Home security is a great option when a gun won't work.

Protect America is a home security company that’s trying to make it known, they care about those serving and our veterans. Because of this, they attempt to offer some of the best deals out there. They also work to make installation, moving, transferring, and deployments as stress-free as possible. They know you’re or have served your country, so they claim it’s their turn to serve you. Continue reading for our full Protect America home security review.

Protect America

Okay, let’s get dirty here for a second. Home security systems aren’t cheap. You’ll either save a lot up-front with free equipment, but really you’re paying for it in cost over the length of your contract. Or, you’ll pay a ton of money up-front for the equipment and maybe you’ll have a cheaper service. Then there’s that whole contract bit. Some are one-year, others five years, but the most common option is the three-year contract. Then there’s always that one company who offers a no-contract option, but maybe their service sucks…maybe it doesn’t, but who knows until you try it out for yourself, right? Of course, this isn’t always the case, but it’s not like you haven’t seen it before.

Well, we’re trying to get past that by reviewing some of the top home security systems on the market. What makes them great, terrible or just meh…today, we’re looking at Protect America, the good, bad and the ugly.

*Make sure you hit the drop-down button and click “read full review” above for an even more comprehensive review of Protect America and their competitors

Pros

Protect America might have one of the easiest DIY systems to set up. Considering it’s completely wireless, it helps take some of the stress out of the process. You don’t have to worry about drilling a bunch of holes in your walls or floors to get home protection. This also means those who live in an apartment can get the same level of home security as homeowners. If for some reason, you can’t figure out the home install, you can either chat with a representative online or over the phone and they’ll walk you through each step. There are no service call fees or set-up fees as a result.

With that being said, the most difficult part of self-installation is the programming part. Unlike some leading security providers, Protect America sends you all the sensors pre-programmed, so you don’t have to worry about calling anyone for set-up unless you want to.

The biggest advantage you’ll have selecting Protect America over another security provider is their price match guarantee—something that most companies simply don’t offer. So, if you find a company that provides the same services at a cheaper price, but you’re telling yourself, “I really want Protect America to protect my home!” then you can get them to drop the price to match the other service you didn’t want.

Something to note, they do have locked rates, not just locked during the length of your contract, but lifetime locked rates. This could be a good or bad thing, depending on how you look at it. For instance, like renting an apartment, when your contract is up, you have to renew and with renewal comes the chance of a price increase. The increase might be small or it might be huge. Either way, it’s more than what you’ve been paying in the past. With a lifetime locked rate, you don’t ever have to worry about this price going up. However, this also means, if for some reason there’s a promo or a price drop, you won’t be able to take advantage of it, and those new customers are paying less than you, a long time, always pay your bills on time customer.

Otherwise, price consideration here, they offer a pretty good up-front deal compared to some of the other leading security providers. Now, does that make up for some of the less than stellar reviews, only you can decide that. Equipment costs $99. The most you’ll pay a month—as of now—is less than $43/month. If you want the very basic service you’ll pay less than $15/month—again, as of the publication date of this article.

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Cons

One of the things that Protect America definitely falls below the mark in, is their motion detectors. If you have a pet, motion detectors might not be a good idea. However, a lot of security companies compensate this by making a motion detector that won’t go off for pets less than 80 lbs. However, Protect America claims their detectors won’t go off for “most” pets under 40 lbs. If you’ve got your fluffy German Shepard sitting next to you, either forgo the motion detectors or go with a different security system.

Let’s face it, you can’t be a company and not have negative reviews. Even some of the best companies have “haters,” probably because someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed that day. Now, we aren’t saying that the more than 100 negative reviews found on BBB were false, but in the end, they aren’t the only company with terrible reviews. For example, some negative reviews revolve around contract length. Okay, we get it, three years is a long commitment for something you might not like. However, these companies make their contract lengths known and they give grace periods for you to try their services without a commitment. Of course, there’s always the chance you might hate the product day 31 of your 30-day free no-worry, no-hassle guarantee. But, as far as contract lengths go, three years is the standard. Yes, some companies provide shorter contracts and others offer lengthier ones. So, when you read negative reviews, make sure you’re comparing that specific complaint with the other security providers.

Since complaints typically revolve around contract length and people trying to get out of said contract, let’s talk about their cancellation policy for a minute. Protect America is no different from the other leading security providers out there. If you decide on year one out of three that you hate the company and its products, the only way out is basically to pay your way out. This means, even if you cancel your obligation with the company, your obligation to pay will remain, and you’re going to pay the remaining two years with or without their services.

However, if you’re a military member, they understand that you have a certain obligation you have to meet. At any time the military can say, “Hey, pack all your things, you’re deploying for the year” or, “Time to PCS…again.” Because of this, there is an exception to the rule. If you have to cancel your contract out of obligation to the military’s mission, they will let you out of your contract. According to them, the process is easy. All you have to do is show them a copy of your orders if it’s for a PCS. If you’re deploying, again, a copy of your orders that shows your estimated report and return date.

For military and civilian alike, they also offer a transfer option. Meaning, if you can’t stand the company and want to pass off your misfortune to the next person, you can. The good news, the contract doesn’t start over and the price will be the same for them as it was you.

But, let’s say you love Protect America so much you can’t stand to live without it. If you’re moving and the service is provided at the new location, then they will send you a relocation kit and help you get set up at your new place free of charge. Between transferring and relocation kits, you can’t say they don’t give you options. 

Protect America Reviews

Depending on who you look to, the reviews for Protect America vary.

• Shopper Approved gave them a 4.9/5 stars
• Trust Pilot gives them a 5.4/10
• Consumers Advocate gives them an 8.5/10

Better Business Bureau gives them an average A rating, but if you look at individual offices, there is an F.—not really something any of us wants to see, but it is there, and there being Carrollton, GA. However, we’d like to point out, this is only based on four reviews.

Again, most complaints do seem to revolve around the contract. We can’t tell from personal experience, but it seems as though getting out of your contract—after the obligations were met—isn’t always that easy. With that being said, there is a process to terminating services once your contract is up. You can verbally tell a representative you’re done with your contract and do not wish to renew. However, for it to be official you MUST sign a form stating your wishes. Also, you MUST give them 30 days notice about your choice to terminate their services or you will be charged for the next month. Some reviews out there say physically getting the form is a bit ridiculous, but again, this varies according to location. Make sure when you look up reviews about Protect America’s home security in the location you want service as well as the overall rating.

Protect America Customer Service

While Protect America has a decent level of complaints about them, one place they seem to stand out in is with their customer service. A quick search online, and you’ll see some people listing complaints about this or that, but then adding, but customer service was great, or that the representative helping them with the install was nothing but helpful. Of course, the only way to know this for yourself is to give them a call and see how they treat you and come to your own conclusion before making that three-year commitment.

Protect America Equipment

Equipment, next to actually having monitored home security might be the most important thing when it comes to feeling secure in your own home. Protect America’s equipment is under 24/7 professional monitoring, and if something happens, there’s a 2-way intercom so you can speak with someone directly from the main unit. Standard with most security providers, you get police, fire, and medical dispatch if need be.

Depending on which package you get, or how you customize your package, if you have home automation, you can control lighting, thermostats, appliances, and electronic door locks. Also included in the home automation packages are event-triggered automation, a history log, and a user code unique to you.

If home automation is for you, the equipment works with the iPhone and Android. You’ll also get an email and text alerts, live surveillance feed and remote arm/disarm capabilities.

Protect America is compatible with Amazon Alexa, Google Home, IFTTT, Z-Wave, and ZigBee.

Also, the equipment has a lifetime warranty. If you need new equipment it will be shipped to you—read the fine print about what constitutes free replacement and what doesn’t—If you’re transferring the equipment to someone else, and an update needs to be made, they’ll get the same benefits as you.

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Protect America App

Protect America isn’t much different from the other major home security companies. They have the same option for home automation and they have an app so you can control your home’s security, lights, temperature, etc. from your smartphone. However, if you have the basic plan, this won’t be an option for you. Again, this is pretty standard in comparison, so if you’re looking for home automation, they offer it. And if not, then you can go for the basic plan.

To learn more about Protect America, click here. You can also read a short review of their competitors here.