ADT vs Xfinity Home Security: Which Is Better?
The dedicated national alarm brand versus Comcast's bundled smart-home add-on for existing internet customers. Six rounds. Real numbers. One honest scorecard.
The verdict
Rounds split 3–3; ADT edges it on total score.
There's no universal winner — Xfinity makes the most financial sense bundled onto internet you already pay for, while ADT makes more sense as a standalone brand with deeper native smart-home integration, so match the pick to your existing bill.
Choose ADT if…
- • You want a standalone brand not tied to your internet provider, with deep Google Nest and Alexa support
- • You want the highest-rated companion app in the comparison
Choose Xfinity Home Security if…
- • You already pay for Xfinity Internet and want the bundled discount
- • You want an independently measured, third-party-verified monitoring response time
Round by round
- Round 1Cost — Equipment & Monthly FeeXfinity Home Security winsADT5/10
$599-$1,449 equipment
Full Pro Install equipment cost, plus $49.99+/mo professional monitoring
- DIY self-setup kits from $269
- Camera-only monitoring from $9.99/mo
- Pro Install equipment runs up to $1,449
Source: ADT pricing data
Xfinity Home Security7/10$55-65/mo bundled
Full-service plans bundled with Xfinity Internet; $10/mo surcharge without it
- Self-monitoring available from just $10/mo
- $10/mo cheaper bundled with existing Xfinity Internet
- Non-Xfinity-Internet customers pay a $10/mo surcharge
Source: Xfinity pricing data
Xfinity's bundling discount genuinely undercuts ADT for existing internet customers.
- Round 2Contract & CancellationXfinity Home Security winsADT4/10
36-month contract
ETF buyout on early cancellation, calculated from remaining payments
- ADT Blu offers a no-contract alternative
- 36-month contract standard for Pro Install
- Inconsistent buyout quotes reported
Source: ADT cancellation policy
Xfinity Home Security6/10$600 to $0 ETF
ETF steps down ~$25/month from ~$600 in month 1 to $0 at month 24
- Published, predictable step-down ETF schedule
- No contract at all if self-monitoring on owned equipment
- ETF still starts as high as ~$600 in month one
- Customers report large disconnection charges despite paid-off equipment
Source: Xfinity cancellation policy
Xfinity's fee schedule is at least published and predictable; ADT's buyout isn't.
- Round 3Monitoring & ResponseXfinity Home Security winsADT6/10
10-15 sec (company-stated)
Average time to contact/verify, per ADT's own figures
- Text-alert self-verification cuts false-alarm dispatches
- Response time is company-stated, not independently measured
- Some sources cite response up to ~45 seconds
Source: ADT monitoring data
Xfinity Home Security7/10~29-30 sec
Independently measured by SafeHome.org and Security.org
- Independently, not just company, measured response time
- Backed by a TMA Five Diamond-rated central station since 1978
- Slower than ADT's stated 10-15 second figure
Source: SafeHome.org / Security.org testing
ADT's number is faster on paper; Xfinity's number is independently measured.
- Round 4Smart Home IntegrationADT winsADT7/10
Google + Alexa native
Co-developed Google Nest platform plus basic Alexa support
- Native Google Assistant integration
- Basic Alexa arm/disarm supported
- No native Apple HomeKit support
Source: ADT smart-home integration list
Xfinity Home Security4/100 voice assistants
Broad third-party device support, but no Alexa, Google Assistant, or HomeKit
- Broad third-party support: locks, thermostats, lighting, garage openers
- No native Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant integration
- No Apple HomeKit support
Source: Xfinity smart-home integration list
Xfinity connects to more brands, but you can't talk to any of it with Alexa or Google.
- Round 5App & User ExperienceADT winsADT8/10
4.8/5 (~48K ratings)
ADT+ app rating on the App Store
- 4.8/5 across ~48,000 App Store ratings
- Trusted Neighbor temporary access sharing
Source: App Store ratings data
Xfinity Home Security6/103.99/5 (~47K ratings)
XFINITY Home app rating on Google Play
- AI-powered person detection included
- Comparable sample size to ADT's rating
- Rating measurably lower than ADT's 4.8/5
Source: Google Play ratings data
Both apps have real ratings behind them; ADT's is simply higher on a comparable sample.
- Round 6Trust & ComplaintsADT winsADT5/10
1.2/5 Trustpilot, security-specific
- ConsumerAffairs 'best value' pick
- 1.2/5 Trustpilot score reflects ADT's own service
Xfinity Home Security4/107.6/10 SecureScore, but 1.2/5 parent Trustpilot
- 7.6/10 SafeHome.org SecureScore, 7.3/10 Security.org score
- 1.2/5 Trustpilot reflects Comcast's whole brand, not just security
- Reports of large disconnection charges despite paid-off equipment
Both carry a 1.2-out-of-5 Trustpilot score — but Xfinity's is diluted by problems that have nothing to do with the alarm itself.
Which one is for you?
Existing Xfinity Internet customer wanting a bundle discount
→ Xfinity Home Security · Full-service plans run $10/mo cheaper bundled with Xfinity Internet
Household deep in the Google Nest ecosystem
→ ADT · Co-developed Google Nest integration and native Alexa support
Renter who moves between internet providers often
→ ADT · Works independently of any specific internet provider
Buyer who wants the highest-rated companion app
→ ADT · ADT+ rates 4.8/5 vs Xfinity's 3.99/5 on a comparable sample
ADTSide 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
- Independently tested response time from a reputable source
- Backed by COPS Monitoring, a TMA Five Diamond-rated central station since 1978
- $10/mo cheaper if you're already an Xfinity Internet subscriber
- Shorter 2-year term versus Vivint's 36 months
- 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
- No native AI behavior-detection comparable to Vivint's Smart Deter
- Non-Xfinity-Internet customers pay a $10/mo surcharge
- All-in bundled cost commonly runs $55-$85/mo
- Early termination fee up to ~$600 in month one