Comparison

Alarm.com vs Guardian Protection

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Alarm.com

Connect and protect your home or business with a unified system. Remotely control security, locks, lights, and cameras, and receive intelligent alerts for crime, fire, or water damage. Automate routines and manage your property from anywhere.

Highlights
  • Remote property control
  • Intelligent alerts and live video
  • Security automation
  • Smart lock and light control
  • Video camera monitoring
  • Two-way doorbell communication
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Keep your home or business connected, protected and one step ahead with Alarm.com. Our technology connects your security, locks, lights, video cameras and more into a single system that protects you from crime, fire, carbon monoxide and even water damage. Our all-in-one app for iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch makes it easy to: • Control your entire property remotely • Know what’s going on with intelligent alerts and live video feeds • Automate your daily security routine and other time-consuming tasks Our Apple Watch-supported features make connecting with home or work as easy as checking the time, with alerts, video clips and a full range of smart controls accessible right on your wrist. Note: This app requires a compatible system and an interactive Alarm.com service plan. Feature availability varies based on system, equipment, and service plan. Visit www.alarm.com for more information. Our smarter home security features include: • Control your security panel, locks, lights and more from anywhere • Get alerts when people enter and leave, or when there’s unexpected activity • Watch live and recorded video from indoor and outdoor cameras • Customize your video alerts to see specific activity only • Talk to visitors through your doorbell camera and unlock your door from the same screen • Use Scenes commands to activate multiple devices with one touch Our smarter business security features include: • Arm or disarm your security panel across multiple locations • Get alerted if the store opens late or an employee accesses a restricted area • Get smarter video alerts that highlight specific types of activity • Automate your lights, locks, thermostats and more • Track and manage access to multiple properties • Buzz open your access control doors from the Doorbell Call screen • Respond to alarm events and alert emergency personnel Dependable in emergencies and helpful every day, Alarm.com is the all-in-one solution for the connected, protected home or business.

About

Guardian Protection

Manage your home or business security, video feeds, and smart devices remotely. Control your alarm system, view live camera footage, adjust thermostats, and manage door locks and garage doors for enhanced safety and convenience.

Highlights
  • 24/7 interactive security monitoring
  • Live and recorded video monitoring
  • Energy management and home automation
  • Remote system arm/disarm
  • Smart device control (lights, thermostat, locks, garage)
  • Real-time event alerts
Features
Read full description

Monitor and stay in control of your home or business from anywhere! Guardian Protection’s mobile app allows for 24/7 interactive security, video monitoring, energy management, and home automation to make life easier, safer, and more connected. Enjoy! Remote control features: Arm and disarm your Guardian security system Watch live or recorded video clips from your security cameras Turn lights on or off Adjust thermostat settings Lock or unlock doors Open and close garage doors Change user codes Receive real-time text or email alert for specific system-related events View system history And much more! Note: This app requires you to be a Guardian Protection customer and subscribe to Guardian’s Remote Home Control Services. Feature availability is based on your system equipment and monitoring services agreement. Additional benefits: Guardian will provide monitoring of your system 24/7 and can direct police, fire, and EMS to your home depending upon the signal received and your pre-established protocol. You can receive real-time non-alarm email, text message, and push notifications for a variety of specific events, for example: If protected sites within your property experience tampering, e.g.: liquor, gun and medicine cabinets, and even gaming consoles When your children arrive home from school When sub-contractors such as cleaning services and sitters arrive to perform work and also when they leave When the garage door is left open When a thermostat setting is changed And much more! ABOUT GUARDIAN PROTECTION Protecting homes and businesses since 1950, Guardian Protection is one of the nation’s largest and most highly regarded security companies. We provide smart technology, 24/7 professional monitoring, and peace of mind to hundreds of thousands of customers. Our products are installed by experts, monitored by real people, and truly make a difference — protecting valuables and lives every day. We do what we do because of one simple truth: life is better when it’s safe.

Screenshots

Alarm.com4 screens
Guardian Protection4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is monetization model: Alarm.com at free against Guardian Protection's subscription. Alarm.com also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (142K vs 13K). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Alarm.com against 4.7 for Guardian Protection. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Alarm.com has 142K ratings behind it against 13K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 23% of Alarm.com's written reviews are positive against 27% of Guardian Protection's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Alarm.com ships an update every 3 weeks, Guardian Protection every 2 months. Both last shipped on October 22, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
Alarm.com versus Guardian Protection: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAlarm.comGuardian Protection
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (142K ratings)4.7 (13K ratings) — better
Positive reviews22.8% of reviews26.6% of reviews — better
Number of ratings142K — better13K
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterSubscription
Best chart rank#123 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad, Apple Watch
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size443 MB389 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAlarm.comGuardian Protection Services

Customer experience

Alarm.com

All ratings141,934 ratings
Positive93.8%
Neutral2.2%
Negative4.0%
Written reviews1,116 reviews
Positive22.8%
Neutral11.4%
Negative65.8%

Guardian Protection

All ratings13,009 ratings
Positive94.0%
Neutral2.1%
Negative3.9%
Written reviews128 reviews
Positive26.6%
Neutral8.6%
Negative64.8%

User reviews

Alarm.com

From 142K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Fast and intuitive app
  • 🔒 Provides good security and monitoring
  • 👍 Easy to use and control home devices
  • 💡 Helpful for remote home management

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent connectivity issues and app crashes
  • 🔋 Unreliable notifications and alerts
  • 👎 Poor customer service and technical support
  • 🕰️ Slow response times for arming/disarming

Guardian Protection

From 13K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🔒 Provides security and peace of mind
  • 👍 Easy to use app
  • 🚀 Reliable system when working properly

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Buggy app with connection issues
  • 🔍 Unreliable video recording and alerts
  • 💰 Overpriced for the features provided
  • 🤖 Complicated system and app navigation
  • 📞 Poor customer support and troubleshooting

Bugs and requests

Alarm.com

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Inconsistent display of system status
  • Inability to update WiFi settings remotely
  • Unexpected resets of user preferences
  • Delayed or missing video recordings

Requested features

4 requests
  • Customizable notification sounds
  • Ability to bypass specific sensors
  • Improved video quality and reliability
  • Integration with other smart home platforms

Guardian Protection

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Frequent false alarms
  • Inability to reliably view live video or recorded clips
  • Connectivity issues with doorbell camera and other devices
  • Unresponsive app and system malfunctions

Requested features

4 requests
  • Ability to schedule automatic arming/disarming
  • Option to turn off chime/notification sounds
  • Batch deletion of video clips
  • Improved app integration with home automation

In-app purchases

None

Alarm.com

No in-app purchases

None

Guardian Protection

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Alarm.com free?
Alarm.com is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Guardian Protection free?
Guardian Protection is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Alarm.com or Guardian Protection?
Guardian Protection is rated higher. Alarm.com averages 4.7 out of 5 from 142K ratings, while Guardian Protection averages 4.7 from 13K ratings.
Do Alarm.com or Guardian Protection have ads?
Neither Alarm.com nor Guardian Protection shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Alarm.com or Guardian Protection?
Alarm.com ships an update every 3 weeks, and Guardian Protection every 2 months. Most recently, Alarm.com was updated on October 22, 2026 and Guardian Protection on October 22, 2026.

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