Yale home security system review

Yale offer 10 packages increasing in size for the perfect security solution to suit any home (image credit: Yale)

Yale has been protecting homes since 1840 and since then they have evolved to provide home alarms and connected smart locks for homes and businesses. Today, Yale exists in over 120 markets and continues to innovate, using the latest technology to create excellent home security products. 

The company’s alarms range includes a large variety of models ideal for different residential and commercial uses.

If you want a fully customisable, smart home security system, Yale is a sound option. Yale’s smart home security system doesn’t want any subscription or rolling contract, which is ideal for keeping costs down if you’re fine with it being fully self-monitored.

Start by choosing one of the current ten smart alarm kits available, according to your home security needs and budget. From there you can add up to 40 accessories such as additional security cameras, pet-friendly motion sensors and key fobs, to create a package that works for you. Every system comes with the smart hub which needs to be plugged into power power and connected to wifi via an ethernet cable. The rest of the system is wireless and fully controllable through the Yale Home app (only supported on Android 11 or above and iOS 13 onwards).

Rating: ★★1/2

Overall, Yale’s home security cameras are an excellent choice for homes and businesses looking to improve security. One of the main advantages is that you don’t need to pay for a subscription; there is no monthly fee. All you need is the cameras themselves and the app. 

In our view, Yale’s best home security system option, if you need to pick one product, is the All-in-One Outdoor camera, which is ideal for your front door. This camera comes with a siren and adjustable lights, making it an excellent choice for a standalone security system. Yale’s wifi cameras are also good because of their video quality and easy connectivity. 

Yale’s packages can be customised with add-on motion detectors and indoor cameras (image credit: Yale)

Yale offers an excellent range of home security products, including sync and intruder alarms, smart and keyless locks, safes, and full HD security cameras with deterrent sirens and lights. One of the most significant advantages of Yale security systems is that you don’t require a subscription; homeowners just need to pay for the alarms and cameras (available in packages or add-ons) and a microSD card. The products are also easy to install following instructions from the app, but the more advanced models require some drilling – so you can hire Yale’s installation services, if needed, for a fee.

• Installation type: DIY and professional
• Price range: Packages start at £190 for the wireless app enabled alarm kit, to £550 for the 14-piece kit and build-your-own kits start at £220 with the obligatory smart home hub five-piece kit
• Number of packages: 10 
• Monitoring: Self-monitoring

• Highlights: Yale cameras record clear high-quality colour video (1080p) and can store it on microSD cards. They also have night vision, a circular PIR (passive infrared) detector, a microphone, and are waterproof. The light is 160 lumens and, when triggered, lights bright white.
• Service: Yale’s packages are flexible and can include add-ons or an entirely custom-built system.
• Warranty: Two years standard and three extended. 
• Key benefit: Fully customisable and controllable via the app. The system can also be paired with Google Home or Alexa. It also works with Philips Hue lighting.

A Yale home security system works best for homeowners who are happy to self-monitor events and are looking for a flexible package with a good reputation. The benefits include: 

• Deterrent function: Yale is a unique home-security system because it doesn’t just monitor your property. It can also prevent burglars from breaking in by using a combination of loud sirens and powerful lights. This makes the system much more than a set of cameras recording motion. At 105db it’s enough to act as a deterrent, ideal with a self-monitoring system. 
• Highly customisable system: If the home security system detects any motion, you will get notifications directly on your smartphone. Two-way voice communication is enabled, as is the ability to instruct your cameras to activate at certain hours or be off on certain days. Homeowners can also receive notifications whenever they detect movement and set the sensitivity so they don’t pick up passing cars or people. One person is the master user, but they can add up to ten other accounts.
• Recordings: You can review motion-triggered recordings of your property, no matter where you are, using the Yale app. The footage captured by the cameras is shown in a horizontal timeline that is easy to navigate. 
• Good-quality cameras and locks: Yale provides an impressive number of home security products in different combinations. For example, small essential kits with a wifi camera or a 14-piece kit with many that cost less than buying the various products separately. 
• Part-arm alarms: The partial alarm means that the upstairs system can be turned off at night but enable the motion sensors and alarms downstairs.

With every home security system, however, there are some disadvantages to take into consideration: 

• No professional monitoring: This is something to consider when comparing other systems, as some companies will automatically call the police or emergency services from their own security centre after checking footage when an alarm goes off. This is also a helpful option if you go on holiday and don’t want to be monitoring the app. 
• Not pet-friendly: A special sensor is required if you have pets, otherwise the system will be triggered when they move about the house. The extra sensor starts at £25.00 and will mean that pets under 25 kilos will be able to roam freely. 
• Installation requires drilling: To install a Yale All-in-One camera, you will need to mount the bracket on the wall using a drill. Yale offers installation services for an additional fee.  
• Cameras need a mains supply: If your front door doesn’t have access to a mains supply, you might not be able to install a camera. There is a three-metre USB cable provided that needs to be plugged in for the camera to work. 
• High price: Yale cameras tend to be relatively expensive because they have several models with the deterrent system of sirens and lights. 

Yale’s home security system can be partially disabled on command (image credit: Yale)

Yale’s main central home security systems consist of waterproof and fully connected security cameras that can detect motion and, in some cases, deter burglars from approaching your property (these include CCTV, wifi enabled cameras, and standalone models). There are also burglar alarms, single sirens, and intruder alarms available as add-ons. 

Many of the kits themselves are marked up as award-winning and complete with high-quality specs that you would expect. Motion detectors work with a 200m range, indoor pan and tilt and outdoor cameras give 1080p (colour) video quality live streaming to your phone — with 10m night vision — allowing you to have 2-way real-time conversations also. The sirens run at 104db (loud and high pitched) for helpful deterring and you can quickly enable and disable the alarm from your phone, using a fob or directly on the home hub. 

A Micro SD card (up to 256GB and not included) can be used with cameras to record footage, which is also end-to-end encrypted. 

For outdoor surveillance, one of Yale’s most popular security camera models is the Yale Front Door WiFi Camera and Siren, which records colour Full HD video every time it detects motion. The camera also has image masking (you can choose certain areas to be ignored), 20 meter night vision, four channels, end-to-end encryption, and intelligent detection.

Should an alarm go off, you will receive a notification through Yale’s Smart Living Home app and, if you have an indoor or outdoor camera setup, you will be able to see the live footage and act accordingly. If you don’t have camera access, the siren will still act as a deterrent and again, it’s up to you how you respond. You will be able to disable the alarm from your phone remotely via the app and, if you’re inside your property, using a fob (if you’ve bought one) on your hub or manually entering the code.

There is a backup battery in the hub in case there is a power cut and, if your wifi goes down, the system will still function but you won’t get a notification on the app. 

All Yale cameras are connected to a smartphone app that can access the FullHD recordings (which are stored in the microSD card) and send you notifications every time they detect movement on your property. The app is highly customisable. For example, if you live on a busy street, you can reduce the camera’s sensitivity, so it’s not activated by cars or pedestrians passing in front of your house. You can also choose the hours or days in which your cameras will be armed or switched on. An intelligent search feature within the app allows you to pinpoint activity in your recorded timeline, making it very easy to find specific events. 

Installing most Yale cameras is fairly easy. You will first need the app to pair the hardware and the software. To install the app, all you have to do is scan the QR code provided (there are also instructions on the box, but they are not as thorough). After setting up the app, you can then decide the placement of the camera. Because it screws onto a base, the camera is able to offer plenty of adjustments thanks to a bevel arm. One disadvantage of the Yale All-in-One Indoor/Outdoor camera add-on is that there is no battery option and you will need to use a built-in three-metre USB cable to keep it running. The Yale smart lock systems are also an option to control entrance to your front door via a key tag.

A great selling point for Yale is how customisable and simple it is to set up yourself. The five-piece package is cheaper than some other popular offerings on the market, such as SimpliSafe’s five-piece alarm system, The Starter package, at £315.00 vs Yale’s £220. It’s also on par with Ring Alarm’s five-piece starter kit at £219.99. 

However, SimpliSafe’s starter package comes with a camera, which we would argue is key to make a self-monitoring home security system fully reliable. SimpliSafe also offers the option for a flexible professionally monitored service. The plans have no contracts so can be turned on when on holiday and turned off upon return.

Yale’s basic package is competitive when compared to other similar suppliers, but doesn’t include cameras, although these can be added from £89.99. There are no ongoing fees for running the Yale cameras, and there is also no option for professional monitoring services. 

Homeowners who don’t want to DIY install can also hire a Yale Installation Partner to set up CCTV (£65.00), alarms (£280.00), sirens (from £119.99) and smart locks (from £149.99). Once you’ve bought/confirmed your appointment, an engineer will contact you within 72 hours for an installation date. Note that there is a £50 fee should you cancel or want to amend your appointment date within 24 hours.

All of the components, aside from the outdoor camera, are wireless and battery operated. The batteries come included, and there is a good amount of information on Yale’s product support pages on when to change the batteries on various devices like the door and window sensors, and how to do it.

Yales systems can be integrated with Philips Hue lighting for extra deterrents (image credit: Yale)

“The All-in-One Outdoor Camera is a cracking little addition to any home security system, or a good little standalone tool to monitor activity. The installation takes 10 minutes with minimal fuss and the functionality of the hardware and all means that usage is a breeze.”

• The Honest Dad review

“Even if you live in a relatively safe area, the addition of a few extra features like the Yale All-in-One outdoor camera just makes your home that little bit less appealing to any would-be intruders so it is most definitely an investment worth making. The added option of speaking to visitors is great too and for me really makes this product.” 

• The Everyday Man review

“It’s not perfect, with a few odd design choices and a few little annoyances in the app, but overall it’s hard to quibble with what the Yale All-in-One Outdoor Camera gives you for this price. Alternatives from the likes of Nest and Netgear might offer more polish and more features, but they’ll also cost you a lot more too (…) This camera-alarm-spotlight device from Yale definitely holds its own amongst the best of them, and is among the best value as well.” 

• T3 review

“It was really easy to install, nothing needed but the camera, your smartphone and wifi. I am not great at technical challenges, but this was easy to set up even for me. Connected to wifi, downloaded the app and off you went. We mounted it to the wall outside. The quality is brilliant, the picture is very clear and you can talk to the person who is at your house.” 

• HW, via Safe.co.uk

“Arrived quickly, easy to install and working great so far. Very good picture quality.”

• Gary Foggon, via Trustpilot

“I had a problem with my alarm system telling me that I needed to change door contact batteries, having done this the app was still saying I needed to change batteries, and the amber light was still showing on the alarm box.

I submitted a form to customer services detailing the problem I had, and within 30 minutes I had a response from Cris detailing what I needed to do. I followed the instructions and the problem was resolved. Great service and very very quick response. Thank you very much, this is how customer service should be.”

• Mark Shannon, via Trustpilot

For a fantastic self-monitored home security system, Yale pretty much has it all. The lack of contracts for extra features is refreshing; everything you need for a secure system comes included in the initial cost.

The vast array of packages and devices also means that if you find later down the line that you wish to expand the system, it is an affordable and easy DIY process to add-on to an existing system.

Rating: ★★1/2

We considered several factors when reviewing the various Yale home security systems and its safes and cameras. We included five main criteria when comparing it to some of the best self-monitored home security systems and best wireless home security camera systems: design, durability, efficiency, performance, and guarantee options, and took into consideration professional and customer reviews that have set up and tried the products in Yale’s range. We also compared the Yale security cameras and safes with the best home security system UK in terms of both performance and price. The weight of the factors we analysed is as follows:

• The ratings provided by customers in online reviews for a total of 10 points;
• General affordability and pricing for a total of 10 points;
• The availability of equipment warranties for a total of 10 points;
• The quality of the equipment and software for a total of 10 points;
• The availability of smart home integrations for a total of 10 points;
• The availability of security cameras and their cost for a total of five points;
• The availability of motion sensors and their cost for a total of five points;
• The alert system used for a total of 10 points;
• The contract system for a total of five points;
• Whether installation is DIY or professional for a total of five points;
• The variation of equipment and packages for a total of 10 points; and
• Optional extras for one point each and a maximum of 10 points.