Compare Vivint vs. ADT Home Security Home Security Systems

There is no doubt that the home security and automation industry has grown throughout the years.

More and more people are looking for ways to make their homes safer, and with such a demand, companies have to do their best to stand out.

If you are unsure about which company is right for you, you need to assess two things as a customer: your home’s security needs, and the budget you have to meet them.

Once you have this information, you can confidently browse and get quotes from multiple companies to see which fits your needs best.

In the case of Vivint vs. ADT Monitoring, both are well-renowned companies in the home security business, providing similar services and devices, yet differing on aspects like pricing, contract length, and equipment manufacturing.

Vivint has been in service since 1999, offering their self-designed home security and automation devices to customers wanting high-quality security and connectivity for their homes.

Vivint’s devices are interconnectable, meaning that after customers choose a specific plan, they can customize their service by adding other devices they want.

Their pricing is on the high end, meaning customers have to care not to overstep on their budget when choosing a plan and adding extra devices.

On the other hand, ADT Monitoring has been in the security industry for more than140 years, offering families and businesses protection and automated devices backed by quality services.

ADT’s devices are installed by company technicians for a one-time fee, but the equipment is included at no additional cost.

ADT’s pricing is also on the high end, meaning customers will need a medium to high budget to accommodate their services.

Both companies are strong-but costly- options for customers looking for home security.

If you are considering ADT Monitoring vs. Vivint, we’ve done the research for you, so all you have to do is read on, weigh in and decide.

To help you on your informed decision, we look at the following crucial company elements: equipment, monitoring, reputation, contract and price, and technology integration.

In 2017, there were 7.7 million property crimes in the United States, and of those, 1.4 million were burglaries. 

To protect your home from these burglaries, it is important to pick the company that best suits your needs. 

Being two of the biggest home security companies in the United States, Vivint vs. ADT Monitoring offer similar home security products at average to high prices, but they differ in package structure, services, and on equipment development.

The equipment sold by both companies require professional installation, meaning that DIY is not an option, and that some drilling is required.

If you plan on moving, both companies have relocating policies for their devices, but they come at additional fees and costs.

Additionally, both companies can integrate smartphone devices you already own, and unlike ADT, Vivint’s devices are proprietary.

All of ADT’s services come with a wireless control panel, 3 wireless door/window sensors, 24/7 security monitoring, event-triggered alarms, and fire, flood and carbon monoxide detection, although additional charges may apply for the latter features.

Other features include the ADT Go Family Locator App, and customers with the Control package get remote access and the ADT Pulse app.

ADT’s Video package is their most comprehensive, adding a security camera with live video that customers can monitor through their smartphones.

All of ADT packages come with a 6-month money-back guarantee, but this is subjected to some restrictions.

Finally, there is no lifetime warranty for ADT equipment, although their devices come with a 90 day warranty, and you can pay a $7 monthly fee to extend it.

On the other hand, Vivint lets customers build their own packages, and their security system is centered on their SkyControl Panel, a touch-screen wireless device designed to swiftly integrate with any added home security or automation device you add.

All of Vivint’s packages come with 24/7 monitoring, the SkyControl Panel, Sky app, and a number of devices that depend on the buyer’s particular needs.

For an extra cost, you can add other Vivint devices to your plan, such as a doorbell camera, element thermostat, smart lock, ping camera, garage door control, and Google Home.

Vivint also has premium options available, including Outdoor camera and 24/7 continuous recording.

In terms of warranty, Vivint offers a 120 day warranty from the day they complete installation, and premium service members can extend it for $10 a month.

Vivint’s normal warranty length is longer than ADT’s, but their warranty extension is more expensive.

Sensors are of upmost importance when shopping for home security, since they detect if any suspicious or dangerous irregularities occur in your home or business.

It is important that a company provide diverse types of sensors that adapt to your residence or business, since this gives you the option to customize the company’s services to your needs.

Thankfully ADT and Vivint offer the same types of sensor devices, so no matter the company you choose, you needs will be covered.

These sensors include motion, door, recessed door, garage door and window sensors, as well as glass break, and crash/smash protection.

To guarantee that sensors are placed efficiently, both ADT and Vivint employ professional technicians that inspect your home and advice the best locations to place them, based on the particularities of your home or business.

ADT’s basic plan has 1 wireless motion detector, door and window sensor as standard, meaning that additional types of sensors come as add-ons.

For Vivint, depending on your personalized package, some will come as standard while others can be added for an additional price.

In terms of surveillance, Vivint vs. ADT Monitoring have the same type of camera options, including tilt and pan, indoor, outdoor, and doorbell cameras.

Some of these cameras can be added to your plan, while others, like Vivint’s outdoor camera, come as premium options.

Also, both companies offer carbon monoxide, flood, temperature change, and smoke sensors, and they also have panic button and medical alerts integrated on their system or sold as an optional, separate device. 

For example, Vivint and ADT’s system panels come with an integrated panic button, but you might not be able to reach it in time in the case of an emergency.

This is where Vivint’s panic alert pendant and ADT’s pendant system come into play, helping you get the help you need no matter the situation you find yourself in.

This service is particularly helpful to elderly, disabled, or ailing customers, so it is great to know that both companies offer it.

It’s important to know how quickly and efficiently a company handles threats or emergencies, since a slow response hinders the company’s promise of providing help when you need it most.

On average, response time takes from 5 seconds to one minute, although this varies depending on location and situation.

It is good to know a company’s average response time, since this gives you an idea of how fast they will assess your situation and dispatch emergency services.

For ADT, the response time of both companies average in 15 seconds or less, meaning their representative will assist you in little to no time.

This is due to the use of cellular networks for their devices, although ADT offers cellular as standard or as a backup network.

This response does not include the time police or medical services arrive on scene, which many factors can affect, averaging in around 7 minutes.

It is also important to know if a company owns its monitoring centers or if it outsources them, and the types of failsafes they have to secure your security.

While it is more common for smaller companies to employ other companies for their monitoring services, most large companies own their monitoring centers, focusing on their own devices and customers.

Being two of the largest home security providers in the United States, ADT and Vivint have their own monitoring centers, although ADT has the advantage in terms of quantity, with 6 monitoring centers, compared to Vivint’s 2 centers in Provo, Utah and Eagan, Minnesota.

This doesn’t mean ADT has better quality service, but it does give ADT an advantage in terms of failsafe and redundant monitoring.

Failsafe features and redundant monitoring are other important characteristics to look for when shopping for home security companies, since they makes sure you will get a response no matter the situation.

Failsafe features make sure your home security devices don’t lose power in the case of a blackout, and redundant monitoring assures that if your local monitoring center is unable to respond, another center will take your call in its place.

Both ADT and Vivint have backup battery for their security panels, meaning that losing electricity won’t hinder your ability to ask for help, and their monitoring centers have redundant protection, meaning that you will get a prompt response from their call centers no matter the situation.

When it comes to pricing, it is important to keep in mind whether a company’s services require a contract or if there are no-contract options, and the costs of their devices and any add-on equipment you choose.

Most companies require you to sign a contract, and this can be useful since companies either include equipment prices in this fee or they waive starting equipment prices entirely.

If you are a homeowner with no plans of moving or selling your house, a contract might be the best alternative for you.

However, companies usually require a three-year contract for their services, so if you are a customer who rents or has plans of moving, this option will be unfavorable.

ADT comes in three different packages: Basic, Basic Wireless, Pulse, and Pulse + video, and they all require 36 month contracts.

Monthly charges are average to expensive, ranging from $36.99 to $58.99, and they require a $99 installation fee.

This fee waives the prices of the devices in their packaged plans, which are valued at $850.

Vivint is more flexible, having a no-contract option when buying the equipment upfront (averaging at $549.99), and long-term contract option that charges equipment and monitoring for 42 or 60 months.

Vivint ’s monthly fees are also expensive, and its contract lengths are among the longest in the home security industry, so customers wanting shorter commitments will benefit from Vivint’s no-contract option or ADT’s industry-average contract length.

Vivint charges from $39.99 to $59.99 on installation fees, which is cheaper than ADT’s.

It’s important for home security companies to offer systems that allow third-party device integration, since it gives you the flexibility to add compatible security or home automation devices without having to worry about buying the same device again for the sake of compatibility.

This is also important because technology is constantly evolving, and companies need to offer flexible devices that adapt to these needs.

A flexible company in terms of technology integration means that you have greater access to security and automation devices, and that you have a greater control as a customer.

Also, in a world of smartphones, companies have adapted so that home monitoring and automation can be done as quickly as opening an app and tapping on the screen.

Not all companies have this feature, but those that do stand out in the market.

When it comes to ADT Monitoring vs. Vivint, both companies allow third-party device integration, ADT through their Pulse system and Vivint through their SkyControl panel.

Device integration range from security equipment, such as cameras and sensors, to home automation devices, such as thermostat, light switches, smart plugs, smart locks, and garage door controls.

In their mobile app, both ADT and Vivint give you the option to arm or disarm your security system remotely, and lets you control any smart device you have installed in your home.

For example, you can turn lights on or off, lock or unlock doors, set room temperatures through a smart thermostat, you can monitor all available cameras and save video clips, and even see and speak to visitors who are on your front door through a doorbell camera.

Vivint’s Smart Home app and ADT’s Pulse app have solid reviews on the Apple App Store and Google Play, meaning that they are great choices for smartphone users.

Finally, Vivint and ADT allows you to integrate home digital assistants to your system. ADT and Vivint support Amazon Alexa and Google Home.

It is important for a home security to hold a solid reputation with certification agencies and with its customers, since it shows that they are committed to industry standards and with helping you if there is ever a problem with their devices or services.

In the case of Vivint vs. ADT Monitoring, Vivint has strong ratings from various certification companies, including the Central Station Alarm Association, the Underwriter’s Laboratory, and the Electronic Security Association.

The company holds an average C rating with the Better Business Bureau, and a strong score of 7.1 with Trustpilot. Positive reviews praise their friendly and knowledgeable technicians, their excellence in online services, and the efficiency of their devices.

Negative reviews mention problems with setting appointments, cancellation procedures, and with customer support.

On the other hand, ADT also has bee certified by a variety of industry associations, including the Underwriter’s Laboratory, Factory Mutual, Electronic Security Association, and the New York City Fire Department.

The company holds a solid A+ score with the Better Business Bureau, although it has 200 negative reviews, a number that is lower than Vivint’s amount of 485.

The company has a very low score of 2.2 on Trustpilot, although this score is based on 22 reviews.

Negative reviews comment on problems transferring ADT services to new homes, problems with customer service, and problems with service cancellation, while positive reviews mention their response promptness, knowledgeability of their representatives, and amiability of their technicians.

It’s very important to note that, although Vivint and ADT have a good amount of negative reviews in their BBB profile and in Trustpilot, this is not necessarily a cause for concern.

These are large companies that have been in service for decades and have grown through the years, meaning that there will always be negative reviews on record.

It’s always important for customers to search for the specifics in those reviews, since in many cases, the companies address these reviews personally and help their customers solve their problems.