What "Renter Friendly" Actually Means
No drilling into walls or door frames. No running wire. No permanent modifications that violate your lease. Every sensor mounts with adhesive (3M Command strip style) and peels off cleanly when you move.
Both Ring Alarm and SimpliSafe meet this bar completely. The base station plugs into an outlet. Sensors peel and stick onto doors and windows. The keypad mounts with adhesive or sits on a table. You can have a full security system running in 30 minutes without owning a drill.
The Renter Starter Kit
Don't overbuy. Apartments have one or two entry points. Start with the minimum viable security: one contact sensor on the front door, one motion sensor covering the main living area, and the hub/keypad.
Ring Alarm 5-piece kit ($200) or SimpliSafe 5-piece Foundation ($200) both include exactly this. Add sensors later if you want more coverage. A second-floor apartment with one entry point doesn't need 12 sensors.
Doorbell Camera Without Wiring
Battery-powered doorbell cameras mount with adhesive or two small screws (which leave tiny holes you can fill with spackle when you move). Ring Battery Doorbell ($100) and Eufy Battery Doorbell ($80) both work without existing doorbell wiring.
If your apartment has a peephole, a peephole camera (Ring Peephole Cam, $130) replaces the existing peephole with zero modifications. It fits into the same hole, no drilling, and reverts to the original peephole when you leave.
When You Move
Peel all sensors off. Pull the adhesive strips slowly and cleanly (heat from a hair dryer helps if the adhesive is stubborn). Pack everything in a box. At the new place, apply fresh adhesive (included with most systems or cheap to buy separately) and re-mount.
The system remembers all your settings, sensor names, and routines. You just need to re-pair sensors that lost connection during the move, which the app walks you through.