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Having your home security on point is key, no matter the size of your home, but there are lots of companies out there who all claim to be experts in the field. To help you narrow down your options, we’ve done our research on ADT’s home security systems so you can get a better idea of everything it has to offer.
ADT has been around since 1874, so you’ve probably heard of it, and you might be curious to know how it fares against other big names in home security systems. Here, we’ve run through what you can expect from a typical ADT package, comparing its services and products to the likes of Verisure and Simplisafe, so you can make an informed decision about whether it’s the right provider for you. Although specific costs are only available when you contact ADT for a quote, the company is among our top-rated home security systems due to its professional monitoring plans, bespoke packages and on-hand customer service.
Rating: ★★★★
As a household name in the UK, ADT is worth considering if you’re looking for comprehensive home security. Provided by experts in the field, expect to pay a little more outright for installation and the monthly monitoring subscription — depending on the level you choose — but in return, you’ll have a smart home security system that our research has found to be reliable.
A big selling point for ADT is that your system will be tailored to your property and home security needs. However, you will have to go through the entire quote process to find out how much you will be paying and for further information on how everything works. Quotes can be done over the phone in as little as 15 minutes, according to our research.
Its monitoring packages include all-inclusive maintenance, such as daily checks to ensure everything is running as it should, while ADT engineers have been praised on Trustpilot for their knowledge and expertise.
Our Independent Advisor experts have researched and tested each home security system in order to provide fair, impartial and accurate recommendations. We compare products, features, quality and cost alongside what others in the industry say and how customers have also reviewed their experiences.
Our reviews are determined by the following categories:
We examine 35 elements within these categories including:
All of our home security articles are verified by our in-house team of fact-checkers, to give consumers the knowledge they need to make an informed, up-to-date and confident decision. For more information on our testing process, read about how we review home security systems.
ADT’s smart home security system lets you be more hands-on with protecting your property. ‘Smart’ simply means all of your devices are connected to the internet, allowing them to communicate with each other via a central hub as well as with your phone via an app.
ADT has its Smart Services app, through which you can arm and disarm your system (depending on your monitoring subscription cover), view video footage (if you have cameras installed) and speak with others via the smart video doorbell, or the two-way audio smart camera . However, on speaking with an ADT consultant on the phone, we learned the devices are not compatible with Alexa, Google Home or other smart devices.
This is because it wouldn’t be able to effectively communicate with ADT centres, which, of course, ensures the best functioning of ADT’s service. However, smart device compatibility may be a must-have feature for some – especially since so many home security providers are easily connected, such as Yale, SimpliSafe, Verisure and Ring – so it’s worth weighing up the pros and cons to decide whether it’s a dealbreaker for you or not.
ADT fares pretty well against its competitors when it comes to key features. The one stand-out con is the 36-month contract, which can’t be cancelled without paying off the full 36 months of subscription fees.
However, ADT dials into its alarm systems every 24 hours, and if anything signals as faulty – a low battery for example – it will be sorted as soon as possible as part of the 24/7/365 monitoring included as standard, which means you should never need to worry about maintenance of your system.
| Key feature ↓ | ADT | SimpliSafe | Verisure | Ring |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum equipment cost (without installation) | £199 | £249.96 | £300 | £219.99 |
| Starting monthly fee | £35.99 (36 months minimum) | Roughly £15.90/month (53p/day) – optional and no contracts | £32 (6 months minimum) | £3.49/month (optional) |
| Power outage backup | Checked daily by ADT | 24-hour backup battery | Backup battery and 48 hours of backup in central unit | 24-hour battery backup |
| Mobile phone backup | Cloud storage | 4G data backup | Cloud | Yes, with subscription |
| Live streaming | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Push alerts | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Remotely arm/disarm system | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Although there are three smart ADT home security packages listed online and one CCTV option, you will see there are no visible costs, as the company works on a strict quote-only basis, meaning you’ll get a custom-made package and monitoring subscription to suit your home and circumstances. However, from speaking with some of ADT’s sales advisors over the phone, our researchers have learned packages start at £199 and the monthly professional monitoring rates start at £35.99.
Click “get a new quote” online to register your interest and you’ll get a near-instant call back to go through what ADT offers and your basic home security needs. You’ll be able to book a full in-person consultation, or you can choose to do this over the phone.
Our researchers were able to have a full house assessment over the phone – it took about five minutes to get through and the conversation lasted another 15 minutes. The representative was very helpful, knowledgeable and happy to offer up information about how everything works.
We discussed a security system for a three-bedroom terraced house with a garden, pets and children – the latter we highlighted may need monitoring with an indoor camera from time to time. Not long after the call, we received the quote, which was for the ADT Keyholder monitoring package.
Here’s the detail:
Additional components came to £439 and there was £199 marked up for the standard system (comprising two sensors and one door contact). To our best understanding, the other costs are not additional and comprise the total £938 amount.
If you choose a home visit, you should also receive the details of the visit via email. There is no obligation to buy, but should you choose to go with ADT, you’ll have to pay a 25 per cent deposit, a quick form to sign and then an installation date will be arranged. Our sales consultant advised us this would take place two weeks from the date we signed the contract.
| Detail | Price |
|---|---|
| ADT intruder smart alarm system (2 sensors and 1 door contact) | £199 |
| Indoor wifi camera (add-on) | £149 |
| Indoor movement detector x2 (add-on) | £95 each |
| Shock detector (add-on) | £100 |
| Monthly subscription | 52.49 |
| Total | £690.49 |
All systems come with the iconic yellow ADT bell box with a flashing blue LED light – which our sales consultant noted was a crime deterrent in itself – as well as a pair of smart plugs you can fit onto lamps and switch on and off through the app manually or by setting up rules. Everything is compatible with the ADT app and portal, 24/7/365 monitoring, and the option to expand your system with up to 64 zones and 48 user codes.
Here are some of ADT’s spotlight products, some of which are available to add on:
ADT Smart Home Hub: This is a smart 7in tablet with a high-definition touchscreen. It features an 8MP camera and is the only wall-mounted part of the ADT home setup.
Indoor wifi camera: With 1080p colour HD video quality, the indoor camera has a 117-degree field of view for close eyes on your space.
There are built-in motion sensors for real-time notifications, plus any live video and recorded footage is accessible via the app and saved to the Cloud for future reference. Built-in image editing software is another nifty feature.
ADT Smart Home Wireless Video Doorbell: Complete with a 1080p camera, this smart doorbell has 160-degree horizontal, 90-degree vertical, and 175-degree diagonal field of view to give you the flexibility to see pretty much exactly what’s going on outside your front door – all via the app.
The built-in motion sensors will send a real-time notification to your phone when someone approaches your home or rings the doorbell. Plus, you’ll be able to communicate with any visitors via two-way audio. Clear night vision mode and a chime unit enable home surveillance 24/7.
Outdoor wifi camera: A great option for enhanced surveillance, this camera records in full colour and has a night vision option for clear imagery, whether used outdoors or brought inside.
You can track live footage on the app 24/7 and there are two integrated SD cards for more storage (256GB to be precise). It’s dust and waterproof, easy to integrate with other ADT products, and comes with smart video analytics to help avoid false alarms.
Two-Way Audio Smart Camera: This indoor smart camera has a 180-degree field of view, tilt, pan and zoom capabilities, HD video and a 6MP image sensor. As expected, it’s compatible with the app and also works via wifi or ethernet cable.
There is also a built-in speaker and echo cancellation for more streamlined conversations when making use of the two-way audio. It’s corded, but can be fixed or free-standing , and it also has infrared illumination with a 5 metre range for visibility even in dim conditions.
ADT in the UK has a much stronger Trustpilot rating compared with its US counterpart – 4.5 stars out of five compared with 1.3 – with customers finding the level of service and professionalism on point when it comes to advising on the best home security package and setup, installation and servicing. The company seems very commendable on consistency, as well, with loyal customers noting how long particular ADT technicians and engineers have looked after their home security needs.
Though 78 per cent of its reviews are five stars, there are some less impressed customers, who highlight poor customer service. Trustpilot notes ADT replied to 99 per cent of negative reviews at the time of writing, with the company offering to put things right with unhappy customers.
Our researchers didn’t find there was much to disapprove of with ADT’s customer service over the phone. The response time was fairly quick, and although some prices can’t be disclosed until an engineer assesses your home, they tried to be as transparent as possible.
“Professional service. [An engineer] attended [our] site for a routine service – with a trainee. Both engineers were professional and carried out the service, checking the panels [and] three backup batteries, replacing two of them. [This left] the system 100 per cent [operational]. [They] arrived on time, calling me 30 minutes before arrival.”
“We had a scheduled visit from [a new ADT engineer], who checked out a false alarm from the previous week. He was quite thorough in checking all the PIR sensors and fault logs. He was very informative about the system components, and as we discussed possible causes, we agreed that changing a PIR sensor position could remedy the false alarm problem (away from our post slot). He did this without delay and so we will see if we have a permanent fix.”
“If I could give this company a minus score, I would. I have had nothing but issues, [from] being told I could have something fitted by the salesman only for the installer to say I couldn’t [to] wrong billing information for a camera I’ve not been supplied. To top it off, when you try to get these issues sorted, you can’t speak to anyone that can help; they don’t read their own invoices and you can’t speak to a manager, you are constantly fobbed off. I’ve been chasing for over four weeks now and still no further forward than when I started. [This is] a prime case of corporate bullying just hoping you give in and pay for something you haven’t received. If anyone is reading this, please do not use this company! Absolutely appalling.”
Here are some of the ADT app’s best features:
There are three basic smart home security packages, which form the basis of your setup. An ADT sales consultant or technician will customer whichever best suits your property before installation; they are all connected with the app and monitoring. Here’s a breakdown of what equipment they include:
ADT’s Smart Home package is a good solution for homeowners who are out of the house a lot, going to and from school or work. It comes with the standard Smart Home Hub for at-home monitoring, as well as the option to add a wifi camera, video doorbell, or both so you can check in on your house remotely via the Smart Services app. The system can be expanded to suit larger homes by adding extra motion sensors and creating up to 64 “zones” with 48 user codes.
| Reputation | ★★★★★ |
| Security and performance | ★★★★ |
| Features | ★★★★ |
| Plans and pricing | ★★★½ |
| Customer experience | ★★★½ |
| Overall | ★★★★½ |
If you’ve got a few furballs running round, our researchers found the Pet Friendly alarm package to be a good solution. It covers your home security on all fronts while minimising the risk of false alarms with the addition of wireless shock sensors. ADT defines these online as the pet-friendly alternative to motion sensors. The sales consultant our researcher spoke with on the phone also let us know the sensors are pet-tolerant up to 36kg. Additionally, the wifi camera will let you see whether it’s an intruder that’s set off the alarm or your pet.
| Reputation | ★★★★★ |
| Security and performance | ★★★ |
| Features | ★★★★ |
| Plans and pricing | ★★★ |
| Customer experience | ★★★½ |
| Overall | ★★★★ |
If you’re always on the move and want peace of mind when you’re far away from home, this may be a good option. Motion sensors and door contacts will cover your space from main entry points, and the integrated siren (85 decibels) will act as a deterrent in itself while alerting you, secondary keyholders, ADT, and/or the police (depending on your monitoring plan). You can adjust the sensitivity of your sensors to reduce the likelihood of false alarms.
| Reputation | ★★★★★ |
| Security and performance | ★½ |
| Features | ★★★★ |
| Plans and pricing | ★★★ |
| Customer experience | ★★★½ |
| Overall | ★★★½ |
Along with your tailored package, ADT offers three levels of monthly monitoring: Keyholder, Police and Private Security.
As the name would imply, the Police response package will mean ADT’s security team automatically calls the police if the intruder alarm is triggered or if you activate the personal attack button. Should you be away, the company will contact your nominated keyholders to go to the property to give police access and help reset the alarm if needed. It’s worth noting that with this monitoring cover, it is a police requirement to set the alarm with the fobs at the property when you leave, meaning you won’t be able to do it remotely, as you can on the other plans.
With ADT Keyholder cover, the company contacts you directly when a sensor goes off and you’re able to both arm and disarm the alarm remotely via the app. If the alarm goes off and you or someone at home cannot be reached, your listed keyholders will be contacted instead. Provided they can go to the property, they can check and call the police if needed or reset the alarm and keep you updated that the situation has been dealt with.
Finally, Private Security Cover will notify you when an alarm is triggered and deploy a security guard to your property. Within this package, you can choose from an external check service, which means the guard will check around the outside of your property for signs of a break-in and act accordingly, whereas the keyholder service will allow them to carry out an external and internal check. Should the guard find there has been an intruder, they will notify you and call the police, then remain at the property until everything is under control.
For both external check and keyholder service, you will receive a full report of the incident via email within 24 hours, so it really depends on what will work best for your circumstances. ADT sales advisors and/or engineers should be able to help you make the right decision.
Something has to be said for experience, and ADT has years under its belt, which is a good signal of trust. In our researchers’ opinion, it’s suited to those in their forever homes, as a 36-month contract might not be so appealing to everyone.
Although ADT’s systems are not compatible with Amazon Alexa, Google Home and other popular voice assistants, the app still offers a streamlined home security set-up, which is important if you want to monitor your home while you’re away. With a custom-built system and highly rated products, ADT’s offering is worth considering.
| Reputation | ★★★★★ |
| Security and performance | ★★★ |
| Features | ★★★★ |
| Plans and pricing | ★★★ |
| Customer experience | ★★★½ |
| Overall | ★★★★ |
If you choose the Police monitoring cover, ADT will contact the police immediately if an intruder alarm is set off or if the panic alarm is activated. If you are away, ADT will do the same and also call your listed keyholders to go and monitor the property, if available.
The cost of your home security system will be bespoke to your home and depends on the number of devices you choose to include in your package. Professional monitoring fees start at £35.99 per month, but again the monthly cost will be tailored to your needs.
Yes, ADT offers a CCTV security package that is completely tailored to your home, with prices available on enquiry. Equipment includes HD security cameras, with a selection of monthly monitoring packages to choose from. You can also add a monitor to your system so you can keep an eye on what the cameras record yourself.
