Believe it or not, approximately one-in-five households were the victim of a property-related crime in 2020. Investing in a quality home security setup has never been more important, and choosing the right system doesn’t have to be stressful. To aid your search we’ve gone ahead and compared two of the most reputable companies on the marketplace today: Brinks and Vivint.
Vivint Smart Home Equipment
Brinks may have begun in a stagecoach, but now offers its services nationwide. It is among the oldest and most trusted brands in its territory. Vivint, formerly APX, changed its name as a proclamation to its clientele — “Vive” which means “to live” in Latin and “int” which is short for “intelligently” (live intelligently). The slogan speaks to its dedication to providing smart home security systems for its clients.
Brinks and Vivint are both big-name home security system brands. So how do these two industry icons match up in terms of similarities, pricing, and the like? Check out our results below.
Brinks Equipment
How do Brinks and Vivint Compare?
Similarities Between Brinks and Vivint
Brinks and Vivint share a lot of similar features. While there are a few distinct differences in contract terms and pricing, their basic approach to protecting homes is comparable. Still, we were surprised by some other similarities we found during our hands-on testing. Let’s have a look!
Features and Technology
Brinks and Vivint are well aware that to provide a compelling performance in the modern world, they need cutting-edge technology. So, both Brinks and Vivint provide completely wireless equipment. They even earned top spots in our list of best wireless home security systems.
Likewise, both Brinks and Vivint offer the ability to connect to their security systems via Wi-Fi and cellular service. Using a proprietary app, you can monitor and operate each of these systems remotely using a smartphone or tablet.
When it comes to technology, Brinks and Vivint both offer at least some form of home automation, each serving as a central hub for smart home devices that integrate with automation platforms like Google Home, Amazon Alexa, and Apple TV.
Did You Know? Brinks offers plenty of smart features thanks to its compatibility with Google Nest. But Vivint takes the cake as far as intelligent home security goes. In fact, Vivint has the smartest systems we’ve used (and we’ve used them all!).
For more information on what makes a smart home “smart,” check out our trusty Home Automation Guide complete with details on these platforms and more.
Environmental Hazard Detection
Unfortunately, standard homeowners insurance won't cover flood or water damages in a household. Incidents like burst pipes in the winter or water leaks are common sources of damage to homes (and can definitely ruin your day… er, month).
Environmental hazard protection with Brinks and Vivint home security systems can alert you to these hazards before you experience a loss that’s difficult to recover from. Additionally, their systems allow you to maintain adequate air quality with a humidity and temperature assessment. Environmental hazard detection not only helps prevent loss and maintain safety, but it also preserves clean air and, in turn, overall family health.
Contracts and Terms
Long-term contracts can be a huge commitment and is something that should certainly be considered when shopping around for your home security setup. Personally, we’re not fond of long-term contracts; however, we don’t see them as dealbreakers if other aspects of the system prove exceptional.
Regrettably, both Brinks and Vivint require long-term contract commitments. When signing up with Brinks, you agree to a term of three years. But, you do have the option to cancel with a money-back-guarantee up to 30 days from purchase. We appreciated this feature as we’re really fond of “trying before buying,” especially when it comes to large purchases.
On the flip side, if you buy a Vivint home security system, you commit to a Vivint contract of either four or five years. Typically, you only have a three-day grace period in which you can cancel the agreement and get your money back. However, seniors are offered an extended 60-day trial period. Also, you may be able to cancel an agreement without penalty in cases involving death, active military duty, the customer moving to a retirement home, or other extenuating circumstances. This limited trial period is something to keep in mind before pulling out your credit card. Is Vivint worth the commitment? Well, we definitely think so. You can read our full Vivint review to find out what it’s like living with this intelligent home security system.
Vivint Ping Camera Mounted on the wall
Video Doorbell, Two-Way Communication
We were excited to find that both Brinks and Vivint offer one of our favorite home security components: the video doorbell. These discreet cameras offer many benefits including two-way communication, which allows you to speak with a person on the outside from behind the safety of your locked door.
The camera also lets you view anyone who steals items from the front of your house, like those infamous “porch pirates” who love to swipe incoming packages. Thankfully, both Brinks and Vivint offer video doorbells. If you’re curious, we think Vivint’s doorbell camera takes the edge over Brinks’ option. Here’s our latest Vivint doorbell review so you can get a sense of its performance.
24/7 Professional Monitoring
Last but not least, both Brinks and Vivint offer 24/7 monitoring services, which is pretty much the industry standard. However, Brinks gives you the option to either monitor your own system or have them monitor it for you. Vivint makes this decision on your behalf, requiring you to use Vivint's professional monitoring service with their setup.
FYI: With Brinks home security, the customer has the choice of self-monitoring or using professional monitoring services. Vivint requires professional monitoring with their system.
Basic Equipment Packages
So, if you’ve decided to take the plunge and sign up for a Brinks or Vivint home security package, what can you expect in terms of equipment? Both companies will offer you comparable equipment packages to get you up and running. The equipment packages listed below represent our experience when we bought and tested these systems.
Brinks offers a customizable basic plan (complete with a two-year warranty) that includes:
- Three entry sensors
- One motion sensor
- A control panel
- An optional video doorbell viewer with two-way communication
- Optional outdoor/indoor cameras
Did You Know? Brinks systems are compatible with Google Nest home automation products. Both Brinks and Vivint require professional installation with a lifetime warranty on the equipment.
Brinks home security systems are compatible with products from Google Nest, which are some of the best smart home products available on the market today. These items must be purchased separately, but they make great add-ons for the basic plan. When a technician installs your Brinks system, they should set it up so you can easily integrate any Google Nest products yourself.
Live Video of the Vivint Doorbell
By comparison, the Vivint home security system has to be professionally installed. DIY is not an option, so that’s less work and stress for you. Vivint’s basic (but customizable) equipment plan includes:
- A 7-inch touch-screen control panel
- Professional monitoring
- Entry sensors
- Motion sensors
- Optional video camera(s)
- Optional home automation equipment
- Optional video doorbell with 2-way communication
While Vivint provides a lifetime warranty on its equipment, Brinks does not. Instead, you can enroll in the company’s Home Plus plan, which protects devices for a monthly fee. It includes the repair, replacement, or credit for “covered devices” that break down due to normal wear and tear. Brinks’ Home Plus plan also includes discounted service appointments.
Pricing and Fees
Now for the not-so-fun part of the shopping experience: cost. You’ll be relieved to hear that both Brinks and Vivint offer affordable package options for their home security systems. The prices below were from when we bought and tested these security systems. The size of your home, taxes in your state, and other factors are going to affect the final price of your package. But just to give you a ballpark estimate of the pricing structure, let’s go over how much we spent on each system.
For us, Brink's basic home security system started at $360. The packages ran as follows:
- Home complete plan: $39 per month
- Home complete plan, including video: $49 per month
Brinks Home Security App
Vivint clients can either purchase the equipment outright or finance the purchase. Basic home security packages are as follows:
- Smart Secure service: $29.99 monthly
- Smart Home service: $39.99 monthly
These packages serve as umbrella categories for Vivint's home monitoring plans and many sub-plans are available under these categories. For example, if you add security cameras to your security system, the monthly price could increase to $49.99 or more.
FYI: Both Brinks and Vivint offer affordable packages with equipment paid up front, but with Vivint, you have the opportunity to finance the equipment instead of paying outright.
Brinks or Vivint, Who Wins the Day?
Although deciding on a home security system can be a tedious task, the choice you make affects the security of your loved ones. We can’t make this decision for you, but hopefully, we’ve managed to shed some light on two of the industry’s leading options, each with pros and cons.
While both Brinks and Vivint offer premium home security systems, we think a few marginal differences make Vivint the better system. Not only does Vivint offer reliable monitoring and professional installation, but you’ll also enjoy some of the smartest features to hit the home security market. Just be sure to bring your pocketbook to this rodeo ‘cause you’re going to need it.
