How We Research & Review

We want to be upfront: Modern Home Protection earns money through affiliate partnerships with the security companies we review. When you click a link on our site and make a purchase, we may receive a commission at no additional cost to you.

This affiliate revenue is what allows us to operate the site and provide free content. We don't charge readers for access to our reviews, guides, or comparisons.

What this means for you: Our rankings and recommendations are based on our editorial evaluation, not on which company pays us the most. We recommend products we believe offer genuine value, regardless of commission rates. Some companies on our list may pay us more than others, but that doesn't affect their ranking.

We don't have a testing lab or a team of professional installers. Here's what we actually do:

• Review official pricing and feature pages from each security provider to compile accurate, current information about plans, equipment, and costs.
• Analyze customer reviews across platforms like Trustpilot, BBB, Google Reviews, and Reddit to understand real-world experiences - both positive and negative.
• Research contract terms and policies by reading the actual agreements, not just marketing materials. We look for early termination fees, auto-renewal clauses, and hidden costs.
• Monitor industry news and company changes including acquisitions, service updates, pricing changes, and customer complaints.
• Reference third-party data such as FBI crime statistics, university research on burglar behavior, and insurance industry reports when discussing home security in general.

Our rankings consider multiple factors, weighted by what we believe matters most to typical homeowners:

• Value for money: What do you get for what you pay? We compare equipment costs, monthly monitoring fees, and total cost of ownership over time.
• Contract flexibility: We favor providers that offer month-to-month options or shorter commitments. Long contracts with steep cancellation fees are penalized.
• Customer feedback: Patterns in customer reviews matter. Consistent complaints about customer service, billing issues, or equipment problems affect our assessment.
• Feature set: What's included at each price tier? Professional monitoring, smart home integration, camera options, and mobile app quality all factor in.
• Company reputation: How long has the company been in business? What's their BBB rating? Have there been significant controversies or regulatory issues?

These aren't plugged into a formula - we use editorial judgment to weigh these factors based on what we think most readers care about. Different readers may prioritize differently, which is why we try to explain the tradeoffs clearly.

In the interest of honesty, here's what we don't do:

• We don't personally test every system in our own homes. Our assessments are based on research, not hands-on testing.
• We don't have special insider access to these companies. Our information comes from the same public sources available to anyone.
• We don't guarantee that any system will prevent a break-in. No security system is perfect, and our recommendations are based on relative value, not absolute protection.
• We don't update every page daily. We review and update content regularly, but pricing and features can change. Always verify current details on the provider's website before purchasing.

We try to keep our content accurate, but mistakes happen. If you notice incorrect information on our site - wrong pricing, outdated features, broken links, or factual errors - please let us know.

We take corrections seriously and will update our content when warranted. We don't silently edit articles; significant corrections are noted.

Contact us here to report an error or suggest an update.