How Much Does Vivint Cost?

There’s no better feeling than knowing that your home is one of the safest places for you and your family, but to achieve that peace of mind, you’ll need to invest in a home security system. It shouldn’t be just any security system, though. You need a high-quality system that is neither built cheaply nor overpriced.

When it comes to quality, Vivint is one of the top options. It has a certain “premium” feel that seamlessly combines security features with impressive smart home automation to elevate any home’s security. And of course, with this comes a premium price to match.

Is Vivint a worthy investment? If you’re among the curious, we’ll answer that right here on our Vivint pricing page, where we’ll talk about its equipment and monitoring costs, features, and contract details. And just to tease what’s to come: you definitely get what you pay for with Vivint.

Vivint’s Monitoring Services Pricing

Vivint is a smart home security system, which is slightly different from what you may be used to. Vivint is more than just a bunch of sensors and security cameras. It incorporates traditional home security components with advanced smart devices to create a safer, more secure environment.

To enjoy Vivint’s protection, though, you need equipment and a monitoring plan, both of which will cost you money.

The fees will depend on your equipment and the features you want to access. Expect to pay a higher monthly fee if you want the whole nine yards, meaning, security sensors, environment sensors, security cameras, and home automation.

Keep in mind that all of Vivint’s monitoring plans include 24/7 professional monitoring with cellular backup. That means whichever plan you choose, Vivint has you covered in terms of basic home security. In fact, you get more than that, as all plans also include access to the Vivint app so you can monitor and control your security system on-the-go.

As you add more equipment and upgrade your monitoring plan, though, you get progressively more features. You can, for example, control smart home components like smart thermostats and smart lights with Vivint’s smart home monitoring plan, or as we mentioned earlier, get access to security cameras with the video security plan.

However, it’s also smart to consider whether you need a security system as robust as Vivint’s. Many companies offer less expensive equipment and professional monitoring at much lower prices so users can keep their monthly costs down. For example, if you go with a package from abode, a more minimalist security brand, you’ll most likely pay less per month for both equipment and monitoring than you would with Vivint.

Breakdown of Monitoring Packages

One of the most dreaded parts of getting security monitoring is signing the contract, a legal document that binds you to the service for quite a long time. Usually, the contract lasts three years, during which time you can’t cancel your monitoring service without having to pay an early termination fee.

With Vivint, contracts can be flexible. If you can afford to pay the equipment cost up-front, you won’t be asked to sign a contract. Rather, it will be month-to-month, so you can cancel anytime without penalties.

Keep in mind that a monitoring subscription is necessary for a Vivint system to work, so once you cancel monitoring, your security system will stop working. Still, if you want the flexibility of a month-to-month contract, paying for the equipment up-front will work to your advantage.

That said, as you’ll find out below, Vivint’s equipment isn’t the most budget-friendly. For many, the only way they can afford a security system is by financing it. If that’s the case, you will need to sign a contract equivalent to your financing term, which can be 48 to 60 months.

The advantage of this approach is that you won’t shell out a significant upfront payment for the equipment. Rather, the equipment fee cost will be added to your monthly monitoring fee in easier-to-pay installment amounts.

In any case, it’s always good practice to ask your sales rep about your contract’s details when buying a security system.

Vivint’s Equipment Pricing

Quality smart home security means investing in trusted devices that our experts have tried and tested. With Vivint, you can choose exactly what equipment you want, which will determine your monthly fee. If that fee is outside of your budget, don’t worry; you can find plenty of ways to save on Vivint throughout the year. Before you buy, be sure to check out our guide to Vivint’s year-round deals and our guide to Vivint Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals.

Discounts aside, Vivint does have financing plans so you can pay over time. We recommend choosing a package, as that’ll save you money compared to buying each piece of equipment individually, but for your convenience, we’ll share the pricing for both.

Vivint Package Pricing

When it comes to equipment, one of the frequently asked questions about Vivint is, “How much is this all going to cost me?”. Well, the answer depends on what pieces of equipment you’re looking to get, but also on how you’re going to pay.

The standard option is to finance your equipment, which will lock you into a contract but allows you to spread out the equipment fee (sometimes $2,000 or more) over four or five years. Considering Vivint’s high equipment cost and the fact that the system only works when you have a professional monitoring subscription, financing makes more practical sense. Here’s how it works:

By financing with Vivint, users will pay one flat monthly fee (usually under $60 per month) for equipment and monitoring over the term of the finance period. Then, after the financing period ends, the equipment will be completely yours and the monthly costs should drop significantly. If you’re looking for a lower monthly fee on the entire system, we suggest looking at Cove’s DIY security kits, or even a super-low-cost package from Ring Alarm.

Sure, Vivint isn’t the cheapest option around, but home security is an area you don’t want to skimp on. Make sure to check out our review of Vivint before making any hasty decisions either way!

Vivint Pricing vs. The Competition

Vivint more closely resembles well-established security companies like ADT than the young DIY security options we see these days. There are pros and cons to that.

The advantage, clearly, is that Vivint offers best-in-class features that you can get only from a well-established company. With Vivint, you have more types of equipment to choose from, you have better sets of features at your disposal, and you can access top-shelf monitoring service. You also get white-glove, professional installation service.

On the other hand, Vivint is less flexible than most DIY security systems. That is true in terms of price and contracts. You’re not allowed to self-monitor Vivint, so a monthly monitoring fee comes standard with any security system. On top of that, there’s a contract you need to sign that locks you into the service.

In terms of equipment, Vivint’s prices are also up there, although some components’ pricing is negotiable. Take the Vivint Outdoor Camera Pro, for instance. It costs $399.99, and although it’s at the top of the line in terms of quality, most outdoor cameras cost around $200. Similarly, the Vivint Doorbell Pro costs $299.99, a bit more expensive than the industry average of around $188. So if you’re considering Vivint, expect to pay hundreds for equipment and at least $39.99 more per month. It’s certainly not for everybody, but if you can afford Vivint’s premium pricing, you’ll enjoy premium features and equipment as well.

How Does Vivint Fit Into Your Smart Home?

Aside from working with Philips Hue smart lighting and Nest thermostats, Vivint primarily works with Alexa and Google Assistant, the two most popular voice assistants. Let’s talk about the commands you can use with each.

Alexa

Vivint, one of the best security systems for Alexa, has more than one Alexa skill. We recommend the Vivint.SmartHome – Complete Alexa skill, as it lets us control most of our connected Vivint devices using our voices alone, making for a much more convenient home. Here are some sample commands:

• Alexa, turn on my lights.
• Alexa, arm my security system “away”.
• Alexa, set the heat to 70 degrees.
• Alexa, increase bedroom temperature.
• Alexa, close my garages.
• Alexa, lock my front door.
• Alexa, show me the doorbell camera.

This is a super-comprehensive list of capabilities, so if you’re in the Amazon ecosystem, you’ll surely enjoy integrating Vivint into the mix.

Google Assistant

Vivint’s integration with the Google Assistant is also super comprehensive, allowing control for cameras, garage doors, lights, locks, thermostats, and of course, security systems. In fact, Vivint is also one of the best Google Assistant-compatible security systems. Here are a few commands:

• OK Google, turn up the thermostat.
• Hey Google, unlock the front door.
• Hey Google, arm security.
• OK Google, show the front door camera on the living room TV.

The integration between Google Assistant and Vivint security cameras particularly impressed us. It let us watch live footage coming from our cameras on our Nest Hub and Nest Hub Max easily. You can read our Nest Hub review and Nest Hub Max review for more details on how camera integrations work.

Other Smart Home Devices

Vivint also offers a number of add-on equipment pieces that integrate into its smart home security system so you can control them with the Vivint app, control panel, or your voice. Examples are:

• Kwikset Smart Locks: In addition to using a key, you can control Kwikset Smart Locks using the Vivint app, your voice, with the help of voice assistants, or numerical codes. That means the chances of you getting locked out of your house will go way down. Plus, you’ll get notifications if you or anyone else left the door unlocked, relieving you of the anxiety of trying to remember if you locked your door. On top of that, you can program the lock to trigger other connected devices; for example, having the security system disarm when the door unlocks. You can also let people in when no one is home. You can create up to 30 unique codes for guests to use, which is much more secure than leaving a key under the welcome mat.
• Garage Door Controller: Got a garage? This controller will let you open and close your garage doors remotely and notify you if you leave your garage doors open. As cases of package theft continue to rise, garage door controllers can be quite useful. Instead of having delivery people leave packages on your porch, you can let them into your garage and have them leave your packages there, instead. Plus, Vivint’s garage door controllers have tamper alarms, so you’ll get alerts if anyone tries to mess with it. Let’s be honest: your garage is part of your house, and Vivint understands that it needs protection, too.
• Vivint Element Thermostat: Smart thermostats are some of our favorite types of connected devices. The reason? They can save you money on heating and cooling costs by using schedules, sensing your location using the GPS on your phone, and even incorporating information about the weather outside of your house. Obviously, you’ll be able to control your home’s temperature through Vivint’s app or voice commands, but you can also receive alerts of any temperature changes (like if your wife turned the dial up again). The Element Thermostat even detects humidity, not just temperature, as this can be a major factor in how hot the room feels.
• Nest Thermostat E: Vivint also offers a smart thermostat from Google Nest, one of the best smart home companies on the market. Or if you own one already, you can integrate it with your new Vivint system. Over time, the Nest Thermostat can learn your schedule without you even having to program it, a rare feature when it comes to smart thermostats. By sensing motion as well as passive infrared heat, this thermostat knows when someone is home and even what room they’re in! Aside from that, you’ll be able to hook it up with the GPS on your phone, control it manually through the Vivint or Nest apps, or use your trusted voice assistant to control your home’s temperature. With so many easily accessible options, it’s no wonder that Nest thermostats can save you an average of 10 to 12 percent on heating and up to 15 percent on cooling, according to an independent study1.
• Philips Hue Smart Lighting: Philips Hue is perhaps the best-known lighting brand in the country, and smart lighting is its forte. Take the Philips Hue White and Color Bulb, for example. Not only will you be able to dim it and set it to 16 million different color options, but you can also schedule your lights just as you do your thermostats. Or, you can sync them to other connected devices, like having your mudroom’s lights turn on when your garage door opens. You can even sync your lights with the sunrise and sunset, or the GPS on your phone!

Although many of Vivint’s smart home products come from third-party brands, the beautiful thing is that you’ll be able to control everything in the Vivint Smart Home app and touchscreen panel, as well as through voice assistants. Vivint is more than just a security company; it’s a smart home brand that’s passionate about making your life easier. With all the equipment and smart home integrations it offers, it has the potential to make your life more convenient.

Recap/ Value

Having tested and used Vivint for over a year now, we like how it helps keep our home secure. With 24/7 professional monitoring, we know that someone is always there for us in case of an emergency – that is why Vivint continues to be one of our top smart home systems each year. While Vivint may not make much sense as a local alarm system only, for those who want 24/7 professional monitoring, remote control, notifications, and other features of a smart home security system, Vivint is a viable option.