Abode Business review

Abode Business is a DIY security system solution with a business security offering built primarily for small- to medium-sized businesses. It includes a variety of useful business features, like assigned key fobs and PINs, arming and disarming history, and a variety of sensors and cameras at reasonable rates.

This Abode business review takes an in-depth look at pricing, business features, and alternative solutions on the market. You’ll also want to check out our round-up of the best security systems for businesses for more reviews and comparisons.

Abode Business: Plans and pricing

Abode offers modular, DIY security solutions with no contracts. Shipping is included, and there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee as well as a one-year warranty on parts. Your primary costs with Abode can be broken down into an initial hardware cost (financing available) and an optional ongoing subscription. Abode also offers refurbished starter kits and has a price-match guarantee.

You have a choice between two central hubs to manage your business security: Abode Gateway or Abode iota. Abode iota includes a built-in camera and motion detector that is WiFi enabled so it can be placed anywhere. Iota is a good solution for small areas with a single point of access, like a very small storefront.

However, most businesses will want to opt for Gateway in combination with other sensors and cameras, as it provides for a more comprehensive and extensive security system.

Abode offers everything your average SMB will need to stay secure:

Like many DIY security products, Abode is available with either self-monitoring or professional monitoring. Self-monitoring is available free via the app, although a Standard Plan (20c a day or roughly $6 a month) adds support for live and recorded video, video storage, timeline, home/business automation, in-app panic alarms, and person detection.

The Pro plan (66c a day; roughly $20 a month) features 24/7 professional monitoring, cellular backup, plus discounts on shipping and homeowners insurance.

Abode Business: Sensors and cameras

As mentioned above, Abode offers a wide array of sensors and cameras. The Abode Cam 2 stands out in particular as one of the least expensive indoor-outdoor cameras on the market. It supports WiFi connectivity, two-way voice communication, full-colour low-light vision, person detection (US only, requires standard or pro plan), and 24/7 recorded video (available as an add-on). It’s also fully weatherproof, so you can place it on the outside of any building.

You can choose to receive alerts with motion detection and—this is a nice feature—set “activity zones” directly from the app to determine where in the frame detected motion should trigger a notification and recording. From the app, you can see recordings for a given day or period, including a library of clips and a 10-day review.

The multi-sensor is another stand-out sensor. For just $60 ($45.99 at time of writing), it bundles motion, light, temperature, and humidity detection and features a four-year replaceable battery. Humidity and temperature detection especially are useful for storing sensitive materials, like chemicals or foodstuffs. With a connected thermostat, the multisensor can automatically adjust the temperature to maintain the right environment for sensitive storage needs.

Finally, Abode is compatible with a wide variety of smart devices and protocols, including Apple HomeKit, Yale locks (for rudimentary access control), Amazon, Z-wave, ZigBee and IFTTT for automation (e.g., to turn off all your lights when you set the alarm to save on your business’ electricity bill).

Abode Business: Installation

Abode was designed for DIY installation, so all the elements are relatively easy to install and connect. Most sensors adhere to surfaces. The camera could be a little easier to install: it requires a power cord, so you’ll need to plan out a path for it and ideally staple or otherwise fix it to whatever surface you’re working with. Hardly a deal-breaker, but many alternative cameras feature long-lasting, replaceable batteries and work over WiFi and cellular, making them easier to place.

That said, busy business owners may find it well worth the investment to hire Abode professional installation starting at $99.

Abode Business: App and interface

The Abode app gives you control over your security system: you can arm and disarm, lock and unlock doors, and view recent activity and notifications (like a door being opened, motion being detected, or somebody disarming the system). It’s available on iOS, Android, and desktop browsers.

In addition, you can create and name up to 40 PIN codes for employees who can then arm and disarm the entire system. The Abode keypads also support key fob access. However, similarly to alternatives like SimpliSafe and Vivint, fobs have buttons to arm and disarm the entire system but cannot be used for location-specific access control (to an office or storage space, for example). Additionally, it’s not possible to set individual permissions for employees; anybody who’s invited to the app or given a keypad code or fob has full access to the security system.

The app allows you to receive notifications on your phone when an alarm is triggered or based on specific events, like the system being armed or disarmed. If an alarm is triggered, you can click on the notification to see a live view of your store, restaurant, or office space. The video is also recorded, so it can be presented to the authorities later.

Finally, Abode gives you the possibility of grouping all your sensors, cameras, and smart devices into custom groups—by room, for example, or even by location. While the app hasn’t been optimised for multiple-location businesses like, for example, SimpliSafe’s Property Management Dashboard, it would certainly be possible to easily manage multiple security systems thanks to these groups.

Abode Business: Support

Abode support is available via two channels. First, there’s a comprehensive library with DIY guides for installing, configuring, and using your Abode security system. We found these easy to understand, and there were answers for just about everything we thought we’d need to know. For more support, though, you can also contact Abode by email or telephone (no live chat, though).

Alternatives to Abode Business

Larger businesses or those with more complex or industry-specific security needs would do well to check out ADT. It offers a variety of business-oriented elements and services, including genuine fob-enabled access control, robust user and group permissions, and a decent cybersecurity offering.

Read our full ADT review.

For medium-sized businesses seeking a DIY solution that has good support for multiple locations, SimpliSafe is a good alternative. The Property Management Dashboard mentioned earlier allows you to monitor system states and access at multiple locations, arm and disarm them from afar, see the health and status of individual elements, and more.

Read our full SimpliSafe review.

Abode Business: Final verdict

Abode Business offers DIY business security at a reasonable rate. It stands out for innovations in cameras and sensors. The app is easy to use and has some good business features, although more granular employee user support would be welcome. The large number of integrations makes automation easy.

Overall, it’s a cost-effective business security solution with impressive hardware, well-suited to smaller businesses.

If you're looking for a security system for your business, then take a look at our guide to the best business security systems.