Armed Response vs Monitored Alarm: What's the Difference?
Updated 2026-07-11
"Armed response" and "monitored alarm" get used interchangeably, but they are different things — and the difference matters when a sensor triggers at 02:00.
The three tiers
- Self-monitored alarm. The siren sounds and your phone gets a notification. Nobody else knows. Cheapest to run, but useless if you're asleep, away or your phone is on silent.
- Monitored alarm. The alarm signal goes to a 24-hour control room. Operators phone you, and if they can't reach you or you give a duress code, they escalate. Monitoring without a response arm still relies on someone else to actually come.
- Armed response. A monitored alarm plus a contracted reaction team. When the control room can't stand the signal down, a vehicle with a trained, PSIRA-registered officer is dispatched to your property.
How armed response actually works
- A sensor triggers and the panel signals the control room.
- An operator attempts to verify — phoning you, checking for a duress code.
- If unverified or confirmed, the nearest response vehicle is dispatched.
- The officer checks the perimeter and, if needed, calls SAPS and medical services.
The number that matters is response time — the minutes from trigger to a vehicle at your gate. Ask providers for their average in your suburb, not a national figure, and ask how many vehicles cover your area at night.
What it costs
| Service | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Self-monitored alarm | Once-off install only (R3,000 – R12,000) |
| Monitored alarm | Above + roughly R200 – R450 per month |
| Armed response | Roughly R400 – R900 per month |
Prices are indicative — confirm with the provider. Many companies bundle the alarm install, monitoring and response into one monthly figure.
Choosing between them
- Live alone or travel often? Monitoring is the minimum; self-monitored is a false economy.
- In a higher-risk suburb? Armed response buys the one thing cameras and sirens can't — a person on their way.
- In an estate with its own guards? You may already have a response layer; check before you double up.
Questions to ask before you sign
- What is your average response time in my suburb, and how many vehicles patrol it after hours?
- Is your company — and are your officers — PSIRA registered?
- Is monitoring month-to-month or a fixed-term contract, and what's the cancellation notice?
- What happens on a confirmed break-in — do you liaise with SAPS and next of kin?
Compare armed response companies near you and read our full home-security guide to see where response fits alongside the other layers.