The Nest Secure alarm system is priced at $399, with cameras and other equipment available separately. Monitoring plans are relatively affordable, at $19-$29.99/mo.. Yet, Cove’s multitude of package options give far better price flexibility. Its Economy Plan comes at no upfront cost with a 36-month monitoring contract of $25-$35/mo. Other options are available, including equipment-only Value Plan to pay for your equipment upfront, and with monitoring plans as low as $14.99/mo. for a no-contract option.

Nest buyers who want professional monitoring can get the service through Brinks. The price is $19/mo. with a three-year contract or $29.99/mo. for a month-to-month plan. Cove, on the other hand, provides its own 24/7 professional monitoring for $14.99-$34.99/mo. According to its website, Cove’s InstaText and Live Assist features allow for emergency response times up to 10 times faster than other providers.

Offering 60 days risk-free, Cove has one of the longest trial periods on the market. The company also covers the shipping cost of your return. Nest’s 15-day return period isn’t as generous by comparison, so buyers who are risk-averse may prefer the fact that Cove gives them ample time to test out their new system.

Nest gives customers a two-year warranty on the equipment. Cove products come with just a one-year warranty by default, but buyers who sign up for the Plus monitoring package get a lifetime warranty. Since Cove gives the option of lifetime coverage for a service that may be purchased anyway, we rule that Cove has the edge here.

Nest is the winner here because of its flexibility to meet varying customer needs. It’s possible to do easy DIY installations of Nest products, but it offers professional help if you need it—a service it provides through OnTech, starting at $99. Cove’s products are also quick and easy to install, but you don’t have any other option than to DIY.

With an ever-expanding range of indoor and outdoor cameras, Nest offers versatility for customers who want different camera types for different settings and functions. Its IQ camera series has intense processing power and the ability to recognize individual faces. Cove only offers one type of motion-activated indoor camera, and it doesn’t have any image analysis features.