ADT Pro Install home security review 2024 – Real reviews, expert ratings | Switchful (2024)

ADT has long been at the forefront of the home security industry, and as such, offers nearly every piece of equipment you could want to protect your home. From stalwart devices like motion detectors and security cameras to more modern ones like doorbell cameras and smart home devices, you’ll have little issue tailoring your system to your home.

To order your ADT system, you can either call and speak with a sales agent or place an order online (you might save some cash that way, too). Whichever route you take, you’ll need some basic information, such as how many doors and ground-level windows you have. You’ll also want to think about your preferences, like types of cameras, environmental sensors, and smart home systems.

You’ll also need to consider whether you want devices from Google (which partners with ADT), or ADT-branded ones. ADT’s devices are white-labeled, meaning they’re made by a third-party manufacturer, but it also means greater compatibility with other systems and devices. We opted for the ADT Command Panel, but many may opt for the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) or Google Nest Hub Max. ADT may throw in free devices with your order too, like the Google Nest Doorbell (battery) with certain packages.

ADT has three packages available, which you can easily customize with add-ons:

• The Build Your Own package includes the basics like the control panel, door and window sensors, and motion detectors
• The Smart package includes the basics plus a smart door lock
• The Video & Smart Home package includes all of the above, plus camera options

ADT has native compatibility with Google via its direct partnership, so you’ll find that you can pair Google Nest cameras, thermostats, control panels, and a bevy of other Google devices directly to your home security system with little trouble. And it connects easily to other smart home systems too, using IFTTT (If This Then That) integration. So, the vast majority of your smart devices (Alexa, Samsung, etc.) will also connect seamlessly.

Smart home automation

Once you know exactly how you want to build your system out, you’ll schedule an installation time. When our technician arrived, they carefully walked us through every device we ordered (and some we didn’t, too).

We were immediately impressed by the look and functionality of the control panel, which stands out by its sleek design and appears to be able to stand the test of time. And there are some features of the panel that we really like. First, it connects to ADT’s monitoring centers via radio signal. Some competitors, like Cove and Alder, connect via SIM card to cellular networks—both of which gave us headaches when we tested those systems. The other features we really liked were that the panel’s camera snaps a photo of whomever arms or disarms the system (otherwise, it doesn’t run continuously), and it has a “clean screen” function that lets you wipe off fingerprints without accidentally setting off your alarm.

After that, unpackaging the other devices felt a little anticlimactic. They looked and felt overly simple and didn’t project the “wow” factor that the control panel did. Of course, that didn’t matter for some of the devices—such as the door, window, and motion sensors—for which less is probably more. But others, like the combination heat, smoke, and carbon monoxide detector, were bulky and a little cheap-looking and wouldn’t do most ceilings any favors.

If the control panel and environmental sensors represent both ends of the spectrum, the cameras rest somewhere in the middle. The ADT cameras are simple and fairly nondescript. We’ve seen better-looking cameras out there, such as Vivint’s, but overall we’re very happy with our ADT ones. They have strong bases that aren’t susceptible to tipping over (which is the problem with Vivint’s more aesthetically pleasing cameras), experience little lag time on the video feed, and have a really high-quality 1080p HD picture. They also have a decent field of view at 145 degrees (practically speaking, that’s about the same as a typical line of sight). And remember, you can always opt for an indoor Google Nest Cam (wired) if you prefer.

Up front, we weren’t sure what to expect with our equipment. On the one hand, ADT is extremely customizable and carries a wide selection of devices. On the other, we had no idea what that equipment was like until we called. We also expected every device to blow us away with its looks and quality. The control panel definitely met our expectations. The rest? Time will tell.