The report finds that the North American market for home and small business security systems is almost twice the size of the European market. There were an estimated 37.2 million active monitored alarm systems in the US and Canada at the end of 2024. The overall penetration rate among the around 156 million households and small business premises in North America was 23.9 percent. Growing at a CAGR of 3.5 percent, the number of monitored alarms in North America is estimated to reach 44.1 million in 2029.

Significant potential in Europe

On the other hand, in the EU27+3, there were about 19.6 million active monitored alarm systems at the end of 2024. This corresponds to an overall penetration rate of 7.9 percent among the around 250 million households and small businesses in Europe. The market data thus indicate a significant growth potential for alarm systems in Europe, especially in the residential segment where the current penetration is only 6.5 percent.

However, growth in the European market is forecasted to vary considerably from country to country in the next few years. Countries with an already established home security industry and with relatively high penetration rates, including countries such as Spain, France and Sweden, are anticipated to continue to grow faster than the European average.

Other markets in Europe will show less growth due to high market fragmentation and fewer specialist alarm service companies that actively market solutions. The number of monitored home and small business alarms in Europe is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 4.6 percent, to reach 24.5 million alarm systems in 2029. In both Europe and North America, interactive security services and smart home products are key growth drivers in the home security market.

Key market players

The traditional home and small business security systems market in Europe and North America is served by specialist home security companies such as ADT, Verisure, Brinks Home (Monitronics) and Sector Alarm; large security service companies such as Prosegur, Securitas and G4S (Allied Universal); telecommunications and cable television companies such as Comcast, Telus, Telefónica and Rogers; as well as banking groups and insurance companies such as Crédit Mutuel, Crédit Agricole and Groupe IMA. Providers of DIY home security systems include Simplisafe, Frontpoint, Ring (Amazon), Yale (Assa Abloy), Arlo Technologies, Ooma, Abode Systems (Nice Group), Somfy, Netatmo (Legrand), Signify, Abus, Bosch, ERA Home Security (Quanex Building Products) and Wyze Labs.

ADT is the leading provider of professionally monitored alarm systems in North America with 6.4 million home and small business customers at the end of 2024. In North America, ADT is followed by Vivint, Simplisafe, Comcast, Telus and Brinks Home (Monitronics), all with between 0.8 million and 2.2 million monitored alarm system customers each at the end of 2024. In the US and Canada, only a few market players offer services nationwide and there are many small home security providers with strong local presence.

In Europe, Verisure is the clear market leader with over 5.6 million home and small business customers at the end of 2024. The company is active in 13 European countries and five countries in South America. Verisure has a particularly strong position in Spain, France and the Nordic countries. Other leading players in Europe are Prosegur, EPS (Crédit Mutuel) and Sector Alarm.