ADT
Bottom line: SimpliSafe provides equivalent 24/7 professional monitoring to ADT at roughly 40% of the cost, with no contract. Unless you have a specific reason to need professional installation (large property, complex wiring, inability to self-install), SimpliSafe is the correct choice for the vast majority of households.
| Feature | SimpliSafe | ADT | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contract | None — cancel anytime | 3 years (36 months) | SimpliSafe Win |
| Monitoring cost | $19.99–$29.99/mo | $45.99–$59.99/mo | SimpliSafe Win |
| Equipment cost | $200–$500 (purchased) | ~$0–$300 (often leased) | ADT (lower upfront) |
| Installation | DIY — adhesive sensors | Professional installation | Depends on preference |
| Cellular backup | Yes — all plans | Yes | Draw |
| 24/7 monitoring quality | UL-listed monitoring centers | UL-listed, established network | Draw |
| Camera integration | SimpliSafe cameras (good) | ADT cameras (good) | Draw |
| Smart home integration | Alexa, Google | Alexa, Google, Z-Wave | ADT (more protocols) |
| Relocation | Simple — pull adhesive sensors | Complex — requires new install | SimpliSafe |
| Early termination | None | Up to 75% of remaining contract | SimpliSafe |
| Response time reputation | Good | Industry-established | ADT (brand recognition) |
| 5-year total cost | ~$1,700 | ~$3,500+ | SimpliSafe Win |
SimpliSafe — 5-Year True Cost
ADT — 5-Year True Cost
Monitoring Quality: Is ADT Actually Better?
This is the question that justifies ADT's premium for many buyers. The honest answer: at the monitoring level — call routing, dispatch protocols, and response processes — the functional difference between SimpliSafe's UL-listed monitoring centers and ADT's is not meaningfully different for the vast majority of alarm events. Both dispatch police when an alarm is triggered. Both have 24/7 live operators. Both use cellular backup to communicate with the security panel when landlines or internet are cut.
ADT's genuine advantages are: (1) a larger, more geographically distributed monitoring network that may provide marginally faster response in very specific locations, (2) professional installation that covers complex setups that DIY can't handle, and (3) local technician availability for service calls. For a household in a major metro area with a straightforward layout, these advantages don't justify a 2x monitoring cost premium.
The Contract Trap
ADT's 3-year contract deserves specific attention. Early termination fees typically equal 75% of the remaining contract value. If you terminate 12 months into a 36-month contract at $50/month, your termination fee could be $750. If you move, ADT may or may not be able to service your new location — and if they can't, you may still owe the termination fee. This is a significant financial commitment that SimpliSafe simply does not impose.
The "free installation" ADT sometimes advertises is not free — it's priced into the contract value. The equipment you use during an ADT contract is often leased, not owned. When you cancel, the equipment stays with ADT or must be returned. With SimpliSafe, you own the equipment outright from day one.
When ADT Makes Sense
ADT is the right choice in specific scenarios: (1) You genuinely cannot or will not DIY anything — some homeowners, particularly older adults, want a professional to handle all aspects including installation, configuration, and maintenance. ADT's full-service model is built for this. (2) You have a large, complex property where professional sensor placement and wiring is meaningfully better than adhesive DIY sensors. (3) Your insurance company offers a specific discount for ADT that's large enough to offset the higher monitoring cost (some carriers do).
Choose SimpliSafe if you:
- Want the best value for professional monitoring
- Are a renter or move frequently
- Want no-contract flexibility
- Are comfortable with 30-minute DIY installation
- Want to own your equipment from day one
- Are in an Amazon or Google smart home ecosystem
Choose ADT if you:
- Want 100% professional installation and service
- Have a complex or large property
- Are a long-term homeowner not planning to move
- Your insurance gives a specific ADT discount
- You want local technician support for maintenance
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Also see: Full SimpliSafe review · SimpliSafe vs Ring Alarm Pro · Best Home Security Systems 2026