How Much Should ADT Cost Per Month in 2025? Real Pricing Breakdown

When you hear "ADT," you think of big red signs, professional installers, and that reassuring voice saying, "Your system is armed." But how much does it actually cost each month? If you're looking at ADT in late 2025, the answer isn’t simple. You might see a $24.99 ad and think you’ve hit the jackpot. Then you get the bill - and it’s $70. That’s not a mistake. That’s the ADT pricing model.

What You’re Actually Paying for Each Month

ADT doesn’t have one monthly price. It has layers. There’s the monitoring fee. Then there’s the equipment payment. Then there’s installation. And if you’re not careful, you’ll end up paying for all three - and not even realize it until your bank statement drops.

The lowest monthly monitoring fee you can get is $24.99. That’s for the Secure package, but only if you install it yourself. No installer. No bells and whistles. Just motion sensors, door contacts, and 24/7 monitoring. That’s it. If you want ADT to come to your house, install everything, and show you how it works? That jumps to $49.99. Right away, you’re looking at a $25 difference just for someone else doing the work.

But here’s the catch: most people don’t buy just monitoring. They buy equipment too. And ADT doesn’t make you pay upfront - they finance it. That means your $269 security starter kit? It becomes $7.47 a month for three years. Your $1,593.95 total safety package? That’s $44.27 a month on top of your monitoring fee.

So if you pick the Smart package ($70.31/month monitoring) and finance a mid-tier system ($25/month equipment), you’re looking at $95.31 a month. Not $70. Not $50. Almost $100. And that’s before taxes, service fees, or add-ons like video storage.

The Three ADT Packages - What You Get

ADT offers three main packages. Each one adds more features - and more cost.

• Secure: Starts at $24.99 (DIY) or $49.99 (professional install). Includes basic intrusion detection, mobile alerts, and 24/7 monitoring. No video. No smart locks. Just the essentials.
• Smart: Ranges from $29.99 to $70.31. Adds smart home controls - you can arm/disarm from your phone, get alerts when doors open, and control lights. Includes 30 days of video storage if you add cameras. This is where most people land.
• Complete: $39.99 to $82.14. The top tier. Includes everything in Smart, plus video monitoring, Nest Aware integration, and ADT’s exclusive Trusted Neighbor™ feature. That lets you give temporary access to a friend, cleaner, or relative - they get a one-time code, and you get a video alert when they enter. No keys needed.

Trusted Neighbor™ sounds useful. And it is - if you regularly have people coming in while you’re away. But if you’re just worried about break-ins, you don’t need it. And you’re paying up to $32 extra a month just to get it.

How ADT Compares to the Competition

ADT isn’t the cheapest. It’s not even close.

Ring’s Video Doorbell + Indoor Cam + monitoring? $20 a month. You get motion alerts, cloud video, two-way talk, and professional monitoring. No installer. No contract. Cancel anytime.

Brinks? $40-$50/month. Vivint? $41-$46/month. Both include professional monitoring, smart devices, and no long-term lock-in. Some even let you buy equipment upfront and skip the financing.

ADT’s Complete package? $82.14. That’s more than double Ring’s top plan. And you’re locked into a three-year contract. If you cancel early? You owe the rest of the equipment balance - often thousands of dollars.

Here’s the truth: most people don’t need ADT’s six monitoring centers or their branded equipment. Ring, SimpliSafe, and Abode do the same job - sometimes better - for less. ADT’s advantage? Reputation. They’ve been around since 1874. They’ve got the big ads. They’ve got the trust. But trust doesn’t pay your bill.

Hidden Costs You Won’t See in the Ad

ADT’s ads never mention the $100 professional installation fee. Or the fact that their mobile app requires a paid subscription to access video history. Or that their customer service wait times average 14 minutes - nearly twice the industry average.

Then there’s the financing. You think you’re paying $50 a month for monitoring. But your contract says $44.27 for equipment and $39.99 for monitoring. That’s $84.26. And you didn’t even know the equipment was financed. You thought you bought it outright.

Consumer Reports found that 68% of negative ADT reviews mention "hidden costs." People walk away feeling tricked. They signed up for "peace of mind" and got a three-year debt with no way out.

And if you try to cancel? Good luck. ADT’s cancellation policy is strict. You need to call. You need to wait. You need to argue. And even then, you might still owe hundreds or thousands.

Who Should Choose ADT - And Who Should Walk Away

ADT makes sense for one kind of person: someone who wants zero hassle and doesn’t care about the price.

If you’re over 50, not tech-savvy, and want someone to come to your door, install everything, and explain it in person - ADT delivers. If you’ve been burglarized before and want the most trusted name in the business - ADT gives you that reassurance.

But if you’re under 40, comfortable with apps, or just want to save money? Walk away. Ring, SimpliSafe, and Arlo offer better value. You get the same alerts, same video, same monitoring - for half the price. And you can cancel tomorrow if you change your mind.

ADT’s Trusted Neighbor™ is cool. But you don’t need it unless you’re regularly letting people into your home. If you’re just protecting your house, you’re paying for features you’ll never use.

What’s Changing in 2025

ADT is feeling the pressure. They’ve lowered their DIY monitoring price to $24.99. They’ve added more flexible options. They’ve partnered with Google to integrate Nest cameras.

But the core problem remains: they’re still a legacy company with legacy costs. Their monitoring centers are expensive to run. Their equipment is proprietary. Their contracts are long. And their pricing is opaque.

Analysts predict ADT will need to cut prices by 10-15% by 2026 just to stay competitive. That’s coming. But for now? You’re paying for history, not innovation.

What You Should Do Today

If you’re thinking about ADT, here’s what to do:

1. Ask for the exact monthly breakdown: monitoring + equipment financing + installation. Write it down.
2. Compare it to Ring, SimpliSafe, and Brinks. Use their websites. Don’t trust ADT’s sales rep.
3. Ask: "Can I cancel anytime?" If they say no - walk out.
4. Ask: "Do I own the equipment?" If they say "no, you’re leasing it" - walk out.
5. If you still want ADT, get the lowest package: Secure + DIY + no financing. That’s $24.99/month. No surprises.

ADT isn’t bad. It’s just expensive. And in 2025, you don’t need to pay a premium for security. You just need to know what you’re buying.