Best Professionally Installed Security Systems of 2024

ADT Overview

ADT is a classic for a reason. It has been around for 150 years and has offered reliable equipment and monitoring for decades. And the cherry on top? ADT sends trained technicians to set it all up for you.

I’ve tested ADT extensively over the years. Every time I finish another test drive, I come away pleasantly surprised. ADT isn’t just old reliable, but it’s also the best security system I’ve tested.

Are the long contracts annoying? Yes. But the expert service from day one to day 1,095 makes it worth it.

ADT Installation Cost

When you buy an ADT package, you can expect the initial installation fee to be in the ballpark of $99 to $199 — less if you order fewer devices, more if you order, well, more.2 The good news is just like Vivint, there may be a few ways for you to save through ADT deals.

First, you might be qualified for discounted installation and free hardware if you served and are a member of Veterans Advantage. Second, ADT occasionally provides free installation of certain pieces of equipment, like their security cameras. Just keep an eye out for promotional banners on ADT’s website. Lastly, you might be able to haggle if you’re willing to. Before you sign an ADT contract, you’ll need to speak to a sales representative. You might as well make that conversation worth your time. Ask if they can knock something off the installation price. They might just say yes.

ADT Equipment

ADT offers reliable, if not exciting, equipment. The motion detectors work and the security cameras record, but it’s ADT’s partnership with Google that makes me giddy the most. Nest security devices are rich with advanced features, and you can get them with your ADT package.

>> Check Out: Best Home Security Systems That Work With Google Assistant

Our team tested ADT prior to the partnership, so I know first-hand that ADT’s own cameras aren’t that great. The doorbell camera, for example, offered only 720p resolution. It also required hardwiring and could only connect to 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi networks. In contrast, the Google Nest Doorbell – which ADT offers now – has a 1080p HD resolution, can run on batteries, and supports 5 GHz networks. It also comes rich with features like AI person detection and facial recognition.

That’s just one example. I can say the same things for the battery-powered, wired, and floodlight-equipped Nest Cam models compared to the former security cameras from ADT.

By the way, ADT offers other types of Google Nest devices, including smart speakers, displays and thermostats. There are lots of options including:

ADT Equipment

• Control panel
• Contact sensor
• Motion sensor
• Glass-break sensor
• Flood sensor
• CO monitor
• Smoke detector
• Key fob
• Panic button
• ADT Indoor Camera
• Nest Camera
• ADT Outdoor Camera
• Nest Camera With Floodlight
• ADT Video Doorbell
• Nest Doorbell
• ADT Smart Plugs
• ADT Smart Bulbs
• ADT Smart Thermostat

Let’s spell out what all that means for you. If you want a state-of-the-art smart home, you can get one with ADT. Not only does the company sell all the hardware you need, but it’ll install it too. That’s where professional installation really pays for itself.

ADT Reputation

ADT has racked up 150 years worth of goodwill. That’s more than any other company on this list can say. Compared to ADT, Vivint is a spunky little upstart.

That said, experience isn’t always synonymous with excellence. In recent years, some customers have revolted against ADT’s long contracts — especially since companies like SimpliSafe have shown there’s another way.

But having a contract – particularly one as transparent as ADT – can put you at an advantage. For one, ADT is able to offer equipment financing. You can pay $10 to $30 per month over the course of up to five years, which is easier on the wallet compared to shelling out over $1,000 on-the-spot.

I should also mention there’s a stark difference between companies that require a contract to protect the company’s and the customer’s interests, and companies that use contracts to deceive customers. In the years I’ve been testing ADT, I’ve always found its contracts forthcoming, transparent, and easy to understand – which is more than I can say about some of the worst security systems I’ve tested.

Vivint Overview

Vivint is more than a home security company — it’s a smart-home security company. It sells all the sensors you need to set up smart-home automations. That’s nice, but it’s also an awful lot of tech to install.

Thankfully, every Vivint package comes with professional installation.

I might be stating the obvious, but Vivint is one of my favorite smart-home security systems too. When I tested Vivint, I was able to set up powerful home automations with ease. That’s because the installation technician laid all the groundwork – he set up my Vivint system and paired the third-party smart-home equipment I wanted paired. By the time he left, all I had to do was set up the automations using my Vivint app.

If Vivint sales reps would stop knocking on my door on the weekends, it just might become my favorite professionally installed security system.

Vivint Installation Cost

I have good news and bad news. First, the good news: There’s a decent chance your initial Vivint installation will be free. According to the Vivint website, customers who sign up online don’t have to pay an installation fee.5

Now, the bad news: That’s just the first installation. A second, third, or fourth? That’ll cost you. Moving your Vivint equipment will cost $149.6 Free installation is suddenly feeling a lot less free, huh?

That’s why Vivint is one of our favorite security systems for large homes, but it’s not one of our favorite security systems for renters. If you’re settled in your five-bed, three-bath in Pasadena (good for you, by the way), you’re unlikely to run into the $149 moving fee. If you’re moving from rental to rental, you probably will. Skip Vivint and go with a no-contract security system.

One last thing worth mentioning about Vivint’s installation is that its installation technician had my system up and running in half the time it took ADT. Vivint took about three or four hours total, compared to ADT’s eight-hour installation.

Vivint Equipment

I’ve tested about $1,200 worth of Vivint equipment. If that sounds like a lot, that’s because it is. Vivint is one of the priciest systems I’ve ever tested. I’m not talking about Eufy here.

The Vivint Outdoor Camera, in particular, is top of the line. It features a 4K sensor, 140-degree field of view, and local storage. That’s in addition to its AI capabilities. It can tell the difference between a car, pet, and human, which came in handy during testing. I got alerts for people, not Porsches.

The Smart Deter function on the Vivint outdoor camera was also a real crime-buster. I got to set it up to sound a warning tone every time someone lurked in my front lawn for more than a minute. And the red LED ring around the lens was surely eye-catching. Some prefer to hide their outdoor cameras, but I want mine in full display to serve as a warning.

Vivint also offers some of the best smart-home devices on the market. I especially loved the Kwikset smart lock. Vivint Smart Home earned its name by making it easy to unlock all the doors when the fire alarm went off.

Here’s the thing about top-of-the-line equipment: It’s not always the easiest to install. I probably wouldn’t have gone to the trouble of hooking up a wired outdoor camera or drilling an advanced dead bolt on my own. It was really nice that Vivint techs did it for us.

Vivint Equipment

• Control panel
• Key fob
• Smart sensor
• Flood, heat, and freeze sensors
• Water sensor
• Tilt sensor
• Smart drive
• Car guard
• Smoke detector
• Carbon monoxide detector
• Smart lock
• Smart light bridge
• Smart light bulb
• Garage door controller
• Smart thermostat
• Lamp module
• Doorbell Camera Pro
• Outdoor Camera Pro
• Ping Indoor Camera
• Indoor Camera Pro
• Spotlight Pro

Vivint Reputation

There’s no doubt that Vivint is a security company worthy of the name. In my experience, it does exactly what it says it’s going to do: monitor your home security system. When I tripped a window sensor, Vivint was ready to respond — until I explained it was an accident.

It’s not all cotton candy and roses though. The Better Business Bureau rates Vivint a whopping C+. One reason for the lackluster grade? Vivint settled a lawsuit alleging it used random people’s credit reports to approve customers for loans.7

That said, the credit-approval wing is totally separate from the professional-installation wing. There’s no reason to believe the lady installing your Vivint security system is out to commit a minor financial crime.

SimpliSafe Overview

You want help with installation. You don’t want professional monitoring, high prices, or a long contract. SimpliSafe may be the security system for you.

To understand what makes the security company so special, compare SimpliSafe to ADT. When you buy an ADT system, you may speak to a sales rep, undergo a credit check, and sign a three-year contract. You don’t have to do any of that with SimpliSafe. You can just hit “Add to Cart.” If you add “professional installation” to cart, too, you’ll get just as much help with your tech as you would from ADT.

That’s not the only way SimpliSafe can go toe to toe with ADT. The newcomer may not beat the old guard when it comes to smart-home features, but it holds up when it comes to basic security. I pressed the panic button and reached SimpliSafe’s monitoring center in seconds — just as quick, if not quicker, than calling 911. (Just remember that the monitoring center is not the police.)

SimpliSafe Installation Cost

SimpliSafe costs zero dollars to install if you do it yourself. But you don’t want to install it yourself. You want a little help.

You’ll have to fork over at least $124.99 for the privilege. Ouch. What’s more, the total price scales with how many pieces of equipment are being installed. That base price is good for five pieces, but if you’re buying a 14-piece system like I did, expect to pay somewhere in the ballpark of $200. That’s about the same price I paid Vivint for the install job – and keep in mind, SimpliSafe is primarily a DIY system.

I’d also like to point out that SimpliSafe doesn’t hire technicians. It outsources the job to a third-party, OnTech. To its credit, OnTech is a nationwide service provider that has proven itself capable of installing tech home gadgets from brands like SimpliSafe and Ring. But for some reason, I feel more at ease with ADT and Vivint’s in-house installation services.

SimpliSafe Equipment

Compared to ADT and Vivint, SimpliSafe sells a relatively limited range of equipment. That’s less equipment for your security technician to install — aka less bang for your buck.

SimpliSafe Equipment

• Entry sensor
• Motion sensor
• Glass-break sensor
• Wireless indoor camera
• Wired indoor camera
• Wireless outdoor camera
• Video Doorbell Pro
• Water sensor
• Smoke and carbon monoxide detector
• Smoke detector
• Temperature sensor
• Smart lock
• Panic button
• Key fob
• Extra 105 dB siren
• Keypad
• Hub

The eagle-eyed among you may have spotted the one bona fide smart-home device on the list: the SimpliSafe smart lock. At $119.99, it’s one of the most affordable smart locks I’ve encountered. Other top smart locks I’ve tested are way more expensive. The Nest x Yale Smart Lock, for example, costs $279.

Unfortunately, though, I haven’t seen SimpliSafe restock the smart lock since last year. I’m not sure why, but when companies do that, that’s usually because the item is not selling as well as they had hoped and are now slowly removing it from the lineup. I hope that’s not the case, considering it’s SimpliSafe’s only remaining smart home offering.

SimpliSafe Reputation

When SimpliSafe launched in 2009, I wasn’t sure I could trust it. Security is serious business. Could I really depend on a startup?

Turns out, the answer was yes. SimpliSafe has proven itself time and again as a trustworthy security provider. That’s not to say issues haven’t cropped up over the years. Security geeks the world over gasped at the Lockpicking Lawyer’s RFID jam.9 Since that incident, SimpliSafe has patched vulnerabilities, added features, and wormed its way to the top of our best-of lists.

SimpliSafe’s reputation is only part of the story, though, because SimpliSafe doesn’t have an in-house installation team. OnTech carries out its installations.

OnTech has an A+ BBB rating, with a 3.61 out of 5 average customer review.10 When you consider that unhappy customers are a lot more likely to comment than happy customers, that ratio looks pretty good. There’s a decent chance you’ll be happy with the OnTech installer who shows up at your door.

Alder Security Overview

You’ve probably heard of ADT, Vivint, and SimpliSafe. You may not have heard of Alder Security. Well, you’re hearing about it now. When I tested my Alder system, it impressed me so much that I rated it 9.0 out of 10. For context, my Ring Alarm review landed at 7.7 out of 10.

Not everything about Alder is grade-A, however. Its official BBB rating is a B, and its average customer rating is about 1 out of 5.11 The sneaky sales tactics customers complain about kept me from giving Alder top marks.

Alder Security Installation Cost

How much does professional installation cost with Alder? The answer may be more complicated than you think.

When I called the company’s customer-service line, a representative told me I would have to wait for a sales person to knock on my door to discuss it. (Yep, you read that right.) After putting me on hold, they amended that answer: Instead, I would have to email customer service, wait for contact from a door-to-door rep, and then discuss it.

That lack of transparency may be covering up for the fact that the cost of installation is negotiable. Like ADT and Vivint, Alder’s stock in trade is lengthy contracts with monthly fees. You can often haggle over fees — including installation fees — until you come to an agreement.

According to court records, Alder customers paid between $14.71 and $46.18 in activation fees.13 That may give you a ballpark figure to expect.

It could work out to a great value. You’ll have to speak to your local Alder rep — and comb through your contract carefully — to find out.

Alder Security Equipment

You may not actually need professional installation. I managed to install my Alder system in about 15 minutes. With that caveat out of the way, let’s talk specs.

Alder Equipment

• Control panel
• Door and window sensors
• Motion sensor
• Key fob
• Indoor camera
• Outdoor camera
• Arlo Audio Doorbell
• Heat detector
• Carbon monoxide detector
• Medical button

My Alder package came with cellular backup by default, which I appreciated. I felt extra safe knowing a Wi-Fi outage wouldn’t affect my security system.

On the other hand, there weren’t many devices to back up in the first place. If you’re looking for a smart-home suite, you may be better off with Vivint.

Alder Security Reputation

When a company loses a $4 million lawsuit over deceptive practices, you can’t really say it has a good reputation, can you? At the same time, the lawsuit had nothing to do with the technicians who install security equipment. There’s no reason to believe they would be anything but professional.

Abode Overview

You want a lightweight, contractless system. You want help installing it. SimpliSafe doesn’t provide enough smart-home integrations for you. What’s a security system seeker like you to do?

You may want to order Abode. It’s a lightweight, affordable system with extensive smart-home capabilities, like SimpliSafe. In my experience, it’s the best of both worlds. When I tested Abode, I managed to create a jury-rigged floodlight with home automation.

That kind of home automation would be even easier to set up with a little help from a professional installer.

Abode Installation Cost

The cost of Abode installation starts at $99, thanks to its third-party partner, HelloTech. (Pssst: Does that sound like too much to spend? Consider DIYing it. It took me 15 minutes to install my Abode Iota system.)

Abode Equipment

Abode doesn’t offer an overwhelming choice of smart devices, but it makes up for it with smart-home compatibility. The Iota hub’s Z-Wave technology means it works with Kwikset locks, Hue lights, and other popular devices. Will your abode installer help you with those third-party devices? Probably not. That’s one reason Abode is my No. 5 pick, not my No. 1 pick.

Abode Equipment

• Hub (Iota, Smart Security, or Security)
• Key pad
• Key fob
• Panic button
• Outdoor siren
• Contact sensor
• Motion sensor
• Multi sensor
• Glass-break sensor
• Water-leak sensor
• Fire safety stick
• Abode Cam
• Abode Cam 2
• Abode Doorbell
• Fibaro Smart Plug

Abode Reputation

The BBB is not happy with Abode. It’s sitting at a D+ rating.14 That’s partly because Abode didn’t respond to a BBB complaint. That may say more about the BBB than Abode.

For what it’s worth, the BBB is a bigger fan of HelloTech, the company that would send out your technician. The third-party installer has earned an A-.15 That’s a much more reassuring score for the technician who will be entering your home.