What Sets Protect America Apart?
Protect America started providing home security to Americans over 25 years ago and has kept pace with the industry by offering DIY installation, mobile app access and zero upfront costs. But our Protect America review revealed that the company is still holding on to some old habits, such as mandatory 36-month contracts and landline connections (although it does offer cellular and broadband as well). Professional monitoring starts at $19.99 a month for a basic landline connection, and Protect America offers three different equipment package options: Copper, Silver and Platinum. To find out more about how Protect America stacks up against similar DIY home security providers, check out our top picks for the Best DIY Home Security Systems.
Protect America Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Price lock guarantee
- Guided DIY installation
- Z-wave panels for smart home integration
- No upfront costs
Cons:
- Higher fees for cellular connection
- Mobile app access only in higher-tier plans
- Minimum 3-year monitoring agreement
- Complicated cancellation process
Protect America: Our Recommended Pick for Best Value
Protect America’s pricing and warranties help the company to stand out among competitors. There are no upfront costs for equipment, yet when compared to other providers, the cost of professional monitoring runs a little on the expensive end. What makes Protect America a great provider for value is not having to pay anything upfront for equipment. Protect America is a good option for customers who are on a budget and don’t mind setting up their system themselves. Check out our Protect America Security review of these six categories below: price, stand-out features, equipment, installation and trial period.
Upfront cost/installation fees | $0 | $0 | $0 |
---|---|---|---|
Starting price | $19.99/mo. | $37.99/mo. | $42.99/mo. |
Minimum contract length | 36 mos. | 36 mos. | 36 mos. |
Included equipment | 1 control panel, 3 door/window sensors, 1 motion detector | 1 control panel, 9 door/window sensors, 1 motion detector | 1 control panel, 14 door/window sensors, 1 motion detector |
Connection type | Landline; broadband and cellular cost extra | Landline; broadband and cellular cost extra | Landline; broadband and cellular cost extra |
Protect America Customer Service
While Protect America offers 24/7 monitoring of your security system, customer service hours at Protect America are limited to Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., and from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends. Online chat is available from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends. When it comes to customer service, Protect America security reviews are mixed. While many customers are happy with Protect America’s equipment operation and customer service during sales and setup, some are frustrated by long phone wait times when they need tech support for their system or want to cancel their service. Other complaints center on the company’s long-term contracts, stating that it’s difficult to get out of the agreement. We recommend thoroughly reading Protect America’s Terms and Conditions to ensure you know what you’re agreeing to before you sign the company’s three-year contract.
FAQs
Does Protect America have professional installation?
No. Protect America does not offer professional installation, but it does have customer installation phone support.
Can I self-monitor with Protect America?
No. Protect America requires you to sign a minimum 36-month professional monitoring agreement before you can install and use your home security system.
Is there a minimum time commitment for Protect America?
Yes. Protect America requires a minimum 36-month agreement for all new customers.
How does Protect America compare to other monitoring services?
Protect America’s five redundant monitoring centers are a big plus compared to many other companies’ two or three, but its monthly fees are higher than DIY home security providers such as Cove and SimpliSafe.
Note: A recent business deal between Brinks and Protect America led to the sale of approximately 114,000 Protect America monitoring contracts to Brinks. This may affect Protect America’s customer service with regards to current customers, as a Brinks representative was quoted as saying, “The economic interests of the Company and the seller are aligned as both the Company and seller stand to benefit from Brinks Home Security’s award-winning and best-in-class customer service.”
