Cove vs. Vivint 2024

We wanted to see if Cove or Vivint was the better home security system.

After six weeks of testing each system, we decided we liked Vivint more. We were surprised how well the AI worked. It reduced the number of false alarms by recognizing it was us walking in the front door.

But Cove is good, too. We were impressed that we got everything up and running ourselves within 30 minutes. Plus, it’s affordable, and we didn’t need to sign a contract like we did with Vivint.

In this guide, we’ll compare Cove and Vivint’s equipment, ease of installation, monitoring costs, apps, and third-party device integration. We’ll even test their customer service and response times.

Here’s how it went.

Key Similarities

While they might seem like opposite home security systems, Cove and Vivint have a few things in common.

• Professional monitoring: You need to purchase a monitoring plan for your Cove and Vivint equipment to work. Cove has two choices, while Vivint offers one customized to your system.
• Voice activation features: Both home security systems can integrate with Google and Alexa. Some of the commands you can shout are “Hey Google, disarm my system!” and “Hey Alexa, lock my front door!”
• Multiple storage solutions: There are cloud and local storage options for your security footage. If you choose the former, you’ll need to pay an extra fee.

Key Differences

There are several significant differences between Cove and Vivint. These are the ones that stood out to us:

• Installation: We set up the Cove security system ourselves. Vivint required professional installation, as some devices needed to be connected to our home’s wiring.
• Contracts: Cove’s monitoring plans are like a Netflix subscription. You pay month to month and can cancel at any time. With Vivint, you can only do this if you pay for the equipment upfront. We chose to sign a contract to finance it instead. The payments can be spread out over a maximum of five years.
• Third-party integration: Vivint lets you connect Z-Wave-compatible devices like smart locks and light bulbs. You can create automations in the app, like turning up the heat at 4:30 p.m. This way, you can come home from work to a cozy house.

>> Check Out: The Best Smart Home Devices of 2024

Equipment Costs and Quality

Cove and Vivint let you design your home security system so you don’t pay for anything you don’t need. Both brands have an extensive list of devices you can choose from. Here’s what both companies offer:

While both brands offer similar equipment types, they cost more with Vivint. For example, Cove’s Hub is $100, and Vivint’s is $399.99. Cove gives you an indoor camera for free. Each additional camera sets you back $49.50. With Vivint, the base model is $149.99.

But the extra cost is worth it. Plus, you can finance the equipment, so you’re not spending it all upfront.

Cove’s cameras are designed to be budget-friendly, so they lack some features Vivint has. For example, that free indoor camera starts recording the moment it detects motion. It doesn’t matter if it’s an intruder or a piece of paper falling on the floor.

>> Read More: Cove Home Security System Review for 2024

Vivint’s cameras are top-of-the-line and powered by AI; this feature saves you time scrolling through unnecessary footage. If AI’s what you’re looking for, take a read through our list of the best indoor cameras with artificial intelligence.

The image quality was spectacular. It let us zoom in to get a good look at unexpected visitors without pixelating their faces.

It also works great at night. We tested the Vivint Outdoor Camera Pro and Spotlight Pro by having a friend loiter around our car. It shone a bright light on him and followed him until he was out of sight.

Equipment winner: Despite the costs, Vivint has superior security equipment. We love that it uses AI to record events worth capturing instead of every random movement.

DIY vs. Professional Installation

Technically, it’s easy to set up Cove and Vivint systems.

With Vivint, you need to book an appointment; someone will then come out to do it for you. If you feel confident, you can install it yourself. There are some guides on the Vivint website that walk you through it. We paid the $99 fee because not knowing whether to cut the red or green wire was as stressful as seeing it in the final scene of an action movie.

Installing Cove products was much easier. First, we picked the best spots around the house to install the cameras and sensors. Next, we plugged them in and stuck the devices to our doors and windows. Finally, we synced them to the main hub. It took us less than 30 minutes.

Winner installation: We felt a sense of accomplishment setting up our Cove security system, so we’ll give them the win in this category.

Monitoring Costs

Cove and Vivint require a monitoring plan for the products to work. With Cove, you can choose between two plans with different features. Here’s a comparison between Cove’s two plans:

Like its equipment, Cove’s monitoring plans are affordable. The basic package has all essential features we look for in a home security system. But Cove Plus has bonuses worth considering.

If you plan to scale your security system with new devices, the $5-per-month equipment reward can help. The lifetime monitoring rate-lock guarantee is also a bonus. It kept us from getting an email from Cove about price increases during our testing period.

Meanwhile, Vivint’s monitoring costs start from $39.99 per month. For that price, you’ll get 24/7 professional monitoring. When an alarm triggers, they attempt to contact you before calling 911. If you don’t respond, they’ll send first responders.

We experienced this while we were out grocery shopping. A friend popped in to return our drill when we weren’t home; they let themself in with a spare key. The monitoring center called to confirm everything was OK. We pulled up the live feed and called off the alarm after seeing it was our friend.

Monitoring winner: We prefer Cove’s affordable monitoring plans over Vivint. It came with more features and gave us a better bang for our buck.

Testing the Apps

After spending $100 on a Cove Hub or $399.99 for a Vivint Control Panel, you’d think these devices are how we’d run our home security system. But we found the apps much easier to use — especially when we weren’t at home.

>> Check Out: Best Security Systems With Apps of 2024

Cove let us monitor the status of our devices, review notifications, and live stream footage. We could arm the system if we forgot to do so before leaving the house. When solicitors came to our door, we spoke to visitors through our video doorbell; we let them know we were happy with our current internet provider without getting up from our chair.

We could set schedules for the alarm system. This saved us from having to manually arm and disarm it every day. We set it up to turn on at 8:30 a.m. daily, which is when we left for the office. Then we chose to disarm it at 5:30 p.m., just before we walked in the door.

We found it just as easy to manage our Vivint security system in its app. It included all the same features. But we could also add third-party smart devices like light bulbs and thermostats. This let us set up automations for them, such as turning off the lights after 10 p.m. — just in case we wandered off to bed and forgot to hit the switch.

App winner: We’re calling it a draw. Both apps made it easy for us to manage our devices. It was also easy to set up automations, so we didn’t need to enter a pin each time we wanted to arm or disarm the system.

Third-Party Device Integration

Cove only connects to Google Assistant and Alexa. But, you’ll need the Cove Plus monitoring plan to use this functionality. It’s also limited to a few functions, such as arming and disarming the system.

Vivint sells several smart home products, such as a thermostat and garage door opener. But it can also connect to other third-party products, which you can manage within the app.

>>Learn More: Vivint Security Review

Some of the products include Philips Hue light bulbs and Chamberlain MyQ garage door openers. The Vivint Smart Hub has a Z-Wave radio, allowing it to connect to over 4,000 other devices like smart locks and light dimmers. We found it easy to add them in the app and set up automations.

Our favorite was ensuring the front door was always locked after 8 p.m. It was part of our evening ritual; we didn’t have to lie in bed retracing our steps, wondering if we checked it or not.

Third-party devices winner: Vivint let us transform our place into a smart home. Adding nonVivint devices helped free up space on our phone’s home screen, as we no longer needed to use all the individual native apps. It also let us trigger other smart devices based on the status of our security system.

Customer Service Experiences

Not only do you have 24/7 professional monitoring with Vivint and Cove, but they’re also on standby if you need help with your account or devices.

Both brands have phone and web chat support. Calling them is the fastest option, though. We got through to someone after a few short rings; they then answered some questions we had about the monitoring plans.

The web chat option was also quick. Plus, we didn’t have to speak to a bot. With Cove, it asked us for some details about the inquiry. When we were done, it connected us to an agent. They were responsive and answered all of our questions.

Vivint takes the same approach. We filled in some fields and were connected to a consultant. We didn’t have to wait long for responses; they answered everything we threw at them.

Customer service winner: We’ll call it a draw. Cove and Vivint were available when we needed help, and they answered our questions perfectly.

Emergency Response Times

The final test we performed showed how Cove and Vivint react in an emergency scenario.

While testing Cove, we accidentally wound up with an officer at our front door. This was because we were too late to respond to the monitoring agent. Cove’s technology sends alarm data directly to 911 dispatchers. So, they don’t need information to send prepared personnel to the scene.

We had a less embarrassing experience with Vivint. Their monitoring center sent text messages to our listed contacts before getting in touch with 911. So, our friend involved in the testing canceled the alert before we had a second visit from an officer.

Emergency response winner: It’s another draw. Cove and Vivint didn’t waste any time alerting us of an incident. We also like that the monitoring center will receive notifications even if the internet or power is out.

Overall Winner: Cove or Vivint

Cove has everything you need to protect your home. The devices and monitoring plan are budget-friendly, and they dispatch emergency personnel quickly.

However, Vivint has better-quality products powered by AI. They also let you integrate third-party devices acting as the brain of your smart home. You can set and forget a series of automation to lock the doors, switch off the lights, and turn on your security system.

So, you might pay a few extra dollars and sign a contract if you finance the equipment. However, Vivint’s high-quality, AI-powered devices are worth it in the long run.