ADT Home Security Systems Pricing and Package Costs
How Much It’ll Cost You Monthly and More
- Professional installation on all systems
- 24/7 monitoring centers nationwide
- 150+ years of home security innovation
Expect some changes to ADT’s pricing as it works to improve its security offering. A new security system is out, called ADT Plus, which is available for both DIY and professional installation. New features are rolling out as well, including Trusted Neighbor, which would allow users to give people they trust controlled access to their home. Trusted Neighbors uses facial recognition provided by the Google Nest Cams that come with ADT Plus, smart lock access through compatible smart locks from Yale, and the ADT+ app.
ADT knows home security better than most alarm companies. Proof of that is the fact that it topped our 2024 roundup of the best security systems. But being the 150-year-old company that it is, it seems that ADT knows how to do good business as well. We like ADT better now with its more transparent pricing, easier buying process, and lower equipment and monitoring costs.
The fact remains that buying a security system is a huge investment. So on this page, let’s zoom in on ADT’s prices to see if it’s worth it. We’ll also give you updates on what ADT has been working on, particularly the ADT Plus system that just came out and the new Trusted Neighbor feature that we’ve been excited about since April. Let’s start!
FYI: ADT has made a lot of improvements to its pricing. For starters, it’s more transparent now, allowing customers to buy a security system online and letting them know the equipment cost upfront. Monitoring prices have also gone down, from up to $60 per month before to $29.99 per month now.
Before we go on, note that ADT sells two types of security systems. This page is all about ADT Control, a whole home security system with professional installation. Their second product line is called ADT Self Setup, which is a DIY system like SimpliSafe and Ring Alarm. To learn more about our experience with this new ADT system, read our ADT Self Setup review.
Also note that ADT is overhauling its offering. The new ADT Plus system is out, and it’s a system you can either have professionally installed for a fee (like ADT Control) or set up yourself (like ADT Self Setup). We’re working to get our hands on and test the new system, but for now, here’s more information about ADT Control.
What We Like About ADT
- Smart home: ADT is now a close partner with Google, a premiere brand in the smart home industry. But ADT has kept its integrations with products from Amazon, Kwikset, Liftmaster, and more.
- Pro installation: You can rest assured that your system works post-installation, as professional technicians will take care of the whole process. And if it doesn’t work for you, you’re covered by an industry-best six-month money-back guarantee.
- User-friendly app: The ADT Control app makes it easy to monitor and control your home’s security from your phone.
Packages & Monitoring
ADT offers three main packages1: Build Your Own, Smart Home, and Video and Smart Home. Each one comes with a varying number and type of security equipment. But, one thing we like about ADT is that you can customize your system to make it your own. The packages just give you a place to start; in particular the Build Your Own package. It’s like an open floor plan for those who want a custom security system.
If you need it, you can get help from an ADT security expert in building your system. They’ll give you a call or do an in-home walkthrough so they can suggest the best places to install sensors and which areas need extra security. There’s going to be some sales talk, but they’re not that pushy in our experience.
If you prefer to do it your way, though, you can build a system online. That’s one of the recent improvements ADT made. And sometimes, ADT throws in additional online-only deals. How it works is that you choose one from the three packages available, and then expand it with additional equipment. You’ll see your cart total as you add more pieces, making it easy to work with a budget.
ADT Packages and Monitoring Analysis
Package name | Build Your Own | Smart Home | Video and Smart Home |
---|---|---|---|
Learn more | View Packages | View Packages | View Packages |
24/7 Professional monitoring | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Environmental monitoring | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Professional installation | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Remote arming and disarming | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Customizable alerts, schedules and automations | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Livestreaming from mobile devices | No | No | Yes |
Record and save clips | No | No | Yes |
Digital panel | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Entryway contact sensors | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Keychain remote | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Motion detector | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Yard signs | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Window decals | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Smart light bulb | No | Yes | Yes |
Smart thermostat | No | Yes | Yes |
Garage controller | No | Yes | Yes |
Smart plugs | No | Yes | Yes |
Doorbell camera | No | No | Yes |
Outdoor camera | No | No | Yes |
Indoor camera | No | No | Yes |
ADT Equipment Pricing
It may not seem like it, but ADT is actually quite flexible with its prices. Not that you can haggle – the prices themselves are set in stone – but you can choose how you want to pay.
The first option? Pay upfront. That means you’ll pay the full cost of the equipment so you only have to worry about the monthly monitoring fee going forward. If you go that route, though, expect to shell out hundreds of dollars upfront. The Build Your Own package alone starts at $499, while the Video and Smart Home package costs $1,586. And since these packages require professional installation, expect to pay another $99 or more.
ADT professionally installed packages | Price |
---|---|
Build Your Own | $499 |
Smart Home (Starter) | $778 |
Video and Smart Home (Premium) | $1,586 |
The first payment option is a good way to keep monthly costs down to $29.99 to $44.99 (the cost of professional monitoring). But if it’s not practical for you to shell out hundreds of dollars in one go, you can opt for the second option: financing.
ADT offers equipment financing plans. You’ll pay monthly for 24, 36, or 60 months. It’s easier on the wallet, especially if you’re going to customize your system. Here’s the estimated monthly cost of each package:
ADT packages | 24 months financing | 36 months financing | 60 months financing |
---|---|---|---|
Build Your Own | $20.79 | $13.86 | $8.32 |
Smart Home (Starter) | $32.42 | $21.61 | $12.97 |
Video and Smart Home (Premium) | $66.08 | $44.06 | $26.43 |
Bear in mind that those monthly prices cover only the equipment cost. ADT also requires professional monitoring, which comes with a monthly fee too. Plus, you’d still need to pay for the professional installation service upfront, which again starts at $99.
Pro Tip: Remember how we said earlier that if you buy online, you can see your total package cost as you add more equipment? If you set your preferred financing term upfront, you’ll also see how much you’ll pay per month for your equipment.
ADT Monitoring Pricing
As for the monitoring service fee, it covers the cost of 24/7 professional monitoring and could cost you from $29.99 to $44.99. The price depends on the features you want like cloud storage and the hardware in your home’s system. A system that’s smart home capable with video monitoring will cost you the maximum of $44.99 per month, while a system with just security monitoring will cost you the least at $29.99 per month. There’s also a mid-tier option for $44.99 per month that includes security monitoring and smart home features, but no video.
We commend ADT for lowering its monitoring costs, making its services more affordable and competitively-priced. Did you know that at one point, ADT’s monitoring ranged from $40 to $60 per month? We’re glad that’s no longer the case.
The new pricing makes ADT one of the more affordable choices for professional monitoring. For example, it’s cheaper than Frontpoint’s sole monitoring option that costs $49.99 per month. That plan includes features similar to ADT’s top-tier subscription (security monitoring, smart home, and video security), but costs $5 more. And for people who only want professional monitoring and nothing else, Frontpoint is more expensive by $20. Just think how much you’ll save throughout your three-year contract term – over $700!
Pro Tip: We recommend Frontpoint as a security system for large homes that need video security and smart home features, but that inflexible monitoring plan makes it an expensive option for apartments and condos that need just basic security.
We also think that ADT’s pricing is fair since its monitoring service is one of the best out there. It has 12 monitoring centers, for starters, each in a different state. That gives ADT backup on top of backups, so it never really goes offline. And keep in mind, each of those nine facilities come equipped with backup generators and servers.
Feature-wise, we also learned from our testing that ADT has a new way to alert customers. That is, through the SMART Monitoring messaging system. It’s a text-based system that alerts multiple members of a household at once. And since it’s like a group chat, it makes collaboration between family members a lot easier.
In our experience, SMART Monitoring alerts come through about 15 seconds faster than the alert phone call from ADT. That’s another advantage. You can cancel or verify the alert through the messaging system, too. That means potentially faster dispatch in case of an emergency.
FYI: ADT cameras are pretty good and far from the worst security cameras we’ve tested. But if you want more options, ADT partnered with Google Nest to bring Nest Cams into the ADT system. Check out our Google Nest Cam (battery) review, and if you like the camera, you can add it to your ADT system.
We have to warn you that ADT systems still need a monitoring plan, so that $29.99 to $44.99 monthly fee comes with all systems and you can’t avoid it. If you want to have a system that lets you get rid of the monthly fees, there are ADT alternatives with optional monitoring. Abode security comes to mind. It offers home security without monthly fees. But, if you want 24/7 monitoring, you can sign up on a month-to-month basis to avoid a contract. This lets you opt in and out as must as you want.
In contrast, ADT comes with a contract. That’s why we don’t suggest it if the monthly fee will stretch your budget or if you think your budget might change in the next few years. Most of the contracts are for three years, so make sure you can keep up on the payments for the whole time. On the bright side, though, signing a contract means your rate is locked in for the whole term. This protects you from raising rates and let’s face it, most prices go up over the years, not down. Case and point, SimpliSafe’s plans and Cove’s plans both just went up in price. Cove’s monthly rates jumped from $14.99 to $17.99, while SimpliSafe’s monitoring fee was raised to $19.99 and $29.99 for the two plans that it sells.
Pro Tip: Read our answers to common questions about ADT and our ADT system review to see what our experts think of it.
ADT Pricing vs The Competition
Security system | Professional monitoring cost per month |
---|---|
ADT | $29.99- $44.99 |
Vivint | $29.99- $49.99 |
Ring | $10 |
Frontpoint | $49.99 |
SimpliSafe | $19.99- $29.99 |
ADT’s pricing for its equipment and 24/7 monitoring service tend to run higher than the competition. But, when it comes to your home’s security, we think it’s better to pay a bit more to get top-tier service than to pay a lot less and put your home at risk. It’s all about getting the most value for your money. And in that case, ADT is a clear top choice.
Not only does ADT provide good equipment, it also offers good monitoring. The $29.99 to $44.99 that you pay per month gives you access to ADT’s monitoring network. Like we talked about before, it has a lot of backup measures in place to keep the network up at all times.
Here’s one more thing that gives ADT its value. It gives a wide choice of security equipment. And better yet, the system itself works together to give you and your home a high level of protection. For instance, with a video package, ADT cameras can record every event that happens in your home.
Of course, if you want to keep your costs down, make sure to check out all of the ADT deals. ADT’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals in the past have included free security camera or video doorbells, $100 prepaid gift cards and free system installation, which costs around $100.
Smart Home
Being an old company doesn’t mean that ADT is out-of-date. In this case, you can teach an old dog new tricks. In fact, it’s still one of today’s industry leaders for innovation and technology. ADT showed this off with the new smart home technology and home automation it added in the ADT Pulse system. Back in the early 2010s when other brands were still working on adding smart home products, ADT beat them to the punch with the ADT Pulse system. We tested it back then and we can say now that it was a strong precursor to the smart home security system ADT offers today, called ADT Control.
As for ADT Control, it just keeps getting better. On top of third-party smart products like smart locks and lights, ADT works with one of the leaders of smart security, Google Nest. This Google-made brand offers smart security cameras with face recognition, person detection, and a bunch of other features that can make your home smarter and more secure. Aside from cameras, ADT also works with smart thermostats, speakers, and displays from Google Nest.
Voice control is a strong focus of ADT as well. It works with Google Assistant so you can use your voice to arm, disarm, and check the status of your ADT system. ADT is not closed off to other voice assistants, though, as it also works with Alexa,2 the other popular voice AI.
Sadly, ADT doesn’t work with Siri, so it may not be the best choice for users that own Apple smart home products. If that’s you, check out our list of the best security systems for Apple.
FYI: ADT works well if you own a bunch of Amazon smart home products and know how to use them. That’s one of the reasons it made our list of the best Alexa security systems. Now that ADT has Google as one of its partners, it works great with those products as well.
Aside from Google and Alexa, ADT also works with home automation devices from Kwikset, Liftmaster, Sonos, and anything that supports Z-Wave. Here are just a few of ADT’s add-on smart home options:
- Smart light bulbs: ADT’s smart light bulbs let you control your lights remotely and even dim them with either the app or your voice. You can make custom scenes which lets you group lights with each other to set them all to the brightness level. This lets you turn all of them on and off with one button as well. On top of that, you can set up schedules so that the lights turn on and off at set times. You can change the time they turn on and off based on the day of the week too. There’s even an away mode that mimics the normal light patterns you use when you’re home. Using this mode can make it seem like you’re home, even when you’re not.
- Smart thermostats: One way to bring down your heating and cooling costs is to use a smart thermostat that can be put on a schedule. ADT’s version lets you control your home’s climate from your phone and set schedules to cut down on your energy bill. We liked that the system told us if the house got over 75 degrees. We loved to make scenes that connect the thermostat to the lights. For instance, we had our lights turn off as soon as the thermostat was set to 60 degrees since that’s the temperature we use when we aren’t home. Combining these two IoT devices made our lives more convenient and saved us money on bills, a win-win! ADT’s smart thermostat works with most HVAC systems as well as heat pumps. You can find out if ADT works with your system or heat pumps from your expert installer.
- Garage door gadgets: Next, ADT offers a garage door remote that sends you an alert if you leave the door open. When you get an alert, you can use the built-in controls to close it. It connects to the ADT app so you can control the door right on your phone and get notified when it closes or opens.
- Smart plugs: Finally, ADT sells one of our favorite smart home devices, smart plugs. Smart plugs can turn off lights along with any of the device you plug into an outlet remotely. We found it easy to set up the plugs with our non-IoT devices which turns them into smart home devices. We used the plugs to dim lights, even on lamps that don’t have a dimmer switch. These plugs are can be used for a lot of things from lighting to coffee makers to flat irons. You can also set the plugs on schedules and use Alexa to control them with your voice.
In fact, ADT sells most of these IoT products, like smart locks and smart plugs, on its website.
Although ADT is the oldest security company in the United States, it can compete with the best of them in terms of smart home integrations. And that’s great news, as smart home tech keeps getting more popular year after year.
About ADT Trusted Neighbor and ADT Plus
Speaking of smart home tech getting better, ADT has a new smart security feature equivalent to handing out trusted neighbors a copy of your keys. It’s actually better, because instead of giving them access to your house anytime (which is what happens if they have a physical key), ADT lets you set parameters on when they are allowed to use their access.
Trusted Neighbor has three main components – the Google Nest Doorbell (or other Google Nest Cams), the ADT+ app, and a compatible smart lock. All those components come with the new ADT Plus security system.
First, the Nest Doorbell acts as your doorman, checking the faces of anyone who approaches your front door. If a person you added to your Trusted Neighbor list approaches, it sends a signal to the ADT+ app. The app uses numerous other signals to verify their identity (e.g. from their own ADT+ app), and once verified, the security system will disarm and the door will unlock.
You can control a lot of things to make the experience safer, more secure, and more convenient. For example, you can set time-based rules that limit their access to certain times of the day. You can also set event-based rules. For example, your trusted plumber can only use their access if your water sensor detects leaks.
ADT has launched Trusted Neighbor following the release of the ADT Plus, a revamped ADT system that works with ADT’s professional monitoring service and can either be self-installed or installed by a technician. As for price, ADT Plus is most similar to ADT Self Secure, which means it’s slightly cheaper than the professionally-installed ADT system we tested.
Find out if ADT can protect your home like other home security systems
Are you still not sure if ADT is right for you? We squared it up with the best systems on the market to help you make a smart choice.
Overall Value
It’s no secret how ADT has stayed in business for so long. With robust 24/7 monitoring, hardware you can count on, and professional installation through Dish, we felt confident our home was secure at all times with ADT. Although ADT isn’t the most affordable home security system around, given how long the brand has led the market, you know you can trust their service. That’s true particularly when it comes to 24/7 professional monitoring and cellular backup. That being said, ADT has made a ton of changes through the years. It stayed in front of the rest of the market by integrating with Alexa and Google as well as making easy-to-use apps for control from your phone. So while there are options you can choose that cost less, ADT still gives you a ton of value.
FAQ
That’s not all there is to know about ADT’s pricing. The lightning round starts now!
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Does ADT have a monthly fee?
ADT does have a monthly fee. All of its systems require full 24/7 professional monitoring. The price for this service varies based on the hardware you buy with your system, but it starts at $29.99 per month. In addition, ADT lets you finance the cost of your hardware for up to 60 months. If you buy your equipment this way, you’ll have an extra monthly charge.
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Is ADT worth the cost?
We think that ADT is worth the cost. With more than 140 years in business, it’s one of the most trusted security brands around. It includes professional monitoring and installation through Dish with all of its systems.
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How much does ADT charge for cameras?
ADT doesn’t list its camera prices on its websites. That means you need to talk to a salesperson to price out cameras with your system.
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How long are ADT contracts?
ADT’s shortest contract is 36 months (24 months in California). That can seem like a long time for a lot of us. So, ADT comes with a six-month money-back guarantee which lets you test the system before you commit.
ADT. (2021). Compare our home security systems.
adt.com/compareAmazon. (2021). ADT Pulse App.
amazon.com/ADT-LLC-Pulse/dp/B01NARHJWE