ADT Review

Home Security Review of ADT
  • OVERALL RATING:  
    empty starempty starempty starempty starempty star   4/5
  • Products & Services:  
    empty starempty starempty starempty starempty star   5/5
  • Cost:  
    empty starempty starempty starempty starempty star   3/5
  • Ease of Use:  
    empty starempty starempty starempty starempty star   4/5
  • Customer Support & Reviews:  
    empty starempty starempty starempty starempty star   5/5

Our Review

ADT has 145 years of experience providing quality protection services to customers. They’ve pioneered the first automated burglary service, and their days of innovation aren’t over. Customers are happy with the quality of service that ADT provides, even if the initial costs may be prohibitive to smaller budgets.

We were impressed that even the base package comes with 24/7 alarm monitoring that also includes flood, fire, and carbon monoxide protection so that your home is protected inside and outside. It was also notable that customers are happy with the professionalism, promptness, and friendliness of the customer service representatives, as this is often something hard for larger companies to control.

ADT’s offerings are primarily catered to homeowners and commercial properties and aren’t the best for renters. This is due to the installation required and long contracts to pay off equipment.

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Products & Services

Products & Services Rating:  
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ADT offers three different packages. The Secure package is the essential offering, and the Complete package is their full offering. All of these packages are beneficial for homeowners who need 24/7 monitoring, including fire, carbon monoxide, and flood protection.

Secure

The Secure Package is the base package that comes with all of ADT’s essential offerings. Because of the installation required, the Base package and all upgrades are better suited for homeowners and not renters.

Features:
  • 24/7 alarm monitoring
  • Security monitoring equipment
  • Fire, flood, and carbon monoxide monitoring
  • Professional installation

Smart

As the name of the package suggests, this is the next step up from the base package that comes with smart home features to make your life easier. Along with the Smart home security package, ADT also supplies several smart home products, such as smart locks and garage controllers. Even the smart locks act as additional security levels for your home, as you can use keyless entry or receive text alerts whenever the status of a lock changes.

Features:
  • Remote arm and disarm
  • Smart home controls
  • Customizable scheduling and automation
  • 24/7 alarm monitoring
  • Security monitoring equipment
  • Fire, flood, and carbon monoxide monitoring
  • Professional installation

Complete

The Complete package comes with everything you need to secure your smart home with the added benefit of video. Video and smart home capabilities are a great combination because you can do things such as automatically unlock your home for maintenance specialists or technicians that you see pulling up into your driveway.

If you’ve purchased a smart lock, you’ll receive a text alert whenever its status changes. Paired with security cameras and a live stream on your mobile phone, you’ll see firsthand whether a member of your family or a stranger is trying to unlock your door.

Features:
  • Live stream on mobile devices
  • Security cameras
  • Ability to save video clips
  • Remote arm and disarm
  • Smart home controls
  • Customizable scheduling and automation
  • 24/7 alarm monitoring
  • Security monitoring equipment
  • Fire, flood, and carbon monoxide monitoring
  • Professional installation
Pros
  • All packages come with 24/7 alarm monitoring
Cons
  • Will need to pay a premium to have video capabilities

Cost

Cost Rating:  
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ADT monthly costs and equipment costs are typically higher than average in the industry. The highest prices from the equipment can be paid all at once or stretched out into monthly payments. ADT provides different package tiers that offer the same quality of service with varying levels of security. For instance, the Complete package comes with live streams for mobile devices, security cameras,

Package Name Cost per Month Equipment Fees
Secure System Starting at $45.99/month $599 for equipment
Smart Package Starting at $49.99/month $599 for equipment
Complete Package Starting at $57.99/month $599 for equipment

Savings Opportunities

ADT provides a mover’s saving package that helps new homeowners save money on their packages. If you let them know your move date, they’ll find you the best discounts and options they can, depending on the level of security you need.

ADT offers several guarantees that ensure that customers won’t have buyers’ remorse if something goes wrong with their system or protection. They offer a 6-month, money-back guarantee if ADT isn’t able to resolve any of your issues. If your system is armed while a burglary occurs, they also cover up to $500 of customers’ insurance deductibles.

Pros
  • Exceptional quality of service
Cons
  • Prices are typically higher than average for the industry

Customer Support and Reviews

Customer Support and Reviews Ratings:  
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Overall, customers are happy with ADT and are drawn to its reliability and quick and friendly response with customer service. Many were happy with how quick and easy the installation is, and if installers need to come out, they are professional and efficient. Although many found that the cost was higher than competitors, they felt that the price was worth the service quality.

Some reviews even highlighted how ADT was able to save their lives through their monitoring capabilities. One woman explained how ADT detected carbon monoxide in the home while she was away and called firefighters to her house before anything worse happened.

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ADT is really known nationwide and I heard about it a lot. So, I decided to try it out and see. The person I spoke to who set up the appointment and the person who came over to install everything were both very helpful and very professional. The main reason I did it is when we go on vacation, nobody’s home, and I would like to keep an eye on the house. I’m always home, but still, I wanted to install everything and have the system ready. Everything seems to be working fine. We set up the alarm the day before because someone dropped something, so there was a loud noise and the alarm thought it was a window broken. I’m very satisfied right now.

– Susana of Barrington, IL

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It has been six years since we’ve had ADT and I don’t have any problems with the system. ADT has been around longer than the other providers. And I had a pretty good experience with them.

– Angela of Charlotte, NC

Pros
  • Customers are happy with the quality of service
Cons
  • More expensive than competitors

Company Background

Short for American District Telegraph, ADT prides itself on offering over 145 years of protection.

On April 5, 1874, Edward Callahan created a telegraph-based call box to signal for help after a break-in. Afterward, from 1890 to 1920, ADT deployed their Roundsmen to make rounds of their customers’ homes every evening.

In 1920 ADT created the first Central Monitoring Center that linked thousands of customers 24/7, and in the 1940s, they invented the first automated burglar system. In 2010, ADT featured ADT Pulse, an app that allows customers to access all of their home security systems and smart home systems.

This long history of pioneering security measures with a customer-first mentality continues today. ADT has been featured in the US News as the “Best Home Security System of 2020.” They’ve also been featured on Newsweek as “America’s Best Customer Service 2020.”

Strategic Analytics named them the #1 Smart Home Security Provider from 2017 to 2019. ADT also features LifeSaver stories from customers throughout the years that document how the security system saved their lives. These stories showcase how environmental protections and alarm systems have rescued customers of all ages.

Pros
  • Long documented history of pioneering security systems and innovation
Cons
  • ADT may have been slower to evolve than other security companies

The Bottom Line

ADT provides different tiers of protection services that are beneficial for any homeowner. Even their base package contains 24/7 monitoring, fire, flood, and carbon monoxide detection, and professional installation. It’s apparent that they want to provide customers with the home protection they need, which translates into higher prices with better equipment, customer service, and monitoring.

Despite being a company with such a long history, ADT can stay on the leading edge with its ability to innovate and evolve with technology. They offer a vast catalog of smart home products that pair well with their security packages and create an extra layer of convenient home protection. Through the addition of ADT Pulse in 2010, customers have been able to enjoy an easy way to control all of their smart home products.

If you’re looking for quality service and equipment that will last you for years, we don’t think you can go wrong with ADT if you have the budget.

Disclaimer

The information featured on this page is based on our best estimates of pricing, package details, contract stipulations, and service available at the time of writing. This is not a guarantee. All information is subject to change. Pricing will vary based on various factors, including, but not limited to the customer’s location. For the most accurate information, please ask your customer service representative. Clarify all fees and contract details before signing a contract or finalizing your purchase.