Brinks Frequently Asked Questions

We heard all of your Brinks Home Security questions, did the research, and rounded up the answers in our Brinks FAQ.

Brinks is a security company that lets you choose your security system online, or call their customer service line at +1-888-398-9877. They also make physical security devices like padlocks, door locks, and prepaid cards to keep your money safe. And they offer armored truck services. Here are some answers to the most common Brinks questions.

Yes, you have to sign a contract when purchasing a Brinks system.

For sure. It’s simple to install yourself, but Brinks also offers professional installation for free.

Packages range from $199 to $699, and monitoring plans range from $39 to $49.99.

Brinks reports it has more than 1 million customers throughout North America.¹

Nope, they are entirely different companies. You can see how they compare and differ in our ADT vs. Brinks guide.

Vivint and ADT are both big competitors. They are both professionally installed systems, much like Brinks. You can learn more by heading over to our best home security systems comparison.

Yes, and all of Protect America’s accounts were transferred to Brinks Home Security in mid-2020.

Sometimes. When your alarm system is triggered, a signal travels to the Brinks Alarm Response Center. The dispatcher will review the information, and if needed, they call the police, fire department, or EMT.

There are three ways to contact Brinks customer service:

• Text them at +1-469-513-8685
• Call them at +1-800-447-9239
• Chat online on the Brinks site

Brink’s Money is a prepaid card that you use, like a debit card. You can set it up for direct deposit for your paycheck or tax refund, or you can add funds manually. To sign up for a Brinks card, go to their sign-up page.

Brinks has around 30 devices that you can add to your system:

You should do a monthly test on your Brinks alarm to make sure it’s functioning correctly. You can run a test in a jiffy with just a few simple steps:

1. Go to your Brinks dashboard.
2. Hover over My System in the menu.
3. Click on System Test.
4. Click Start Test.
5. Enter your code word.
6. Choose Next.
7. Tick the checkbox and click Next.

You’re out of luck on this one. The cameras need a hub to work, and the hub needs monitoring to work.

Basically, if it has anything to do with a Brinks home security system, it needs a monitoring plan.

While most security cameras these days have battery packs or solar power, Brinks’ cameras need a connection to your home’s electrical supply.

It sure will. Your system has a 4G LTE cellular backup service that communicates with the Brinks monitoring center when there’s no Wi-Fi.

You may be in the dark, but your system isn’t. It has battery backup power that lasts for at least 24 hours during a power outage.

Brinks works with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant†, Apple’s Siri, and Z-Wave. This means you can connect your security system to a gaggle of smart home devices and even arm and disarm the system using voice commands.

100%. It’s available with all monitoring plans and can be downloaded from the Apple Store and Google Play.

Nope. Brinks can use a cellular connection or Wi-Fi.

According to Abode, you need upload speeds of at least 0.5 Mbps per video device. So if you have two cameras, you need an upload speed of at least 1 Mbps—and that's on top of requirements for any other devices connected to your home network.

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Brinks contracts are for 36 months. Here’s what to know about Brinks’ contracts.

Yep, you can cancel your contract any time within the first 30 days, and the 30-day countdown starts the day you place your order.

You’ll need to call Brinks customer service line at +1-800-447-9239 to cancel.

Brinks will send you a cancelation document that outlines what will be on your final bill. You’ll need to sign the document electronically.

Then, Brinks will send you your final bill and cancel your service within 30 days of the date you signed the cancellation document. You can learn more about canceling Brinks in our guide.

You will need to pay 100% of the remaining balance.

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1. Brinks Home, “About Us.” Accessed December 13, 2021.