Updated September 30, 2026 · SmartHomeCue Editorial Team
Lorex vs Smart & Secure Centre
Lorex vs Smart & Secure Centre: the differences
| Compare |  Lorex |  Smart & Secure Centre |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $29.99 | £15 |
| Products | Camera, Smart lock, Video doorbell | Alarm, Camera, Smart lock, Video doorbellCovers more |
| Money-back period | 30 daysHigher | 14 days |
| Top resolution | 4k | 2k |
| Monitoring per month | $0 | Not confirmed |
| Minimum contract | 0 months | Not confirmed |
| Professional monitoring | No | Not confirmed |
| Local storage | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Cloud plan per month | $5.99 | Not confirmed |
| Free features | local recording, live view, playback and alerts without plan | Not confirmed |
| Recording retention | 60 days | Not confirmed |
| Installation required | No | Not confirmed |
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Key differences
- Products: only Smart & Secure Centre offers Alarm.
- Support channels: only Lorex offers Chat, Help centre.
- Money-back period is higher at Lorex: 30 days vs 14 days.
- Founded is lower at Lorex: 1991 vs 2020.
- Lorex is available in 3 more countries.
- Power source: only Lorex offers Solar.
- Ecosystems: only Smart & Secure Centre offers Smartthings.
Our verdict on each
Lorex
Lorex suits households that want cameras, video doorbells and smart locks from the same brand, with local recording, live view, playback and alerts working before any plan is bought. Entry hardware starts at $29.99, and the Lorex Connect cloud plan is $5.99 a month on top of that.
Smart & Secure Centre
Smart & Secure Centre suits homeowners and renters who want cameras, video doorbells, smart locks and alarm kits from a single GB supplier, with kit priced from £15 and support by email and phone. An overall score of 9.2 reflects strong value, with trust the weaker part.
Score breakdown
| Area | Lorex | Smart & Secure Centre |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.1No contract term at 0 months, a monitoring charge of $0, and cloud extras at $5.99. | 9.8HigherEntry price of £15 undercuts Aqara at £36.98 and Annke at $19.99. |
| Offer | 9.2HigherThe range spans camera, smart lock and video doorbell, and the core camera features work before any cloud plan is bought. | 9.1Catalogue spans alarm, camera and smart lock with battery, wired and poe options, and returns run 14 days. |
| Trust | 9.3HigherTrading since 1991 as Lorex Technology Inc., with a 30 days return window. | 8.1Support runs on email and phone from a 2020 company registered as EasyGates Limited in the GB. |
Which one suits you
Pick Lorex if trust and money-back period matter most.
Pick Smart & Secure Centre if cost and products matter most.
Side by side, item by item
| Products | Lorex | Smart & Secure Centre |
|---|---|---|
| Alarm | No | Yes |
| Camera | Yes | Yes |
| Smart lock | Yes | Yes |
| Video doorbell | Yes | Yes |
Positions in our rankings
| Ranking | Lorex | Smart & Secure Centre |
|---|---|---|
| Home security cameras | 19 of 75 | 23 of 75 |
| Video doorbells | 16 of 54 | 19 of 54 |
| Smart locks | 10 of 42 | 13 of 42 |
A third option
SimpliSafe has money-back period at 60 days, against 30 days for Lorex and 14 days for Smart & Secure Centre.
SimpliSafe reviewSources behind this comparison
Lorex
- lorex.com: 19 facts, checked September 30, 2026
Smart & Secure Centre
- smart-secure.co.uk: 11 facts, checked September 30, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Lorex | Smart & Secure Centre |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Diy | Diy |
| Power source | Battery, Wired, Solar, PoeCovers more | Battery, Wired, Poe |
| Ecosystems | Alexa, Google, Homekit, Matter | Alexa, Google, Homekit, Matter, SmartthingsCovers more |
| Legal entity | Lorex Technology Inc. | EasyGates Limited |
| Headquarters | Canada | United Kingdom |
| Founded | 1991Lower | 2020 |
| Support channels | Email, Chat, Phone, Help centreCovers more | Email, Phone |
Smart home devices
| Fact | Lorex | Smart & Secure Centre |
|---|---|---|
| Device types | Not confirmed | Lighting, Plug, Hub, Sensor, Thermostat |
| Protocols | Not confirmed | Matter, Thread, Zigbee, Wi fi |
| Matter certified | Not confirmed | No |
| Markets | Not confirmed | GB, IM |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Lorex | Smart & Secure Centre | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monitoring per month | $0at the median | Not confirmed | $0 |
| Minimum contract | 0 monthsat the median | Not confirmed | 0 months |
| Money-back period | 30 daysat the median | 14 dayslowest quarter | 30 days |
| Cloud plan per month | $5.99highest quarter | Not confirmed | $3 |
| Recording retention | 60 daysabove the median | Not confirmed | 30 days |
Median across 65 listed brands.
Pros and cons
Lorex
Pros
- Local recording, live view, playback and alerts all work with no plan, and local storage is supported, so footage can stay on a drive the buyer owns.
- Cameras, video doorbells and smart locks come from the same brand, and installation is not required, so a homeowner can cover a front door and garden without hiring an installer.
- Cameras reach 4k and run on battery, wired and solar options, covering outdoor and off-grid spots.
Cons
- Professional monitoring is not offered, so an alarm travels no further than the owner's own devices and the DIY approach is the only route.
- Cloud video is kept for 60 days, so anything that must stay retrievable longer has to sit on local storage.
- Entry hardware at $29.99 is above The Home Security Superstore at $13.95 and Annke at $19.99, so the ticket at the till is the weak spot.
Smart & Secure Centre
Pros
- Entry price of £15 sits under Aqara at £36.98 and Annke at $19.99.
- The catalogue covers alarm, camera and smart lock alongside lighting, plug and hub, so security kit and smart home kit can be ordered together.
- Power options run battery, wired and poe, so a battery setup and a wired install can both be covered in the same order.
Cons
- Matter certified is no, so anyone building a home around that standard should choose a certified brand instead.
- Resolution caps at 2k, which is short of the detail some buyers expect from a camera only specialist.
- The model is diy, so alarm panels and cameras arrive for the buyer to fit and no installer is included.
Who each suits
Lorex
Who it suits
- Households that want footage kept on their own drive rather than rented cloud space.
- Renters and owners fitting cameras, a video doorbell and a smart lock without tradesmen.
- Buyers who read the running cost before the ticket, since Lorex carries no contract term.
Who should look elsewhere
- Households after a professionally monitored alarm, since Lorex does not offer professional monitoring and a monitored brand fits that need better.
- Shoppers on the smallest budget, because entry hardware at $29.99 sits above The Home Security Superstore at $13.95.
- Buyers who want cloud features folded into the hardware price, because the Lorex Connect plan is $5.99 a month on top.
Smart & Secure Centre
Who it suits
- Households in the GB that want cameras, video doorbells, locks and alarm kit in the same order.
- Buyers who fit their own kit, since the model is diy and power runs battery, wired and poe.
- Shoppers already running alexa, google and homekit, who can keep new devices inside platforms they own.
Who should look elsewhere
- Aqara, whose entry price of £36.98 sits higher, for readers who would rather have that catalogue.
- Annke, at $19.99, for anyone shopping for a different starting point to £15.
- The Home Security Superstore, at $13.95, for buyers whose priority is the lowest opening figure in the group.
Country by country
| Country | Lorex | Smart & Secure Centre |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | Yes | No |
| Canada | Yes | No |
| Isle of Man | No | Yes |
| Mexico | Yes | No |
| United States | Yes | No |
| United Kingdom | Yes | Yes |
Questions about each
Lorex
What does Lorex cost to get started?+
Entry hardware starts at $29.99 for a camera, and the range also covers video doorbells and smart locks, so the same brand can cover a whole front door. Nothing recurring is due at the point of sale, and the purchase carries no contract, so the hardware price is the whole commitment at checkout.
Is there a monthly subscription?+
The Lorex Connect cloud plan is $5.99 a month and is the only recurring charge. The monthly monitoring cost is $0, so hardware already paid for adds no monitoring bill, and the cloud plan stays optional rather than required for core use.
Smart & Secure Centre
How much does Smart & Secure Centre charge for its kit?+
Cameras, doorbells, locks and alarm kits start at £15, which puts the brand at position 7 of the 70 brands ranked on price. The cost part of the score reads 9.8, and the overall score reads 9.2.
What can I buy from Smart & Secure Centre?+
The security side covers alarm, camera and smart lock, and the smart home side adds lighting, plug and hub. That mix lets a household order a camera, a video doorbell, a lock and an alarm panel together, then add lighting, plugs, hubs, sensors and a thermostat from the same supplier.