In short
A no-fee alarm is self-monitored: it alerts your phone and you decide how to act. A fee-based alarm is connected to an alarm receiving centre (ARC) run by a licensed security company, which verifies alerts and, where appropriate, notifies the authorities. The choice depends on risk and on who can respond.
Comparison
| Aspect | No fee (self-monitored) | With fee (ARC) |
|---|---|---|
| Who gets the alert | You and the people you choose. | Centre operators, as well as you. |
| Verification | You do it, with photos or cameras. | The centre does it with the contracted means. |
| Notifying the authorities | You decide and handle it. | Handled by the centre if the alarm is verified. |
| Running cost | No mandatory fee (there may be SIM or cloud costs). | Monthly connection service fee. |
| Provided by | The system installer. | A security company licensed for ARC connection. |
Which one suits whom
- No fee: nearby second homes, homes where someone can go and check, small businesses that prefer to handle alerts.
- With ARC: isolated homes, businesses with valuable stock, or when nobody can respond quickly.
What does not change
Either way, installation quality is what makes an alarm useful: well-chosen and well-placed detectors, redundant communications (for example network and SIM), backup battery and few false alarms.
Many professional systems, such as Ajax, can run self-monitored and be connected to a monitoring centre later if needs change.