ADT Home Security Cost

Our Approach

We could just bottom-line everything on a page like this, just lay out all the costs associated with an ADT system and be done with it. In the end, though, that’s not going to tell you what you need to know. You don’t just need to know prices; you need to know what you’re getting for those prices. We prefer to focus on value rather than price.

As a result, we talk a lot in these price guides about home security systems. We tell you about our own testing and research. We look in-depth at equipment and monitoring. We provide you with other customers’ experiences. We focus on more than the system’s pricing when it comes to value. That way, prices are tied to something concrete.

If you’re just looking for prices, you can always head over to the ADT home page and look them up. If you want to know what kind of value ADT offers for the money, then you’ve come to the right place.

ADT’s Prices

In the past, ADT was a little less than transparent with its costs. They required you to call their customer service representatives, who would walk through your security needs, design a system for you, and give you a quote. Their prices were determined by a number of factors, so it was impossible to determine exactly how much you were going to pay for ADT without picking up the phone.

ADT’s control panel.

Things are a little different today. You can still request a quote from ADT, but they’ve improved their online purchasing experience to the point that it’s unnecessary. You’ll read more about this in my ADT review, but there are a handful of different ways you can purchase a system and several different monitoring options to choose from. This can get a little confusing, so I’m going to go through all of them below, starting with the DIY packages. Strap in.

ADT’s DIY Packages

ADT’s Self Setup packages are a relatively new addition to the company’s security offerings. As the name implies, these systems are designed for easy DIY installation. One of the nice things about DIY is it saves you money over professional installation.

If you go this route, you get two options: ADT’s Starter pack or ADT’s Premium pack. Let’s look at what you get with each.

ADT Self Setup Equipment

Beyond equipment, with either package you’ll get:

• Mobile app control
• 24-hour battery backup
• 24/7 professional monitoring
• Video camera recording
• Motion detection
• Intrusion detection

You can also add components to these packages or build your own system from scratch if that’s your style. You can find out more in our guide to ADT’s Self Setup, but for now, you should know that, as far as DIY installs go, ADT is one of the best in the business. We got our system up in less than an hour, and we can’t imagine it taking much longer than that even if you’re home-improvement phobic.

ADT Professional Install

For ADT’s more traditional systems, you can pick between the “Smart Home” and the “Video and Smart Home” options. Before you look at the table and get sticker shock, remember you’ll pay this price in monthly installments, not all at once. And the equipment cost is rolled into the monitoring cost, meaning you’ll pay one monthly fee. Here’s a breakdown:

There’s also additional equipment you can select to customize the systems. Keep in mind that regardless of the package you select, each one can have this equipment added or you can use this list to build a bespoke system yourself.

Expert Examined

From Anthony Travaglia, Retired Police Officer, Home Security Expert

I always advise purchasing a quality security system and ensure it’s installed correctly. The last thing you want is for your security system to malfunction or just not work when you actually need it. Security cameras are also helpful. As a police officer, the number one thing I would ask burglary victims is whether or not they had video footage of the crime. Video footage helps police to identify and hopefully apprehend the responsible culprits. Having quality cameras can also benefit your neighbors as well. Most modern cameras have a wide lens and can usually pick up footage of your neighbors’ houses or property as well.

ADT’s Additional Equipment Costs

ADT makes it easy to customize your package or create a unique one tailored to your security needs and budget. Here’s a list of each piece of equipment ADT offers and how much money the equipment will cost you:

I don’t consider this list of equipment expansive. If you’re looking for more options and a similar caliber of service, check out my review of Vivint. Their systems are all professionally installed, and they have a huge list of highly specialized security gadgets to select from. You can also check out my head-to-head comparison of ADT and Vivint to get an idea of how they stack up against each other.

That said, I wouldn’t say ADT’s list of equipment is missing anything critical. Overall this is a comprehensive system capable of protecting nearly any type of property from multiple threats.

Now that we’ve talked about ADT’s equipment let’s discuss their monitoring options.

ADT’s Monitoring Packages and Prices

When pricing wasn’t so transparent with ADT, your monitoring package depended on your system’s size and the types of equipment it consisted of. That’s not so anymore, which is a huge relief.

Today, ADT offers only two monitoring packages: Essential Monitoring and Essential + Video. The first costs $29.99, and the second costs $44.99. Here’s a breakdown of what you get with both.

It’s really easy to determine which package you need. Regardless of whether you or professionals installed it, if your ADT equipment includes security cameras, you’re going to need the Complete package. If it doesn’t, you’re fine with the Essential subscription.

ADT’s Additional Fees

Now that you have a good idea of what each system and monitoring plan costs, let’s take a look at ADT’s additional fees. The short answer here is that there aren’t many. The only thing you’ll have to look out for is the Quality Service Plan, ADT’s name for their extended warranty.

ADT’s entryway sensors.

When I purchased my test system, I noticed that my monthly bill was a little higher than the $34.99 I’d been quoted. Nine dollars higher, to be exact. When I reached out to ADT, they explained it was covering the costs of replacing or repairing my equipment should anything go wrong. I also found out the warranty cost isn’t fixed, so expect it to go up if you’re protecting a larger property or if you require significantly more equipment than the average home.

The Quality Service Plan isn’t the only additional fee you may encounter, though. Let’s take a look at another potential charge.

ADT’s Installation Fee

If you want your system professionally installed, you’ll notice a bigger bill. ADT’s professional installation costs start at $99. But depending on the system’s size, that cost can go up significantly. I had my test system installed at my home, and the total cost was $150. That’s something to keep in mind as you’re budgeting things out.

Also note that ADT is shaking things up with the new ADT Plus system. Instead of requiring professional installation, ADT Plus works with both DIY and professional setup. The former is free but requires you to do all the work, while the latter requires an installation fee like in my case. Both options work, in my opinion. Installing a DIY security system is easier than you might think. You don’t need any handyman skills or specialized tools.

How to Save on ADT

I have a lot more on this topic in my guide to ADT’s deals and promotions, but the long and short of it is this: You’re rarely ever going to have to pay full price for an ADT system.

ADT is similar to Cove when it comes to promotions. They’re both usually running some sort of deal. (If you’re looking for a great DIY home security system, check out my review of Cove. Cove is one of the most affordable security systems out there.)

Now let’s move toward the company’s overall value, starting with my personal experience with ADT.

My Experience with ADT

First things first, I was extremely impressed with my ADT test system. I was so impressed I ended up hanging on to it beyond testing and now use it as a customer to protect my property. I’ll touch on certain aspects of the system, but let’s start with some quick pros and cons.

With the basics out of the way, here’s my experience with ADT — soup to nuts.

Purchasing ADT

I’ll be blunt. Purchasing an ADT system was a hassle some years back. You had to spend at least an hour talking to a customer service person, building out your system, negotiating the terms of your contract, and avoiding upselling tactics and unnecessary features. It was a massive headache that didn’t align with how great the actual system was in day-to-day use.

ADT’s motion detector.

Like I said previously, that’s all changed. ADT lets you piece out your system, install it yourself, and handle the majority of the transaction online, things are a heck of a lot easier. I was able to buy my test system in a matter of minutes without having to pick up the phone.

Installing ADT

If you go with the professional install, make sure you’re planning in advance. When I had my system installed, it took two days to schedule the consultation and the install. Then the technician was at my house for about six hours. They did a great job, but they didn’t remove any of my older ADT equipment that was in my home before I bought it. I feel that should have been included as part of the service. Some of the wiring could have been hidden better, to me at least. I didn’t have to lift a finger though, so it’s tough to complain.

My old ADT control panel.

Day-to-Day Life with ADT

A good security system is one that you rarely notice, and ADT fits that bill. After I had the system installed, I never had to think about it again. Frankly, the well-designed and intuitive ADT app steals the show. It’s one of the best home security apps available today. It’s so good I practically never touched the control panel; the whole system can be controlled with your smartphone.

ADT’s glass break sensor.

I also liked the redundancy built into this system. As a top cellular security system, ADT does not rely completely on Wi-Fi. So if your internet goes out (like mine does with frustrating frequency), you’re still protected.

Ultimately, I felt very safe while using my ADT system. Like I said above, it worked so well and was so comprehensive I ended up keeping it in my home for personal use. I don’t say that about a lot of systems, but ADT is definitely one of the best available.

ADT’s Benefits

There are a lot of benefits to using an ADT system in your home. It’s a robust system that’s customizable to your specific security needs. Their reputation, which has been built over a century and a half, speaks for itself. When it comes to keeping your property secure, ADT is the gold standard.

My Thoughts On ADT’s New Security System and Features

Before I end this page, I’d just like to give you a quick glimpse at the changes ADT has been making lately, especially the new security system called ADT Plus and the new Trusted Neighbor feature.

Price-wise, ADT Plus changes a lot of things for ADT. It’s a system you can self-install for free or have professionally installed for a price. It finally kills the equipment divide between Self Setup and ADT. No matter the installation route you decide on, you’ll get the same equipment options.

Prices are slightly lower now, too. Unlike previously where the pro-installed ADT system had a markup on equipment pricing compared to Self Setup, ADT Plus costs the same no matter how it’s installed. That might not make much of a difference though because there’s still an installation fee if you take the professional installation route.

Perhaps the biggest change, though, is the Trusted Neighbor feature, which lets ADT Plus users give access to their smart lock and security system to people they trust – be that a neighbor, family, friend, or service provider. Trusted Neighbor automates the process by using the Nest Doorbell facial recognition to verify the identity of a trusted person. Once verified, the smart lock that comes with ADT Plus and the system itself will unlock and unarm.

ADT clearly put a lot of thought into Trusted Neighbor, as it offers useful customizations to make sure your trusted circle can only access your house at times or during events you’ve allowed. You can set time and event triggers – for example, let this person in only from 8 to 10 A.M. or only when the smoke alarm is set off.

I am yet to test ADT Plus and Trusted Neighbor, but I have high hopes for it. We’re working on testing it right now. However, until we’ve gone through the whole review process, the jury is still out. For now, let’s go back to the ADT system we finished testing – which by the way, offers a lot of the same equipment, features, and monitoring as ADT Plus.

Is ADT Worth It?

This brings us to the all-important question: Is ADT worth it? I’ve lived with an ADT system, and my answer is yes. It’s worth it. From the flexibility of their equipment packages to their powerful professional monitoring, ADT offers everything you could want to keep your home safe.

I can’t say they’re the most affordable option out there, but when it comes to security, you really get what you pay for. And what you’re paying for with ADT is a top-of-the-line security system that offers comprehensive protections.

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