Home security costs over 3 years: the complete calculation
Updated September 9, 2026 · By Taylor Smith
Which modeled scenario costs least?
Ring Alarm is lowest at $918.64 over 36 months, followed by Cove at $968.64, ADT Self Setup at $1,098.64 and SimpliSafe at $1,126.64. The primary ADT Professional scenario totals $2,167.64; financed Vivint totals $3,239.28 during the same period.
These are six purchase paths across five brands. They do not rank every current offer or establish equal equipment, monitoring performance, installation service or cancellation rights.
The 36-month cost table
| Scenario | Equipment upfront | Activation | Equipment / month | Monitoring / month | Paid in 36 months | Equipment remaining |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ring Alarm | $199.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $19.99 | $918.64 | $0.00 |
| Cove | $249.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $19.99 | $968.64 | $0.00 |
| ADT Self Setup | $199.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $24.99 | $1,098.64 | $0.00 |
| SimpliSafe | $299.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $22.99 | $1,126.64 | $0.00 |
| ADT Professional | $399.00 | $149.00 | $0.00 | $44.99 | $2,167.64 | $0.00 |
| Vivint financed | $0.00 | $0.00 | $49.99 | $39.99 | $3,239.28 | $1,199.76 |
Vivint assumes 60 monthly equipment installments. Other scenarios pay the stated equipment amount upfront. Zero activation is an input, not a promise of no fee. Taxes, unmodeled fees, add-ons, interest and price increases are excluded. Current service commitments must be checked separately.
How the calculation works
Cash paid = upfront equipment + activation + equipment installments paid during the period + monitoring paid during the period.
Multiply each monthly payment by the number of months it applies. Show equipment payments beyond that period separately. Choosing a 36-month comparison does not mean every provider requires a 36-month contract.
For example, Ring is $199 + ($19.99 × 36) = $918.64. SimpliSafe is $299 + ($22.99 × 36) = $1,126.64. Cove is $249 + ($19.99 × 36) = $968.64.
The original report supplies the historical inputs. This correction checks arithmetic, not current offer availability or monitoring quality. Certification alone does not establish equal performance. For your own comparison, record the exact equipment, installation, recurring rate, rate-change terms and financing period. Add camera fees only when they are additional to the selected bundle.
Why the ADT examples differ
The primary Professional scenario costs $1,069.00 more than Self Setup: $200.00 more equipment, $149.00 activation and $720.00 more monitoring over 36 months. The original worked example also used a separate $34.99 rate; its correct total is $1,807.64.
| Component | Primary Professional example | Alternate historical example |
|---|---|---|
| Equipment upfront | $399.00 | $399.00 |
| Activation | $149.00 | $149.00 |
| Monitoring for 36 months | $44.99 × 36 = $1,619.64 | $34.99 × 36 = $1,259.64 |
| 36-month cash paid | $2,167.64 | $1,807.64 |
Different rates, packages and fees need separate calculations. The primary Professional scenario is $1,041.00 above SimpliSafe, about 92.4% more. These price differences do not establish a service-quality difference.
Illustrative cancellation math: If an agreement charges 75% of 24 remaining monthly payments, the result is $629.82 at $34.99, $809.82 at $44.99 or $899.82 at $49.99. This assumes 12 full months paid in a 36-month term. It does not establish any current account's cancellation terms.
Vivint financing: include the full period
The historical scenario combines $49.99 monthly equipment with $39.99 monitoring, or $89.98 a month. The first 36 months total $3,239.28. Another 24 equipment payments remain under the assumed 60-month schedule.
| Component | Months 1–36 | Months 37–60 | Full 60 months |
|---|---|---|---|
| Equipment at $49.99/month | $1,799.64 | $1,199.76 | $2,999.40 |
| Monitoring at $39.99/month | $1,439.64 | $959.76 | $2,399.40 |
| Both payment streams | $3,239.28 | $2,159.52 | $5,398.80 |
Paying equipment for 60 months but monitoring for only 36 totals $4,439.04. That mixes durations; it does not provide 60 months of monitored service or establish that stopping service at month 36 is permitted without charges. The equipment installment sum is not a verified cash-purchase quote.
During the first 36 months, this model costs approximately 2.88 times as much as SimpliSafe, with $2,112.64 more cash paid. A particular package's features and written terms still need comparison.
Three details that change the result
- Monthly fees do not tell the whole story. ADT Self Setup's monitoring is $2 more each month than SimpliSafe's in this model, but equipment is $100 less. Its total is still $28 less after 36 months.
- Give upfront equipment its full weight. Cove and Ring share the same monthly assumption; Cove's $50 higher equipment price explains their entire $50 total difference.
- Separate cash paid from remaining obligations. A low upfront payment can move costs into later years. Show the same period and the debt beyond it before calling an offer cheaper.
Related: camera subscriptions and local-storage break-even
Correction note: September 9, 2026. Reconciled Cove's ranking, both ADT rate examples, Vivint's 36- and 60-month arithmetic and the ratios. Historical input prices remain unchanged.
Frequently asked questions
Which modeled home security path costs least over 3 years?
Ring Alarm is lowest among this report's six historical scenarios at $918.64, followed by Cove at $968.64, ADT Self Setup at $1,098.64 and SimpliSafe at $1,126.64. ADT Professional is $2,167.64 and financed Vivint is $3,239.28. The totals use the stated assumptions and are not a current market-wide price ranking.
How much more expensive is ADT than SimpliSafe in this model?
The primary ADT Professional scenario costs $2,167.64 versus $1,126.64 for SimpliSafe: a $1,041.00 difference, or about 92.4% more. ADT Self Setup totals $1,098.64, which is $28.00 less than SimpliSafe. Different equipment, fees or monthly rates change the comparison.
What does the financed Vivint scenario cost over 36 and 60 months?
The assumed $49.99 equipment payment plus $39.99 monitoring payment equals $89.98 monthly, or $3,239.28 over 36 months. Keeping both payments for 60 months totals $5,398.80. At month 36, $1,199.76 in scheduled equipment payments remains. These calculations do not establish current financing, installation or cancellation terms.
What creates the difference between the two ADT paths?
The historical Self Setup scenario totals $1,098.64 and the primary Professional scenario totals $2,167.64. The $1,069.00 difference consists of $200.00 additional upfront equipment, $149.00 activation and $720.00 additional monitoring over 36 months. It does not by itself establish a service-quality difference.
Where does Cove rank in this comparison?
Cove totals $968.64 using $249.00 equipment plus $19.99 monthly for 36 months. It is second among the six modeled paths, $50.00 above Ring. This position applies to the historical inputs in the table, not every current offer.
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