Comparison • Alarm • Australia
Monitored vs Unmonitored Alarm: Do You Actually Need 24/7 Monitoring?
If you're comparing your options, see our alarm system installation in Sydney for a free site assessment and fixed-price quote.
A monitored alarm costs $30–$60/month on top of the hardware. An unmonitored alarm (app-only) costs nothing ongoing. The question is whether the monthly subscription buys you something worth paying for. The answer depends on your risk profile, your insurance, and what you expect to happen when the alarm goes off at 3am.
Primary sources: AS 2201 intruder alarm standard · NSW Police crime prevention.
What "Monitored" Actually Means
A monitored alarm sends its signal to a Grade A1 monitoring centre — a facility manned 24/7 with redundant power and communications, certified under AS2201.2. When your alarm triggers, a human at the monitoring centre sees the alert within seconds, calls you to verify, and dispatches police or a security patrol if you don't respond or confirm it's real. Response time from trigger to dispatch: typically 60–90 seconds.
This is fundamentally different from an app notification. An app tells you something happened. A monitoring centre acts on it.
What "Self-Monitored" Actually Means
A self-monitored alarm pushes a notification to your phone when triggered. You see the alert, you decide what to do — call police, check the camera, or ignore it. There's no monitoring centre, no human verifying, no automatic dispatch. If you're asleep, in a movie, on a plane, or your phone is flat — nobody acts.
Self-monitoring works for people who are always available and always responsive. In practice, that's a narrower group than most people think.
The Cost: Is Monitoring Worth $30–$60/Month?
| Item | Self-monitored | 24/7 monitored |
|---|---|---|
| Hardware (installed) | $600–$1,200 | $900–$2,000 |
| Monthly subscription | $0 | $30–$60 |
| Annual ongoing cost | $0 | $360–$720 |
| Insurance discount | 0–5% | 10–25% |
| Response when triggered | App notification only | Human verification + police/patrol dispatch |
| 5-year total cost | $600–$1,200 | $2,700–$5,600 |
The monitoring premium over 5 years is roughly $1,800–$3,600. That buys 24/7 human response + insurance discount offset of $500–$1,500 over the same period. Net premium: roughly $300–$2,100 over 5 years — or $5–$35/month after the insurance offset. For most homeowners, that's the real cost of monitoring, not the headline $50/month.
When Unmonitored Is Fine
- Low-risk property with good physical security (deadlocks, window locks, sensor lights)
- You're always home or nearby and can respond to alerts within minutes
- Budget is the primary constraint — any alarm is better than no alarm
- You have a Ring/Eufy/Arlo camera system that provides visual verification alongside the app alert
An unmonitored alarm still provides the siren deterrent — most opportunistic burglars leave within 30 seconds of an audible alarm. The gap is in the response, not the detection.
When Monitoring Is Worth It
Want a Sydney monitored alarm done properly?
SRS installs Bosch and Paradox alarm systems with 24/7 grading-A monitoring across Sydney — fixed-price install, transparent monitoring fees, ML 000108002.
Get a Free Alarm Quote →- You travel frequently or are often away from your phone
- You want insurance discount — monitored alarms earn 10–25% off contents premiums
- You're in a higher-risk area or have had previous incidents
- You want verified response — police prioritise alarms verified by a monitoring centre over self-reported calls
- You have a business or commercial property — commercial insurance typically requires monitored alarm as a policy condition
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does alarm monitoring cost per month in Australia?
$30–$60/month for residential 24/7 back-to-base monitoring from a Grade A1 centre. Commercial monitoring can cost $50–$150/month depending on zone count and response requirements. Annual cost: $360–$720 for residential.
What is a Grade A1 monitoring centre?
The highest certification under Australian Standard AS2201.2. A Grade A1 centre is manned 24/7 with redundant power, backup communications, and verified response protocols. They're the level insurers recognise for premium discounts. Not all monitoring services are Grade A1 — cheaper providers may operate at lower grades.
Does a self-monitored alarm get an insurance discount?
Most insurers give 0–5% for self-monitored (app-only) alarms. The full 10–25% discount requires professional 24/7 back-to-base monitoring from a Grade A1 centre. The insurer values the guaranteed response, not just the detection.
What happens when a monitored alarm goes off?
The monitoring centre receives the signal within seconds, verifies the zone that triggered, calls the primary contact to confirm (false alarm or real). If no answer or confirmed intrusion, they dispatch police and/or a security patrol. Response from alarm trigger to dispatch: typically 60–90 seconds.
Can I switch from self-monitored to monitored later?
Yes — most alarm systems can be connected to a monitoring service at any time. The installer adds a communication module (if not already present) and the monitoring company sets up your account. Typical changeover: 1–2 hours plus the monthly subscription starting from connection.
Is self-monitoring enough for a business?
For most commercial properties, no. Business insurance policies frequently require 24/7 professional monitoring as a policy condition. Self-monitoring doesn't satisfy this requirement. Check your policy before relying on app-only monitoring for a commercial site.
Not sure whether monitoring is worth it for your home?
We'll assess your risk profile, check what your insurer offers for monitored systems, and give you an honest recommendation — monitoring or self-monitored.