Updated September 30, 2026 · SmartHomeCue Editorial Team
Abode vs Cove
Abode vs Cove: the differences
| Compare |  Abode |  Cove |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $75 | $0Lower |
| Monitoring per month | $26.99 | $20.10 to $39.90Lower |
| Products | Alarm, Camera, Smart lock, Smoke alarm, Video doorbellCovers more | Alarm, Camera, Smoke alarm, Video doorbell |
| Local storage | No | YesHas it |
| Money-back period | 30 days | 60 daysHigher |
| Cloud plan per month | $3.99Lower | $30 |
| Top resolution | 1080p | 2k |
| Recording retention | 10 days | 30 daysHigher |
| Free features | Live video and app access free | Not confirmed |
| Monitoring countries | Not confirmed | United States |
Same on both: Minimum contract (0 months), Professional monitoring (Yes), Installation required (No).
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Key differences
- Cove scores higher overall: 9.1 vs 8.8.
- Price is lower at Cove: $0 vs $75.
- Monitoring per month is lower at Cove: $20.10 to $39.90 vs $26.99.
- Products: only Abode offers Smart lock.
- Local storage: only Cove.
- Cloud plan per month is lower at Abode: $3.99 vs $30.
- Recording retention is higher at Cove: 30 days vs 10 days.
- Support channels: only Cove offers Chat, Phone.
- Money-back period is higher at Cove: 60 days vs 30 days.
- Founded is lower at Abode: 2014 vs 2018.
Our verdict on each
Abode
Abode suits people who want cameras, a video doorbell, locks and smoke alarms in one app, with no contract, and professional monitoring when you want it. Hardware is priced at $75 and the cloud plan costs $3.99 a month, so the recurring cost stays small unless you add monitoring at $26.99.
Cove
Cove suits US homeowners who want a single system covering cameras, a video doorbell and smoke alarms without a fixed contract term. Hardware is listed at $0, while adding professional monitoring runs the monthly fee to $20.10 to $39.90, so the outlay depends on whether you want an alarm answered day or night.
Score breakdown
| Area | Abode | Cove |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.8Hardware at $75 sits below the entry median of €127.49, and the paid cloud plan runs at $3.99 a month. | 8.9HigherHardware is listed at $0, monitoring fees run $20.10 to $39.90 a month and contract months are 0 months. |
| Offer | 8.9Broad range across alarm, camera and smart lock with a 10 day recording window and a 0 month contract term. | 9.3HigherProduct types span alarm, camera and smoke alarm, so alarms, cameras, a video doorbell and smoke alarms come from one maker. |
| Trust | 8.8Operated by Abode Systems, Inc., trading since 2014, with support on email and help centre and a 30 day money back window. | 9.0HigherFounded in 2018, run by Cove Smart, LLC in US, with a 60 day money back window. |
Side by side, item by item
| Products | Abode | Cove |
|---|---|---|
| Alarm | Yes | Yes |
| Camera | Yes | Yes |
| Smart lock | Yes | No |
| Video doorbell | Yes | Yes |
| Smoke alarm | Yes | Yes |
Pick Abode if, pick Cove if
Pick Abode if products and cloud plan per month matter most.
Pick Cove if offer, price, monitoring per month, and local storage matter most.
How they place
| Ranking | Abode | Cove |
|---|---|---|
| Home security cameras | 17 of 83 | 13 of 83 |
| Video doorbells | 17 of 54 | 13 of 54 |
| Home alarm systems | 10 of 35 | 8 of 35 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Abode | Cove |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Diy, Monitored | Diy, Monitored |
| Power source | Battery, Wired | Battery, Solar, WiredCovers more |
| Ecosystems | Alexa, Google, Homekit | Not confirmed |
| Legal entity | Abode Systems, Inc. | Cove Smart, LLC |
| Headquarters | United States | United States |
| Founded | 2014Lower | 2018 |
| Support channels | Email, Help centre | Chat, Email, Help centre, PhoneCovers more |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Abode | Cove | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $75above the median | $0lowest quarter | $69.99 |
| Monitoring per month | $26.99highest quarter | $20.10 to $39.90highest quarter | $0 |
| Minimum contract | 0 monthsat the median | 0 monthsat the median | 0 months |
| Money-back period | 30 daysat the median | 60 dayshighest quarter | 30 days |
| Cloud plan per month | $3.99above the median | $30highest quarter | $3 |
| Recording retention | 10 dayslowest quarter | 30 daysat the median | 30 days |
Median across 65 listed brands.
Pros and cons
Abode
Pros
- Nothing is locked in: the Abode contract term is 0 months, and Abode places 1 of 60 brands on contract length.
- Live video and app access are free at Abode, so a self-monitored setup can run before you take any paid plan.
- Professional monitoring is available from the same account, letting a self-monitored setup be upgraded without changing hardware.
Cons
- Local storage is not available, so clips live in the cloud and history is capped at 10 days.
- Entry hardware at $75 is higher than the $13.95 kit at The Home Security Superstore and the $19.99 doorbell at Annke.
- Monitoring is the expensive tier, since $26.99 a month places Abode at 47 of 51 on monthly monitoring cost.
Cove
Pros
- Hardware is listed at $0 on the Cove DIY plan, well under the $19.99 entry price at Annke.
- The monitored plan carries contract months of 0 months, so no minimum term stands in the way of moving provider.
- Local storage is supported and clip retention runs 30 days, so footage does not depend on a subscription alone.
Cons
- Monitoring is not free once you want an alarm answered: fees run $20.10 to $39.90 a month.
- Monitoring covers US, so the professional tier does not stretch beyond a single market.
- Cameras top out at 2k, below the sharpest kits in the category, so higher resolution buyers look elsewhere.
Who each suits
Abode
Who it suits
- Renters and homeowners who want alarm, camera and smart lock under one app and would rather not sign a contract.
- Self-monitorers who mainly want live view and app alerts at no monthly cost, then can add monitoring later.
- Households already using alexa, google and homekit who want voice control across the whole kit.
Who should look elsewhere
- Single-camera buyers on a budget: The Home Security Superstore at $13.95 and Annke at $19.99 sit under the Abode kit at $75.
- Shoppers outside the US market, or after a GBP price point: Aqara lists cameras at £36.98 while Abode is headquartered in the United States.
Cove
Who it suits
- US buyers who want cameras, a video doorbell, an alarm panel and smoke alarms from one maker across alarm, camera and smoke alarm.
- Renters and flat owners who want local storage and 30 days of clips without a fixed term.
- Households that plan ahead, since the money back window is 60 days from the point of purchase.
Who should look elsewhere
- Buyers outside the US, since Cove's monitoring covers US while Aqara lists cameras at £36.98 in pounds for UK shoppers.
- Shoppers after a single piece rather than a system: The Home Security Superstore lists items from $13.95.
- Camera-only buyers, since Annke lists cameras at $19.99 and Cove adds a cloud plan at $30 a month on top.
Current offers
Country by country
| Country | Abode | Cove |
|---|---|---|
| United States | No | Yes |
Questions about each
Abode
What does an Abode video doorbell cost and what does the cloud plan add?+
The Abode video doorbell is priced at $75 as a one-off purchase. The Abode cloud plan costs $3.99 a month and is the tier that keeps your recording history in the app. Live video and app access are free, so a self-monitored setup can be run without either subscription.
Does Abode charge for professional monitoring on top of the plan?+
Professional monitoring is available and sits on its own Abode plan at $26.99 a month, the larger of the two recurring fees. The Abode cloud plan is $3.99 a month. Households that want alerts only and handle responses themselves can stay on the free tier.
Cove
How much does a Cove security system cost to start?+
The Cove DIY plan is listed at $0, so the hardware is free to buy. The costs arrive after that: professional monitoring is $20.10 to $39.90 a month, and cloud storage is $30 a month. Buyers should treat the entry price as the cheap part and budget for those recurring lines.
Is there a contract or minimum term on the Cove monitored plan?+
Contract months are 0 months on the monitored plan, so there is no minimum term to serve. Cove ranks 1 of 60 brands on that measure. Where most monitored alarms lock a household into a term, Cove asks for none here, which keeps switching costs low.