Abode Reviews 2,902

I’ve been having lots of problems with the Abode hub connecting and maintaining a connection to the Apple HomeKit gateway.

I like the idea that you can monitor yourself instead of a subsription

Cameras and recordings are not good:

-Cameras video quality is not the best, but at their cost that was not completely unexpected.
- There is no smart recording setting for vehicles; car, trucks, motorcycles, bicycles, etc. It misses all that unless set to capture all motion.
-The big problem; the cameras only record for the first 30 seconds, then must shutdown for 30 seconds before being able to record again.

If a security camera can only work, at most, half of the time is it really a security camera?

For me the answer is a hard no.

Recent example of the issue:

Set to “capture all motion” it recorded me walking towards my car and the camera shut off, per design. While the camera was off in its “cool down period” I got in the car and drove off. It didn’t record any of that.

Say a smash and grab occurs in the same duration, the camera wouldn’t record any of the crime per the design.
Depending on the camera angle, which window was broken, and tint of the glass you might not even be able to determine when it occurred.

I regret purchasing Abode

The rest of the system seems fine enough so far, but it took me a while to figure out the holes in the recordings was not spotty internet or wireless connections and instead just the poor camera/software design, so other shortcomings may take some time to reveal themselves.

Your cameras and sensors are pretty good. I wish I could select only one or two to receive notifications on, like my front door camera for example. However, your doorbell camera is terrible. It doesn’t pick up anything at all and the battery only lasts 12-14 hours. How is that useful?!?

The product itself is okay and easy to connect except a number of the items connected keep disconnecting and reconnecting all the time which sends an alert. Some days my phone is filled with alerts. One of my major issues is it says it is compatible with Z-Wave but for the most part it isn't. Every Z-Wave device I have isn't compatible which means I have to replace them. They compatible options they suggest are from what I can tell, older products and out of stock. The newer products are not on their list of compatibility so it's going to be a gamble to determine whether or not it will work. When I did call in to get assistance, they didn't seem that interested in helping me making it sound like it was more my problem than theirs so the customer service is crap.

Abode has been a solid choice. The order, shipping and delivery process all went smoothly. I upgraded from Frontpoint Security after 10 years - it's definitely a major boost in functionality and integrates nicely into Apple HomeKit.

Really liked the inconspicuous sensors available with Abode. The app interface was really well done as well.

Doorbell cam stopped working almost immediately. Otherwise things are going ok.

Horrible camera. Horrible customer service. I’m a helpless victim due to bad service.

Easy to install and maintain at a very good price with no obligations. Very flexible system and easy to add devices.

This is our second Abode home DIY security system. We liked the system so much, we purchased another system after we moved. It was very easy to install, (after contacting customer support to update the firmware), including door sensors, slim door sensors, gateway hub, acoustic glass breakage detector, and secondary alarm siren. All devices are compatible with Apple HomeKit. The only recommendation I would like to make is to make the Abode smart light bulbs to be compatible with Apple HomeKit. Also, it would be nice to have the feature allowing the user to bypass a single device, which would allow a window with a sensor to be left open while the remainder of the system were armed. It would be nice if Abode included an exterior yard sign with the purchase of a complete system. We thought the price of adding a yard sign was too much, so we only got window stickers. One would think Abode would like to advertise and not charge extra for a yard sign with the purchase of a complete home security system.

DO NOT BUY!!!! I have been calling for months about a broken door bell. I keep getting the run around and I have to follow the same steps to diagnose a problem each time. I am not trying to get something for free. I’d gladly send my door bell back. I just want a working product!!! We had the door bell for not even three months before it stopped working. Don’t expect to get any help from this company. They are AWFUL!!

They continue to try to help and follow up

The installation was simple. My only issue was the keyboard. It simply will not work by using its sensors during exit/entry delays. It requires a sensor on the door. Abode agreed with this. I think the keyboard should come with a sensor to minimize questions. Technical support is good even though offshore. Your instructions for getting the permits was helpful. I followed your instructions and received a rebate from my insurance for $200. I hope the batteries last as long as advertised. One complaint: replacing a battery on a window sensor requires a lot of finesse. It’s not as easy as the instructions say. Happy so far.

Other than a minor hiccup registering the Iota (corrected by tech support), everything else went well on installation. I'm getting notifications, both on the chime and on my phone (most of them at least). I haven't been able to test some of the devices yet like the smoke, motion or glass break detection.

We ordered 2 outdoor cameras via their promo sale to go with our current Abode security system. Spent hours & days with 2 different techs & still not able to connect with our internet & the system. We sent it back after consulting with them & we were only reimbursed $55.32 for our $79.06 purchase. They said it was the shipping costs both ways but it was more than the shipping according to our calculation. This big promo “sale” ended up being a disappointing rip off!

trying to solve a problem using text or email across the country is very cumbersome.