Vivint Smart Home Security Review (2022): Price, Cameras, Monitoring, And More

Vivint security offers some of the most advanced security system on the market. However, these new era home security systems don't come cheap. If you can classify a home security system as luxurious, that's what Vivint would be. Vivint's plans include a highly usable app that allows you to control just about everything in your home, from your door locks to your thermostat. Vivint is as smart as it gets in terms of home security systems. And that's precisely what makes it so unique, and expensive.

With Vivint, you get home security and home automation features all in one system. The company makes the award-winning SkyControl panel and the Sky mobile app, both of which allow you to keep your home security system under control at all times at the touch of a screen. (That means no more walking up and down the house flipping switches.) You can do just about everything from your central device.

How Much Does Vivint Home Security Cost?

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Vivint security is a bit more expensive than most security companies. But keeping your home safe and secure is worth the price. Vivint's usability and compatibility with multiple smart home devices make it worth it for smart home fans. Depending on the plan you choose, upfront costs start at $599 and reach up to $1,789 while monthly monitoring costs will vary between $30-$45+ per month. You also have the option to finance the initial equipment and installation cost to make Vivint security systems more affordable. All of Vivint's plans come with a $49 installation fee, and from there you can choose from multiple monthly contracts depending on your needs and budget.

You can start with Vivint for a $0 down payment if you choose third-party customer financing, or you can pay for your plan upfront to dodge the monthly dues. If you stick to monthly payments through Vivint's Flex Pay Plan for your home security system, contracts range from 42 to 60 months — keep in mind that these plans require a bit of a long-term commitment. The equipment cost and the actual monthly monitoring fees are two separate things. How much you pay will reflect the sophistication of the equipment you require. In other words, the more lavish the system, the more money you'll dish out.

You can finance your equipment on top of your monthly fees or pay for your equipment upfront. Paying for your Vivint equipment upfront could be a pretty steep price, but paying upfront means you can cancel your plan at any time. Just keep in mind that if you pay for your equipment monthly and would like to stop using Vivint before it's fully paid off, you're going to have to continue to pay out the rest of your equipment costs.

Vivint offers three different monitoring plans:

• ​Smart Security:​ $29.99 per month
• ​Smart Home:​ $39.99 per month
• ​Smart Home Video:​ $44.99 base price per month

24/7 monitoring is critical for home security because you want to ensure you and your belongings are safe at all times. The Vivint app allows you to keep a close eye on your home with just the tap of your phone screen. If you aren't monitoring your home, but it looks like something suspicious is happening, Vivint will send someone right over. Regardless of where you are, you can always have peace of mind about your home's security.

Not only do you have the ability to control your home security at all times, but you have access to help from Vivint's team at all times. That's right; you will have help at any time of day, which we think is how it should be for home security.

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Vivint offers a range of cameras. Ultimately, your choice depends on how much coverage you're looking for in and around your home. The first thing to note is that Vivint equipment requires professional installation. (Sorry DIYers, you're going to have to say no to any self-installation efforts if you want to ensure your equipment works how it should.)

Vivint's cameras include indoor cameras, outdoor cameras, and video doorbells. These cameras are expensive because they have unique capabilities such as deterrent messaging if they sense motion and hardwiring to WiFi for the best connection in the game. Each camera offers a slightly different kind of surveillance. The main camera options include:

• ​Indoor cameras:​ Vivint's indoor cameras are considerably more affordable than other Vivint equipment. At around $200, the camera has 1080p resolution, night vision, and 155-degree vision. These cameras also have a call button. We recommend teaching your kids to use this button to ensure everyone feels safe at all times!
• ​Outdoor cameras:​ Vivint's outdoor cameras cost around $300, making them one of the most expensive gadgets in the Vivint repertoire. That's because it has 1080p resolution, night vision, and an impressive 140-degree field of view. The 4K vision quality of this Vivint gadget is rare for an outdoor camera and beats out the competitors significantly. Outdoor cameras also have much more sophisticated wiring than indoor cameras. They're weatherproof to ensure that even in the wind and rain the perimeter of your home will be safe.
• ​Doorbell cameras:​ The Vivint Doorbell Camera Pro at $249.99 is more expensive than competitors, but it certainly doesn't compromise on quality. It has a 4K HDR sensor and AI, delivering fast notifications. Vivint's doorbell cameras are one of the most impressive gadgets they offer. Unlike other doorbell cameras, you can see the entire body of whoever is standing at your door.

All of Vivint's cameras have a couple of other notable features. The first is cloud storage, which allows you to playback clips. Or you can invest in the Smart Drive for $250 and gain access to 30 days worth of 24/7 footage from your cameras.

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While Vivint's cameras allow you to see what is happening in and around your home, sensors have slightly different capabilities. When we think of sensors, we usually think of motion-activated devices. While this is undoubtedly one of Vivint's specialty sensors, sensors also include gadgets like carbon monoxide sensors, window sensors, smoke detectors, and glass break sensors. Sensors tend to fall somewhere between $30 and $100. Vivint's sensors have specific capabilities that prevent all sorts of bad accidents in the home, including protecting against break-ins, leaks, fires, and other hazards:

• ​Motion sensors:​ Vivint's motion-sensing devices require mounting on a wall or ceiling when detecting motion in its field of vision.
• ​Door/window sensors:​ Door and window sensors have a variety of benefits, from having the ability to alert you of potential intruders to warning parents when kids may be wandering or fiddling with the front door or windows. They work with a contact sensor and magnet so that when they lose contact, the alarm will sound.
• ​Carbon monoxide sensors:​ Vivint's carbon monoxide sensors alert the home as soon as carbon monoxide rises to dangerous levels. Vivint's smart integration system sends instant alerts regarding carbon monoxide levels to the Vivint app. If carbon monoxide levels are too high, Vivint's smart system will instantly unlock doors and windows, making it easier to get out or for air to get in.
• ​Smoke detectors:​ Vivint's smoke alarms have 24/7 smoke alarm monitoring and system integration with your home. Peace of mind is a constant with Vivint. Smoke detectors will alert of any smoke on the app or alert first responders if necessary.
• ​Glass break sensors:​ These sensors alert you to broken glass, either from a break-in or other cause.

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Before we even get to the installation process for Vivint devices, we'd like to mention Vivint's in-home security consultation; Vivint will send a technician to your home to assess any security risks or places you should be extra cautious to protect. That way, you don't have to guess which gadgets you should buy.

We've already mentioned the fact that Vivint devices require professional installation, which works together with the initial security consultation. After you decide which security measure you need, your Vivint technician will ensure that your equipment is in the right place and working correctly. This installation process includes a complete walk-through to make sure you feel comfortable using all your new home security and home automation equipment.

All you have to do is schedule a Vivint worker to come to your home to complete the consultation and installation of your devices — both on the same day. The consultation and installation processes further demonstrate Vivint's truly customizable functions. However, make sure you plan your consultation and installation ahead of time because it can take a bit of time to get in with a Vivint technician. (The process can take up to a week or more).

On top of Vivint's robust security features, one of its biggest strengths is the ability to integrate with your home. Integration can be hard to master when it comes to home security systems, and we'd go so far as to say that it usually doesn't work or constantly has technical difficulties. Vivint's smart home automation actually works. Automation features include a range of bells and whistles like controlling climate and lighting via Vivint's touchscreen pads and voice control. Some of our favorite automation features of Vivint smart home allow you to do the following, all from the Vivint Smart Hub:

• ​Control your lights:​ Smart lightning combines Philips Hue smart light bulbs and Vivint Smart Plugs. This combination with app integration allows you to control the lights in your home from anywhere. Turn on your lights from your phone on your way home so you don't have to return to a dark house, or switch the lights out before bed, so you don't have to leave the cozy blankets to shut them off. If you're away, make sure your outdoor lights are on after dark to protect your home.
• ​Change the temperature:​ Keep your home comfortable and conserve energy with a Vivint Smart Thermostat. Your thermostat will auto-control temperatures according to your preferences: lower the heat in your home from your office during cooler months, turn on the A/C on your way home in the summer. The Smart Thermostat also works in conjunction with smoke detectors to prevent the spread of flames in the case of a fire.
• ​Lock and unlock your doors​: Locks are the other crucial part of the home that you can automate with Vivint Smart Home. Simply tap the door locks under the House icon on the app to toggle with your locks. Vivint Smart Locks are entirely keyless; they allow you to implement codes so those welcomed can let themselves into your home. You can also track past locking and unlocking to keep tabs on your doors.

To get maximum usage of Vivint's home automation, you should use the service in conjunction with other compatible products. For example, you can integrate your Vivint plan with Google Assistant, Nest thermostats, and Amazon Alexa products. Pairing your Vivint gadgets with one of these systems allows you to control all your home's security and home automation features with voice control. That's right, all you have to do to turn off the lights or lock your front door is to speak it to your home. If it were up to us, that's about as futuristic as it gets.

The beauty in Vivint's automation features is that you can control pretty much everything in your home from afar using the app. Just remember you need to connect your device to a WiFi source to use the app. But rest assured that your security gadgets will work as usual even when you aren't on WiFi — you just won't be able to control them again until you are.

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At this point, you're probably wondering what happens if something goes wrong with any of your Vivint devices. (It's normal for gadgets to have difficulties on occasion.) The good news is Vivint has both installation and equipment warranties. There is a 120-day warranty for any installation difficulties — equipment has an impressive lifetime warranty so long as you're still a Vivint customer. Vivint will replace any damaged equipment throughout the warranty period for a flat fee of $45. If you're using another device in conjunction with Vivint (like Alexa), you will have to abide by the warranty of the gadget's manufacturer.

With Vivint, customer satisfaction is at an all-time high — which is the best reflection of its quality. Vivint reviews suggest that the system's pros are worth the cost. Your home will feel instantly safer and smarter when you use Vivint. The only drawback of Vivint is its price. If you're not someone who needs full-on security and home automation but still wants your house to feel secure, considering a more basic plan and investing in fewer gadgets can help keep your cost down. You can still use Vivint home security without going all-out on equipment and features. That said, if you're on a budget or prefer to do things around your home DIY, Vivint is probably not the home security system for you.

Did you know it's possible to save money using smart security and home automation features? Features like smart thermostats allow you to adjust the temperature of your home easily, so you can ensure you're saving energy when you can and cutting back on energy bill costs at the same time.

At the end of the day, when it comes to your home's security, the price you pay is worth it — especially when you take into consideration the preventive measures you'll be taking to protect your home. Some go so far as to say that Vivint's home security systems are so smart you could call it magic. With Vivint, you can protect and control your home from your smartphone in the true way of the future.

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