ADT Indoor and Outdoor Security Camera Review

ADT Camera Options

The first thing you should know about ADT is that it’s constantly evolving; that’s why we make it a point to test the system at least once a year. One of its latest innovations, which was introduced in March of 2023, is ADT Self Setup.1 It’s a DIY home security system, completely different from the traditional ADT system (a.k.a. ADT Pro Install) that is installed professionally.

We’re telling you this because although the security camera options for the Self Setup and Pro Install are similar, they are not entirely the same.

For ADT Pro Install customers, ADT offers both ADT security cameras consisting of an indoor camera and an outdoor camera as well as all three Google Nest Cam models.

For ADT Self Setup customers, only Google Nest cameras are available.

Buying ADT Security Cameras

Another thing you should know is that you can’t buy security cameras from ADT without buying a security system as well. After all, ADT is a complete home security provider, not just a security camera brand like Lorex or Wyze. Now that we got that out of the way, we’ll take you through the buying process.

Buying Professionally Installed ADT Cameras

ADT and Google have been partners since 2020.2 This partnership has bloomed to the point that Google Nest Cams became the main security camera option offered by ADT, so if you visit ADT’s website right now, you’ll see that it’s advertising Nest Cams more than ADT’s own security cameras.

Buying a security system from ADT has never been easier. In our previous tests, we had to call a local dealer first to get a quote and then eventually get a security system installed by a technician. Today, you can just go to ADT’s website, create a custom ADT Pro Install security system, and checkout. A technician will still install the system for you, but the new online buying process is more streamlined.

That being said, if you buy an ADT system online, you can add only Nest Cams to your cart. If you want the legacy ADT security cameras, you’re going to have to give ADT a call, or talk to an agent through ADT’s chatbox. Since we wanted to test the ADT cameras as well, we went with the traditional buying process.

Buying ADT Self Setup Cameras

If you’re looking to buy an ADT Self Setup system with cameras, the buying process is also online. After customizing your kit and checking-out, ADT will send the package to your doorstep for you to install yourself. Again, the ADT Self Setup system supports only cameras from Google Nest.

The buying process, in our experience, is akin to buying a SimpliSafe package. That’s a good thing for modern DIYers, as you don’t have to talk to a sales agent to get exactly what you want. The downside is that you don’t get as many options. You can read our ADT Self Setup review for a more detailed look at the types of equipment you can buy.

Our Thoughts on the ADT Indoor and Outdoor Cameras

Having bought all the security cameras we need, we proceeded to test them to see how well they work, starting with the ADT-branded indoor and outdoor cameras.

General Specifications

The indoor and outdoor cameras from ADT look similar. They both have a simple yet sleek form factor. Based on their design, it’s clear that ADT is going for a modern look.

As expected, the outdoor camera is weather-resistant. We experienced a couple days of torrential rain during our testing, and the camera worked just fine all throughout. Checking its specs, we found that it has an IP 66 rating – it’s resistant to high-pressure water jets, just as long as you don’t fully submerge it. On top of its IP 66 rating, it also operates in temperatures as low as negative 40 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s one of the lowest operating temperatures we’ve seen making it a great option for people that live way up north. The indoor camera, on the other hand, is not weatherproof, so while they look similar, you can’t interchange them.

Both the indoor and outdoor cameras are plug-in type cameras, by the way. We didn’t have any trouble installing them because an ADT technician handled the installation. But just so you know, they are not completely wire-free. We had the outdoor camera placed outside facing our front lawn, while we kept the indoor camera on a bookshelf in the living room.

ADT Camera Specs

Video Quality

We found the video quality of both cameras just right.

Let’s start with the outdoor camera. We have high standards for outdoor cameras in terms of video quality. For one, they are our first line of defense since they are the first to see approachings guests – or perhaps trespassers. Also, the lighting conditions outdoors can change dramatically, so we need outdoor cameras that can adapt and capture clear videos no matter what.

For the most part, the ADT Outdoor Camera delivered. Its 1080p HD resolution captured videos in high definition, clear enough to identify the face of a person standing 20 to 30 feet away. Any further than that and the picture starts to become grainy, but for our small front yard, that’s more than enough. The video quality remains the same at night, only in black-and-white because the camera uses infrared night vision.

The outdoor camera also boasts a 130-degree viewing angle. It’s not the widest viewing angle we’ve seen; for instance, the Arlo Ultra 4K camera from our Arlo Ultra review had an industry-best 180-degree field of vision. Still, ADT’s viewing angle wasn’t so bad. It covered most of our lawn and a small portion of our neighbor’s garden, and that’s more than enough. If you have a wider outdoor space, though, you may have to put up more than one camera.

The ADT Indoor Camera has a similar video quality (1080p HD) but a slightly wider field of vision. We find this odd, because usually, outdoor cameras have a wider coverage. Anyway, one indoor camera was enough to cover our living room; we just had to place the camera strategically.

Smart Features

While their video quality was nothing to write home about, ADT’s security cameras did a good job incorporating smart features into their feature sets. Specifically, we liked that they have video analytics.

Most if not all cameras we test detect motion. Unfortunately, security cameras can produce a lot of false alarms. ADT’s solution is video analytics. Rather than having to pull up a live video from the ADT app whenever your cameras detect motion, ADT can tell you what type of movement it was so you can decide if it needs a closer look.

The indoor camera can tell whether a motion event is triggered by a person or pet, while the outdoor camera can differentiate motion by people, pets, and vehicles. When a UPS worker dropped a parcel for us, for instance, the notification came like this: “Outdoor camera detected a person and recorded a video clip at 9:20 am.”

ADT’s video analytics wasn’t 100-percent accurate – it once misidentified our neighbor’s labradoodle as a person – but for the most part, we found it helpful in cutting down false alarms.

Final Thoughts on ADT Cameras

Feature-wise, the ADT cameras didn’t have anything extra special going on for them to truly stand out from the crowd, but they weren’t bad either. In fact, they were good enough to make our list of the best security cameras, thanks in no small part to their compatibility with the ADT system.

Even if they were standalone cameras, though, they’d still make solid indoor and outdoor video monitoring solutions. Their video quality meets our high standards and their smart features are enough to put them ahead of most of the competition. For example, the Ring Indoor Cam may be affordable, but its lack of person detection can trigger a lot of false alarms, as we discovered in our Ring Indoor Cam review. At least with ADT, we didn’t have that problem.

Our Thoughts on the Google Nest Cams

ADT offers the Google Nest security cameras as a pricier but smarter alternative to the ADT indoor and outdoor cameras. And that is true – we’ve tested almost every Nest camera since the Dropcam (circa 2014) and can confirm that the latest Nest cameras are better than the ADT cameras.

Now, we’re not going into too much detail about the three Nest Cam models. We have a separate page for that, our review of the full Nest Cam lineup. Here, we’ll give you a short overview of the Nest Cam hardware.

The three models available are the Nest Cam (battery), the Nest Cam (indoor, wired), and the Nest Cam with floodlight. They differ in how they receive power and in a few minor features like the viewing angle and the built-in floodlight in one of the models. Generally, though, they share the same hardware specifications.

Keep in mind that ADT charges significantly more for Nest Cams with their professional installation packages. Most of them nearly double in price, except for the Nest Cam with floodlight. Somehow, that went down in price by $0.99. Here’s an overview of how much you’ll pay for each Nest Cam if you opt for one of the professional installation packages:

Nest Cam Video Quality

All three Nest Cam models capture videos in 1080p HD, but with a little extra magic called HDR or high dynamic range. HDR helps you capture clear shots in high-contrast situations – usually outdoors where there can be extremely bright and extremely dark areas all in one frame.

In our experience, the HDR in the Nest Cam (battery) helps balance the lighting so that the more shadowy areas brighten just enough without causing glare in areas with already enough daylight.

One note we have on the video quality of the Nest Cams has to do with the viewing angle. The wired indoor model has the widest viewing angle out of the three at 135 degrees, while the other two have a viewing angle similar to the ADT Outdoor Camera at 130 degrees. Those may be enough for some, but if you want to cover a wider area, you’re going to need more than one camera. The Nest Cams tend to be on the higher end of the price spectrum, which means your budget might take a hit.

Smart Features

The main reason one might choose to use the Nest Cams over the ADT cameras is the smart features. The Nest Cams are known for being some of the smartest cameras around, offering features like facial recognition in addition to the standard person, pet, and vehicle detection. All three cameras are capable of all these features, but there is one catch: You need a Nest Aware subscription to use the facial recognition feature.

Fortunately, Nest Aware is included in the ADT monitoring plan (under Video Security), so when we got the Nest Cams from ADT, we didn’t have to purchase a separate subscription. And yes, we were able to test the facial recognition feature. You can read our full experience in our Nest Cam (battery) review.

Using The Cameras with ADT

The key aspect of ADT’s security camera options is that they work with a larger home security system to completely blanket your home. Although effective in protecting homes, security cameras can only protect what they can see. And the cold hard truth is that burglars can sometimes evade security camera detection.

With our ADT system in place, we had the security sensors to fall back on. What we mean by that is, if our cameras fail to catch an intruder – for instance, if they manage to creep through a blindspot – ADT would still detect them through the security sensors. We had door and window sensors installed on our front and back doors as well as every first-floor window, so no matter where they enter through, we’ll get an alert.

Conversely, when our ADT motion sensor alerted us to movement in our kitchen, we used the Nest Cam (wired) and ADT Indoor Camera to check on our home.

With the ADT Self Setup system and the ADT+ app, we were able to livestream Nest Cam footage through the app itself, so we were able to verify the alert within seconds of receiving the notification. Fortunately, it was just a stray cat that found its way through a window left ajar.

Unfortunately, the integration wasn’t as smooth with the ADR Pro Install system and the ADT Control app. The ADT Control app let us stream videos from the ADT cameras, but not from the Nest Cams. We still had to use the Google Home app.

There’s good news, though. When ADT unveiled the ADT+ app, it announced that they’ll soon make it available to both Self Setup and Pro Install customers. Once it becomes available to Pro Install users, hopefully we’ll be able to use the app to livestream videos from Nest Cams.

Of course, any security system with security cameras can provide those benefits. Did ADT stand out in any other way?

Video Verification

The answer is “yes.” The standout feature is called video verification, and not every alarm system has this. Unfortunately, this feature is only available through the ADT Self Setup system for now, but ADT is working to enable it on the Pro Install system in the future.

Video verification can speed up police response. With the ADT Self Setup and the $34.99 per month professional monitoring plan, ADT’s monitoring center will be able to briefly access your video history if – and only if – there’s an ongoing alarm call. That way, they can determine right away if police dispatch is necessary.

Moreover, the police are more likely to prioritize and respond faster to video verified alarms, since at least 94-percent of non-verified alarms from security systems turn out to be false activations.3

Video verification has practical benefits, too. If the monitoring center catches an intruder in the act of breaking and entering, they’d be able to provide the police with descriptions on the spot, which might help in catching the criminal.

Of course, ADT is not the only security system that offers video verification. SimpliSafe also offers this feature through its Fast Protect plan. However, because of ADT’s top-notch monitoring facilities and service, it stands out as one of the best options.

ADT Pricing

Now, let’s get to one of the downsides of using security cameras from ADT: The monthly cost.

ADT requires professional monitoring for its ADT Pro Install system, and although monitoring is optional for the ADT Self Setup system, you’ll need a subscription to enjoy the full benefits. With both systems, you only get security camera features like cloud storage and facial recognition (Nest Cam only) if you sign up for the highest subscription.

Thankfully, ADT recently lowered all of their monitoring costs. Now, they have two plans to choose from whether you got a Pro Install system or a Self Setup system, Essential or Essential + Video.

Those are steep prices, even considering the fact that they include home automation and professional monitoring for your ADT security system. For example, Ring’s Protect Pro subscription with professional monitoring and cloud recording costs only $20 per month. And with SimpliSafe, professional monitoring with video verification and cloud storage costs just $29.99 per month. So, even though ADT recently lowered their prices, they still charge a premium compared to the competition.

Still, we believe that ADT’s monitoring plans are worth it. In our experience, they have one of the most reliable monitoring networks, with a total of nine facilities throughout the United States. You can read our ADT pricing page for more information about ADT’s subscription options and why we think they are worth it.

The Final Say: Are ADT Security Cameras Worth It?

ADT security cameras are the perfect partners for the ADT security system, especially now that they’ve incorporated Google Nest Cams into their lineup. We liked the availability of options – ADT-branded cameras for simpler and more straightforward video monitoring and Google Nest Cams for those who want extra smarts.

There’s room for improvement still, particularly when it comes to integrating Nest Cams with the ADT Pro Install system. But as they stand now, the camera options from ADT are worth it.

Of course, ADT is not for everyone. A monitoring plan is required to enjoy its full features, so we only recommend ADT if you’re willing to spend on a whole-home security system and the monthly fee that comes with it. Is it for you? Read our security camera buying guide for help in choosing the right cameras for you.