Comcast Xfinity Home Security Review: Will It Secure Your Home?

I’m a network enthusiast who only wants to use the best products. I’ve created this in-depth review of Xfinity’s Home Security service to help you know whether it’s worth getting.

To help you determine this product’s legitimacy, I’ll cover:

• Plan Comparison and Who They’re Best For
• Contracts, Plans, and Warranties
• General Features
• Ordering and Installing Home Security
• Equipment
• Customer Service
• Automation
• Xfinity Home App
• Availability
• Reliability
• How it Compares to Competitors

Let’s find out whether you should get this system.

Comcast Xfinity Home Security Review: Is It Worth It?

Because the system supports up to only six cameras and/or video doorbells for video recording, I recommend this system for smaller homes. I also suggest that smart home enthusiasts steer clear of Xfinity Home.

It doesn’t have much support for smart devices. But the support it does have is exceptional. You can create triggers to cause various devices to react in different ways.

The Xfinity Home security system works best for anyone subscribed to other Xfinity products. Their system integrates well with other Comcast products and can help reduce your internet, voice, and TV bill.

In my experience, bundling technology can make it significantly harder to cut ties with a company later. Meanwhile, it can save you money and condenses your bills.

Pros:

• No contracts
• You can bundle security with internet, TV, voice, and more
• The Xfinity Home app
• Guaranteed compatibility with other Xfinity products
• The camera minimizes false alarms by detecting people versus animals and vehicles

Cons:

• Limited automation support
• You won’t get as much value if you don’t use other Xfinity products
• No wireless cameras
• Have to pay more for video surveillance
• You can only use up to 6 cameras and/or video doorbells for 24/7 recording

If none of the above sold you, keep reading. Don’t commit or avoid a product like this until learning about the details. Absorbing these details can help you get the most value out of your home security system.

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Xfinity Home Security Plan Comparison and Who They’re Best For

Before diving into the features, I want to go over their plans. Xfinity’s ‘Protection’ plans act as their security monitoring plans. So you’ll need to subscribe to those separately from the Home system plans.

When you bundle Comcast Xfinity Home with other services, these prices will change. You’ll also pay different prices depending on what region you’re in.

Anyway, check out these plans:

System or Plan	* Price (First 12, 24, or 36 months)	Who It’s Best for
Self Protection	$10 per month	Basic home security
Pro Protection	$30 per month	Those who want specialists to monitor your home
Pro Protection Plus	$40 per month	Access video footage

These prices only reflect the services, not the devices. I’ll cover that in a moment. But first.

Let’s talk about each plan.

With all three plans, you can do the following:

• Review up to a week of footage on your Xfinity Home app
• Control and check in on your devices on whatever device has the Xfinity Home or Xfinity app
• Compatibility with SOME smart devices (I’ll dive into this later)

Self Protection. You’re your own guardian angel. That means you must continually monitor your home.

The Xfinity Home app makes this a lot easier. There’s much to expand on with the app, so I’ll cover that later. With your system, you’ll receive real-time notifications when a device activates.

For instance, if your Kwikset Smart Lock locks, your system will tell you.

Pro Protection. The name has a nice ring to it.

Both professional protection plans come with backup batteries and cellular data to prevent outages from affecting your ability to monitor your home. They also have people who watch your home and dispatch police when needed.

So what’s the difference?

With the Plus plan, you can search for, and filter stored footage. For an extra $10 a month, though? Really?

Despite my negative opinion toward the extra $10 a month, I find the ability to filter footage useful. I don’t want to spend hours sifting through videos to find unusual activities.

What plan’s better? It depends on your needs. Pro Protection and Plus have someone who monitors your home. They also have the backup data and battery.

Those features make the professional plan worth it to anyone who values time. Regarding price, think about this.

If you have enough money to buy Starbucks daily (which costs over $80 per month), then you can afford the Pro Protection Plus [1]. After you pay off the equipment.

But:

If you don’t mind constantly monitoring your home and want to save money. Go with Self Protection. Or if you don’t trust the people monitoring your home.

System	Price	Who It’s Best for
Base Home System	$360 (upfront) or $15 a month (24 months)	Secure a small home
Complete Home System	$480 (upfront) or $20 a month (24 months)	Bigger home monitoring
Ultimate Home System	$600 (upfront) or $25 a month (24 months)	You who need more sensors

This table shows the prices for Home systems. It also shows who should consider each plan.

These packages will help you get started. As mentioned in the pricing, you can pay a monthly or upfront fee. 

The Basic Home System gives you:

• 1 Xfinity Home security sign
• 1 motion sensor
• 1 touchscreen controller
• 3 window/door sensors
• Cellular and battery backup system
• Simple home controller (analog controller)

The Complete Home System gives you everything the Basic Home System does in addition to:

• 2 more sensors
• 1 wireless keypad
• 1 security camera

And with the Ultimate Home System, you’ll get everything Basic gives you and 10 sensors plus an extra security camera.

As I mentioned in the table, you’ll want Basic for smaller homes and Complete for homes that need a lot of sensors.

Contracts and Warranties

None of the Xfinity Home plans require an agreement. But when bundling them with other services (like internet), you’ll need to sign up for a 12-, 24-, or 36-month agreement.

The duration of your agreement will depend on where your location is and whether Comcast Xfinity feels like adding one.

Despite not having agreements on unbundled Home plans, you’ll have to pay more money for your bill after 12 months. Here’s an example. On the west coast, you pay $30 per month for the first 12 months.

Once that time passes, Comcast Xfinity will charge $50 per month [2].

Warranties. Xfinity Home has them. But you’ll have to check different warranties depending on your subscription plan.

Here’s the Self Protection warranty. And here’s the Home security warranty.

The warranties cover Home security equipment. Not equipment you’ve had from preexisting plans. The Home warranty lasts 30 days from when you installed your equipment.

And the Self Protection warranty lasts a year from receiving your equipment. Whether you grabbed it from the store or when it shipped to your home.

You’ll need to read further into each warranty to see when you can use them. These can change at a moment’s notice.

General Features

I briefly covered these features earlier, so I’m going to do a speed run to break them down.

You can control your smart home devices and ‘recipes’ by using the Xfinity Home app. You can also remotely arm and disarm your alarm. When something happens in your home, you can receive notifications from your app.

I’ll dive more into this app later. There’s a fair bit of cool stuff it can do.

Their video camera has night vision and allows you to store up to 7 days of footage history. It’s a 1080p camera with a decent Ingress Protection (IP) rating.

An IP rating determines how well a device can fare against dust and water.

Do you want to make things harder on yourself regarding smart home devices and security control? Xfinity makes it so you can also use your TV and voice control to manage things. It’s ‘cool’ but pointless if you have your phone by you at all times.

24/7 professional monitoring. Or you can monitor things yourself.

If your power goes out, your device will resort to backup power and cellular data to keep your system running.

Without the backup system, Xfinity will use broadband security monitoring. This type of monitoring relies on your internet. Not as fast as cellular monitoring, which services like ADT offer.

Ordering and Installing Home Security

If you’re familiar with ordering equipment from Xfinity, getting Home security equipment isn’t different. You’ll call them, chat with them on Assistant, or talk to them in-store. Then if they have the equipment in stock, they’ll hand it to you.

But first you’ll need to choose your equipment and monitoring packages. If you want to buy additional equipment, that’s fine too.

And once you get your gear, you’ll have to schedule an appointment for a professional installer to visit your home. You know what that means? Installation fees.

Expect to pay between $60–100 for the installation fee.

When installing the system, they’ll just interconnect it with your existing Comcast Xfinity internet and/or cable TV.

Equipment

Here’s a breakdown of what equipment you can get from Xfinity for the Home system:

Equipment	Cost	Equipment Type
Wireless Keypad	$40	Controller
Door and Window Sensor	$20	Sensor
Smoke Detector	$70	Smoke alarm
Zen Thermostat	$120	Thermostat
Outdoor/Indoor Cameras or Video Doorbell	*$120 or $5 per month (24 months)	Camera
Outlet Controller	$50	Automation

The Zen Thermostat has an LED touchscreen interface. It lets you adjust your temperature from your Xfinity Home app. With this device, you can set a schedule for your device to turn on, which can help you save money on your electric bill.

Want to control a lamp with your Xfinity Home app? The pricey outlet controller makes that possible. It works like any other smart outlet.

You can set schedules and rules. And manage them remotely.

Motion controller. It tells you whenever a door or window opens.

The smoke detector—detects smoke. They’re handy, though. You could know whether something’s smoking in your home when you’re away.

Xfinity will also include (one?) free smart smoke detector with your Home plan.

Indoor and Outdoor Cameras.

They’re wired and have 1080p video. The device’s night vision can see up to 16 feet (5 meters).

These cameras have an IP55+ rating. That means that they can withstand LOW water pressure jets from any direction. They also have a little dust protection [3].

Lastly, they have two-way audio. You can hear people on the other side of the camera, and you can speak to them.

Then there’s the Video Doorbell. It has the same specs.

Comcast Xfinity’s website also mentions other brand’s smart devices that you can subscribe to. One example is the Kwik Smart Lock. It’s $5 per month per lock.

Device availability varies. When I checked their website (June 2022), they didn’t have the video cameras available.

The motion sensor covers up to 50 feet. And it’ll ignore pets up to 85 pounds.

How’s Their Customer Service?

Comcast Xfinity doesn’t have the best reputation regarding customer service [4]. Whether customer service agents cycled people through different agents on the phone. Or receiving the vaguest information possible (my experience).

Use Xfinity Assistant to reach someone immediately. You’ll have more control over the conversation and can leave the chat whenever. When first using this chat, you’ll encounter a chatbot.

It’s annoying. Just type “talk to an agent” TWICE, and it should refer you to someone. If you only type what I said once, it’ll ask you more questions.

Here’s their phone number if you still want to call them: (800) 934-6489. They’re only available Monday through Saturday between 7 am and 9 pm (Eastern Time).

If you’re having trouble reaching them, I wrote a piece where I go in-depth with various ways to contact Comcast’s customer service.

Privacy. Californians have the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (CCPA). This act makes it so people in California can access or restrict how companies use their personal data. You can get this information from Comcast by calling 844-963-0138.

Or by submitting a privacy request.

Those who need Accessibility customer service can call 855-270-0379 or email [email protected].

Automation

Before I release my rage, here’s what smart home systems you can use with Xfinity Home [5]:

Kwikset	Sengled	Cor Thermostat
Philips Hue	Ecobee	August
Yale	Honeywell	Caséta Wireless
LIFX	GE	LiftMaster
Leviton	tile

This table shows the smart home devices that Xfinity Home supports.

I saw this list and read this copy on their website, “We’ve partnered with some of the most popular smart home brands.”

Then I asked myself:

“Who are 70% of these companies?” Where’s Alexa? IFTTT? Google?

Nope. Instead, they go with LIFX. Do you use LIFX? I don’t.

I found myself disappointed with smart home systems they’re compatible with.

But:

If you use any of the companies I mentioned, it’s easy to connect your devices. You’ll use the Xfinity Home app, which I’ll cover in the next point.

Nothing lasts forever, and neither do my compliments for this home security system’s automation support. You also must subscribe to the Self Protection, Pro Protection, or Pro Protection Plus plans to use automated devices.

Despite not having IFTTT support, Xfinity has a (somewhat) similar feature. I’ll cover it in the next point.

Xfinity Home App

The Xfinity Home app has A LOT of positive reviews (hopefully, they’re not fake). But I understand why so many people like it.

You can monitor and record footage. Arm and disarm your security system remotely. And you can manage your smart devices.

I love the footage storage. The app makes it easy to search for things. If you wanted to watch footage of your pets doing cute things while you were gone, you could filter by ‘Pets.’

You can also filter by ‘People’ and ‘Vehicles.’

I mentioned that Xfinity Home isn’t compatible with IFTTT. But their app allows you to create something similar to the automation tool’s applets.

You can create rules. When “X” happens, then “X” will activate. For instance, when someone opens the garage door, the cameras will record.

You’ll need either an Android phone (6.0+) or an iOS device (11.0 or later). You will also need to ensure you’re connected to Wi-Fi and have access to your Xfinity account.

Who’s This Plan Available For?

Comcast Xfinity offers services in 40 states. However, Xfinity’s vague on where they offer Home installation. And on their website, it states that because of the pandemic, they’ll only install Home in areas they provide installation [6].

Is It Reliable?

When using their professional monitoring system, they’ll monitor your home through Central Office Processing Services (COPS) Monitoring. COPS has at least six monitoring systems and has a 27-second response time (on average) [7].

Not bad.

Since Xfinity Home has the backup cellular and power, you won’t have to worry if your home suffers from a power outage.

With the camera’s built-in AI detection, you reduce the likelihood of false alarms. That’s because it can prevent a pet from triggering an alarm. This can save you money.

Because apparently, cops can charge you a ‘false alarm’ fee [8]. Since false alarms waste the department’s funds and distract them from real emergencies.

Alternatives to Xfinity Home Security: How Does It Compare?

Before I dissect each alternative, compare this chart’s results and decide for yourself:

Service	Prices (Starting)	Installation	Monitoring
Xfinity	$20 per month	Professional	Self and professional
Brinks	$39.99 per month	DIY and Professional	Self and professional
ADT	$27.99 per month	Professional	Self and professional
Ring	Basic: $3 per month Plus: $10 per month Pro: $20 per month	DIY and professional	Self and professional

This table compares the pricing, installation options, and monitoring options for Ring, ADT, Xfinity Home security, and Brinks.

Brinks Home Security vs. Xfinity Home

You can use Brinks with Amazon Alexa and Google Home devices. That means you’ll want to use it over Xfinity regarding smart home ecosystems. But if you have automation products Xfinity supports and their other services, I say “go with Xfinity.

ADT vs. Xfinity Home

ADT offers both cellular and landline monitoring. Instead of running on the internet, local cellular towers power them. Then landline monitoring uses your phone line.

Landline costs less but offers less reliability compared to cellular and broadband monitoring. But cellular provides more security because it encrypts your connection.

Xfinity costs less and has more options for automation. However, automation comes with a cost. Xfinity’s low price only lasts for a year and doesn’t include the costs of renting financing equipment.

You’ll also have to pay for more devices. If you’re transforming your house into a smart home, Xfinity is the better option. Regarding equipment quality and security connections, both companies win those categories.

Ring vs. Xfinity Home

Ring video doorbells aren’t compatible with Xfinity Home. So if you’re looking for only a video doorbell that’s compatible with various smart home devices, you’ll want to go with Ring. Or if you want to diversify your home technology.

While that’s inconvenient, doing so will make it easier for you to shift away from Xfinity in the future. Plus Ring offers DIY installation, so you can set up your home security system immediately.

If you prefer to stick to one company for your home security, Xfinity offers more options regarding equipment and bundling.

FAQ: Xfinity Home Security

Didn’t find everything you wanted to learn about Xfinity Home Security? Explore some of these questions I found.

Conclusion

Xfinity Home security isn’t the most outstanding home security compared to veterans like ADT. But it’s great if you bundle it with other Xfinity products. You’ll save money, and you can integrate it with the rest of your Comcast gear.

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