monthly unless you choose the yearly discount. It does NOT mean that the system works without a monthly plan. One of the answers here said that "self monitoring is free". This is false; self monitoring is not free.I bought the "small" package system. I got the box, opened it up, and the items were all neatly packed and clearly labelled. The entire installation is driven by smartphone app, and instructions said to install the hub first, and then install each item starting with the closest to the hub, using the Smartphone app to guide the process.. This process was very easy and I had it up in no time at all. Some notes:- the modules fall apart as you activate them, so hold them closed.- one of the access panels failed to chirp during installation. Theres a little reset button inside that you hold and pull out and push the battery back in to recover.- the adhesive on the modules sticks inmediately. However if you accidentally place the module in the wrong spot, you can just pull it off (pull hard) and place it back on with no apparent ill effects.- the final step of the installation has you choose a monthly plan. There is NO option forSelf monitoring without a plan. What? So I hit the back button a few times and the app appears. Looks like I don't need a plan! Ok, that was weird, but I thought nothing of it and moved on.I then set up my alarm modes the way I wanted using the app.All of this was going well. Now comes the bad part:- the key fobs have a very awkward arm/disarm mechanic; you have to swipe from one corner to another on the door panel diagonally, and it usually doesn't work on the first try.- there are no visual indicators that the system is armed except during arming/disarming. You can place your hand on the sensor to make the light flash a particular color, but that is a primitive and clunky way.- by default, there is no way to disarm the system without some sort of physical object in your hand; either the fob or your smartphone. I knew this beforehand, but it didn't really register as a problem until you want to arm a night time 'sleep' mode. I have a family of 4 that walks around the house at night, and since there are no visual indicators, they may accidentally open one of the access modules without knowing if they are armed. And then they have to find a phone or fob to stop the alarm. This is not great, but whatever.So I decide that to solve this problem, I'll use a Phillips Hue light strip of some kind and place it next to the door panel and access panels as a visual indicator, and use IFTTT to set it to red when armed and green when disarmed.SO I set up IFTTT triggers to change the color when any mode is armed, but it doesnt work. I Try it various different ways, but no dice. So I email support and go to bed. The next morning I wake up to head out, and decide to arm the system in away mode. Since there are no visual indicators, I use the smart phone app, which was working the night before. Except now, it stopped working. I tried to test the sensors; all not working. What? So I contact support, and they tell me it's because I didn't choose one of the monthly plans.It turns out that although the app works at first without a monthly plan to set the system up, once a time period elapses, you must have a monthly plan or you can't use the smartphone app or IFTTT to monitor the system. Without it, the system is basically useless. So the bait and switch here is that the advertising implies a DIY monitoring option, but you have to payat least the lower of monthly fees to monitor it yourself.Regarding the IFTTT thing, after I registered for a monthly plan, it started working. However the notification is not immediate, like it is with all my other IFTTT jobs, so my red light indicator approach may not work.I'm going to try a few more things to see if I can get what I want before returning this item. If I can get a satisfactory system up, I'll update this review. But for now the biggest takeaway is: don't buy this if you want a self monitored system WITHOUT a monthly plan. Despite advertising implications, you cannot monitor without it.Update: I've decided to return the system. One more warning: once you sign up for any kind of monitoring you cannot turn it off yourself. You have to email support. However they were cool about it, and overall I can't complain about the friendly, professional service. My next attempt will be Abode, which apparently has all the features above I was missing.

I have been and ADT Customer for years and every month along with their Pulse Package (4g Cellular) I was spending $60 a month plus taxes etc. I researched some alternative and saw Scout Alarm had some great reviews. After receiving the box, It was a very simple setup process. I was able to install the entire system in 10 minutes. I have custom door trim around my entrance doors, so I had to use a two sided tape for 2 scenarios in order for it to work for me. All in all, I like the product very much. I kept the Chirp sound on, as we have two young kids in the house and sometimes they have a tendency to open the doors with out permission. This way it gives us an additional notification on our phone and through the chirp sound. The monthly is drastically cheaper and Im happy so far with product.

Love the system. The sensors and equipment blend in with the house and aren't ugly and clunky looking. Set this up in about 10 minutes and plan on adding more access sensors and another door sensor. I was also able to integrate my other smart devices pretty easily as well.This is a great value too. Companies like ADT waive equipment costs but would have locked me into a 3 year contract, with their monthly monitoring costs at about $30-35 more than Scout...

I have to admit I was a bit skeptical about how this 5-piece system would work. However, I am glad to report that it works well and does pretty much everything it is supposed to do. Setup was simple and straightforward and I sleep better at night knowing I have a home security system in place.I deducted a star because the packaging could be better put together - the 5 pieces were bouncing around in the box when it came. Also, from a design perspective, the sensors and parts could be more aesthetically pleasing to the eye, although not ugly by any stretch of the imagination.

I've been using this for a few weeks now, and wow it's been great! It really was easy to install yourself, and didn't take long to set up. It's great to have access on my phone and get alerts, and without the gimmicks of a lot of other systems that require multiple log ins or payments. I love the fact that it's also connected to my Alexa - it's great when systems like these can easily be integrated to things you already have. And of course, the actual system is great - we definitely feel more secure with the motion detector, and love the fact that I can use the key fob to unlock certain things without others trying to get in. Totally recommend it!!!

I purchased this system about a eight months ago. It was easy to install, priced competitively, great customer service, replies back via email within minutes during business hours. The software is easy to operate and the alert features are quick and easy to disarm if you have a pet that goes into a motion area. You can create how many modes to arm of disarm a feature that you want during summertime or winter time. It works with IFTT app. You can disarm you alarm if you enter a zone even before getting into your garage.Great product, low yearly payment for the non-monitoring service, less an $100 a year. This is actually what our family needed to feel safe, when i am at work or we are gone.

I love this system! I'm a renter and haven't had a home alarm system before, but when I saw this product and checked out the website, it seemed like exactly what I needed. My order came in 1 day and took me about 30 minutes to set up - I'm not the most tech savvy person so this sold me already. It has been super easy to monitor my home while I'm away and I really like that I can set different modes for how I want to arm my apartment when I'm home, away for just the day, or when I leave for longer amount of time. The sleek design fits my apartment really well and I plan on using the system even when I stop renting and move into my own home!

I was looking for a great "smart" home security system, and this one does everything I wanted and more. Importantly, it is integrated with Alexa, and is very easy to set up. Recommended!