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What home security actually costs
Equipment, monitoring and the three-year total — the number nobody advertises.
Two prices, and only one of them gets advertised
Every provider advertises the monthly monitoring fee, because it is the smallest number in the deal. The number that decides whether a system is expensive is equipment cost plus monitoring across the full term. Below is that figure, calculated from each provider's own published starting prices on a 36-month basis.
Professional monitoring from a national provider. The low end is basic alarm response; the top end adds video storage and smart-home control.
A starter kit covers one panel and a handful of sensors. Cameras, smart locks and extra sensors are added on top, and most providers will finance the balance.
Frequently waived during a promotion on professionally installed systems. Worth asking whether the waiver is tied to a longer term.
Equipment plus entry-tier monitoring over 36 months. This is the figure to compare providers on, not the monthly fee.
Three-year cost of ownership
Swipe the table sideways to see every column →
| Provider | Equipment from | Monitoring from | Term | 3-year total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADT | $269 | $24.99/mo | 36 mo | $1,169 |
| Vivint | $599 | $29.99/mo | 42–60 mo* | $1,679 |
| Brinks Home | $199 | $29.99/mo | 36 mo | $1,279 |
Three-year total = published starting equipment price + entry-tier monthly monitoring × 36 months. Installation, taxes, permits and municipal alarm registration are excluded. *Vivint's term is set by whether equipment is financed and commonly runs 42 to 60 months; it is shown here on a 36-month basis so the three columns compare like for like. All figures are provider-published starting prices for entry-tier configurations, last verified 2 October 2026, and are not quotes.
Six costs that are not in the advertised price
Early cancellation
The largest number in any of these agreements. Expect to owe 75–80% of the remaining monitoring balance, or the unpaid equipment balance where the hardware was financed. On a 36-month term cancelled at month eighteen, that is several hundred dollars.
Video storage billed separately
Camera recording is often a separate line from alarm monitoring. A quote of $29.99 can become $44.99 once cloud clip storage is switched on.
Cellular backup
Without it, cutting the internet disables the alarm. It is standard on the three providers above but an upgrade on many cheaper systems — always confirm it is included.
Promotional rate expiry
An introductory monthly rate can step up after six or twelve months while the term continues. Ask what the rate is in month thirteen, in writing.
Municipal alarm permits
Many cities require an alarm registration, typically $25–$75 a year, plus fines for repeat false alarms. This is charged by your city, not the provider.
Moving the system
Relocating mid-contract usually means a transfer or reinstallation fee, and the agreement follows you. If a move is likely, read the no-contract options first.
The one question that settles it: “What will I have paid in total by the last month of this agreement, including every fee?” A straight answer to that makes two quotes genuinely comparable. A specialist on our line will give you that figure for your address.
About these figures
Every price on this page is a provider-published starting price for an entry-tier configuration, last verified on 2 October 2026. None of it is a quote. Actual pricing varies by address, equipment selection, current promotions, credit approval and installation requirements, and changes without notice. Three-year totals are arithmetic on those published figures and exclude installation, taxes, permits and optional add-ons.
TryAlarms is an independent comparison and marketing service. We are not a security provider, installer or monitoring company. ADT is a registered trademark of ADT LLC, Vivint of Vivint LLC, and Brinks Home of Monitronics International; all are used nominatively for identification and comparison only. We are not operated by any provider named here.
Providers compensate us for qualified customer referrals. That fee is paid from their acquisition budget and does not change the price you are quoted.
Comparing individual providers? See ADT, Vivint and Brinks Home, or read about month-to-month alternatives.