ADT Home Security Systems Pricing and Package Costs

After months of testing, we’ve come to the conclusion that ADT is the best security system of 2024. It wasn’t an easy call. There were a lot of great options, but ADT trumped them all with its industry-best 12 monitoring centers, impressively quick phone and text alerts, and high-quality equipment designed to make home security as accessible as possible. It even has a DIY security system now, and with the new online buying process, getting a home security system from the top dog of the industry is easier than it has ever been.

Of course, you still need to decide if ADT is the right choice for you. That includes gauging if the price is right, something you can only do if you know exactly how much ADT costs. It’s not so simple – you have equipment costs, installation costs, and monitoring costs to consider. But with our help, that shouldn’t be a problem. We’ve tested ADT ourselves and we’re here to discuss all the cost-related aspects you need to know before buying.

Before we go on, note that the last ADT system we tested was ADT Control, which has been replaced by ADT Plus since August. A DIY, self-monitored system called ADT Self Setup is also available. There were lots of changes, but pricing-wise, ADT remains an affordable, top-quality option.

Expert Take

From Gene Petrino, Retired SWAT Commander and Law Enforcement

“Residential burglaries have a very low clearance rate (10%-14%). That is, very few investigations end up in an arrest. I have responded to hundreds of burglaries during my career, and rarely was an arrest made when it was a delayed reporting. There are several reasons for this; however, the primary reason is lack of physical evidence that ties the suspect to the scene. This is where video security systems really shine, especially if there are multiple cameras that capture the incident.”

Packages & Monitoring

The easiest way to get an ADT system setup is to start with a pre-packaged system. ADT offers these packages in tiers, starting with a Build Your Own option that includes just the main hub and a door/window sensor. The main purpose of this package is to let you customize your security system by adding the components you need.

Bigger packages are also available. Right now, ADT offers the Outdoor Video, Front Door Protection, and Total Safety package. Note that these bundles change up, so your best bet is to view ADT’s current packages.

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 and it’s always a pleasure to hear the thoughts of another security expert.

If you prefer to do it your way, though, you can build your ADT security system package online.  And sometimes, ADT throws in additional online-only deals. How it works is that you choose one from the 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.

>> Ways to Save: ADT Promotions, Discounts, and Deals

Here’s some more details on what’s included in the ADT packages available right now:

Build Your Own:

• 1 base station
• 1 door/window sensor
• 1 ADT yard sign
• 1 pack of four ADT window stickers

Outdoor Video:

• 1 base station
• 2 door/window sensors
• 1 Nest Cam (battery)
• 1 Nest Doorbell (battery)
• 1 ADT yard sign
• 1 pack of four ADT window stickers

Front Door Protection:

• 1 base station
• 3 door/window sensors
• 1 motion sensor
• 1 Yale smart lock
• 1 Nest Doorbell (battery)
• 1 ADT yard sign
• 1 pack of four ADT window stickers

Total Safety:

• 1 base station
• 3 door/window sensors
• 1 motion sensor
• 1 Nest Cam (battery)
• 1 Nest Cam (wired)
• 1 Nest Doorbell (battery)
• 1 Nest Cam with Floodlight
• 1 smoke detector
• 3 water & temperature sensors
• 1 smart lock
• 1 ADT yard sign
• 1 pack of four ADT window stickers

We should note that the Front Door Protection and Total Safety packages are compatible with the new ADT feature called Trusted Neighbor, which we’ll discuss later on. We mentioned that because that’s one of the criteria to take advantage of ADT’s current sale. If you buy a security system that works with Trusted Neighbor – meaning, it has a smart lock and video doorbell – ADT will take 60-percent off of your package total. This is one of the biggest home security system Black Friday deals we’ve seen so far.

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 $269, while built-out packages start at $360.

Paying upfront is a good way to keep monthly costs down to $29.99 to $44.99 (the cost of professional monitoring), that’s why we always try to go that route. 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.

It’s easier on the wallet, especially if you’re going to customize your system. That being said, you will have to go through a credit check. The only security systems that don’t require credit checks are those that don’t need financing.

Expert Take

From Gene Petrino, Retired SWAT Commander and Law Enforcement

“A key component to a good security system is redundancy. Motion sensors provide exactly that. I have responded to several residential burglaries where the suspects cut the wires to the siren that was affixed to the exterior of the home. They then smashed the sliding glass door to gain entry, further bypassing the door sensor. Fortunately, the homeowners had motion sensors which were activated, notifying them of the intrusion.”

ADT Installation Fees

If you’ve known ADT for a long time, you probably remember it requires professional installation. That’s how ADT did things in the past. But now, with the new ADT Plus security system, the company completely changed things up. You can still go the professional monitoring route, but you don’t need to. You can also DIY the installation to save on installation fees.

We do recommend going with professional installation though. ADT is one of the best professionally installed security systems we’ve tested, as it offers a white-glove approach and an industry-best six-month money-back guarantee on security systems installed by an ADT technician. That said, we know that the installation fee can be a tough pill to swallow. It starts at about $100 but scales up to $200 or more depending on how many pieces of equipment are being installed.

If you want to save on installation fees, go with ADT Self Setup. It offers the exact same equipment ADT does, but you can set it up yourself to sidestep the fee. As an added bonus, you won’t be required to sign a contract and get professional monitoring – although, as you’ll see below, professional monitoring is one of ADT’s biggest selling points.

ADT Monitoring Pricing

Next is professional monitoring. The monitoring fee 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 $34.99 per month that includes security monitoring and smart home features, but no video.

Here’s an overview of those monitoring plans:

Professional monitoring allows ADT to monitor your security and safety equipment, from window sensors (above) to smoke alarms.

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!

>> Compare: ADT vs. Frontpoint

Is ADT’s Pricing Fair?

We think that ADT’s pricing is fair since its monitoring service is one of the best out there. As we mentioned in our ADT review, 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 12 facilities come equipped with backup generators and servers.

The ADT control panel – both old (above) and new – also have a backup cellular chip for when your internet is down.

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.

>> Learn More: Answering Frequently Asked Questions About ADT

Does ADT Require A Contract?

We have to warn you though that you might need to sign a three-year contract. That’s standard if you opt for professional installation. DIY-installed ADT systems, on the other hand, don’t require a contract.

The contract is the reason that we don’t recommend ADT if the monthly fee will stretch your budget or if you think your budget might change in the next few years. You have to make sure you can keep up on the payments for the whole time, because canceling an ADT contract early requires an early termination fee.

On the bright side, signing a contract means your rate is locked in for the whole term. This protects you from raising rates. Case in point, SimpliSafe’s plans and Cove’s plans both went up in price over the last years. Cove’s monthly rates jumped from $14.99 to $17.99, while SimpliSafe’s monitoring fee was raised to $21.99 and $31.99 for its two most popular plans.

Expert Take

From Gene Petrino, Retired SWAT Commander and Law Enforcement

“Timing is vital to the apprehension of a burglar. The sooner that law enforcement is notified, the more likely they are at catching the criminal in the act. Additionally, it reduces property loss as the burglar knows their time is limited before police arrive. I remember one incident in particular where the homeowner had a self-monitoring system. They received the alert on their phone, and they were able to see two subjects inside the residence. We responded to the residence and surrounded the house.”

ADT Pricing vs The Competition

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.

There are additional benefits, too, to getting an ADT monitoring plan. We’ll discuss one next – smart home with automation.

Smart Home

One of ADT’s main selling points today is its close partnership with Google Nest – one of the premiere smart home brands today that offer high-quality cameras, smart thermostats, smart speakers, and smart displays.

To be clear, a lot of security systems work with Google – particularly Google Assistant. But when we compared the best security systems that work with Google, ADT topped the list because it actually includes Google Nest equipment. All ADT security cameras are Nest Cams. You can also buy both Nest smart thermostats and several smart speakers and displays from ADT. And on top of all that, you can control and manage all those Nest equipment from your ADT+ app.

Google Nest isn’t the only third-party smart home lineup ADT works with. When you build your ADT system, you’ll be able to choose smart home devices to integrate, from smart lights and smart locks to smart thermostats and mesh Wi-Fi routers. But simply connecting them to ADT isn’t the end goal. Rather, ADT offers ways for you to automate your home.

Home automation enables your smart home devices to act on their own – either by following a schedule or rules triggered by other devices. For example, our Nest Thermostat turns down the furnace as soon as we arm ADT to help us save on energy and heating costs. Our Yale smart lock also locks the front door automatically when we arm ADT at night.

It’s easy to set the Nest Learning Thermostat, but it’s even easier if it sets itself autonomously.

Take note that to enjoy smart home automation features, you’d need to sign up for the mid-tier Smart plan or higher. The entry-level secure plan doesn’t include automation features.

>> Other Options: The Best Smart Home Security Systems of 2024

About ADT Trusted Neighbor

Speaking of smart home and home automation, 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 is the name of this feature.

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.

We’re currently testing this feature and the new ADT Plus security system, but in theory, it’s one of the best uses of smart home technology we’ve seen thus far. Unlike other ADT smart home features, however, it requires a subscription to the top-tier Complete plan ($49.99 per month) to use Trusted Neighbor. That’s because security cameras are part of the setup.

Recap & Our Recommendations

Let’s recap – ADT packages start at $269. The monthly fee for professional monitoring ranges from $29.99 to $44.99. The installation fee is optional, but starts at $100. There’s also a three-year contract if you get your system installed by a technician. Overall, ADT isn’t the most affordable home security system, but it’s an affordable one.

We’d recommend ADT to everyone, especially now that it offers DIY systems with optional monitoring. A flexible security system like that would work great for renters, whereas the professionally installed and monitored ADT system would provide solid coverage for homeowners.
That being said, you get the most value if you enable professional monitoring. That’s ADT’s greatest strength, so using it as a self-monitored system only (which is possible only with the Self Setup option) would be like using a souped up racecar to pick up your kids from school. It works that way, but you’re not taking advantage of its full capabilities.

Overall, we rated ADT 9.8 out of 10. That should tell you that it has our approval and admiration. While it’s not perfect, it’s one of the best security systems you can buy right now.