Vivint Pricing: How Must Does Vivint Equipment Cost To Install?

Photo: vivintsource.com

Typical Range: $99 to $199
National Average: $599 for the starter package

A Vivint security system offers proprietary equipment that delivers some unique features to your home, so the cost isn't the sole factor in deciding whether or not the service is for you. This is a good thing, because it isn't the least expensive home security system on the block. With many smart-home features and monitoring options, Vivint threads the needle between cost-heavy traditional security companies and newer DIY options with less involved monitoring services, providing a full-service security experience for less than many of the more established names. And there's no long-term, locked-in monitoring contract. Once your equipment is paid in full, either up front or through a financing agreement, you can cancel and walk away at any time with no penalty.

Protect your home and family with a top-notch security system. Vivint's professionally installed systems don't just alert you to threats—they help both prevent and deter them. See Vivint's cameras and services. 

How Does Vivint Work?

Photo: vivintsource.com

Vivint security is not a DIY security system. A professional technician will come to your home, evaluate your needs, discuss your concerns, then work with you to customize a system that will protect your home to the degree you've selected. The system will be truly custom, as you're not locked into a package of equipment. The Vivint system includes many features that other companies do not offer: Their mobile app controls the security system, but it also powers home automation devices seamlessly, and equipment options go beyond basic home security to include leak sensors, carbon monoxide detectors, and a safety system that will track your car if it's stolen. These options place Vivint in the same category of service as the full-service security companies, especially since full-scale professional monitoring is required; there is no DIY monitoring option, and the equipment can't be transferred to another company's monitoring service. Unlike more traditional companies, however, Vivint doesn't require lengthy contracts. If you're not happy with the service, you can cancel. You'll still be out the cost of the equipment you selected—even if you've financed it and have years left to pay for it—but you're not obligated to pay for years of monitoring that you don't want or hefty cancellation fees.

How Much Does Vivint Cost Per Month?

The base price for Vivint's starter package of equipment is $599, but you'll almost certainly add equipment to that base package to customize the security system for your home; most customers spend in the range of $2,000 on equipment. That cost can be paid up front or financed, which would add to your overall monthly cost. Monitoring fees start at $29.99 per month for basic monitoring, but climb to $44.99 and up if you also want smart-home automation controls and video monitoring.

Photo: vivintsource.com

Factors in Calculating Vivint Cost

As with most home security systems, it's hard to pin down a precise cost until you've customized the system and identified what kind of monitoring you'd like. Breaking down the components that make up the monthly total can help you understand where the numbers come from and see which ones you can adjust to meet your budget and which are nonnegotiable.

Equipment

The cost of Vivint's starter package, which includes a touch-screen panel, two door or window sensors, and a motion detector, costs $599. However, chances are that your home has more than one door and window that you'd like monitored—and if you're going to pay for monthly professional monitoring, there are probably other sensors you'll want to add on as well. This is where the equipment costs start to ramp up. Each additional door and window sensor will add $50 to the equipment cost. If you'd like to add glass break detectors (and many people do, because smashing a window is easier and faster than jimmying a lock), each one costs $100. Extra motion sensors add $100 each, as do smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Cameras pack on hundreds of dollars each, and Vivint's Car Guard module costs $199.

If you're interested in home automation products, the equipment costs get even higher. Nest thermostats add $169 or $250, appliance controls are $49.99, and lamp modules are $50. It's easy to see how the costs can mount quickly from that $599 starter pack cost.

This is not to say that these costs are unreasonable. Vivint's devices are designed specifically for their service, which is excellent and offers a truly comprehensive security option or a very basic one, so you won't pay for devices that you don't want or need. The equipment costs are high, but you're getting well-designed, long-lasting equipment for that price.

If you choose to pay for the equipment all at once, you won't incur additional monthly fees or require a month-to month contract, as the equipment will then belong to you. Your only monthly cost will be the charge for the level of monitoring you select.

Monitoring

Vivint offers three levels of monitoring protection that are easy to understand and clearly laid out. The basic monitoring package, called Smart Security Monitoring, starts at $29.99 per month. A mid-level plan called Smart Home Monitoring starts at $39.99 per month, and the highest level of monitoring is Smart Home Video Monitoring, starting at $44.99 per month. These are listed as "starting" costs, because you can opt to add more equipment to the package that may require additional monitoring fees.

Installation Fee

Vivint's installation fee is based on the monitoring plan you select, simply because the type and amount of equipment to be installed varies based on the plan. The Smart Security plan costs $99 for installation, as the equipment is fairly basic. The Smart Home plan costs $149 to install, as there are additional home automation components that are required for that monitoring option, and the premium Smart Home Video plan costs $199 to install, as the cameras you'll need for that level of monitoring take more time and precision to mount. If you add more equipment to any of these plans, such as car monitors or medical monitoring components, additional installation costs may be incurred.

Cancellation Fee

If you pay for your Vivint equipment up front, you're not bound to a contract, so there is no fee to cancel your plan and end the monitoring service. If, however, you opted to finance your equipment, you're bound to a contract until the equipment is paid off. If you choose to cancel the service before the equipment is paid for, your cancellation fee is equivalent to the balance of the equipment costs. In some extreme cases, Vivint will waive this payoff fee, but since the charge isn't really a cancellation penalty—it's paying for equipment that you chose to purchase—there's not a lot of wiggle room, and you should expect to have to pay off the equipment.

Moving Fee

When you choose a DIY security system, it's easy enough to take down your sensors and cameras and transfer them to your new place. Professionally installed equipment is a little more challenging—if you uninstall and reinstall it yourself, you'll void any remaining warranty on the equipment, and you may end up having to pay for a technician to come and connect everything again. This discourages people from choosing professional installation—but Vivint has an answer. If you have a smaller system, Vivint invites you to move your panel and any plug-ins (such as smart-home automation components). For $129, a technician will come reinstall them for you, along with four new door and window sensors; one new smoke detector, carbon monoxide detector, or glass break sensor; and up to three door locks, thermostats, or doorbell cameras if you previously used those items. If you have a more extensive system, Vivint charges $129 for uninstallation plus $129 for reinstallation of your entire system and will help you select new items to add should your new home have different security requirements. Both of these options allow you to maintain the existing contract (if you have one) and costs. However, if your new home is much different from the old one, you can start over, bringing any plug-in items but starting fresh with new equipment, prices, and contract, if necessary. This can be a great option if your previous equipment is older and you want an upgrade, but it's a much pricier choice.

Photo: vivintsource.com

Vivint Pricing: Monitoring Plans to Choose From

Vivint offers three levels of monitoring protection. There is no self-monitoring option available, as Vivint is a full-service professional monitoring company. Each level adds on a type of equipment and a level of security, which is why the costs increase as you move through the plans. The choice will depend on what you're looking for: basic home security, additional home automation, or comprehensive security, home automation, and full video-monitored protection.

All plans include Vivint's mobile app access for monitoring and control of the system from afar. In addition, all plans include monitoring of entry sensors. Smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, temperature and flood sensors, and medical pendant monitoring are also included—if you've chosen that equipment as part of your package.

Smart Security Monitoring

This plan focuses on your home's security: Starting at $29.99 per month, this plan monitors the entry points and motion detectors; glass break and tilt sensors; fire, carbon monoxide, and water sensors; and medical pendants. You can also choose to add a lamp module to this plan, allowing you to program or manually turn a lamp plugged into the module on and off. The Smart Security plan is designed to prevent, detect, and alert you and law enforcement about physical threats to the home.

Smart Home Monitoring

Smart Home Monitoring takes everything in the Smart Security Monitoring plan and adds home automation. The Vivint Doorbell camera, smart thermostat, smart door locks and deadbolts, and a smart garage door controller can be added to this plan (which also includes connectivity with Nest thermostats and other third-party automation products). This enables you and Vivint to monitor the temperature and locks when you're home or away and centralizes your home automation devices and home security in a single app. This plan level starts at $39.99 per month.

Smart Home Video Monitoring

For $44.99 and up, you can completely automate your home and benefit from video surveillance and recording. Indoor and outdoor cameras connect to a Wi-Fi hub to provide constant monitoring and recording, so you can scroll back through the high-definition video as if it was on your DVR. The cameras record and store whether there's movement or not. When the motion sensors do detect motion, the cameras will save the event as a Smart Clip and log it on your timeline so you can find it easily. You can scroll through all the videos on your Smart Home app and share clips of 30 seconds, 90 seconds, or 5 minutes with friends and family, neighbors, or law enforcement. It's worth noting that video monitoring doesn't just provide security from intruders; if you have young children, an exterior camera can provide a warning that a child has climbed into a car in the driveway and has gotten stuck, or it can warn you that your child and a friend have entered the enclosure around a swimming pool, potentially preventing a tragedy. An add-on service to this plan is Vivint Smart Drive, which is a physical external storage device that stores the last 30 days of continuous footage. Each camera added to the plan increases the monthly monitoring cost by $5.

Benefits of Choosing Vivint

Law enforcement agencies have noted that simply having signage indicating an alarm system deters criminals from choosing your home as a target. But the security of knowing that your home is protected whether you're home or away, and that a system is monitoring for other threats such as fire, carbon monoxide, and water damage, can offer great peace of mind. In addition, professionally monitored systems usually garner a significant discount on homeowners insurance policies, so you'll save some money there to offset the cost of the monitoring.

Vivint's straightforward pricing, while not the least expensive in the business, offers you access to some cutting-edge technology, and some additional—and possibly unexpected—benefits that show that Vivint is really thinking about security and not just following along with the crowd. It's one of the best home security systems for a reason. For example, the Vivint alarm system offers the option of programming a duress code into the keypad. Normally, Vivint will call or alert your app if a sensor is triggered to make sure it's a real emergency before dispatching assistance. But Vivint has recognized that sometimes there are situations in which a customer may not be able to respond to those check in, especially if the danger is immediate or the threat is entering the home with the customer. A duress code is different from your regular disarming passcode; entering it triggers an immediate response from the monitors, because it lets them know there is a present danger. Entering the duress code will bypass the usual "check-in" response, and the Vivint alarm monitor will dispatch law enforcement immediately with no visible or audible indication that a security response has been triggered. In addition, the panel and keypad will automatically connect to a monitor for up to 1 minute (longer if manually instructed to do so by the monitor) to listen for evidence of distress and to provide more specific information to the approaching law enforcement personnel. This is high-level, well-considered security that is looking beyond stopping a smash- and-grab burglary.

Vivint Pricing: Who Is Vivint Best For?

Vivint is a great option for those who are looking for high-level, bells-and-whistles security without the complication and expense of a lengthy contract. In addition, it's ideal for homeowners who want professional installation along with the freedom to choose the level of equipment they need to really customize the system as they see fit. And it's suitable for those who are willing to pay for the equipment, and more so for those who are able to pay for it up front. If you're financing the equipment, the contract becomes more of an equivalent to traditional home security companies, and the no-contract benefit is nullified.

Because of the high cost of the equipment and the professional installation requirement, Vivint is not as ideal for short-term renters. The cost of moving the equipment and service to new locations is high if you're doing it on a yearly basis, and there are other programs with DIY equipment that are easier (and free) to move.

Photo: vivintsource.com

How to Save Money on Vivint

The total cost of Vivint is lower than most full-service security companies, mostly because of the no-contract option, but Vivint isn't cheap, either. While it's hard to put a price on the peace of mind that good home security provides, it makes sense to look for ways to reduce the overall expenditure so you can choose the kind of security you want. There are several ways to lower your Vivint cost.

Your first stop should be Vivint's website. Keep an eye on discounts and promotions that can save you money: Free add-on cameras, doorbell cameras, and installation are frequent
promotions. You can also call and ask a Vivint agent what promotions are currently in place.
Refer a friend to Vivint and have them use your name. If they activate Vivint service, you can receive a $200 credit to your account, but be aware that promotions are subject to change.
Vivint offers some benefits for active-duty military members, including temporary suspension of monitoring fees during temporary deployment, free cancellation of contracts if you're deployed to a location Vivint doesn't service, and free professional uninstallation and reinstallation if you're deployed to an area Vivint does cover.
Vivint offers referral credit: If you move and the new owner would like to activate the system you left behind, you can receive credit toward your own new service.
If you have a child with developmental disabilities, you may qualify for a discount. Vivint participates in the Vivint Gives Back plan, which discounts equipment that you've selected to help keep you aware of your child's location in the home and to provide extra security for your child.
The monthly monitoring charge is based on your selection, so you have the option to choose a lower-rate plan. If, however, you have financed your equipment and find that the cost of the monthly payments isn't sustainable, call and speak with a Vivint support service agent and ask about changing the financing agreement to make it more manageable.

FAQs

As you're reading through the specifics of different home security plans, they can all run together, but Vivint has some distinctions that set them apart from the rest of the field. These are some questions that we often see about Vivint's services, along with their answers, to clarify some of the concerns you may have.

Q. How much does it cost to install Vivint?

Depending on the level of monitoring service you've chosen and add-on equipment, you'll pay $99, $149, or $199 for installation. The Smart Security Monitoring plan, which costs $99 to install, includes basic security sensors, and the cost goes up from there as you add home automation equipment and video equipment.

Q. Can Vivint equipment be hacked?

Any camera that is connected to the internet can be hacked. But Vivint has made it exceptionally difficult for hackers to gain access to their camera feeds. Vivint cameras use 1024-bit encryption to make it harder to break into the code and also hides the IP address of the cameras on your system; so before a hacker can break into the camera, they have to find and identify it. You'll want to check to make sure your Wi-Fi and internet connection is encrypted and protected with strong (not default) passwords, because that's likely the weakest spot in your network, and you'll want to be sure to update the system firmware (which is handled from the control panel or the app) whenever requested to allow Vivint to update and upgrade the security settings.

Q. Does Vivint offer security cameras?

In fact, they have several. First is a doorbell camera including infrared night vision, HD recording, and motion-activated mobile alerts that allow you to talk to visitors through the doorbell from your mobile app. Indoor Ping Cameras are based on the same software, allowing you to talk to people in your home when you're not there (great to check on kids just getting home from school or to check in with a lonely pet), and the new Outdoor Camera Pro includes these features along with the ability to zoom in, pan, and tilt from your mobile app to really see what's happening. Using cameras requires the Vivint Smart Home Video Monitoring plan, and the monitoring cost increases by $5 for each camera on the plan.

Q. Can I integrate Vivint with my existing smart-home gadgets?

Yes! Vivint is compatible with Nest devices, Google Home, Amazon Echo, Philips Hue lighting, Kwikset smart locks, and a range of other indoor, outdoor, and doorbell cameras. The Vivint Smart Home app combines control and monitoring of these devices with Vivint's devices and sensors so that all your home monitoring and smart-home controls are in one place.

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