Cox Homelife Review: A Basic Option for Bundling

Cox Homelife is a great option for existing Cox customers looking to bundle home automation and home security into their existing package. Cox’s rates are not bad compared to other security packages offered by other cable providers, and bundling can help you save big.

Even so, Cox covers only the basics. Its starter package lets you control your home automation devices, but it doesn’t provide any real security. Cox offers 24/7 professional monitoring only with its more expensive security plan. Plus, Cox is only available in limited states across the country.

Much like its cable service provider competitors, Cox Homelife’s customer service also leaves much to be desired. Many customers complain about glitchy equipment, runarounds with customer service representatives, and hidden fees.

Cox pros and cons

Cox Homelife plans

Price

Cox Homelife offers two home security packages, Smart Home Automation and Smart Home Automation + Monitored Security. Both require a two-year contract—so be sure you want Cox Homelife before you buy.

Smart Home Automation

The cheaper package, Smart Home Automation, focuses on just that—home automation. As part of a bundle for existing Cox customers, the Smart Home Automation package costs $19.99 a month. Otherwise, the cost is $29.99 a month.

Either way, you’ll pay a $25 installation fee and receive a few pieces of starter equipment: a door/window sensor, a smart LED light bulb, an HD camera, and a hub device.

It’s great that Cox gives you the option to self-monitor, but some companies like SimpliSafe and Abode give you those same options for a lower cost.

Smart Home Automation + Monitored Security

Cox’s second-tier package, Smart Home Automation + Monitored Security, will do more to help you actually secure your home. At $54.99 a month (or $44.99 a month with an existing Cox subscription), it includes all the equipment from the Smart Home Automation package plus an additional door/window sensor and a motion sensor.

This more comprehensive package also offers all-day professional monitoring. Unfortunately, there are a few added fees attached: bundle or not, you’ll pay $50 for installation and another $49.99 for activation.

The Smart Home Automation + Monitored Security package also requires a touchscreen control panel, which will cost you an additional $4.99 a month to rent from Cox.

Package customization

Features and equipment

Homelife offers pretty standard home automation and home security equipment. We like the idea of Cox’s Homelife Equipment Service Plan, which covers the cost of your system or device if it fails. But it’s just another extra fee—that additional plan will cost you another $4.99 a month.

Customer service

The reviews for Homelife’s customer service aren’t great. Most customers complain about the lack of customer service, slower response time to alarms, and equipment that works poorly or not at all.

Getting in touch with customer service is pretty easy, with both live chat and a phone number available on the site. But there is no easily findable information on the website about hours of availability. The site is also missing prices for add-ons, and some of the information about products differs from webpage to webpage.

Contracts and cancellation policies

The Homelife security system requires a two-year contract and a steep cancellation policy. Once your equipment is installed, you have three days to return or cancel your subscription. After that, you’ll be charged a $240 early termination fee.

Our recommendation

Although Cox offers competitive pricing for a cable company, we don’t recommend Homelife unless you’re bundling home security into your existing Cox subscription and it makes paying your bills easier. Add-on fees and shaky customer service make us more confident in a standalone home security system, like SimpliSafe, that is more comprehensive and offers more flexibility.

How does Cox Homelife compare to other home security systems? Tell us in the comments!