Brinks Review: Is It a Good Home Security System?

Brinks Home legitimacy and licensing

Yes. Brinks Home is a real alarm company in Dallas that the BBB lists as in business since 1991 and accredited since 2011, with an A+ rating. It was long known as Monitronics, and its website is now run by BH Security, LLC dba Brinks Home. It is not part of The Brink’s Company, the armored car and cash logistics firm; it uses the name under a licensing deal from 2018.

The company has been through Chapter 11 twice, in 2019 and in May 2023, when it cut about $500 million in debt and its lenders, led by funds managed by Monarch Alternative Capital and Invesco, took ownership. Monitoring continued through both cases. Legit does not mean low friction: the BBB shows 2,074 complaints in three years, which is high even for a large alarm company.

Brinks Home cost

Brinks’ promotions say monitoring starts at $29.99 a month for new residential customers who buy at least $500 of equipment and sign a 36-month contract. Other promotions start at $39.99 or $49.99 a month. Every account also pays a $6.40 monthly Cost Recovery Fee, and paper statements add $5.99 a month.

The free professional installation offer requires $500 or more of equipment, a 36-month plan starting at $49.99 a month and the Brinks Home Plus extended service plan, whose monthly fee depends on the retail value of your equipment. Ask for the full monthly total, including Plus and the Cost Recovery Fee, and multiply by 36: at $49.99 plus $6.40, monitoring alone is about $2,030 over the term before equipment, Plus and taxes.

How Brinks Home works

You get a quote from a security consultant by phone or online form, choose equipment such as door and window sensors, cameras, a video doorbell and smart home devices, and sign a monitoring contract. A technician installs and activates the system. Alarms route to Brinks’ 24/7 U.S.-based monitoring center, which contacts you and dispatches help when needed, and you control the system from the Brinks Home app.

Brinks Home Plus is an extended service plan for equipment repairs. Without it, service visits start at $99. With it, you still pay a $75 trip fee per visit, and Brinks may raise the Plus fee once a year after the initial term.

Brinks Home complaints and how to avoid problems

Brinks Home holds 3.3 out of 5 on Trustpilot from 7,698 reviews, split between 54% five star and 29% one star. The negative reviews focus on hard cancellations, long holds, charges after canceling, early termination bills, faulty sensors and service call costs. The BBB shows 2,074 complaints in three years.

To protect yourself, get every price and fee in writing before the technician arrives, read the contract’s renewal and cancellation clauses, keep paperless billing on, and if you move, ask in writing whether you can transfer service. If you cancel, send written notice, ask for a final balance and confirmation number, and check your card or bank for later charges.

Canceling Brinks Home and early termination

Brinks’ fee guide says that if you cancel before your contract ends, the remaining monthly fees are due. That can mean hundreds or thousands of dollars on a 36-month plan. Equipment financing is a separate obligation you still owe.

If you signed at your home with a door-to-door seller, the FTC’s Cooling-Off Rule generally gives you three business days to cancel a sale of $25 or more. The FTC also advises getting written estimates from more than one company and checking contract renewal terms before you sign.

Who should skip Brinks Home

Renters, people who may move within three years and anyone who wants the freedom to cancel should look at no-contract systems such as SimpliSafe or Cove, which you install yourself and can monitor month to month. Brinks makes most sense for owners who want installed, hardwired equipment and expect to keep the service for the full term.