ADT is a security veteran that has been in the home protection business for over 150 years.
Its services offer every piece of equipment and monitoring feature required to keep your home or business secure. It includes burglar alarms, glass break sensors, cameras, smoke/carbon monoxide detectors, and smart home products – all provided by SafeStreets, the leading dealer of ADT's packages.
All security systems are easy to set up, but in the event of struggling, the company offers a dedicated number for remote assistance from an ADT specialist and the option to contract professional installation.
To make things even better, ADT's monitoring costs as low as $24.99 per month plus a one-time equipment fee. If needed, you can call +1 (718) 691-3415 for more information about a subscription.
| Equipment brand | ADT |
|---|---|
| Equipment warranty | Limited |
| Wireless technology | |
| Cellular technology |
ADT packages and equipment are sold by its certified and authorized provider – SafeStreets.
The heart of ADT's security is the white ADT base. It’s an easy-to-use and modern-looking Wi-Fi hub that features a built-in keypad and seamlessly blends with minimalist and futuristic decor.
In addition to being easy to install, it offers a built-in proximity sensor that illuminates when your hand approaches, allowing you to quickly check and toggle the system’s arming status with a tap. The keypad comes with emergency buttons to request assistance from medical, police, and fire services.
The base includes an 85 dB built-in siren, a speaker, a 24-hour rechargeable backup battery, and tamper protection. If you have a smart home setup, it seamlessly integrates with Alexa or Google Assistant to add to your home automation.
Importantly, you don’t need to worry about your internet dropping, as ADT base units ensure that you’ll always be connected by switching to a cellular network as a backup.
The only drawback about the base unit is that it’s fully analog. The lack of a touchscreen means you can’t control smart devices directly from the base.
🎥 1080p HDR and 2K Cameras (battery-powered, wired, 2nd gen, and 3rd gen)
📡 Sensors
🚨 Life safety
🧰 Accessories
While the extensive list of products allows for various home security setups, it may make your life more difficult if you want to customize one from scratch.
| 24/7 security monitoring | |
|---|---|
| Response time | Seconds |
| Fire & environmental protection | |
| Video monitoring |
ADT has six U.S.-based monitoring centers across the country, providing 24/7 professional security monitoring by a team of experienced agents.
In the event of a break-in, an agent will message you to confirm there’s an active emergency. If you don’t reply, ADT dispatches first responders on your behalf.
Of course, ADT doesn’t just protect your home from external threats, such as intruders. The system also includes smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, and flood sensors to keep your household safe from unexpected accidents.
ADT+ is the company’s mobile app, available for both Android and iOS devices. It features a user-friendly, streamlined, and responsive design.
The app lets you access all the service’s devices on the go, allowing you to remotely arm and disarm the alarm, adjust the thermostat, switch on lights, unlock doors, and more. Additionally, you can view everything happening in your home in HD from the app’s dashboard.
ADT+ also includes:
We really like that there’s an event history that shows you all activity related to the home security system, such as when it was armed or disarmed, when a door was closed, or when it detected motion.
On another note, ADT only works with cloud storage, so if you’re looking to connect your system with your own local setup to store video footage, you may want to consider an alternative.
One of ADT's best features is Trusted Neighbor™.
It lets you securely grant a trusted person time-limited access to your home and security system.
For example, if you’re out on holiday, you can preset a home access window for scheduled guests, so you can carry on with your day without needing to unlock or rearm your system repeatedly.
The ADT+ app handles all automation features. From there, you’re able to control your alarm and set up geofencing, which switches the lights on automatically when you’re close to home.
If you don’t mind paying for some extra equipment, it’s possible to take home automation even further by purchasing ADT's smart home products, which include:
| Lowest price | $24.99/mo |
| Free trial | |
| Money-back guarantee | 30 Day(s) |
| Free version |
ADT's pricing structure can become overwhelming due to the numerous options available. You can either select from a list of premade security packages or customize your own.
All subscriptions include a one-time equipment fee, plus a monthly cost for monitoring services. Premade packages offer discounts of up to 62% and ADT only offers cancel-anytime monthly billing cycles.
Security Starter is the most affordable package, requiring a one-time fee of $199 plus one month of 24/7 ADT Pro monitoring, which costs $24.99 per month. It features only the essentials for intrusion detection.
If you’re looking for video surveillance as well, the cheapest option is Video Essentials, which costs an additional $15 per month, resulting in a monthly cost of $39.99. It includes everything from the starter package, plus one camera of your choice.
For even greater security, you can opt for Front Door Protection. The monthly subscription costs the same, but has a one-time fee of $295.59. It includes everything from the Video Essentials package, plus a Yale smart lock and access to Trusted Neighbor™.
For comprehensive and advanced home security protection, users can opt for the Total Safety package, which incurs a one-time fee of $1,043.95 plus a monthly payment of $39.99.
All packages and custom home security builds include three available installation options: DIY, remote assistance, and professional installation. Depending on the package, you can purchase product protection insurance for $10 per month and 24/7 video recording for $7 each month.
Shipping is free, and clients have 30 days to return the equipment if the system does not meet their expectations. Additionally, there is a 6-month guarantee for technical issues fixes in case you experience problems with your system that ADT has attempted to resolve but wasn’t able to.
On another note, ADT also has business security monitoring solutions as well as medical alert systems for senior safety.
For more detailed information, call ADT at +1 (718) 691-3415 or schedule a complimentary in-home consultation.
| 24/7 | |
| Live chat | |
| Phone |
ADT offers an extensive list of self-support resources, so you don’t need to contact the company directly every time something goes wrong.
It includes FAQs, thorough getting started and troubleshooting guides, manuals, and video tutorials for all equipment.
What we loved the most was the digital assistant – one of the best AI chat assistants we’ve come across so far. It clearly explains and helps users with any questions or issues that may arise, just like an actual support agent.
If it cannot provide an answer, it’ll connect you to ADT's human customer support.
Although ADT has earned an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau, customer comments about the experience with support are far from ideal, with some users reporting insufficient support for their subscriptions and equipment.
However, there are several ways to get in touch with ADT, including a 24/7 live chat and phone (available between 6 am and 9 pm CT).
If you’d like to explore ADT's social media, the company has official channels on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest.
ADT is powered by SafeStreets and earned its status as a top security provider thanks to its strong focus on innovation and outstanding 24/7 monitoring.
It offers easy-to-install equipment that is fully controllable via the ADT+ app, which provides extensive home security automation, including smart extras like Trusted Neighbor™.
Additionally, the peace of mind you gain thanks to ADT's 30-day and 6-month refund policies makes it a go-to option for those looking to build a home security system for the first time.
The service’s drawbacks won’t be dealbreakers for most, but they can still deter some people from making a purchase. The sheer number of packages and device options available might feel intimidating, and the lack of a touchscreen on the base unit, plus the lack of local storage options for videos, may be make-or-break factors.
Ultimately, if you’re tech-savvy enough and feel comfortable managing a full-fledged smart home security system from your phone, ADT is one of the best options on the market. Plus, you can get outstanding deals with discounts of up to 62%.
ADT’s basic protection starts at $24.99 per month, with a one-time fee of $199, making it a mid-priced option among DIY-style home security systems.
Technically, yes, but it’s not recommended. Without the monitoring subscription, you’ll lose almost all the power that comes with the security system. You won’t have professional monitoring, cloud video storage, or app features, rendering the system useless.
Yes, ADT monitoring centers will contact the police or other first responders after an ADT agent confirms (or is unable to rule out) an emergency.
No home security system is 100% ‘unhackable’, but ADT is designed to make it almost impossible. ADT systems are tamper-protected, switch to cellular connectivity when internet connection is lost, and include battery backups in case of a power outage.
The Best Reviews team researches and tests all products first-hand. We've been reviewing products and services since 2012 and are proud to only publish human-created content.
February 2022
In Requesting closure of the account, I responded correctly to requests for: 1. Name on the account 2. Address of Service 3. Phone number connected to the account and 4. The password Neither the customer service rep nor her supervisor accepted my cancellation request . I called the funeral home, and they were kind enough to email me my father’s death certificates. Once I emailed his death certificate to Protection 1, I received a generic email back offering that they would evaluate my request. I consider this degrading, adding insult to injury. As a homeowner, I would N E V E R consider using Protection 1.
Hello Ms Neimark. We’re very sorry to hear about your loss. Hopefully, your issue was resolved in the meantime. However, keep in mind that this review is for ADT, not Protection 1, which is owned by ADT, but a different service. Still, we thank you for sharing your experience and let other homeowners know more about Protection 1. Have a nice day.
March 2018
I’ve heard great things about DIY security systems, but I needed my house protected by a security system installed by professionals. They came right on time to a scheduled appointment and were courteous and very professional. Ever since then the system has been flawless
March 2018
I’m sure every company offers competitive equipment. However, my purchasing decision was based upon what I think are the 2 most important qualities to look for in a home security system: 1) Monitoring and 2) Perceived effectiveness and/or protection level. In my mind, ADT wins by a landslide in both categories. The yard signage alone is a difference-maker. Burglars must be hugely deterred even just by an ADT sign in the yard.
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