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Quick answer: Choose Vivint if you want a premium, professionally installed smart-home security system and are comfortable with a multi-year monitoring contract. Choose ADT if you want more flexibility, including self-installed systems and lower-cost monitoring plans. For professionally installed systems the two are close; Vivint has the stronger customer reviews and privacy record.
How we put this guide together: We have not installed either system ourselves. This comparison is based on NerdWallet’s ADT vs Vivint comparison (updated October 2025), which sets out both companies’ published plans, contracts and equipment costs. Security companies change prices and promotions often, so treat the figures below as a guide and confirm current terms with each company before signing anything.
Vivint vs ADT at a glance
| Vivint | ADT | |
|---|---|---|
| Monitoring (as reported Oct 2025) | From $24.99/month; some packages up to $57/month | $24.99 (Secure), $29.99 (Smart) or $39.99 (Complete) per month; $10/month more with professional installation |
| Contract | Three-year monitoring contract with packages that include hardware; month to month otherwise, unless you finance equipment | 36-month minimum for professionally installed packages (24 months in California) |
| Installation | Professional installation included (one budget bundle charges for it without a contract) | Self-setup free; professional installation requires a three-year contract |
| Equipment | From $199.99 with a three-year contract, or $550 without | From $269 list price (often on sale) |
| Self-install option | No, professional only | Yes |
| Trustpilot rating (per NerdWallet) | 3.8 out of 5 | 1.2 out of 5 |
Source: NerdWallet, “ADT vs. Vivint” (updated October 29, 2025). Check each company’s site for current pricing.
How the two companies differ
Installation and flexibility
Vivint is built around professional installation and professional monitoring; you can’t install and self-monitor a Vivint system. ADT offers both routes: a system you set up yourself, or professional installation tied to a three-year contract. If you rent, move often or want to avoid a long commitment, ADT’s self-setup option, or a dedicated DIY brand, gives you more room.
Contracts and cost
Both companies’ professionally installed systems usually come with a multi-year commitment. NerdWallet reports a 36-month minimum for ADT’s professionally installed packages, and a three-year monitoring contract on Vivint packages that include hardware. Vivint’s equipment price rises sharply without a contract ($550 vs $199.99 in NerdWallet’s figures). Before signing, ask for the total cost over the full contract: equipment, installation and every month of monitoring.
Reviews and privacy
This is where NerdWallet saw the clearest gap. It reports a Trustpilot rating of 3.8 out of 5 for Vivint against 1.2 for ADT. It also notes that two class-action lawsuits were filed in 2020 after a former ADT employee allegedly accessed more than 200 customers’ systems, with further unauthorised-access incidents reported in 2024. NerdWallet found no public record of privacy breaches at Vivint.
Which should you choose?
Our verdict: Vivint is the better fit if you own your home, want a fully installed smart-home security system, and plan to stay put for the length of a three-year contract. ADT is the better fit if you want to install the system yourself, prefer a lower monthly monitoring price, or need a shorter commitment.
Skip both if you want to avoid long contracts entirely. DIY systems such as SimpliSafe or Ring Alarm offer professional monitoring without multi-year terms. See our ADT alternatives and Vivint alternatives guides.
Frequently asked questions
Is Vivint more expensive than ADT?
Monitoring starts at a similar price for both (from $24.99 a month in NerdWallet’s October 2025 figures), but Vivint’s packages can run higher, up to $57 a month. Equipment costs depend heavily on whether you sign a contract. Compare the total cost over the full contract term.
Do ADT and Vivint require contracts?
For professionally installed systems, usually yes. NerdWallet reports a 36-month minimum for ADT’s professionally installed packages (24 months in California) and a three-year contract for Vivint packages that include hardware.
Can I install ADT or Vivint myself?
ADT offers self-setup systems. Vivint systems are professionally installed and professionally monitored, with no self-install option.
Which has better customer reviews?
According to NerdWallet, Vivint has a Trustpilot rating of 3.8 out of 5 compared with ADT’s 1.2. NerdWallet also noted past privacy incidents involving ADT and found none for Vivint.
Further reading
Sources
- NerdWallet, “ADT vs. Vivint” (Dalia Ramirez, updated October 29, 2025). nerdwallet.com
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