Ecobee now gives you the option to pair its smart home monitoring devices with a professional security service. With the company’s new Smart Security service, which replaces the Haven service it formerly offered, you can enable 24/7 professional monitoring (which is still in beta) for an additional $10 / month as a part of the Complete subscription plan. This price is half of what Ring now charges for its Pro plan that comes with a professional live monitoring service.
Ecobee’s Smart Security service uses the RapidSOS emergency response platform to send crucial data to emergency responders. It relays your home’s entry and exit data to first responders, as well as any video and audio snippets captured by Ecobee devices.
It’s important to keep in mind that some features only work with certain devices. The Smart Security suite makes use of Ecobee’s entire lineup of products, all of which it sells — sans the SmartCamera — in an Efficiency and Security Solution bundle for $279.99. In the kit, you’ll get everything you need to get started with the Smart Security service: two SmartSensors for doors and windows, one regular SmartSensor, and a SmartThermostat with voice control.
In case you want to add the SmartCamera with that bundle, expect to pay a total of $379.98. The $99.99 SmartCamera also integrates with the service, as its optional video verification feature can send footage to monitoring centers whenever the camera detects the sound of a smoke alarm — if an emergency is confirmed, dispatchers may be able to send responders faster.
If you don’t need live monitoring, Ecobee offers a $5 / month Standard subscription that comes with several other handy features (that are also included with the Complete plan). Aside from live monitoring, the Smart Security service can remind you to arm or disarm your house by using Wi-Fi and geofencing data to determine when you’re home. It will also send a notification to your phone when a door opens unexpectedly — Ecobee says that its system can tell the difference between your family members and an intruder, so you shouldn’t expect unnecessary notifications. You can check out the full list of Smart Security features on Ecobee’s website.
As far as privacy goes, Ecobee says that it “will never sell or misuse your data” and that it uses “extra security layers like two-factor authentication so your account is secure.” Ecobee also notes that its SmartCamera switches off when it detects that you and your family are home.
If you don’t want to commit to $10 / month just yet, Ecobee is offering a free two-month trial.
Update, 7:00 PM ET: Updated to clarify that the products within Ecobee’s Efficiency and Security Solution bundle are required to use the Smart Security service.
