ADT 2024 Review: ADT+ Leverages Nest for a More Promising Future

Score Breakdown

Performance 8/10Usability 7/10Value 5/10Design 8/10Features 9/10

Pros

• Complete integration with Google Nest and its AI features
• ADT+ app is comprehensive and manageable
• Improved hardware design, Professional and DIY installation options

Cons

• Not for those who don’t use Google Nest or Google Home
• High monitoring costs and some contract requirements remain an issue
• ADT+ app has a lot to master

Over the past decade, ADT has made several attempts to push its well-known security system into the future. Many have floundered. Now ADT has launched another effort called ADT+, with a new platform, revamped devices and even more connections with its partner Google Nest. It’s finally a good look.

ADT+ doesn’t seem like a security system from a 150-year dinosaur. It feels like a modern smart home system eager to embrace the latest AI functions and advance into new areas like the personal profiles of its Trusted Neighbors. DIY installations are accessible, the app looks better than it ever has and the sensors prove quite dependable.

Behind-the-scenes problems remain, particularly ADT’s annoying pricing practices, which makes the company difficult to suggest for some homeowners. But Nest fans in particular will find a lot to like with ADT+, an ADT system that can be a good fit for those who don’t mind the cost (plus a few bumps in the road). Here’s everything I found in my testing.

ADT+ packages and installation

The bones of ADT’s service remain familiar: You arrange for an inspection and quote, or choose a basic starter system yourself. ADT continues to emphasize professional installation, but the ADT+ system does allow for self-install, DIY options, which I’ll talk a bit more about below.

Pricing can be nebulous and often depends on your personal quote, but ADT+ is clearer than past versions of ADT have been. A system hub and single sensor start at $270, while a beginner’s kit with three sensors and a motion detector starts at $350, and so on. You can add devices — primarily Google Nest cameras and sensors — to customize packages.

This is a good place to discuss Google Nest and ADT a bit more. The companies are, nearly literally, joined at the hip and ADT+ increases that integration even further, so every ADT package will include some aspect of Google Nest, and my review also features it heavily. You don’t need to use the Google Home app to manage your ADT system — only the ADT+ app is necessary — but Google Home is required during the setup process.

And speaking of setup, my test package included a fairly comprehensive mix of access and motion sensors, as well as a leak sensor, CO and smoke alarms, fobs and other common add-ons. A smart lock and some smart bulbs were included, too. I also connected a mix of my own Google Nest products and Nest devices supplied by ADT, including a Nest Hub Max, Nest Thermostat, Nest Doorbell, Nest Cams, and Nest Cam Floodlight version.

Subscription fees and monitoring

ADT+ remains a subscription-required service, so you will usually need to pay a monthly subscription fee. Subscription are common: SimpliSafe, Ring and plenty of other security systems also require a subscription to enable almost all important features. But ADT continues to focus on heavily pushed professional monitoring.

Whether you self-install or get a professional installation, you’ll need to start with ADT’s professional monitoring service, which begins at $30 for limited service and quickly rises to around $50 to $60 for features most homeowners will want, like security cam management (plus various added fees). My own subscription ended up somewhere north of $70.

After paying one month of the pro monitoring subscription, you can request to switch to self-monitoring in the app, but since ADT often requires a 2-3 year contract on purchase (particularly with professional installations) you may have to pay a cancellation fee. Choosing purely self-setup options makes it easier to save money, but you’ll still have to jump through a few hoops. As is tradition, there’s a whole lot of fine print with ADT.

This is a classic problem that we’ve had with ADT, a holdover from the company’s decades in the business and one I’d like to see finally get kicked to the curb: A long-term contract is often required, you need to choose at least 1st month of pricey professional monitoring and the details of your plan are murky at the best of times. It’s a recipe for headaches, and disappointing after the other advancements ADT+ has tackled.

This compares poorly to many other security system brands, which offer several tiers of subscription options including self-monitoring options, ditch contracts entirely and offer pricing significantly below ADT’s.

There is one bright spot in the monthly fee tangle. Any ADT+ monitoring plan will also include Nest Aware subscription at no additional cost, which gives you access to all of Nest’s video storage and advanced AI features — something I think Nest does particularly well.

A note on professional installation

I’m a fan of self-installation when possible (and ADT+ makes it possible with basic household tools), but for this review I also went through the full inspection and quote process, plus a professional installation that still left over enough ADT gadgets for me to play with.

Letting the pros do everything for you is still an option, encouraged by the ADT website, and works well enough. ADT technicians can be overzealous in the number of sensors/cams they recommend and the threats they mention, but that’s the sales patter (although go-with-the-flow people may end up with a fleet of not-so-necessary devices). You are free to dictate how many sensors you want and where you want them, although you can get plenty of advice on the best places from technicians, which is where their presence shines.

ADT’s years of experience in the industry show well here. The installation was quick and painless, and the app walkthrough was thorough. The technicians even fixed a problem with my door lock alignment when they installed the Yale Assure Lock 2, an issue that had been bugging me for the past year.

System performance

First, let’s discuss the system itself and the hub, the foundation of ADT+ that will work no matter what devices or add-ons you get. The updated hub combines a keypad, siren/speaker and a bit of ambient smart lighting. It also houses the system’s backup battery, which can last up to 24 hours if you have a blackout, and enables the cellular connections that allow the system to keep working and sending texts even if Wi-Fi is down (although you’ll need the professional monitoring plan for that).

These are important features for any security system, and all work very well, as does the keychain fob. The new quick-access LED panel is especially clever: Wave your hand over the hub, and shortcuts appear to arm/disarm, enter night mode and call for help or medical care, all very easy to use in the dark. You can also enable a one-touch arming option, default stay mode, abort window for arming mistakes and a couple of other tricks.

Arming, disarming, and switching to night mode are fully customizable, including the time frames it takes a system to arm (useful if you need extra time to escort kids or pets out the door), letting you customize the delay for each individual sensor. Such complete customization options are one of ADT+’s strongest suites.

Device performance and installation

ADT+ launched alongside a minor revamp of ADT’s sensors, which are now smaller and more user-friendly than before. They’re not quite as compact as sensors from Simplisafe, for example, but the smaller size does make them easier to place on more windows and doors.

The sensors themselves all functioned accurately and were quick to give alerts for motion, access and any kind of tampering. They also have good range: I had to walk at least 30 yards down the street before one of the window sensors stopped sending out an angry stream of tampering alerts and showed as disconnected.

ADT+ offers both standard and premium door/window sensors: The premium models have much better features, including shock sensing and an easier bypass button option to quickly open something without triggering an armed system — but those only work with the professional monitoring plan. I did find I needed to turn the shock sensitivity up high to notice banging on the windows. The standard sensor, while more limited, is better for savings.

The motion sensors, meanwhile, work well and ignore small pets. The leak detector activated alarms and service calls immediately when tested. All functioned as expected – and the devices are generally very easy then set up, with battery tabs you can pull to instantly activate. A couple of design features took a moment to work out, but DIY installation was relatively painless, especially with ADT’s included adhesive strips and app instructions. You can do permanent mounts too, which is necessary for some devices like CO detectors.

ADT allows you to adjust features like delay periods, bypass button options, shock detection and shock sensitivity, as well as choosing if the sensors make sounds or not when armed. For this reason, it’s important to name each sensor clearly so you know exactly what changes you are making.

The included Yale Assure Lock 2 also deserves mention. It’s a tidy, durable smart lock with a hefty deadbolt and keypad entry, and comes with options to assign specific codes to different people or set an auto re-lock to make sure the lock is always closed.

Google Nest and smart home compatibility

Long gone are ADT’s own cams and thermostats from years back. Now ADT+ focuses entirely on the Google Nest ecosystem. The ADT platform works closer with Nest than ever before and supports nearly every feature on Nest devices, integrating them entirely. That’s good news for me because I really like Nest’s somewhat large but effective security devices. They have reliable performance, a great floodlight option, and some of the best AI in the business, albeit high price tags. This also lets you utilize Nest smart displays (which you can use to view out of your cams) and compatible Nest thermostats.

While you may not be able to use beta versions of Google’s Gemini features in the ADT app, nearly everything else is available, including Nest’s advanced familiar face recognition, which plays an important role below. Face recognition only works with the Nest doorbell, not the Nest camera, but that’s not a huge issue.

This reliance on Google Nest helps propel ADT+ beyond what its aging systems could do in reviews past, and all for the better. But it does come with a caveat: You really have to accept Nest as part of your smart home to get cameras and the more advanced features. ADT doesn’t shine without it, and doesn’t support other platforms like Alexa (which was phased out with ADT+) or Apple Home. Nest — and to a lesser extent Google Assistant — is a required companion. It’s part of the deal and not everyone may be as big a fan as I am.

Other third-party device compatibility is limited, but ADT+ does work well with Yale smart locks, and other smart home partnerships are possible in the future. The system also had basic compatibility with the smart bulbs that were included in my package.

Note: You can use both the ADT+ app and the Google Home app to control your Nest devices without issue. However, I found that I had to disable alerts for one of the apps, or I would get a cacophony of repeated alerts from both apps every time a front-door event happened.

App controls and settings

ADT+ has a lot going on, which requires a complex app to manage. The ADT+ app generally does a fine job of this. It’s difficult to stay intuitive when you have so many layers of customization, but the app is quite clean and provides handy summaries of everything (including video views and temperature) on the front page. The menu is packed with options to manage individual devices, what smart alerts you get (text or email), your Google integrations and more.

There’s also a rule system where you can create “if this, then that” rules based on ADT’s predetermined templates. You can set all kinds of triggers and conditions for door locking, light bulbs turning on, or security modes shifting — choosing the time, the type of alarm received, the device in question, and more. That’s not for everyone, but it enables quick home routines and security automation (disarm at sunset, turn on the lights when the door is unlocked, etc.), so it’s well worth playing around. Some features will require you to enable location tracking.

With alerts, family and friend profiles, advanced settings and in-depth rules to sort out, ADT+ isn’t exactly friendly to smart home newcomers, but it does what it can to keep things simple. Those who haven’t used smart home apps before will have an uphill battle understanding and finding what they want. An in-person app walkthrough is nice but probably won’t be enough for the average user so expect it to take some time.

Also, the ADT+ app is fairly new and it’s clear some parts are still a work in progress. This can lead to nice surprises, like logging in and finding it now works with my Apple biometrics. It can also lead to sudden problems, like when I logged in and found the admin passcode buttons had alarmingly disappeared.

Trusted Neighbor settings and facial recognition

One of the biggest new features ADT+ brings to the table is “Trusted Neighbor,” a new layer of customization. Trusted Neighbor allows you to add people as Family (who can also get your alarm texts), Neighbors, or Helpers & Guests either by adding them from your contacts or sending a direct invite. 

Once they are added, you can set up specific rules for your profiles based on either events (like recognizing a package at the front door), or specific time windows in the day. It’s a way to allow well-known neighbors and friends to check up on your home while you’re away, or to allow dogwalkers, cleaning services and school friends into the home but only at certain times of day.

That’s a whole lot of customization based on the individual people you know, and Google Nest makes it much more powerful. Trusted Neighbor with Nest can use Google’s facial recognition as a way to arm/disarm systems more easily. It also allows for more advanced tricks: I was able to add someone’s previously-seen face using the Google Home app (a requirement for this part), then set an event for my Nest Doorbell to recognize a person, see if that person was a Trusted Neighboor, and then automatically unlock my Yale smart lock as well as disarm my security system, all within a few seconds.

Trusted Neighbor takes time to set up and you’ll need to choose people you, well, trust — but it’s cohesive and works well thanks to the tight Nest compatibility. While many security services are starting to use more facial recognition, including SimpliSafe and Arlo, ADT’s approach is unique and feels well-planned.

Personal profiles, especially with face data, often raise privacy questions about just what happens to that data, which I cover more here. That’s why Nest’s familiar face tech and related features are banned in places like Illinois or Portland, Oregon, and may be subject to restricting laws in other states and cities. But you don’t have to use it if you want to avoid it altogether.

Security and privacy

Google’s Nest cams don’t use complete end-to-end encryption, but they do fully encrypt data when possible and only decrypt it for specific purposes along the way. That includes your face data. ADT itself uses encryption and opt-ins for any information sharing but is light on the details.

While ADT has a fairly good history of data security, two 2024 incidents do stand out and not in a good way. On August 7, 2024, an ADT SEC filing indicated that the company had experienced a security breach where unauthorized users (hackers) had illegally gained access to databases about customer order information. And on October 2nd, another filing showed that hackers had once again illegally accessed the ADT network using stolen credentials from an ADT business partner.

Direct customer data, like video data or personal info/addresses, did not appear to be threatened by these attacks which is why we’re not dinging ADT too hard at this time, but we are keeping a careful eye on their security status.

Final thoughts on ADT+

After years of trying to find the best way to advance, ADT appears to have hit a winning formula with ADT+. Its devices are improved, its app is more cohesive and the near-total integration with Google Nest (plus Yale and potentially more) give ADT the smarts and security advantages it badly needed. The latest round of self-install options is also welcome — at least for those willing to turn their smart home into a Nest home.

ADT+ still has its issues. There are a couple of new system bugs to work through and the learning curve will be high for non-tech users thanks to all the Nest/Google Home integrations. The company also persists with outdated, often pushy practices like trying to drive users into long-term contracts and professional monitoring while charging higher fees than many of its competitors.

Overall, this is the best ADT has looked in years. It will become even better if ADT continues to adapt its security approach to the changing times.