Deep Sentinel offers security systems for home and business. All of Deep Sentinel’s security systems use outdoor cameras linked to a smart hub. When the cameras detect movement, the AI in the smart hub processes the video and decides whether there’s a potential security threat. Upon determining a credible threat, the camera’s feed is relayed to Deep Sentinel’s monitoring center, where real guards watch over the video feeds 24/7.
In our Deep Sentinel evaluation, we compare the service against other home security systems to determine whether it warrants its high price tag.
Deep Sentinel: Plans and pricing
While Deep Sentinel splits its solutions into residential and business categories for marketing purposes, the kits are identical in pricing and features. Financing is available for qualified buyers, but you’ll need to do a consultation over the phone to see if you qualify.
The cheapest kit with a single camera costs $399 for the equipment alone. This includes a smart hub, a wireless camera, and a yard sign. A similar three-camera kit costs $699, and a six-camera kit costs $1,149.
Monitoring fees start at $60/month for a single camera. Each extra camera adds $20 to the monthly fee, so you’ll pay $160/month for the monitoring of a six-camera setup. This makes Deep Sentinel significantly more expensive than most home security systems.
Deep Sentinel: How it works
The installation of a Deep Sentinel security system is quite straightforward. You download the app to your phone, create an account, and by following the on-screen instructions, connect the smart hub to your wireless network. Installing the camera is simple too. Once you’ve mounted it, you’re prompted to pair the camera to the hub, then you perform a live video and audio test with a Deep Sentinel agent to make sure everything is working as expected.
The more cameras you install, the faster your internet upload speed needs to be. Each camera requires 1.5 Mbps, so a six-camera setup requires a 9-Mbps upload speed.
Once everything is set up, every time there’s a potential security issue, you will get a notification on your phone and remote agents will check the camera. If it’s just a mailman, a delivery, or a false alarm, the remote agents will not intervene. But if there’s unusual activity, they’ll talk to the unexpected visitor through the two-way speaker before flagging the situation to law enforcement if required.
Deep Sentinel comes with a 30-day full-refund policy. Once you’ve signed up for Deep Sentinel, you’re locked into an annual service contract.
Deep Sentinel: Features and services
Deep Sentinel’s cameras are excellent. They record in high-definition 1080p and include a speaker and microphone for clear two-way communication with Deep Sentinel’s live agents. Upon detecting movement, the camera lights up with an intimidating red glow. There’s a 104-dB siren built in to deter criminals. The rechargeable batteries last for up to nine months, and you even have the option to purchase a solar charging kit from Deep Sentinel.
You can go back and review all motion events through the Deep Sentinel app. Both daytime and nighttime video quality are excellent, and in the recorded video, you can clearly hear all the discussions that visitors had with the remote agents. The AI of the smart hub also impressed us, as it rarely threw up false positives from stray animals or passing cars.
Deep Sentinel: Support and customer care
Deep Sentinel has a community support forum, though it’s all but dead, with fewer than 10 posts in the past year. There’s a knowledge base that’s not particularly user friendly, but it does include a bunch of useful installation guides and videos from Deep Sentinel staff. For example, there’s a 15-minute DIY installation video from the CEO that takes you through all the steps to install your home system and one that details the best places to mount your cameras.
If you have further queries, you can contact Deep Sentinel agents over the phone. In our testing, we found the agents to be courteous and helpful.
The competition
Deep Sentinel is a relatively expensive DIY home security system, mainly because of the high quality of the cameras and the 24/7 live monitoring from real agents who monitor all movement on video feeds and will respond to visitors. SimpliSafe is a cheaper alternative (from $229 and $14.99/month) that works by using entry sensors, motion sensors, and glass break sensors. It offers indoor cameras too, but Deep Sentinel is a better choice for outdoor security monitoring.
Another competitively priced DIY home security system is Frontpoint. Like SimpliSafe, it can have 24/7 remote monitoring, but the system works through door sensors, windows sensors, and motion sensors. Kits start at $99 and remote monitoring costs $44.99/month. Frontpoint is a good choice if you want your home security system to integrate well with other smart home appliances.
Final verdict
If you require live 24/7 remote monitoring of your outdoor security cameras, Deep Sentinel is by far your best available option. In our testing, the system worked quite well. But Deep Sentinel’s high startup price and ongoing maintenance fees might give a potential buyer reason for pause.
That said, while other outdoor home security systems can be set up to alert you when motion is detected, only Deep Sentinel has trained security guards waiting to check every piece of video on your behalf.
Further reading
