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With 24/7 emergency lines, extended operation hours, and multiple locations, ADT has the best customer service when you need it.
Updated August 9, 2024
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When you’re looking for a home security system, there are a ton of considerations you’re going to have to make. Do you want a professionally installed system, or are you going to go the DIY route? What equipment will you need? Are you going to want security cameras? What about environmental sensors? Do you need smart home integrations? It can be a little overwhelming, to say the least.
One thing that a lot of folks overlook is their provider’s customer service. It might seem unimportant in the scheme of things, but do you know how frustrating it is to be up at midnight trying to get your motion sensor to connect to your hub while you’re on hold with a third-party answering service? I do.
That’s why I put together this list of the security providers with the best customer service. Not only do they offer outstanding protections, but if anything ever goes wrong, you’re going to get white-glove service to make it right.
Frontpoint Door Sensor
We always want to prioritize transparency, so here’s how I determined which security providers made it on my list.
First, I started with research. I read consumer reports and reviews of every home security system we’ve tested, and then disqualified the ones that had too many negative reviews. I paid special attention to customers who complained about customer service in particular.
Then, I put it to the test myself. I’ve personally lived with each one of these systems and worked through test “problems” — or real problems — with their customer service personnel. This was mainly to understand the knowledge of their representatives, how easy they were to communicate with, and how long I had to wait to talk to a person.
Here are the companies that met my high standards and made the cut.
ADT has almost a century-and-a-half-long history of protecting people’s properties. For context, that means veterans of the Civil War were using ADT’s services to secure hearth and home. Pretty crazy, right?
During that long history, ADT has learned quite a bit about the best ways to protect — and serve — its customers. It’s one of the most reliable systems out there, with award-winning professional monitoring, exceptional response times, and easy-to-use equipment. Everything is professionally installed, which takes the guesswork out of everything. And you can easily control the system with voice commands, which is why it’s one of my favorite security systems that work with Alexa.
Arming my ADT System
When I was reviewing ADT, I paid particular attention to how ADT compared to more modern DIY home security systems. There are certainly nuances here, but the long and short is this: While it’s a more traditional system that you’ll pay a little more for, the benefits often outweigh the drawbacks here.
Since ADT is a more traditional service, you have to call and speak to a representative to set up your system. When testing ADT, this was my first introduction to its customer service philosophy. I found that their sales tactics weren’t pushy, and the representative, whose name was Martin, was knowledgeable about the system.
When Martin recommended Google Nest security cameras to protect my home, he was able to give me a solid rundown of the features and how I’d use them. For more information on that, you can read my review of Google’s Battery-Operated Indoor and Outdoor Camera. It’s one of my favorites.
Note that ADT has an A+ Better Business Bureau rating, but a pretty low score when it comes to customer reviews. I always take that with a grain of salt, as hardly anyone goes to the BBB website to say, “This service is performing well.” The reason I didn’t knock ADT too hard for these low customer ratings is because it is evident that it proactively tries to solve customer complaints on sites like the Better Business Bureau.
In my research, I found numerous instances of ADT working to resolve issues, and, nine times out of 10, the complaint was closed with a satisfied customer. When you’re a company of ADT’s size — with over 6 million customers — someone is bound to be upset with your service sooner or later. Taking the steps to make sure their problem is resolved is a level of customer service rarely seen.
If you’re considering picking up an ADT system, two of the things you’ll notice pretty much immediately are that the prices are a little high and that you’re going to have to sign a long-term contract to use the service — at least 36 months. For the commitment-averse among us, that might be a dealbreaker. I tend to prefer DIY systems myself, but some folks don’t. To each their own.
If you don’t mind the contract and paying a bit of a premium, ADT offers three tiers of service. I have more on this in my guide to ADT’s prices, but here’s a quick breakdown:
| Feature | Secure Home | Smart Home | Video and Smart Home |
|---|---|---|---|
| Digital control panel | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Contact sensors | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Motion detector | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Smart door lock | No | 1 | 1 |
| Smart plug | No | 1 | 1 |
| Remote arm/disarm | No | Yes | Yes |
| Indoor camera | No | No | 1 |
| Video doorbell | No | No | 1 |
| Remote livestreaming | No | No | Yes |
| Customizable alerts | No | No | Yes |
| Monitoring | Starts at $45.99 per month | Starts at $49.99 per month | Starts at $57.99 per month |
| Equipment cost | Starts at $599 | Starts at $919 | Starts at $1,049 |
Testing Out ADT’s Motion Sensor
Keep in mind that you can pay for the equipment upfront or you can roll the price into your monthly bill. That financing option makes things a little more manageable, especially if you have a budget. Or you can head over to my guide to ADT’s sales and deals. There I’ve cataloged quite a few ways to save on this system.
| Equipment cost | Packages starting at $269 |
|---|---|
| Monitoring options | Professional |
| Monitoring cost | Starting at $29.99 per month |
| Contract length | Starting at 36 months |
| Installation options | Professional or DIY |
| Smart platform integration | Alexa and Google Home |
Vivint has long been one of our favorite security systems with professional setup and monitoring. I’ve personally had a Vivint system installed in my home twice; first for a quick test, and then later as my security system of choice. There are things I like about it, like the quality and features of its smart outdoor security camera, but there are also things I don’t appreciate very much like the high equipment cost. All things considered, though, living with Vivint has shown me that it’s a rock-solid security system.
One of my favorite things about my Vivint system is the customizability of it. In the Vivint app, I’m able to create home automations tailored to my equipment and everyday routine. For example, I have my Vivint Outdoor Camera Pro chime a soft alarm when someone has been in my front yard for at least two minutes, and a more serious-sounding siren if they stay for more than 5 minutes. That level of customizability makes Vivint an easy pick for our list of the best smart home security systems.
Vivint Smart Home Equipment
Vivint is a bit of an odd duck in my opinion. The equipment and system features are modern and contemporary, but the overall process of setting up a Vivint system is very traditional. You need to call for a quote, speak with a sales rep, and sometimes even have a consultant check out your home in person. But that’s all part of Vivint’s top-notch installation service. Unlike Frontpoint which you can buy online and set up yourself, Vivint wants to make sure every system is tailored to the user’s house setup and security needs.
In the two times I’ve had a Vivint system professionally installed in my home, the experience was nearly flawless. The technicians arrived on time, they had all the tools they needed, and they even cleaned up the drilling dust after they did the install. That was the only potential concern I had with the professional install; some pieces of equipment must be drilled into place, like the outdoor camera I mentioned above. You can read all about my installation experience in my Vivint review.
As for after-sales service, Vivint’s live chat support gave me all the answers I needed about my Vivint contract. It was easy to access via my account portal and the answers my agent provided were direct-to-the-point. I liked that. If you prefer a more personal touch, though, a phone support line is also available.
The biggest factor I considered before choosing Vivint was the cost. It wasn’t cheap, especially equipment like cameras and smart home devices. Vivint also wasn’t super expensive, but it falls within the higher end of the price spectrum.
To give you an idea, here are some of the available equipment packages, their inclusions, and their prices.
| Core Home Security | Indoor Security | Porch and Package Protection | Total Home Security |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
| $599.99 or $10/month | $849.99 or $15/month | $849.99 or $15/month | $999.99 or $17/month |
You can customize your package and the final cost will be your equipment total. After that, you’ll have to pay an installation fee (starts at $99) and a monthly monitoring fee (starts at $39). Fortunately, there are Vivint deals that can help you offset the cost. One I see often is free professional installation when you choose a specific package. That one actually saved me $200 – the total installation cost of my custom personal Vivint system.
| Monitoring Options | Professional only |
|---|---|
| Installation | Professional |
| Smart Platform Integration | Alexa and Google Home |
| Equipment Cost | From $599.99 |
| Monthly Monitoring Cost | From $39 |
| Contract Length | 48 to 60 months |
What started out as a top security system for renters has since expanded into basically every security market out there thanks to SimpliSafe’s commitment to high-quality equipment, easy DIY setups, cutting-edge security technology, and affordability.
When I last tested SimpliSafe, it had just unveiled its Fast Protect Monitoring and its Smart Alarm indoor camera, which I thought really took its service to the next level. When I set off some false alarms, a SimpliSafe agent would immediately have access to the live feed from my camera, and they’d quickly be able to relay important information to authorities if it were a true emergency situation. Now that’s pretty impressive customer service right there.
SimpliSafe equipment
Just like the other two providers on this list, SimpliSafe has an A+ rating from the BBB, and it’s actively handling customer complaints on the site. That’s a great bellwether for how it will handle any problems you might have if you decide to use this system.
In my own experience, I had a bit of a problem with my keypad when I was setting it up. Since I do this all the time, I got a little impatient and tried to set things up out of order. Totally my mistake, but I did have to call them to help me reset things and start over. The representative on the phone was helpful and walked me through the process pretty quickly. I did have to wait on hold for just a bit, but that’s totally understandable. At least I wasn’t passed around to three different departments before getting answers like I always am with my bank.
One fault of SimpliSafe I can point out is that, similar to Frontpoint, it engages in some pushy digital sales tactics. SimpliSafe’s packages and equipment are always on sale, but there’s always a banner at the top of the site that says “Ends soon!” Don’t worry — in all the years I’ve been covering SimpliSafe, I’ve never seen them not offer some sort of discount.
With that, let’s talk about SimpliSafe’s prices.
SimpliSafe is one of the best DIY security systems out there, and when you hear DIY, you should always think savings. That’s definitely true of Frontpoint, and it’s true of SimpliSafe as well.
Just like Frontpoint, SimpliSafe offers several different options when it comes to security packages. I’ve included SimpliSafe’s current prices below with the discount it’s offering applied, but these may fluctuate slightly.
| Package name | Number of components | Price |
|---|---|---|
| The Foundation | 4 | $244.96 |
| The Essentials | 6 | $274.95 |
| The Lighthouse | 7 | $464.93 |
| The Hearth | 9 | $394.91 |
| The Beacon | 10 | $669.90 |
| The Knox | 13 | $469.78 |
| The Haven | 14 | $509.86 |
Also keep in mind that you can piece out your own system. Here are the current costs of individual components:
| Component | Cost |
|---|---|
| Entry sensor | $14.99 |
| Motion sensor | $34.99 |
| Glass-break sensor | $39.99 |
| Outdoor camera | $189.99 |
| Smart Alarm indoor camera | $139.99 |
| SimpliCam indoor camera | $99.99 |
| Video doorbell | $169.99 |
| Water sensor | $19.99 |
| Smoke and carbon monoxide detector | $59.99 |
| Smoke detector | $34.99 |
| Temperature sensor | $29.99 |
| Panic button | $19.99 |
| Key fob | $24.99 |
| Extra-loud siren | $59.99 |
SimpliSafe Essentials Kit
While SimpliSafe doesn’t offer a huge lineup of feature-rich, high-tech equipment — aside from the Smart Alarm camera I mentioned earlier — what it does offer is rock solid and more than enough to protect pretty much any property.
Also worth mentioning is that SimpliSafe offers a few monitoring options. The Fast Protect monitoring that I mentioned above is the most expensive at $29.99 per month, but there is also standard monitoring available for $19.99 per month. It’s also the only provider on this list that offers self-monitoring, which secured SimpliSafe a spot on my list of the best security systems with no monthly fees.
| Equipment cost | Packages starting at $249.96 |
|---|---|
| Monitoring options | Professional or DIY |
| Monitoring cost | From $19.99 |
| Contract length | Monthly |
| Installation options | Professional or DIY |
| Smart platform integration | Alexa, Google Home, and Apple Watch |
Frontpoint has been in business for over a decade and was one of the pioneers in the wireless security space. It’s no surprise, then, that it ranks as one of the best wireless security systems and a favorite among folks looking for a nontraditional approach to their home security.
When I tested Frontpoint, I was impressed by the majority of the equipment. Rather than going with a touch screen, like I have with many competitors, I instead opted for a hub-and-keypad setup. It felt a little more traditional, which is definitely appealing to some folks. I wasn’t overly enthusiastic about the size of the entryway sensors, but that was forgivable given the overall reliability, responsiveness, and functionality of the system.
You can read more about my experience with this system in my Frontpoint review, so let’s talk specifically about the main reasons it’s on this particular list.
Frontpoint equipment
Just like ADT, Frontpoint has an A+ rating from the BBB, so it’s off to a great start. And, similar to ADT, it takes an active stance on addressing its customers’ complaints. At the time of this writing, 88 complaints had been closed out on the BBB website in the past 12 months.
I love that its operators are available late into the night — why is it that electronics always act up after regular business hours? Anyway, as part of my testing, I was trying to set the system up and wasn’t able to get the hub to stay connected to my Wi-Fi network. It conked out for the third time around 10 p.m., so I wasn’t confident Frontpoint would pick up the phone. I gave it a shot anyway; to my surprise, a representative was available to talk me through the troubleshooting options. We were able to work through the problem in 15 minutes, and I didn’t have any more hiccups.
Now, on the flip side, one thing I don’t like is that Frontpoint inflates its “regular” prices on its website and always has a “sale” going on that’s always “ending soon.” To me, that’s a high-pressure marketing tactic meant to trick folks into buying a system. It’s not a huge deal, but it did cost them a couple points.
As a DIY system, Frontpoint offers several equipment packages as well as an option to build out your own. I have more information in my guide to Frontpoint’s prices, but here’s a quick rundown of those premade packages:
| Name | Equipment | Regular price | Sale price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ultimate Home Security System |
|
$1,351.83 | $419 |
| Premier Home Security System |
|
$771.90 | $169 |
| Starter Home Security System |
|
$541.91 | $79.99 |
See the large discrepancy between the “regular price” and “sale price”? Like I said above, this sale never ends, so don’t feel pressure to buy.
Frontpoint Outdoor Camera
If you’re more interested in building out your own system, here’s a quick breakdown of the prices of individual pieces of equipment. Again, these are almost always deeply discounted, so I just provided the most recent sale price.
| Component | Price |
|---|---|
| Carbon monoxide sensor | $65.49 |
| Door or window sensor | $19.24 |
| Doorbell camera | $109.99 |
| Extra keypad | $30.24 |
| Flood sensor | $24.74 |
| Garage door tilt sensor | $24.74 |
| Glass-break sensor | $41.24 |
| Indoor camera | $65.99 |
| Keychain remote | $17.59 |
| Motion sensor | $38.74 |
| Outdoor camera | $126.49 |
| Outdoor smart plug | $27.49 |
| Premium indoor camera | $109.99 |
| Smart door lock | $109.99 |
| Touch screen | $82.49 |
When I was testing Frontpoint, I was able to secure my entire home for around $400, which is why it shows up on my list of the best affordable home security systems. If you’re looking for security on a budget, Frontpoint is definitely a company you should consider.
Unlike most DIY security providers, Frontpoint does require a three-year contract for some of its systems and professional monitoring for all of them. And that monitoring isn’t what I’d call cheap. While it is one of the best professionally monitored systems out there, at $49.99 per month, the cost can be prohibitive.
| Equipment cost | Packages starting at $79 |
|---|---|
| Monitoring options | Professional |
| Monitoring cost | Starting at $49 per month |
| Contract lengths | Monthly or 36 months |
| Installation options | DIY |
| Smart platform integrations | Google Home, Alexa, and Siri |
No matter how you slice it, a home security system is a pretty big long-term investment. You’ll likely be using the service and equipment for years. As such, you shouldn’t view the company you go with as a “provider”; you should view it as a partner.
And you want that partner to respect you. You want it to treat you well, and you want it to make things right if anything goes wrong. That’s where customer service comes in. If a security provider does not take customer service seriously, it’s going to let you down when you need it the most.
It’s difficult to understand why any company would want to provide poor customer service, but there are a lot of reasons why it might be a little lackluster. Some of these include:
Customer service isn’t just about short wait times and not being bounced around from operator to operator when you’re trying to get a billing dispute resolved. There are other factors to consider in determining whether or not a security provider is offering comprehensive, high-quality customer service. Here are some categories and a few questions you might ask:
I know there is a lot to consider when you’re shopping for a home security system, but keeping these questions in mind will help you pick a provider that values your business and will likely save you some headaches down the road.
No. Most technical support is offered only during business hours, save for a few outliers like Frontpoint. Emergency response, on the other hand, is always around the clock.
The best way to learn about how a company treats its customers is to check out review sites like ours and consumer sites like the Better Business Bureau. Take any customer reviews you read with a grain of salt. They are almost always unverified, and very few people go online to share their positive experiences.
Pushy sales tactics, unreasonable contracts, and apathetic employees are all red flags that you’re dealing with a company that will ultimately provide poor customer service.
The two main benefits are that it will be able to help you quickly troubleshoot any technical issue you’re experiencing and resolve any billing disputes that might come up. You’d be surprised how often that happens and how big a difference it makes when dealing with a company that values its customers’ satisfaction.
The best thing to do is contact the company directly. Most of the time, it will have a “Contact us” tab on its website that will provide a support ticket to fill out or a phone number to call.
You really can have it all. The leading home security companies with great customer service also provide reliable equipment and have competitive prices. Here are typical features of the top security providers in the industry.
Many home security companies require a contract — and the contract length and terms matter. Unfortunately, some companies get away with highway robbery. But the home security companies that deliver great customer service also tend to offer reasonable contracts. Some customer-friendly policies even allow you to break a contract if your housing changes or other unforeseen circumstances arise.
Ever been told to “please hold,” only to sit around twiddling your thumbs? We’ve all been there. Thankfully, the home security companies with the best customer service all promise short wait times. Calls are answered in a matter of seconds, emergencies are dealt with fast and efficiently, and everyone goes home happy. That’s the value of short wait times and superb customer service.
There’s 24/7 monitoring. And then there’s 24/7 monitoring backed by friendly and professional emergency personnel. There’s a big difference. The security companies with the best customer service really stand out in this category. Alerts are processed in seconds, emergency responders are dispatched if needed, and there’s a comforting voice to talk you through your emergency.
Whether it’s an entryway sensor malfunction or a security camera that just won’t record, repairs are sometimes necessary. That’s where great customer service becomes key. Choose a home security company with a track record of quick and painless repairs. Technicians should be highly trained, professional, and always on time. Get this sorted upfront, as it will pay dividends over the years.
Mobile access is another must-have feature. The best customer-friendly security solutions come with a companion app. Simply log in to access, monitor, and control your home security system from your smartphone or other device. Look for a company and mobile app that allows you to interact with customer service agents and emergency operators should the need arise. Mobile access — don’t go without it!
Entry sensors are a standard feature of home security systems. These magnetic sensors are mounted to door frames, windows, and other points of entry. When one of these sensors is tripped, it immediately sounds an alarm and sends an alert. Your home security package will come with a set number of sensors, but you can always purchase more. It’s time to secure the perimeter.
These impressive little bundles of technology monitor for movement within your home. Mount them in extra-sensitive areas for an added layer of home protection. When a motion detector senses movement, it sounds an alarm and triggers an alert. Companies with excellent customer service also tend to sell excellent motion detectors — including the kind that can distinguish between pets and people.
Many home security companies offer high-quality indoor and/or outdoor security cameras. We’re talking high-resolution, feature-rich cameras that can record the smallest details. But the question to ask is this: Does the caliber of customer service match the performance of the camera? You never know when you’ll need to interact with the company’s employees.
The best home security providers care about securing your home, inside and out. That’s why the top companies now offer environmental monitoring in their suite of features. This particular feature monitors for potentially life-threatening hazards such as excessive smoke, heat, carbon monoxide, and water leaks. Look for environmental protection and quality customer service to back it up.
Home automation is a future-forward home security option. It allows you to control your lights, door locks, heating and cooling, and other home features via a mobile app. Look for a company with stellar customer service and home automation support. Your neighbors are sure to turn green with envy the next time they come around. That’s the power of home automation.
