Alarm Monitoring Plans in Orange County
Professional 24/7 alarm monitoring from $19.99 a month. Month to month, no long term contract, from a licensed Orange County alarm company.
Licensed California alarm company · BSIS ACO #8296
Professional alarm monitoring, month to month, from a local Orange County team
Control Freaks installs, monitors and supports alarm systems for homes and businesses across Orange County. Pick one of four plans, choose self monitoring or professional 24/7 monitoring, and change or cancel any time. No three or five year contract, and no call center that has never seen your house.
Alarm monitoring plans and prices
Pick your level of control
Every plan is available self monitored or professionally monitored, except Certifiable, which is professional monitoring only. Plans with app control use Alarm.com or Honeywell Total Connect 2.0 (AlarmNet 360), depending on the panel we install. The plan and the price are the same on either platform.
Level 1
Certifiable
Just the essentials. Your system talks to the central station, and live operators dispatch help when an alarm trips. No app, no fuss.
or $219.89/yr prepaid
Level 2
Obsessive
Everything in your hand. Arm and disarm from anywhere, get instant alerts, and cancel or confirm an alarm from your phone.
or $307.89/yr prepaid
or $219.89/yr prepaid
Level 3 · Most popular
Trust Nobody
Security plus a smart home. Lights, locks, thermostats, garage and water leak protection, all automated and all in one app.
or $406.89/yr prepaid
or $307.89/yr prepaid
Level 4
Unhinged
See everything. Four cameras with people, vehicle and animal detection, video verification of alarms, and tighter panel supervision.
or $494.89/yr prepaid
or $384.89/yr prepaid
Pay a year up front and get a month free: twelve months of monitoring for the price of eleven. Prices are per month before any applicable tax and do not include equipment or installation. Add ons on any plan: extra cameras, video doorbell, 24/7 continuous recording, Connected Car and Wellness monitoring.
Compare plans
What each plan includes
| Feature | Certifiable | Obsessive | Trust Nobody | Unhinged |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24/7 professional dispatch (pro monitored plans) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mobile app (Alarm.com or Total Connect 2.0), arm, disarm and real time alerts | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Smart Arming (auto arm and disarm based on activity) | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cancel or verify an alarm from your phone | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| In app panic button and user code management | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Smart home control: lights, locks, thermostats | — | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Garage door and gate control | — | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Water leak detection and shut off | — | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Scenes, schedules and smart rules | — | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Severe weather alerts | — | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Four cameras with video analytics (3,000 clips a month) | — | — | — | ✓ |
| Video verification of alarms | — | — | — | ✓ |
| 6 hour panel supervision and expanded image capture | — | — | — | ✓ |
Self monitoring vs professional monitoring
Who answers when the alarm goes off?
Self monitored
Your phone gets every alert in real time. You decide what to do and who to call.
- Lowest monthly cost
- Best for people who are always reachable
- No one is dispatched on your behalf
Professionally monitored
A UL listed central station receives every alarm signal 24/7/365, verifies it and dispatches police, fire or medical on your behalf.
- Backup when you can't answer your phone
- Best for families, travelers and second homes
- Often qualifies for a homeowners insurance discount (ask your insurer)
Monitoring center certifications
A certified central station behind every professional plan
Professional plans are monitored by a wholesale central station that works only with licensed alarm companies. It holds the certifications insurers, fire marshals and building officials look for.
| UL listed | All three monitoring centers are UL listed. |
|---|---|
| FM approved | Approved by FM Approvals, the standard many commercial insurers and fire officials look for. |
| TMA Five Diamond | The Monitoring Association's highest designation. Every operator is trained and certified through TMA's program. |
| TMA IQ Certified | Meets The Monitoring Association's quality, training and process standards. |
| FirstNet Certified | Certified on FirstNet, the nationwide broadband network built for first responders. |
| Redundancy | Three staffed, load sharing centers in different regions. If one goes offline, the others take its signals with no gap in coverage. |
Plan finder
Find your plan in under a minute
Answer four quick questions and we'll recommend a plan. Send it to us and we'll follow up to confirm your system and schedule a visit.
Already have an alarm?
Switch your existing system to Control Freaks monitoring
If you already own an alarm, you may not need new equipment. We take over monitoring on most compatible Qolsys, Honeywell Home, Resideo and First Alert ProSeries panels, and many other systems. Tell us your panel model and we'll confirm compatibility. Some panels need a short service visit to reprogram them or add a cellular communicator before monitoring starts.
The panels we install
Clean, color touchscreen panels that look good on your wall
No beige keypads. We install sleek, full color touchscreen panels from Qolsys, Honeywell Home and First Alert ProSeries by Resideo, with built in cameras, cellular communication and battery backup. They run the same app as the rest of your smart home.
Why a local alarm company
Installed, monitored and supported by one team
We install it right
Every sensor placed and signal tested by our own licensed technicians, backed by a 5 year workmanship warranty on the work we install.
We're the provider of record
Your monitoring agreement, billing and support are with Control Freaks, not a national call center. Questions go to people who know your system.
It works with the rest of your home
Your alarm can tie into UniFi cameras, Lutron lighting and your smart home, designed together instead of bolted on.
Someone comes to the house
When a sensor fails or a panel needs attention, a Control Freaks technician comes out. Online monitoring companies mail you a part and a how to video.
We take over existing systems
Already have a compatible Qolsys, First Alert ProSeries or Honeywell panel? We can move it to our monitoring without starting over.
No long contract
Month to month from day one. Upgrade or downgrade any time, and cancel with 30 days written notice.
Frequently asked questions
Alarm monitoring questions
How much does alarm monitoring cost in Orange County?
Control Freaks professional alarm monitoring starts at $19.99 a month. Plans with app control and smart home features run $27.99 to $44.99 a month professionally monitored, or $19.99 to $34.99 a month self monitored. Prepay a year and you get one month free.
Do I have to sign a long term contract?
No. Our plans are month to month. You can change plans any time and cancel with 30 days written notice. There is no early termination fee.
What is the difference between self monitoring and professional monitoring?
With self monitoring, alerts go to your phone and you decide what to do. With professional monitoring, a UL listed central station receives every alarm signal 24/7, verifies it and dispatches police, fire or medical responders on your behalf.
Can you monitor an alarm system I already have?
Usually, yes. We take over monitoring on most compatible Qolsys, Honeywell Home, Resideo and First Alert ProSeries panels, and many other systems. Send us your panel model and we'll confirm. Some panels need a short service visit to reprogram them or add a cellular communicator.
Which app will I use?
Plans with app control use Alarm.com or Honeywell Total Connect 2.0 (AlarmNet 360). The app is determined by the panel installed. Your plan and price are the same on either.
Does the monthly price include equipment and installation?
No. Monitoring prices cover the monthly service only. Equipment and installation are quoted separately after a quick call or site visit, with itemized pricing.
How does the annual prepay discount work?
Prepay twelve months on any plan and pay for eleven. If you cancel before the year is up, we refund the unused portion. Months already used are charged at the regular monthly rate.
Is the monitoring center certified?
Yes. Professional plans are monitored by a TMA Five Diamond central station with three redundant UL listed monitoring centers. It is also FM approved, TMA IQ Certified and FirstNet Certified.
What happens if the power or internet goes out?
The panels we install have battery backup, and systems with a cellular communicator keep reporting to the central station even when your internet is down.
Do I need an alarm permit?
Many Orange County cities require an alarm permit and charge false alarm fees. Permits and fees are the homeowner's responsibility, and we help you with the registration.
Are you a licensed alarm company?
Yes. Control Freaks LLC holds California BSIS Alarm Company Operator license ACO #8296 and CSLB C-7 Low Voltage license #1154117, and is bonded and insured.
What areas do you serve?
We are based in Orange County and serve Mission Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita, Trabuco Canyon, Coto de Caza, Ladera Ranch, Rancho Mission Viejo, Laguna Niguel, San Clemente, Dana Point, San Juan Capistrano, Irvine, Newport Beach and the rest of Orange County, plus parts of North San Diego and Riverside counties.
Prices are per month before any applicable tax and exclude equipment, installation, permits and false alarm fees. Certifiable is offered as a professionally monitored plan only. App platform (Alarm.com or Total Connect 2.0) is determined by the installed panel. Annual prepay is twelve months for the price of eleven. Monitoring is provided under a separate Control Freaks monitoring agreement; professional monitoring is performed by a UL listed central station on behalf of Control Freaks. Alarm systems reduce but do not eliminate the risk of loss. Alarm.com is a registered trademark of Alarm.com Incorporated. Total Connect and Honeywell Home are trademarks used by Resideo Technologies, Inc. Qolsys and First Alert are trademarks of their respective owners. Control Freaks LLC, CSLB C-7 #1154117, BSIS Alarm Company Operator ACO #8296.
Request monitoring or a quote
Tell us about your home or your existing system. We reply the same business day, confirm the right plan, and quote any equipment or installation before anything is activated. Prefer to talk? Call (949) 346-1984.