ADT Security System Review: 2026 Test Results and Expert Recommendations

Our ADT Video Review

Before diving into our full review, watch our ADT video where our home security and security camera expert, Corey Birnstengel, breaks down ADT’s equipment and features. He also shows how the system works on a daily basis and demonstrates the ADT+ app.

Components of the ADT Security System

ADT makes it easy to design a security system tailored to your type of home. If you live in an apartment, you can build a setup featuring entry sensors and indoor cameras. For larger homes, you can bundle devices like glass break sensors and outdoor cameras for complete protection. Here are the ADT devices we bought and tested for our home:

• Base
• Keypad
• Door/window sensors
• Motion sensors
• Glass break sensors
• Keychain remotes
• Video doorbells
• Outdoor cameras
• Indoor cameras
• Smoke detectors
• Carbon monoxide detectors
• Water and temperature sensors

Base

The technician set up the ADT Base first, which makes sense considering all our ADT devices need to connect to it. It has a diameter of about four inches and stands six inches tall. We put our ADT Base on top of a shelf near the front door, which made it easy for us to access the keypad for arming and disarming the system during testing.

Right away, we noticed one caveat – the Base doesn’t do much besides arming and disarming the system since it doesn’t have a screen. When we did our Vivint review, we used the Smart Hub touchscreen to access camera feeds and set up automations. With ADT, we’ve had to use our ADT+ app to access these features. During our tests, the Base functioned mostly as a communication hub, and we think it serves that purpose well. It has battery and cellular backup so it can keep communications up during outages.

Another nice touch is the base’s ring light that changes color based on the system status. It’s helpful if you need a security system for someone hard of hearing. The base lit up every time we came near it, thanks to a proximity sensor. It also has buttons for police, medical, and fire, so you can request help fast.

If you’re dealing with a larger home where wireless signals don’t reach every room, ADT’s Alarm Range Extender can help. It acts as a repeater between your base and sensors, extending coverage throughout your property. The extender includes its own battery backup and tamper alerts.

>> Related: The Best Security Systems for Large Homes

Door/Window Sensors

Door/window sensors, or simply entry sensors, monitor the opening and closing of doors. Our technician recommended the best places for our three entry sensors – the front door and two separate windows on the first floor. We recommend getting more than three, though. Interior access doors leading to a garage, back doors, and even second-floor windows could all use entry sensors.

The technician showed us ADT’s premium entry sensors. They’re double the price, but can detect shock and vibration. You’ll get alerts if someone tries to force their way in by kicking in the door or breaking a window, for example. We think the compact size also makes it perfect for cabinets or drawers where you store valuables like jewelry.

Keychain Remote

The keychain remote is one of the reasons we recommend ADT as the best home security system for seniors. You can use this device to arm and disarm the system instead of the app or base station. It looks like a garage door opener, but with disarm, arm Stay, arm Away, and customizable help buttons. You can use the help button to call for medical, fire, or police dispatch.

We also like the panic option that connects you to ADT’s monitoring center. Pressing the help and Arm Stay buttons together gets you through. We didn’t use it during our testing, but know it would be life-saving for anyone with medical conditions.

Expert Take

From Gene Petrino, Retired SWAT Commander and Law Enforcement

“Many people think that home security systems are only for break-ins. This simply is not the case. I remember one call where a woman had used her panic button after she let her estranged husband inside the house “to talk” and he instead attacked her. That panic button saved her life that day.”

Motion Detector

Motion detectors use passive infrared to detect moving subjects that emit body heat, like humans or pets. The ADT motion sensor has a 90-degree horizontal and 50-degree vertical field of view, which was more than enough for our living room.

If you have pets, we recommend adjusting the sensitivity so you don’t get constant notifications when your pets are walking around. We set ours to the lowest setting and it didn’t notice our 65-pound labrador. The technician told us the sensor can even ignore pets up to 85 pounds, which is why we think it’s one of the best home security systems for pet owners.

Glass Break Sensors

ADT’s glass break sensor has a 25-foot range at maximum sensitivity, but if you’re like us and tend to be clumsy with glasses, you can adjust it with four sensitivity levels. Our ADT install technician placed the glass break sensor opposite our sliding glass doors leading to the patio as it works best facing the source.

Expert Take

From Gene Petrino, Retired SWAT Commander and Law Enforcement

“I recall one incident in which the homeowner was home when someone smashed their rear sliding glass door. The glass break sensor activated the alarm, and they were able to lock themselves inside a bedroom and call the police. The homeowner told me that they had just replaced the door sensor with a glass break sensor because it had been malfunctioning.”

Read more about Gene Petrino →

Smoke Detector

ADT sensors go beyond home security. The Wi-Fi smoke detector protects you from fire. It doesn’t just sound the alarm like most smoke detectors do. When we burned some toast, our smoke alarms triggered a response from the monitoring center as well. Plus, we learned that our three ADT smoke alarms are interconnected; if one sounds, they all sound.

The smoke alarms also connect to the base station, meaning ADT sends smartphone app alerts. We can get notifications no matter where we are, compared to traditional smoke alarms that you need to be in earshot to hear.

Carbon Monoxide Detector

While we installed ADT’s carbon monoxide detector, we couldn’t safely test it. What we do know is that the device is tamper-proof. It also has an LED light to indicate the alarm condition.

When it’s green, everything is functioning normally. A blinking amber light means the device requires maintenance. The light flashes red when it detects carbon monoxide. There is a hush button to silence the device for five minutes in case there’s a false alarm.

ADT Security Cameras

ADT security camera lineup features the latest Google Nest range. We got four out of the six, including the Nest Doorbell (battery), one of our favorite video doorbells. Here’s how each security camera performed.

Google Nest Cam Options from ADT

You’ll also find Google Nest Cams on our list of the best security cameras. ADT offers the latest lineup featuring 2K video quality and AI integration powered by Gemini. Nest Cams use AI for facial recognition. You can use them to receive personalized alerts from regular visitors like friends, family members, and neighbors. These are the six models you can add to your ADT system:

• Nest Cam (battery): Easy to install inside and outside and has a 130-degree field of view. It’s battery-powered, so you don’t have to worry about plugging it in.
• Nest Cam Indoor (wired): The latest indoor model delivers 2K HDR footage with a 152-degree field of view, which is noticeably sharper and wider than the battery version. It runs on Gemini AI for more accurate person detection and facial recognition.
• Nest Cam with Floodlight: This outdoor camera has two protruding floodlights that you can control via the app, but the whole unit needs to be hardwired into a junction box.
• Nest Cam Outdoor (wired): This wired camera packs the same 2K HDR sensor and 152-degree view as the indoor model, but it’s weatherproof and mounts outside. It doesn’t require a junction box, either. Just plug it into an outlet.
• Nest Doorbell (battery): This doorbell camera features a 145-degree field of view and a 960 by 1280 resolution. Because it’s battery-powered, you don’t need existing doorbell wires.
• Nest Doorbell (wired): This hardwired doorbell camera version steps up to 2K HDR with a 166-degree diagonal view and enhanced night vision—perfect if you’ve already got doorbell wiring in place.

>> Learn More: Nest Cam (battery) Review

ADT + Nest Cam – Additional Features

Similar to Vivint packages, ADT only offers one monitoring plan with video support. It’s also the most expensive option.

We still think it’s worth it, considering ADT’s Complete plan includes 30 days of cloud storage, smart home automation, AI detection, facial recognition, and sound detection. Without an ADT security system, you’d have to pay $10 per month for a Google Home Premium subscription for these features. You also get industry-leading professional monitoring with ADT.

The Complete plan also includes video verification. When an alarm occurs, ADT monitoring agents check your camera’s live feeds to confirm if you accidentally tripped the alarm or if they should send help. This verification typically speeds up police response times.

There’s one more feature – called Trusted Neighbor – that deserves its own section. That’s next.

What is Trusted Neighbor?

Trusted Neighbor uses Nest’s facial recognition technology to unlock smart locks and deactivate your security system. You can register and authorize regular guests like friends or family members, and when they approach your home, the system sends their phone a notification to gain access.

You can set time-based and event-based rules to decide when each ‘trusted neighbor’ is allowed entry. For example, we set ADT Plus to let our babysitter into the house between 4 and 5 P.M. to look after the kids. For event-based rules, you can set your system to only let people in when your smoke alarms detect fire – to let your pets out, for example.

>> Keep Reading: SimpliSafe 2026 Review

Home Automation with ADT

The first automation feature we tried out was voice commands. We mainly used the Google Assistant voice controls via the Nest Hub we tested previously, although ADT also works with Alexa-enabled devices. Arming ADT is as simple as saying “arm the system”. We also used voice commands to lock the front door and adjust the temperature on the Nest Thermostat.

Next, we created automation rules. ADT’s setup is similar to how IFTTT works in that every rule needs a trigger, action, and condition. In the ADT+ app, we set a rule for our lights to turn on when motion is detected and for cameras to record when the front door opens. ADT’s automation features put it on par with some of the other best smart home security systems, like abode and Vivint.

>> Compare: Abode 2026 Review

One automation that’s particularly useful is the Home | Away feature. It uses your phone’s GPS to automatically arm the system when you leave and disarm it when you return. That means there’s no more second-guessing whether you remembered to set the alarm. ADT handles it based on your location. We saw a similar feature when we tested Frontpoint. Head over to our ADT vs. Frontpoint comparison page to learn more about how these two top-rated security systems stack up.

ADT’s Monitoring Plans

Self-monitoring is available for Self Setup customers after one month of professional monitoring. We recommend opting for a professional monitoring plan. While you’ll pay a monthly fee, you’ll get 24/7 protection, smart home integrations, and video support.

>> Check Out: Best Unmonitored Home Security Systems

We think the Complete plan offers the best bang for your buck since it includes a Google Home Premium subscription, which is normally $10 a month. You can learn more about the features in our Google Home Premium guide.

ADT’s monitoring prices are not the cheapest around. As you can see in our Cove review, their monitoring prices start at $19.99 per month. SimpliSafe’s plans offer more flexibility as most include support for security cameras as well as advanced monitoring features for a reasonable price.

Compared to the rest of the industry, ADT’s pricing is on par. You’ll find cheaper options, but there are also more expensive plans that don’t have the same features ADT offers. If you want to offset some of the costs, we recommend holding out for an ADT deal, which happens more often than you think.

Is ADT Monitoring Worth It?

There are plenty of reasons why we think ADT monitoring is worth it, but two stand out. First, while testing response times, we always heard from ADT within 30 seconds. That’s the industry average. Sure, some systems respond faster, but we consider this the sweet spot. It’s enough time to cancel false alarms, but it’s not long enough for burglars to grab your stuff and bolt.

Second, ADT has 12 fully-redundant monitoring centers. The significance of that is even if one facility fails to operate – for example, if there’s a natural calamity in its area – ADT’s monitoring will continue. These 12 facilities are spread out throughout the U.S. and Canada, and they are all linked together.

Our Installation Process with ADT

ADT doesn’t require professional installation, but we still prefer it. We did have to call ADT to finalize our purchase and organize a time for a technician to set it up. While we are confident we could have installed the devices ourselves, ADT’s technicians know the best places to set up equipment for maximum coverage.

Previous ADT Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals have included free video doorbell installation, but we’ve never seen full-system installation available. That’s not to say you can’t get a good deal. Installation costs start at about $100, but we’ve successfully negotiated rates with ADT sales teams. So it doesn’t hurt to ask for free installation when you’re discussing system costs.

ADT Apps

When searching the App Store and Google Play, you’ll notice multiple ADT apps. Be sure to download the ADT+ app. The ADT Pulse and ADT Control are for ADT’s previous generations of security systems.

Our technician showed us how to use ADT+ to set up, control, and monitor our equipment. We even learned how to add compatible third-party devices. One of the first adjustments we made was to the motion detector sensitivity after we started getting a lot of false alarms. We also shared video clips from the app to family members to let them know packages arrived.

ADT+’s greatest feature is how it’s incorporated Google Nest. You can use it as a substitute for the Nest App, so you’re not switching between screens to manage different devices. We could view Nest Cam footage and recordings, control our Nest smart home devices, and manage the security system including features like Trusted Neighbor.

ADT’s Customer Support

ADT’s phone, email, and live chat services are available 24/7, but we found it easier to use the knowledge center. It has the answers to the most common questions, as well as guides on how to set up and customize device settings.

The last time we used the live chat service, the agent sent us to a page that didn’t have anything to do with our question. We had a better experience with the call center, which talked us through how to resolve an issue with the Hub. Despite the mixed service, there are worse security systems around.