ADT Home Security Systems Pricing and Package Costs

ADT has a rare blend of pedigree and evolution that results in one of the best home security systems on the market. However, top-notch home security comes with premium prices. From the cost of equipment to monitoring and installation fees, there’s a lot to breakdown when it comes to ADT’s pricing structure.

We’ve found that ADT equipment prices tend to be in the middle to upper tier of the market. Monitoring prices are also toward the higher end of the spectrum. Bottom line: if you don’t want to pay a lot for a home security system, you may want to look elsewhere. If you are willing to invest in one of the top home security systems, let’s get into the details to see what a system from ADT might cost you.

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.”

Read more about Gene Petrino →

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.

While the Build Your Own option lets you customize your package from the ground up, we recommend starting with a package so you can take advantage of ADT’s biggest discounts. They offer a package for most needs and you can always add devices to any of their packages if you want.

If you need custom advice for your home, you can get it from an ADT security technician. They can give you advice over the phone or conduct an in-home walkthrough. Naturally, these ADT representatives will try to talk you into buying equipment and upper tier monitoring plans. In our experience, they’re not overly pushy and we do recommend getting advice from someone with first-hand experience.

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

Life Safety

• 1 base station
• 2 door/window sensors
• 1 smoke/ carbon monoxide detector
• 1 ADT yard sign
• 1 pack of four ADT window stickers

Security Starter

• 1 base station
• 3 door/window sensors
• 1 motion 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

Video Essentials

• 1 base station
• 3 door/window sensors
• 1 motion sensor
• 1 Nest Cam
• 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. Sometimes it’s included in ADT sales that they run throughout the year. We came across a special on packages with Trusted Neighbor one year when we were browsing through home security system Black Friday deals.

ADT Equipment Pricing

You have a couple of options for paying for your ADT equipment. The first is to pay for everything upfront. But if that will put too much of a strain on your bank account, you can finance the equipment.

Let’s take a look at both options. The starting price for the Build Your Own package is $269, which you could pay upfront. But if you were to pay it off over three years, it would only cost you $7.47 per month on top of your monthly monitoring cost. Here’s how much some other packages would cost.

Paying upfront means you’ll only pay between $24.99 to $39.99 per month for professional monitoring. But if handing over hundreds of dollars for equipment isn’t in the budget, financing is another option.

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

Back in the day, all ADT equipment required professional installation. But that all changed once ADT started offering DIY options. So now you have a choice of whether you want to pay for a professional to set up your security system or do it all yourself.

We recommend professional installation because ADT technicians know the best spots to set up equipment for maximum coverage. You could be paying more than $200 for the courtesy, but you’ll need to call ADT for a definitive quote as the fee depends on how many pieces of equipment need to be installed.

>> Check Out: Best Professionally Installed Security Systems

ADT now has self-installation as the default option. The company also offers remote assistance with a live representative through the ADT+ app. This is a great way to skip the installation fee, but we still prefer professional installation to ensure all equipment is optimally placed and installed correctly.

ADT Monitoring Pricing

ADT requires at least one month of professional monitoring with the purchase of any security package. If that package includes a camera, the top-tier Complete plan ($39.99) is automatically bundled with your package. If that package includes a smart lock or other smart device, the mid-tier Smart plan ($29.99 per month) is automatically bundled with your package. If your package only includes sensors, the bottom-tier Secure plan ($24.99 per month) is bundled.

You can drop your subscription and self-monitor after one month. However, you’ll lose access to key features that are meant to get the most value out of the devices you’ve bought. For example, dropping the Complete plan means you won’t get video storage or use of the ADT+ app.

Here’s an overview of those monitoring plans:

We were happy to see ADT lower its monitoring costs in recent years. At one point, ADT’s monitoring costs ranged from $40 to $60 per month. ADT’s new pricing puts it on par or better with other security systems like Frontpoint, which has a top-tier monitoring plan that costs $49.99 per month.

>> Compare: ADT vs. Frontpoint

Is ADT’s Monitoring Plan Priced Fairly?

ADT isn’t a bargain brand when it comes to monitoring fees. However, as we point out in our ADT review, no other company can match ADT’s monitoring capabilities. For starters, the company has 12 monitoring centers across the US and Canada. These facilities have backup contingencies to ensure 24/7 monitoring services.

There’s also the SMART Monitoring messaging system that sends text messages to multiple household members at once. It’s a great way to keep everyone on the same page, especially if the main contact is unavailable due to work or personal reasons. We got a text message while we were out for dinner when our babysitter left the house.

The next time we got a text message, we timed the difference between SMART Monitoring and the ADT monitoring center. There was only a difference of about 15 seconds. We learned we could cancel or verify alerts via the messaging too. This is handy if we ever need help fast.

>> 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 few years. Cove’s monthly rates jumped to $19.99 and $29.99, 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.

ADT offers financing for all of its systems, but it requires a credit check. To be clear, the only security systems that don’t require credit checks are those that don’t need financing.

When you buy a package, ADT requires at least one month of professional monitoring based on the equipment you’ve bought. You might be tempted to drop the monitoring plan after one month, but ADT’s professional monitoring service is one of its biggest selling points.

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.

We think ADT is one of the best security systems that work with Google. The company topped our list because all ADT security cameras are Google Nest Cams, and you can buy Nest thermostats through ADT. Throw in smart locks, displays, and lights, and you can make your home smart via ADT. The functionality of ADT+ app brings it all together.

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 2025

About ADT Trusted Neighbor

While automations are great, nothing beats having a trusted neighbor as part of your home security strategy. With its (relatively) new Trusted Neighbor feature, ADT takes sharing a copy of your keys to the next level. Instead of giving them full access to your home day or night, Trusted Neighbor lets you set access parameters for different people and conditions.

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 ($39.99 per month) to use Trusted Neighbor. That’s because security cameras are part of the setup.

ADT’s Long-Standing History

There’s a lot to say about ADT’s history considering that they’ve been around for 150 years. They were founded in 1874 and basically invented professional monitoring services. Of course, the professional monitoring service ADT uses today is a lot different than the one they made way back when, but the fact that they’ve been around for 150 years shows how reliable their service is. You don’t have to worry about getting an ADT system installed in your forever home only for them to go out of business five years later rendering your system useless.

That 150 years in the business shows more than their reliability, though. It also shows how well they’ve been able to adapt to changing trends and technologies in the industry. Just 10 years ago, we never would have guessed we’d see ADT offer DIY systems as their main offering. That’s how, to this day, ADT has been able to stay a leader in the home security industry. They prove you can teach an old dog new tricks.

Recap & Our Recommendations

Let’s recap – ADT packages start at $269. The monthly fee for professional monitoring ranges from $24.99 to $39.99. 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.