How much is ecobee security subscription? Is ecobee a good brand? The Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium is now essentially a smart hub and display thanks to the doorbell connection. Apart from managing your air conditioning system, it is a smart speaker that incorporates both Alexa and Siri. It also serves as an interior air quality monitor, a smoke and CO alarm listener, a temperature and humidity sensor, and a motion sensor powered by radar. How much is ecobee home security bundle price?
ecobee home security bundle price & reviews
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Ecobee chose to employ one of its well-known smart thermostats as the central component of the system, in contrast to conventional security systems that rely on a separate hub, base station, or control panel. Using voice commands and a smartphone app, it offers smooth control and integrates with Smart Security sensors. Is ecobee home security bundle worth buying?
In the box
The ecobee home security bundle includes –
- 1 × Smart Doorbell Camera (wired)
- 1 × SmartCamera with voice control
- 2 × SmartSensor for doors & windows
- 1 free month of ecobee Smart Security subscription.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Integrated support for Alexa and Siri
- Expert surveillance for as little as $10 a month
- ENERGY STAR® verified
- Smart sensors maintain your room secure and comfortable.
- No additional hub is needed.
- Indoor cameras for $99 are reasonably priced.
Cons
- No environmental or glass sensors
- Sirens are manual
- Installation requires hardwiring
Ecobee Smart Doorbell Camera specs
- Power: Wired
- Size: 5.35” high, 1.85” wide, 1.14” deep
- Video: 1080p HD video, 5MP image sensor
- Field of view: 187 degrees diagonal, 175 degrees vertical / 115 degrees horizontal
- Aspect ratio: 3:4 portrait
- Night Vision: IR over 30 feet
- Zoom: 8x digital
- Audio: Two-way, full-duplex
- Weather resistance: IP65, -13 to 113 degrees F
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi, dual-band 2.4 and 5 GHz
- Warranty: 3 years
ecobee home security bundle price
The most basic is the Comfort and Security Bundle, which comes with two door and window SmartSensors, a freestanding SmartSensor, and a voice-activated SmartThermostat. This is a $269.99 package. It comes without any cameras, but for $99.99 you can add an indoor SmartCamera, and for $159.99 you can add a wired doorbell.
The cost of Ecobee is really simple to understand. I could choose between the Whole Home Solution ($369.99) and the Smart Security Starter Kit (currently on sale for $249.99). The premium Whole Home plan’s interior camera was the only component that was different.
Here’s the problem, though. The starting set came with the opportunity to buy an additional camera for $99.99, which reduced my overall cost to $348.98 with the discount, or around $20 less than the Whole Home Solution, which retails for $369.99!
ecobee home security bundle review
Design
The ecobee doorbell has a high-end appearance and feel thanks to its machined glass front and aluminum alloy back casing. It is available in black with a white casing and a noticeable button that has an LED ring surrounding it.
Sensor
The Smart Security Starter Kit comes with two different kinds of multifunctional sensors in the sensors sector. One is an entry sensor that is mounted on a door or window and can detect both motion and occupancy, while the other is a motion and occupancy sensor.
The Ecobee use a combination of radar motion detection, computer vision, and on-device machine learning to identify activity and transmit the proper warnings, as opposed to typical doorbells that use PIR motion detection. It’s hardly the first; Ring’s Ring Pro 2 and Ring Battery Plus also use radar-powered detection.
SmartSensor for Rooms
Anywhere within 60 feet of the smart thermostat is a good site for a smart sensor. This puck-shaped smart sensor can be mounted on a wall using its adhesive-backed mount or left on any flat surface, such as a table or shelf. In any case, to avoid false alerts and misreadings, you should position the sensor six feet above the ground and slanted slightly downward if you have dogs. It doesn’t need to be positioned in a corner because of its large 140-degree horizontal viewing angle.
SmartSensor for Doors and Windows
Now, to create the SmartSensor for Doors and Windows, just attach the motion and occupancy detection functionality of the SmartSensor for Rooms to an entry sensor. The magnetic portion of the sensor attaches to the window or door frame, just like a standard door sensor, while the sensor component is attached to the door or window itself. If you have the Complete Plan, ecobee will notify the monitoring center or you when the two separate, signaling that the door or window has been opened.
Another great thing that the upgraded, more intelligent SmartSensor for windows and doors did was this. It was aware whether a window or door had been left open when the air conditioner or heater was operating. My HVAC system was suspended by the SmartThermostat if the window was left open for five minutes. Of course, it was fantastic to save a little electricity, but to finally have confirmation that my child was the one who left the back door open?
Video monitoring
The first is an Alexa-integrated indoor camera. With the help of Alexa, it can now speak commands to other Alexa-enabled devices, such as ecobee smart thermostats, and respond to queries. Its camera component allows it to watch your house. In contrast, the second product is a video doorbell that is wired. For a $160 doorbell, it’s actually very mediocre, but you get front door security that’s integrated into the Ecobee network.
Field view
Nonetheless, this is slightly offset by a good field of view. The 3:4 portrait aspect ratio, with 187 degrees on the diagonal and 175 degrees on the vertical, makes everything visible from top to bottom and plenty from side to side. There’s no strange fish-eye distortion, unlike many doorbells that claim to show the entire picture, and it even displayed packages that were shoved up against the door—something the Ring Battery Plus utterly failed to detect.
SmartThermostat With Voice Control
The most recent and sophisticated model in ecobee’s extensive lineup of smart thermostats is the ecobee SmartThermostat Premium. It allows you to arrange your air conditioning and heating, and by teaching you your routines, it helps you make better use of your schedules. When time-of-use power pricing is in place, for example, it determines when it is most economical to heat or cool your home before you arrive home.
Smart Camera
The $99.99 ecobee SmartCamera is a bit more expensive than other interior cameras such as the $30 Wyze Cam or the $70 Ring interior Cam, but it comes with extra functions. Let’s begin with the fundamentals. The SmartCamera is an indoor 1080p HD camera shaped like a Spam can. Its wide field of view covers 180 degrees, and its infrared LEDs allow for night vision and two-way audio.
Additionally, the ecobee SmartCamera offers helpful notifications. When it detects movement while armed, it notifies you, especially if it was produced by a human. You can choose activity zones to limit motion detection to specific locations, which will reduce the number of false alarms. The SmartCamera listens for the sound of a CO or smoke alarm, just like the SmartThermostat. As with everything else in the ecobee Smart Security system, this is a multipurpose device.
ecobee app
Speaking of the software, the ecobee mobile app for iOS and Android provides comprehensive wiring configuration instructions to assist you with installing the thermostat. For assistance, you can also get in touch with Ecobee’s customer service. However, bear in mind that you will be performing all of the actual labor; therefore, ecobee advises hiring a professional installation if you are not comfortable handling that.
Smart Home integration
Additionally, Ecobee and Amazon Alexa can be used to watch livestreams, communicate with and listen to guests via Echo Show smart screens, and use the Alexa app. Sadly, Ecobee’s security feature isn’t compatible with Apple Home, but it is with Alexa. The sensors are used on both platforms to initiate routines and automations. These include the temperature and occupancy sensors as well as the security sensors. While the security system is not compatible with Apple Home, it is with Alexa; voice commands can be used to arm and disarm the device (with a voice pin).
Can you use ecobee security without a subscription?
Ecobee also introduced subscription levels for improved self-monitoring and expert monitoring to complete the Smart Security solution. Is it possible to utilize Ecobee Security without a membership? It is free to use for the first month, however there is a subscription fee for more features. These may be purchased for an industry-low $5 to $10 a month, which is even less expensive than Ring’s Protect Pro and SimpleSafe’s Standard monitoring plans.
However, you’ll need one of the two Smart Security plans listed below in order to turn on ecobee’s smart security features and receive alerts about possible break-ins or hazards around the house.
| Smart Security features | Standard Plan | Complete Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | $5 | $10 |
| Professional monitoring via RapidSOS | No | Yes |
| Motion and entry alerts | Yes | Yes |
| 30-day SmartCamera cloud storage | For one camera | For unlimited cameras |
| Automatic arm/disarm with geofencing | Yes | Yes |
| Smoke alarm detection | Yes | Yes |
| Freeze detection | Yes | Yes |
| Phone/App alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Equipment warranty | 3 years | 3 years |
Installation
However, you will need to unplug your old thermostat and rewire your new Ecobee SmartThermostat in order to activate your Ecobee security system. It should not take too long, which is wonderful news. I’ll wager that you can finish in 30 minutes, even if you’ve never used pliers before.
Ecobee offers all the necessary online information to eliminate any uncertainty throughout the installation process. (You can also locate them via the business’s mobile app.) Customer help is available via chat if you need assistance.
The doorbell appears on the Ecobee app, which is now a little busy due to the inclusion of the security system and thermostats. When you tap on the doorbell tile, a live view appears where you can record a clip, capture a picture, start a two-way conversation, and sound the alarm.
Tapping on View History displays huge thumbnails of any motion-activated clips that are recorded. You have to scroll through these to locate what you’re searching for because there is no way to filter them by activity or time.
ecobee home security bundle alternative
Ring Alarm Pro
Out of all the systems we tested, Ring features the best-performing sensors and devices. In terms of professional monitoring, it also provides the best value ($20 per month or $200 annually). You may add more data ($3 per 1 GB) to your plan, which includes 180 days of video storage, cellular backup, and 3 GB of backup internet that is available around-the-clock.
One unique feature of the Ring Alarm Pro system is the integrated Eero Wi-Fi 6 router. Depending on your provider, this enables you to replace your current home Wi-Fi router or even build a wireless mesh network to increase the speed and range of your Wi-Fi, which is very beneficial for security cameras and other smart home appliances.
You should definitely get the monitoring plan because Ring no longer lets new users who select self-monitoring to use the app to arm or disarm the system and receive smartphone notifications. In any case, we don’t really advise self-monitoring. A contentious program that permitted emergency personnel and law police to request direct access to Ring owner videos has been discontinued by Ring.
These officials will still have access to publicly available footage, and in the case that Ring deems there has been a significant, urgent incident, they may still be able to obtain user films directly through a warrant.
Home security bundle buying guideline
We’ve also limited our selections of security systems to those that include the following after years of investigation and evaluation:
- A helpful selection of sensors and add-ons: Motion sensors and contact sensors for windows and doors should be included with a starter package for home security. The gadgets you need and how many of each depend on the size of your home. We also examine the available accessories, such as water-leak sensors, smoke alarms, and cameras.
- An audio alarm: While decals and signs may cause a burglar to reconsider, a loud alert should make them flee.
- Battery and cellular backup: When the power or Wi-Fi goes out, you shouldn’t have to lower your defenses. The majority of systems provide both battery and cellular backups; however, the latter typically call for a membership contract.
- Keypad: You should not have to fiddle with your phone every time you come and go, but using a smartphone app is essential when you’re not at home. The system may be easily armed and disarmed using a keypad placed near the front door.
- Fire prevention: Although these devices are additional costs, most security systems include protection against carbon monoxide and fire in addition to preventing break-ins.
- UL approval: We inquire with manufacturers about the UL compliance of each system. One indicator of a control panel’s ability to lower false alarms is its UL CP-01 listing (PDF). This is advantageous because false alarms might result in financial losses. However, we do not exclude systems based on this criterion because there is no legal mandate to adhere to such criteria.
