The short answer

Split image comparing a small self-installed home security setup against a larger professionally installed system
Same brand, two very different price tags - it comes down to self-install vs. professional install.

ADT monitoring costs roughly $25 to $60 per month in 2026, and your equipment runs from about $269 for a basic DIY package to $1,449+ for a full professionally installed system. The single biggest factor is which path you pick:

  • ADT self-install (DIY): monitoring from about $24.99-$39.99/month, with a camera-only self-monitoring tier from around $9.99/month.
  • ADT professional install: monitoring from about $44.99-$59.99/month, typically with a 36-month contract.

Below: what each plan includes, what equipment really costs, how the contract and financing work, and where the surprise fees hide.

ADT monitoring plans and monthly prices

Man checking his phone and laptop at a table next to a security base station while reviewing monitoring costs
Monitoring is the recurring line item - worth checking against your actual usage before you pick a tier.

ADT prices monitoring by install type, not by a single national rate card:

  • Self-install, self-monitored (cameras only): from ~$9.99/month - alerts go to your phone; no monitoring center.
  • Self-install, professional monitoring: from ~$24.99/month - 24/7 monitoring center with police/fire dispatch.
  • Professional install monitoring: ~$44.99-$59.99/month depending on package (video packages sit at the higher end).

ADT's monitoring network is its headline strength - six monitoring centers across North America backing every professionally installed system. You're paying a premium partly for that redundancy. Compare it against Vivint's pricing in our Vivint cost breakdown.

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Equipment and installation costs

Full ADT-style security kit laid out: base station, keypad, sensors, batteries, smart lock, doorbell camera and installation tools
What you're paying for: base station, keypad, sensors, and (if you go pro) the labor to mount it all.

Real-world 2026 equipment numbers:

  • Basic DIY packages: from about $269.
  • Professionally installed systems: typically $599-$1,449 for equipment and installation combined.
  • Example mid-tier: outdoor-video package around $450 in equipment with ~$45/month monitoring; larger "total safety" bundles run $1,100+.

Installation labor is folded into pro packages, and promotions rotate constantly (recent example: a $100 reward card with pro-installed systems) - always ask what's running before you sign.

Professional installer on a ladder mounting an outdoor security camera with a tool box open below
Professional installation is where the labor fee actually goes - mounting and aiming every device.

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The 36-month contract (read this before signing)

Couple sitting together reviewing contract paperwork next to their security system devices on the coffee table
Read the contract terms together before signing - especially the early-termination fee.

Professionally installed ADT systems typically come with a 3-year (36-month) contract and an early-termination fee if you cancel mid-term. ADT also offers equipment financing up to 60 months, which adds a monthly equipment payment on top of monitoring - and behaves like a second contract, since cancelling early generally means paying off the balance.

Questions to ask before signing: What is the total monthly payment (monitoring + equipment financing)? What is the early-termination fee? What happens if I move? The self-install path avoids the long contract entirely - a real advantage if flexibility matters. More on contract traps in our 2026 cost guide.

What ADT really costs in year one

Woman at a desk reviewing a cost breakdown chart on her laptop with a calculator and notebook
Adding up equipment plus twelve months of monitoring is the only honest way to compare paths.

Two realistic year-one scenarios:

  • DIY path: ~$300 equipment + $25/month x 12 = ~$600 in year one.
  • Pro-install path: ~$800 equipment/install + $50/month x 12 = ~$1,400 in year one (more with financing or video packages).

After year one, DIY runs ~$300/year in monitoring; pro-install ~$540-$720/year.

Is ADT worth the monthly price?

Woman checking her home security app on her phone in a modern living room with a camera visible on a shelf
Day to day, the monthly price buys the monitoring behind the app - not just the app itself.

ADT's case is trust and monitoring muscle: the longest-established brand in the category with the deepest monitoring infrastructure. It tends to fit homeowners who want a proven, professionally backed system and accept a contract in exchange. If you want no contract and lower monthly fees, a DIY system with month-to-month monitoring usually wins on cost.

See where ADT lands against Vivint and SimpliSafe in our 2026 rankings, read our full ADT review, or get a free quote and we'll match you to the right fit.

Already an ADT customer with a system that keeps acting up? See our ADT troubleshooting guide (beeping, cellular failure, low battery, reset) and the ADT battery replacement guide before paying for a service call - and how to cancel ADT if you decide it isn't worth it.

ADT cost FAQs

What is ADT's cheapest monthly plan?

Self-install camera-only self-monitoring from about $9.99/month; the cheapest professional monitoring is ~$24.99/month on self-install systems.

Does ADT require a contract?

Professionally installed systems typically require 36 months. Self-install systems are month-to-month.

Can I keep ADT if I move?

ADT offers mover programs, but terms vary and fees can apply mid-contract - confirm the current moving policy before signing.

Is ADT more expensive than SimpliSafe?

Usually yes on monthly monitoring ($45-$60 pro-install vs SimpliSafe's ~$22.99-$32.99 no-contract plans). ADT's premium buys professional installation and its monitoring network.

Woman reviewing her monthly bills and security paperwork at a kitchen table with a keypad on the wall nearby
Whatever plan you land on, review the actual bill against what you were quoted.
Modern home exterior lit up at night, fully secured
Whichever path you pick, the end goal is the same - a home that's actually covered.

Want a cheaper, no-contract alternative? Compare ADT against the DIY benchmark in our SimpliSafe monthly cost guide - often about half ADT's monthly rate with no multi-year commitment.

Pricing reflects publicly reported 2026 figures from ADT and independent reviews. Prices and promotions change often - verify current pricing before you buy.