The subscription alarm trick: the real cost nobody tells you about
When a subscription-based alarm company (like Securitas Direct or similar) offers you "free installation", the real cost is hidden in the monthly fees: typically around €45–55 per month depending on the promotion and your area, usually with a 12–24 month lock-in contract. The hardware is normally on loan — if you cancel, the equipment goes back to the company. Over three years, monthly fees alone can add up to more than €1,600, and you still own nothing.
Ajax works the other way round. You pay for the equipment once — it is yours to keep — there is no lock-in contract and no mandatory monthly fee. If you want 24-hour professional monitoring with an alarm receiving centre (ARC), you can add that, but it is your choice and typically costs €15–20/month, not €50.
What is Ajax Systems?
Ajax Systems is a company founded in Ukraine in 2011 that manufactures professional-grade wireless alarm systems. In less than a decade it has become a benchmark in Europe: its products comply with the European standard EN 50131 Grade 2 — the level required for residential and small-business installations — and its FIBRA wired range has already achieved Grade 3 certification, the level required for banks, jewellers, and high-security premises.
The fundamental difference from mass-market brands is technology. Ajax uses its own proprietary radio protocol called Jeweller, with bank-grade encryption (AES-128), a range of up to 2,000 metres in open field, and ultra-low power consumption that extends sensor battery life to up to 7 years.
How it works: hub + wireless sensors
The system is built around a central hub to which all devices connect wirelessly. There is no cabling between sensors; only the hub itself needs a power connection.
The Hub: the brain of the system
The most common model for homes and small businesses is the Hub 2 Plus, with four simultaneous communication channels: Ethernet, Wi-Fi, and two 4G SIM card slots. If your internet goes down, the hub switches to 4G automatically. If the power is cut, the internal battery keeps the system running for up to 16 hours. Tampering does not work either: any attempt to open, move, or disable the casing triggers an immediate alert.
The Hub supports up to 100 connected devices and multiple users with different permission levels, making it suitable for a 60 m² flat and an industrial unit alike.
Motion detectors
- MotionProtect: standard PIR detector for indoor use, 12 m range, 88° angle. A pet-immune filter is available on the Plus model (up to 50 kg).
- MotionCam: same as MotionProtect but with a built-in camera. When the alarm triggers, it captures a burst of photos delivered instantly to your phone — you can see within seconds whether it is a real intrusion or a false alarm before calling the police.
Door, window and glass sensors
- DoorProtect: magnetic sensor for doors and windows. Detects opening in 0.15 seconds and also senses vibration (impact on the frame or an attempt to saw through it). Battery life up to 7 years.
- GlassProtect: detects glass breakage by sound and vibration simultaneously from a single point, covering the whole room. False alarms from similar sounds (bottles, knocks) are filtered out.
Siren, keypad and remote
- StreetSiren DoubleDeck: outdoor siren at 113 dB with green strobe light, tamper-proof casing, and backup battery. Audible hundreds of metres away; the green colour makes it visually identifiable as Ajax.
- KeyPad Plus: keypad with card reader and key fobs to arm and disarm without picking up your phone. Handy for entrance areas or for people who do not use a smartphone.
- SpaceControl: four-button key fob (full arm, partial arm, disarm, SOS). Fits on a keyring.
Panic button and additional detectors
- Button: wireless panic button that sends a silent alert to users and/or the ARC. Useful in businesses with a till, for elderly people living alone, or in any situation requiring a discreet emergency signal.
- LeaksProtect: flood detector for bathrooms, kitchens, or utility rooms. Battery-free: runs on induction.
- FireProtect: smoke and temperature detector for fire protection, fully integrated into the same system.
Connectivity: why Ajax has no single point of failure
One of the most common concerns about wireless alarms is: "what if my Wi-Fi or power gets cut?" With Ajax that question has a concrete answer:
- Internet outage: the Hub switches automatically from Ethernet to 4G without interruption.
- Power cut: the internal battery keeps the system active for up to 16 hours.
- Radio interference: the Jeweller protocol detects jamming attempts and generates a specific alert.
- Physical tampering: any unauthorised opening of the Hub or sensors triggers an immediate alert.
For larger installations or premises with structural obstacles, the ReX signal repeater extends coverage without the need to run any cables.
The Ajax app: full control from your phone
The official app (iOS and Android, free) is the complete control panel for your system. From it you can:
- Arm and disarm by zone: for example, activate only the ground floor at night while you sleep upstairs.
- See the real-time status of every sensor: remaining battery, signal level, ambient temperature.
- Receive instant push notifications, SMS, or a phone call for any event.
- Review the event history: who armed the system, who disarmed it, and when.
- Add users with different permissions: a tenant who can only arm and disarm, an employee with access to certain zones.
- View MotionCam photos instantly when an alert is triggered.
Is there a monthly fee or not? The honest answer
The short answer: Ajax has no mandatory monthly fee to operate. The app receives alerts directly. However, if you want 24-hour professional monitoring — where an alarm receiving centre calls the police or dispatches a guard if you do not respond — that does have a cost: it is provided by a certified ARC, independent of Ajax, typically at €15–20/month. It is an optional add-on you choose if you need it, not a condition imposed by the manufacturer.
That said, many Ajax users in private homes do not sign up for ARC monitoring: direct push notifications on their phone and an outdoor siren are sufficient deterrence. For businesses, or when you want the maximum legal record of any incident (an official alert logged with the police), an ARC adds a meaningful extra layer of protection.
Ajax compared with subscription alarm providers
| Aspect | Ajax (independent installer) | Securitas Direct / Prosegur |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | None (ARC optional, approx. €15–20/month) | Mandatory, approx. €46–55/month |
| Lock-in contract | No lock-in | Typically 12–24 months |
| Do you own the hardware? | Yes, from day one | No, on loan or lease |
| App control | Full (real-time status, photos, zones) | Limited depending on contract |
| Installer | Free choice (any certified company) | Tied to the provider's own installers |
| Total cost over 3 years | One-off payment (hardware + installation), approx. | Over €1,600 in monthly fees alone |
Fee figures are approximate for 2026 in Spain and vary by area, promotion, and type of installation. Either way, the structural difference does not change: with Ajax the cost is a one-off and the hardware is yours.
Security grade: does it comply with Spanish regulations?
In Spain, the Private Security Act and its regulations require that systems connected to an ARC comply with the European standard EN 50131. The Ajax wireless range is certified at Grade 2, the level required for standard homes and businesses. The wired FIBRA range has already achieved Grade 3 for high-security installations.
This means that if you connect an Ajax installation to an ARC, the connection is fully legal, certified, and recognised by the security forces.
Why we at Dartel choose Ajax for our clients
We have been installing security systems in Málaga and the Costa del Sol for more than 15 years. Over that time we have worked with brands across every price range. We choose Ajax for concrete reasons, not for marketing:
- Fewer false alarms. Jeweller technology with dual verification dramatically reduces spurious alerts. With our installations, clients call us far less to ask "what happened?" when nothing actually has.
- The client controls their own system. The app is clear and clients always know what is happening. They do not need to call us to check whether their alarm is active.
- Resilient to power cuts and tampering. In holiday home areas — common on the Costa del Sol — a system that keeps working through power and internet outages makes a real difference.
- Hardware built to last. Sensor batteries last up to 7 years. Fewer maintenance visits, lower ongoing cost for the client.
- Flexible. It can be installed as a standalone alarm for those who want basic protection, or connected to an ARC for those who want professional monitoring. The same hardware covers both scenarios.
We are Ajax distributors and installers in Málaga. That means we handle both the supply of the equipment and the installation in a single step, with a guarantee covering both the hardware and the work carried out.
Do I need a professional installer for an Ajax system?
For a private home that will not be connected to an ARC, Spanish law does not require a certified installer. However, the correct placement of sensors (height, angles, blind spots, radio coverage) makes all the difference between a system that works and one that fails at the critical moment. A poorly positioned motion detector can leave half the room unprotected.
If you want to connect your alarm to an ARC (alarm receiving centre) so it can alert the police, that service must be managed by a private security company certified by the Directorate General of Police. At Dartel we install and configure your Ajax equipment and advise you on this option if you need it. See our security service.
Ajax alarm quote for your home or business on the Costa del Sol
We work out the exact equipment list based on your floor plan and layout. No hidden monthly fee, no lock-in contract. Professional installation with guarantee across the Costa del Sol.