Updated September 30, 2026 · SmartHomeCue Editorial Team
Abode vs X-Sense
What sets them apart
| Compare |  Abode | X-Sense ReviewVisitVisit |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $75 | $14.99Lower |
| Monitoring per month | $26.99 | $4.16Lower |
| Products | Alarm, Camera, Smart lock, Smoke alarm, Video doorbellCovers more | Alarm, Smoke alarm |
| Free features | Live video and app access free | App and email alerts on Free plan |
| Local storage | No | Not confirmed |
| Cloud plan per month | $3.99 | Not confirmed |
| Top resolution | 1080p | Not confirmed |
| Recording retention | 10 days | Not confirmed |
| Installation required | No | Not confirmed |
| Monitoring countries | Not confirmed | United States |
Same on both: Minimum contract (0 months), Professional monitoring (Yes), Money-back period (30 days).
We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings.
Key differences
- X-Sense scores higher overall: 9.2 vs 8.8.
- Price is lower at X-Sense: $14.99 vs $75.
- Monitoring per month is lower at X-Sense: $4.16 vs $26.99.
- Products: only Abode offers Camera, Smart lock, Video doorbell.
- Support channels: only X-Sense offers Phone.
- Pricing model: only Abode offers Diy.
- Ecosystems: only Abode offers Google, Homekit.
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.
X-Sense
X-Sense suits US homeowners who want professional monitoring without a contract tying them to a single supplier. The monitored plan runs at $4.16 a month, hardware starts at $14.99, and the contract term is 0 months, so the recurring cost is low and leaving is simple.
Score breakdown
| Area | Abode | X-Sense |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.8Hardware at $75 sits below the entry median of €127.49, and the paid cloud plan runs at $3.99 a month. | 9.2HigherEntry price of $14.99 and monitoring of $4.16 a month, with position 5 of 70 brands compared on price. |
| Offer | 8.9Broad range across alarm, camera and smart lock with a 10 day recording window and a 0 month contract term. | 9.3HigherFree plan app and email alerts, professional monitoring included, and a contract term of 0 months with no minimum to serve. |
| Trust | 8.8Operated by Abode Systems, Inc., trading since 2014, with support on email and help centre and a 30 day money back window. | 9.1HigherRun by X-SENSE USA LLC from US, with support on email, phone and help centre and a money back window of 30 days. |
What each covers
| Products | Abode | X-Sense |
|---|---|---|
| Alarm | Yes | Yes |
| Camera | Yes | No |
| Smart lock | Yes | No |
| Video doorbell | Yes | No |
| Smoke alarm | Yes | Yes |
Choosing between them
Pick Abode if products matter most.
Pick X-Sense if cost, offer, trust, price, and monitoring per month matter most.
Also worth a look
AOSU has monitoring per month at $0, against $26.99 for Abode and $4.16 for X-Sense.
AOSU reviewHow they place
| Ranking | Abode | X-Sense |
|---|---|---|
| Home alarm systems | 10 of 35 | 3 of 35 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Abode | X-Sense |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Diy, MonitoredCovers more | Monitored |
| Power source | Battery, Wired | Not confirmed |
| Ecosystems | Alexa, Google, HomekitCovers more | Alexa |
| Legal entity | Abode Systems, Inc. | X-SENSE USA LLC |
| Headquarters | United States | United States |
| Founded | 2014 | Not confirmed |
| Support channels | Email, Help centre | Email, Phone, Help centreCovers more |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Abode | X-Sense | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $75above the median | $14.99lowest quarter | $69.99 |
| Monitoring per month | $26.99highest quarter | $4.16highest quarter | $0 |
| Minimum contract | 0 monthsat the median | 0 monthsat the median | 0 months |
| Money-back period | 30 daysat the median | 30 daysat the median | 30 days |
| Cloud plan per month | $3.99above the median | Not confirmed | $3 |
| Recording retention | 10 dayslowest quarter | Not confirmed | 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.
X-Sense
Pros
- Professional monitoring is included, and the contract term is 0 months, so you can leave without a tie-in.
- The Free plan still sends app and email alerts, so alerts are not locked behind a paid subscription.
- Entry price of $14.99 sits at position 5 of 70 brands compared, toward the cheaper end.
Cons
- Monitoring is a single market: US.
- The range is narrower than SimpliSafe, comparing alarm and smoke alarm with alarm, camera and video doorbell.
- No term discount is on offer, because the contract term is 0 months.
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.
X-Sense
Who it suits
- Homeowners who want professional monitoring on a plan with no contract term, given 0 months.
- Households that want smoke alarm cover from the same supplier, since the range covers alarm and smoke alarm.
- Alexa households, since the listed ecosystem is alexa.
Who should look elsewhere
- Buyers who want cameras or a video doorbell in the same range, where SimpliSafe covers more product types than alarm and smoke alarm.
- Shoppers outside the US, since monitoring runs in US only.
Current offers
X-Sense
Current offer
Discount code
10% off entire order with code WELCOME10: 10%
Subscribe for updates; entire order
Source, checked September 30, 2026
Country by country
| Country | Abode | X-Sense |
|---|---|---|
| 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.
X-Sense
How much does X-Sense cost to run each month?+
The monitored plan adds $4.16 a month on top of the hardware you already own, and the contract term is 0 months, so nothing has to be paid to leave. On monitoring cost alone the brand sits at position 38 of 51 brands compared, a middle position rather than the lowest on the list.
Is there a contract to sign up to?+
The contract term is 0 months, so there is no minimum commitment to serve and nothing to cancel at the end of a term. That places the brand at position 1 of 60 brands compared on contract length, at the short end of the table. The monthly monitoring fee is the only recurring cost listed.