ServiCoverEquipment Pricing by Provider
| Provider | Equipment Range | Monthly Monitoring |
|---|---|---|
| ADT | From $269 | $24.99–$49.99 |
| SimpliSafe | Starter kits under $300 | $9.99–$79.99 |
| Vivint | $199.99–$2,600+ | $24.99–$60.99 |
| Frontpoint | $300–$450 | $19.99–$29.99 |
Why Vivint's Equipment Costs More
Vivint's premium positioning shows up directly in hardware pricing — its outdoor camera runs $399 versus a comparable ADT model at $179.99. This reflects genuinely more advanced smart-home integration, but means the total cost of ownership over a 3-year contract can run meaningfully higher than budget-focused competitors offering similar core security functionality.
Add-On Costs Worth Budgeting For
- Smoke and CO detectors — often sold as add-ons rather than included in base packages.
- Additional cameras — indoor/outdoor cameras beyond the base kit typically cost $100-$400 each depending on the provider and camera quality.
- Smart home devices — smart locks, thermostats, and lighting integrations add to both equipment cost and sometimes monitoring tier pricing.
Comparing Total Cost Over a Contract Term
A fair cost comparison should look at total spend over a realistic period, not just the monthly rate. A 3-year Vivint contract at $40/month monitoring plus $500 in equipment totals roughly $1,940. A comparable SimpliSafe setup at $25/month with $300 in equipment over the same period runs closer to $1,200 — a meaningful gap that's easy to miss when only comparing monthly numbers side by side.
Frequently Asked Questions
For basic protection, yes — SimpliSafe's entry tier starting under $10/month provides genuine professional monitoring. Higher tiers add features like video verification and live intervention, worth it if false-alarm fines or active deterrence matter to you specifically.
Indirectly — a larger home typically needs more sensors and cameras to achieve full coverage, which raises total equipment cost even though the base monitoring fee itself doesn't usually change with home size.