The verdict
Rounds split 3–3; ADT edges it on total score.
ADT and Vivint split three rounds apiece — match the one that fits how you actually weigh cost flexibility against raw response speed, not the brand name.
Choose ADT if…
- • You want a genuine budget/no-contract DIY entry point alongside professional install
- • You're deep in the Google ecosystem and want the tightest Nest integration
Choose Vivint if…
- • You want the fastest advertised alarm response and the deepest app automation
- • You weigh day-to-day service reputation (Trustpilot) over BBB complaint volume
Round by round
- Round 1Cost — Equipment & Monthly FeeADT winsADT8/10
$9.99–$82/mo
ADT Blu DIY from $9.99/mo; Pro Install from $49.99/mo
- Genuine low-cost DIY entry tier ($9.99/mo)
- 0% financing up to 60 months
- Pro Install equipment runs up to $1,449
Source: ADT pricing data
Vivint5/10$29.99–$57/mo
No sub-$20 monitoring tier; equipment climbs to $1,789
- Free professional install with a 3-year contract
- No true budget/DIY-priced tier
- Full packages run up to $1,789
Source: Vivint pricing data
ADT has a genuine budget door in; Vivint doesn't really have one.
- Round 2Contract & CancellationADT winsADT6/10
36 months (Pro); month-to-month (Blu)
ADT Blu offers a genuine no-contract path
- Month-to-month path exists via ADT Blu
- 36-month ETF on Pro Install
- Reports of billing continuing after cancellation
Source: ADT contract terms
Vivint3/1036-month contract plus 4-5yr financing lock
- FlexPay financing extends commitment to 4-5 years
- Cancellation requires a 30-90 day advance window
- Reports of billing after cancellation and silent auto-renewal
Both lock you in, but Vivint's financing can trap you a year or two longer than ADT's.
- Round 3Monitoring & ResponseVivint winsADT6/10
10-15 sec avg
Some sources cite up to ~45 seconds
- Decades-long established monitoring network
- Wider stated range than Vivint (up to ~45s)
Source: ADT monitoring data
Vivint8/10<10 sec (7-8s cited)
Consistently faster stated floor than ADT
- Sub-10-second advertised response, faster stated floor
- Marketing figure, not independently tested
Source: Vivint monitoring data
Both are fast on paper; Vivint's own numbers are just consistently faster.
- Round 4Smart Home IntegrationADT winsADT8/10
Google co-developed
Deep Nest/Assistant integration plus Alexa, Z-Wave, Kwikset/Yale
- Co-developed Self Setup platform with Google
- Both Kwikset and Yale lock support
- Alexa support is basic arm/disarm only
Source: ADT smart-home data
Vivint5/10No HomeKit
Alexa, Google, Kwikset, Hue — but dropped Alexa+ in Nov 2025
- Supports Philips Hue lighting and Google Nest thermostats
- No native Apple HomeKit support
- Dropped Alexa+ support in Nov 2025
Source: Vivint smart-home data
So this round goes to ADT for much tighter platform integration.
- Round 5App & User ExperienceVivint winsADT7/10
4.8/5
~48,000 ratings on the App Store
- Highest raw app-store rating (4.8/5)
- Trusted Neighbor temporary access sharing
- Smaller feature set than Vivint's app
Source: ADT+ app data
Vivint8/104.6/5
~797,000 ratings; Sky AI automation, 30-day Smart Clips
- Sky AI automation assistant
- 30-day video history, far larger rating sample
- Slightly lower star average than ADT
Source: Vivint app data
This one is Vivint's for sheer power.
- Round 6Trust & ComplaintsVivint winsADT3/10
1.2/5 Trustpilot, 5,000+ reviews
- BBB accredited since 2013
- 1.2/5 Trustpilot from 5,000+ reviews
- Widely reported astronomical hold times
Vivint6/103.8/5 Trustpilot
66,000+ reviews; BBB sits around 1.06/5
- 3.8/5 Trustpilot across 66,000+ reviews
- ~1.06 BBB rating
- Inherited door-to-door sales litigation from prior ownership
Source: Trustpilot / BBB
So this round goes to Vivint.
Which one is for you?
Budget-conscious buyer who still wants a DIY-to-pro path
→ ADT · ADT Blu starts at $9.99/mo with a real no-contract option
Household deep in the Google ecosystem
→ ADT · Co-developed with Google, deepest Nest integration in the category
Buyer who wants the fastest advertised alarm response
→ Vivint · Vivint advertises under 10 seconds to acknowledge an alarm
Someone who weighs day-to-day service reputation heavily
→ Vivint · 3.8/5 Trustpilot vs ADT's 1.2/5
ADT
VivintSide by side
- 0% financing up to 60 months
- Cheaper Blu DIY tier available
- Blu DIY tier offers a month-to-month path
- Real technician handles placement and setup
- Under-10-second alarm acknowledgment (advertised)
- Radar-based Smart Deter tells loitering apart from simple motion
- 0% APR financing available for up to 60 months
- No surcharge tied to any other subscription
- Pro Install monitoring starts at $49.99/mo
- 36-month ETF on Pro Install
- Service calls can run up to $160
- Requires scheduling and waiting for an appointment
- 24/7 professional monitoring is required on most plans, driving up cost
- Equipment packages up to $1,789 often need financing and a credit check
- 36-month monitoring contract; FlexPay financing locks in 4-5 years
- Reported billing continuing after cancellation requests