Side by side

Arlo 2-Sensor Kit vs X-Sense AS05: Three sensing locations stay separate with X-Sense, while Arlo combines sensing jobs

Quick verdict

Multifunction sensors and a paid route to professional monitoring come with Arlo. AS05 begins with three separate sensing devices and a separate keypad, which keeps self-monitoring straightforward.

Before you buy

Why, and what it costs you

Eight covered locations do not follow from eight functions

Two Arlo sensors are still just two physical placements.

Where this comes from

Multiplying two sensor bodies by eight supported functions describes capabilities. It does not describe sixteen separately monitored rooms or openings.

The catch

Arlo Home Security System with 2 Sensors

Premium response features keep working only if you pay for an Arlo Secure plan.

The catch

X-Sense Smart Home Security System

Professional dispatch and cellular backup are both missing.

Arlo Home Security System with 2 Sensors

Arlo Home Security System with 2 Sensors

Why pick it
  • Your sensors should be able to handle environmental jobs as well as intrusion ones.
  • Adding Arlo professional monitoring and backup hardware may be in your future.
The catch
Premium response features keep working only if you pay for an Arlo Secure plan.
See price & reviews on Amazon
X-Sense Smart Home Security System

X-Sense Smart Home Security System

Why pick it
  • The first box should already cover two openings and a separate motion zone.
  • A separate keypad matters to you, and you want no professional-service setup.
The catch
Professional dispatch and cellular backup are both missing.
See price & reviews on Amazon

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Comparison updated , Product data updated , Amazon.com / United States

What this page compares

Sensor placement, environmental detection, keypad location and the hardware outage backup needs: Arlo SS1201 vs X-Sense AS05 on each count.

Which one fits

Pick the situations that sound like you

  • The supplied kit has to provide two contact locations and a separate motion location

    Two contacts and one separate motion sensor come with AS05. The Arlo package has two sensors, so it cannot cover three independently placed sensor locations without another sensor.

    Arlo Home Security System with 2 Sensors
    Not suitable
    X-Sense Smart Home Security System
    Better fit
  • Looking for environmental sensor roles

    Additional functions are supported by Arlo sensors.

    Arlo Home Security System with 2 Sensors
    Better fit
    X-Sense Smart Home Security System
    Caution
  • Looking for a keypad apart from the hub

    A separate keypad is included with AS05.

    Arlo Home Security System with 2 Sensors
    Caution
    X-Sense Smart Home Security System
    Better fit
  • Looking for optional staffed monitoring

    A paid service path is provided by Arlo.

    Arlo Home Security System with 2 Sensors
    Better fit
    X-Sense Smart Home Security System
    Caution

In practice

Differences you will notice

Eight covered locations do not follow from eight functions

Two Arlo sensors are still just two physical placements.

How we worked this out

Multiplying two sensor bodies by eight supported functions describes capabilities. It does not describe sixteen separately monitored rooms or openings.

One more independent sensing position comes with AS05

Three sensing devices come with it, compared with two.

How we worked this out

Add two contacts and one motion sensor to get three. Subtract two from three to get one.

Separate costs come with the keypad and backup choices

The Arlo base hub has the keypad built in, and the documented outage path needs an extra backup module.

How we worked this out

Weigh the integrated keypad against X-Sense’s separate keypad. Then keep Arlo’s optional cellular and battery accessory apart from what the kit includes.

Option A
Arlo Home Security System with 2 Sensors

Arlo, SS1201-100NAS

Home Security System with 2 Sensors

Two configurable sensors in Arlo’s compact package can detect opening, motion, water, light, temperature and alarm sounds.

Best for
Small homes where multi-purpose sensors are a plus

Facts we checked

  • Keypad Sensor Hub and two All-in-One Sensors are included
  • Eight detection functions are supported by each sensor
  • A trial of an Arlo Secure plan is included
Option B
X-Sense Smart Home Security System

X-Sense, AS05

Smart Home Security System

This five-piece alarm connects to an app and includes a keypad and a 100 dB base siren, with no professional monitoring plan required.

Best for
A small home you monitor yourself that wants a loud central alarm

Facts we checked

  • Base station, keypad, two entry sensors and motion sensor are included
  • A 100 dB alarm is in the base station
  • The system can support up to 50 connected devices

Spec by spec

Where they really differ

Where Arlo Home Security System with 2 Sensors and X-Sense Smart Home Security System differ
SpecArlo Home Security System with 2 SensorsX-Sense Smart Home Security SystemIn practice
Sensor bodiesTwo All-in-One SensorsTwo contacts and one motion sensorThree sensing devices that can be positioned independently come with AS05.
Sensor functionsEight supported functions per All-in-One SensorDedicated entry and motion devicesAdditional environmental roles can be configured on Arlo.
Keypad placementKeypad integrated in Sensor HubSeparate wireless keypadOn AS05, the place where you arm is apart from the base.
Professional serviceEligible paid Arlo monitoring after trialNo professional monitoringResponsibility for responding differs.
Backup expansionSeparate cellular and battery accessory with plan conditionsNo cellular backup pathArlo backup is not base-kit hardware but an additional purchase.

Trade-offs

What each pick costs you

With Arlo Home Security System with 2 Sensors

  • A separate accessory is needed for battery and cellular backup.

With X-Sense Smart Home Security System

  • The listed integrations do not include Apple Home or Google Home support.

Change of plan

When the answer changes

Two sensors do not cover the planned locations, though the Arlo approach fits

Neither model fits. The same keypad-hub platform comes with five All-in-One Sensors in SS1501.

Decision guide

How to decide

Arlo’s strength is multifunction sensors with a paid professional-monitoring path. The AS05 offers three separate sensing devices plus a separate keypad, a simple setup for self-monitoring.

01

For a doorway plus a spot prone to leaks

Each Arlo multifunction sensor can be given a different job, yet where you physically put it limits which jobs make sense together. A sensor placed to detect water cannot also be mounted high for the same motion view. Sketch the intended locations before you multiply out the advertised function count.

02

If you have two doors and a living area

The AS05 provides a plain hardware layout for those three sensing positions. The Arlo two-sensor package may need another sensor, depending on placement. What deserves comparison is the finished layout and not the number of functions printed on one sensor.

03

On backup and response

A separate cellular and battery backup accessory is available from Arlo, along with eligible paid monitoring. Having a keypad on the hub does not mean either item is included. AS05 stays a self-monitored option, so decide who will receive and act on alerts before you conclude that a subscription is unnecessary.

Check these before you buy

  • Start from your own doors, windows and motion zones, and only then look at what the packages contain.
  • Read the cancellation terms and plan features, and confirm you currently qualify for US monitoring, before you sign up.
  • When it is mounted, test each location, listen for the alarm and watch how it acts in an outage.

What this page can’t tell you

  • This page weighs kit contents and service paths as documented. Intrusion prevention, emergency response time and whole-home coverage are outside what it certifies.
  • Manufacturers’ siren ratings have not been checked by a matched room-acoustics test.

By the numbers

What the data shows

What we found across the home security systems we compare, plus the checked facts behind each finding.

How many fit

Only 3 of the 22 models checked meet every need here: “A setup compact enough for an apartment”, “Alerts in the app, no monitoring contract required”, “Professional alarm response as an option”, and “Daily arming from a physical keypad”.

3 models fit, out of 22 checked
Show the facts and the math
Models in the comparison
22 models
Sources
3 covering these models
Product data updated

How we countedThe count uses each product's current fit ratings for “A setup compact enough for an apartment”, “Alerts in the app, no monitoring contract required”, “Professional alarm response as an option”, and “Daily arming from a physical keypad”. A need with no documented match is not counted.

The facts and sources behind each product in this recommendation
ProductNeeds it meetsFacts we checkedSources
Arlo Home Security System with 2 Sensors
  • Apartment
  • Self monitoring
  • Pro monitoring
  • Keypad
  • Keypad Sensor Hub and two All-in-One Sensors are included
  • Eight detection functions are supported by each sensor
  • A trial of an Arlo Secure plan is included
X-Sense Smart Home Security System
  • Apartment
  • Self monitoring
  • Keypad
  • Base station, keypad, two entry sensors and motion sensor are included
  • A 100 dB alarm is in the base station
  • The system can support up to 50 connected devices

Ready to buy

See today’s price and what owners say

Open either model on Amazon for the current price, customer reviews and delivery options.

Arlo Home Security System with 2 Sensors

Arlo Home Security System with 2 Sensors

Your sensors should be able to handle environmental jobs as well as intrusion ones.

See price & reviews on Amazon

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