Updated September 30, 2026 · SmartHomeCue Editorial Team
Cove vs ecobee
What sets them apart
| Compare |  Cove |  ecobee |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $0Lower | $99.99 |
| Monitoring per month | $20.10 to $39.90 | $5Lower |
| Products | Alarm, Camera, Smoke alarm, Video doorbellCovers more | Alarm, Camera, Video doorbell |
| Money-back period | 60 daysHigher | 30 days |
| Cloud plan per month | $30 | $5Lower |
| Monitoring countries | United States | United States, CanadaCovers more |
| Local storage | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Free features | Not confirmed | Free Core plan with security devices: motion and person detection, door or window open/close alerts |
| Top resolution | 2k | Not confirmed |
| Two-factor sign-in | Not confirmed | Yes |
Same on both: Minimum contract (0 months), Professional monitoring (Yes), Recording retention (30 days), 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 $99.99.
- Monitoring per month is lower at ecobee: $5 vs $20.10 to $39.90.
- Products: only Cove offers Smoke alarm.
- Cloud plan per month is lower at ecobee: $5 vs $30.
- Support channels: only Cove offers Chat, Email.
- Money-back period is higher at Cove: 60 days vs 30 days.
- Founded is lower at ecobee: 2007 vs 2018.
- ecobee is available in 1 more country.
- Power source: only Cove offers Battery, Solar.
Our verdict on each
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.
ecobee
ecobee suits homeowners who want heating handled properly and security added on the side, rather than a full alarm shop. Entry pricing starts at $139.99, close to the site entry median, and the thermostat warranty runs 3 years, with sales limited to US and CA.
Score breakdown
| Area | Cove | ecobee |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.9HigherHardware is listed at $0, monitoring fees run $20.10 to $39.90 a month and contract months are 0 months. | 8.4Entry price of $139.99 ranks 41 of 54 brands, so cost sits mid field. |
| Offer | 9.3HigherProduct types span alarm, camera and smoke alarm, so alarms, cameras, a video doorbell and smoke alarms come from one maker. | 8.9Free Core plan covers detection and door or window alerts; the paid tier at $5 a month adds monitoring. |
| Trust | 9.0Founded in 2018, run by Cove Smart, LLC in US, with a 60 day money back window. | 9.5HigherLegal entity ecobee Technologies ULC in CA, founded 2007, support on phone and help centre, monitoring in US and CA. |
Which one suits you
Pick Cove if cost, offer, price, products, and money-back period matter most.
Pick ecobee if trust, monitoring per month, cloud plan per month, and monitoring countries matter most.
Where each is licensed and available
| Country | Cove | ecobee |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | United States | Canada |
Available in 1 country for both. Additional countries for ecobee: 1.
How they place
| Ranking | Cove | ecobee |
|---|---|---|
| Home security cameras | 13 of 83 | 18 of 83 |
| Video doorbells | 13 of 54 | 18 of 54 |
| Home alarm systems | 8 of 35 | 11 of 35 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Cove | ecobee |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Diy, Monitored | Diy, Monitored |
| Power source | Battery, Solar, WiredCovers more | Wired |
| Ecosystems | Not confirmed | Alexa, Google, Homekit, Smartthings |
| Legal entity | Cove Smart, LLC | ecobee Technologies ULC |
| Headquarters | United States | Canada |
| Founded | 2018 | 2007Lower |
| Support channels | Chat, Email, Help centre, PhoneCovers more | Phone, Help centre |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Cove | ecobee | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $0lowest quarter | $99.99above the median | $69.99 |
| Monitoring per month | $20.10 to $39.90highest quarter | $5highest quarter | $0 |
| Minimum contract | 0 monthsat the median | 0 monthsat the median | 0 months |
| Money-back period | 60 dayshighest quarter | 30 daysat the median | 30 days |
| Cloud plan per month | $30highest quarter | $5highest quarter | $3 |
| Recording retention | 30 daysat the median | 30 daysat the median | 30 days |
Median across 65 listed brands.
Pros and cons
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.
ecobee
Pros
- Entry pricing from $139.99 sits close to the site entry median of €127.49, so heating control is not a premium bet.
- No hub is required, so there is no extra box to buy, and energy reporting comes with the smart thermostats.
- The thermostat warranty runs 3 years, with a 30 day money back period behind the purchase.
Cons
- The security side is a running cost: the paid plan is $5 a month, and professional monitoring only sits on that tier.
- The video doorbell is wired, so it needs a cable run at the front door rather than a battery you swap yourself.
- Recorded video is kept for 30 days, a short window for reviewing anything older.
Who each suits
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.
ecobee
Who it suits
- Buyers who want a thermostat as the anchor and a camera, video doorbell or alarm sensor added to the same brand later.
- Homes that already run alexa, google and homekit and want heating data in the same place as everything else.
- People who want professional monitoring without a long agreement, since the contract length is 0 months.
Who should look elsewhere
- Full home device shoppers, since Aqara's range covers hub, sensor and lighting while ecobee's device types are thermostat and sensor.
- Buyers chasing lighting and blinds control as the main event: Lutron's device list runs lighting, blinds and thermostat, well beyond a heating brand.
- Budget builders who want a hub, heating valve and blinds under one roof, which is what SONOFF lists in thermostat, trv and lighting.
Current offers
Cove
ecobee
Current offer
Discount code
$20 off your next purchase with newsletter signup: $20 USD
New customers only; promotional code sent by email after form submit; cannot be combined with other offers; cannot apply to prior purchases
Source, checked September 30, 2026
Free trial
1 month free Smart Security + Professional Monitoring: 1 month
Offered during system setup; no contracts, no credit card required; 24/7 pro monitoring not available in Calgary, AB
Source, checked September 30, 2026
Country by country
| Country | Cove | ecobee |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | No | Yes |
| United States | Yes | Yes |
Questions about each
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.
ecobee
How much does it cost to get started with ecobee?+
Hardware starts at $139.99, which puts ecobee close to the site entry median of €127.49. That covers the equipment. Anything on the security side, monitoring included, is billed separately each month. A 30 day money back period covers the hardware purchase if the fit turns out wrong.
Do I have to pay a subscription to use the security devices?+
There is a free Core plan that covers motion and person detection along with door or window open and close alerts, so the basics cost nothing to run. Paying $5 a month moves you onto the plan that adds professional monitoring and stored video history. The choice is how much of the security side you want switched on.