Self-monitoring is a cost-saver in theory, but it’s pretty much impossible to do in reality. To truly keep your system monitored, you would always have to keep your phone on, nearby, and charged. You could never turn it on silent or ignore a push notification while doing something else. You might even feel skittish about napping or watching a movie because you might miss something. So generally, if you can afford it, we suggest going with professional 24/7 monitoring. Scout’s professional monitoring is one of the cheaper options out there for sure (though not the cheapest, which is probably Ring).