Updated September 30, 2026 · SmartHomeCue Editorial Team
Cove vs Surety Home
Cove vs Surety Home: the differences
| Compare |  Cove |  Surety Home |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $0Lower | $129 |
| Monitoring per month | $20.10 to $39.90 | $19Lower |
| Products | Alarm, Camera, Smoke alarm, Video doorbell | Alarm, Camera, Smart lock, Video doorbell, Smoke alarmCovers more |
| Money-back period | 60 daysHigher | 30 days |
| Cloud plan per month | $30 | $3Lower |
| Recording retention | 30 days | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Minimum contract (0 months), Professional monitoring (Yes), Local storage (Yes), Top resolution (2k), Installation required (No), Monitoring countries (United States).
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Key differences
- Price is lower at Cove: $0 vs $129.
- Monitoring per month is lower at Surety Home: $19 vs $20.10 to $39.90.
- Products: only Surety Home offers Smart lock.
- Cloud plan per month is lower at Surety Home: $3 vs $30.
- Support channels: only Cove offers Phone.
- Support channels: only Surety Home offers Community.
- Money-back period is higher at Cove: 60 days vs 30 days.
- Founded is lower at Surety Home: 2011 vs 2018.
- Power source: only Cove offers Solar, Wired.
- Power source: only Surety Home offers Poe.
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.
Surety Home
Surety Home suits US homeowners who want cameras, alarms, locks and doorbells from one vendor, with professional monitoring optional and nothing tying them in. Hardware starts at $129, cloud storage adds $3 a month, and the DIY route tops this group on contract length.
Score breakdown
| Area | Cove | Surety Home |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.9HigherHardware is listed at $0, monitoring fees run $20.10 to $39.90 a month and contract months are 0 months. | 8.8Entry hardware of $129 with cloud storage at $3 a month keeps the running cost low. |
| Offer | 9.3Product types span alarm, camera and smoke alarm, so alarms, cameras, a video doorbell and smoke alarms come from one maker. | 9.5HigherProfessional monitoring plus local storage, with alarm, camera and smart lock spanning alarm, camera, smart lock, video doorbell and smoke alarm. |
| Trust | 9.0Founded in 2018, run by Cove Smart, LLC in US, with a 60 day money back window. | 9.0Founded in 2011, backed by SuretyCAM, LLC and a 30 day money back window. |
Where they rank in our lists
| Ranking | Cove | Surety Home |
|---|---|---|
| Home security cameras | 28 of 75 | 35 of 75 |
| Security cameras without a subscription | 18 of 53 | 25 of 53 |
| Video doorbells | 21 of 54 | 24 of 54 |
| Home alarm systems | 13 of 33 | 14 of 33 |
Which one suits you
Pick Cove if price and money-back period matter most.
Pick Surety Home if monitoring per month, products, and cloud plan per month matter most.
Side by side, item by item
| Products | Cove | Surety Home |
|---|---|---|
| Alarm | Yes | Yes |
| Camera | Yes | Yes |
| Smart lock | No | Yes |
| Video doorbell | Yes | Yes |
| Smoke alarm | Yes | Yes |
Where each is licensed and available
| Country | Cove | Surety Home |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | United States | United States |
Available in 1 country for both.
Sources behind this comparison
Cove
- covesmart.com: 18 facts, checked September 30, 2026
Surety Home
- suretyhome.com: 18 facts, checked September 30, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Cove | Surety Home |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Diy, Monitored | Diy, Monitored |
| Power source | Battery, Solar, Wired | Battery, Poe |
| Ecosystems | Not confirmed | Alexa, Google |
| Legal entity | Cove Smart, LLC | SuretyCAM, LLC |
| Headquarters | United States | United States |
| Founded | 2018 | 2011Lower |
| Support channels | Chat, Email, Help centre, Phone | Email, Chat, Help centre, Community |
Smart home devices
| Fact | Cove | Surety Home |
|---|---|---|
| Device types | Not confirmed | Thermostat, Lighting, Plug, Hub, Sensor, Blinds |
| Price from | Not confirmed | $11 |
| Protocols | Not confirmed | Thread, Z wave, Wi fi |
| Hub required | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Energy reporting | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Subscription per month | Not confirmed | $11 to $60 |
| Markets | Not confirmed | US |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Cove | Surety Home | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $0lowest quarter | $129above the median | $69.99 |
| Monitoring per month | $20.10 to $39.90highest quarter | $19highest 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 | $3at the median | $3 |
| Recording retention | 30 daysat the median | Not confirmed | 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.
Surety Home
Pros
- Contract length of 0 months ranks 1 of 60 brands on that measure, so a monitored alarm can be tested without a long tie in.
- Cloud storage at $3 a month keeps the recurring line small, with the monitored plan at $19 a month above it.
- alarm, camera and smart lock all sit in a single account, so an alarm, camera, smart lock, video doorbell and smoke alarm can come from the same vendor.
Cons
- US covers a single market and US names the US alone, so the setup does not travel with a move abroad.
- Support runs on email, chat and help centre only, with no phone line among the listed channels.
- Monthly monitoring is a middling showing, at rank 44 of 51 brands.
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.
Surety Home
Who it suits
- US homeowners building one system from a single vendor, covering alarm, camera, smart lock, video doorbell and smoke alarm in a single account.
- Renters and owners who will not sign a long monitoring contract, since 0 months of commitment are required.
- People who want professional monitoring as an added step rather than the default, with DIY and monitored routes offered on the same hardware.
Who should look elsewhere
- Price first, gear second: entry hardware of $129 sits above The Home Security Superstore at $13.95 and Annke at $19.99.
- Anyone shopping outside the US, since US covers a single market, should weigh Aqara, listed at £36.98, before assuming local cover.
- Single camera buyers who do not want a hub, since a hub is required and adds cost that a camera only purchase avoids.
Current offers
Country by country
| Country | Cove | Surety Home |
|---|---|---|
| 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.
Surety Home
What does Surety Home cost to run each month?+
Entry hardware on the DIY route is $129. Cloud storage for recorded video runs at $3 a month, and the monitored plan, which adds professional response, is $19 a month. Because 0 months of contract are required, those recurring figures read the same at renewal as at entry.
Is there a minimum contract on the monitoring plan?+
No minimum term is needed, since the contract is 0 months. That result ranks 1 of 60 brands on contract length, the strongest of the ranked measures here. The trade off sits on the service side, where monitoring holds a middling rank of 44 of 51.