Home | Home Security | ADT Equipment Guide: Sensors, Cameras, and More

ADT Equipment Guide: Sensors, Cameras, and More

By John Carlsen

Sep 16, 2024

5 min read

Why you can trust SafeWise

products considered

250+

research hours in 25+ in-home tests

10k+

years of combined experience

176+

homes and people protected

10M+

For over 11 years, SafeWise experts have conducted independent research and testing to create unbiased, human reviews. Learn how we test and review.

ADT dominates the industry because it's the most experienced and trusted security company on the block. The company has a good selection of equipment, and the mobile app is easy to use, but higher monthly costs might turn some folks away. We also like its compatibility with home automation devices.

The company has a wide array of equipment to protect your home, pets, and family—plus the addition of Google Nest devices really gives ADT a leg up on most of the competition out there.

We’ll teach you about ADT equipment, what it costs, and what it works with. For information about ADT's professional monitoring, customer service, and installation, head over to our full ADT review.

About ADT equipment prices

Unlike DIY home security systems and some newer home security companies, ADT doesn't typically sell its equipment à la carte. ADT home security systems are customized to address you're home's security vulnerabilities, and you don't have to pay out-of-pocket for equipment to get started.

When you speak with a salesperson, always ask for a full breakdown of the equipment costs and how they affect your monthly monitoring fee.

Base ADT equipment

Equipment	Command control panel	Motion sensor	Door and window sensor
What it looks like
Purpose	Control system and settings, Communicate with monitoring center, Arm/disarm system, Backup battery	Detect motion using infrared light	Detect when doors or windows open and close

Info current as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

Each ADT plan comes with the basics you need to protect your home, including a control panel, a motion detector, and three contact sensors. (Additional motion detectors and contact sensors are available.)

Depending on the monitoring plan you choose, some upper-tier plans also come with options to add a smart door lock, smart thermostat, security camera, and video doorbell.

You'll get the most out of the Command panel with a cellular connection and mobile compatibility. It connects with Google Assistant ^*, so you can control it with your voice to arm, disarm, or make adjustments in the sensors or your smart equipment.

The alarm panel is multilingual and connects to other smart home devices. We also like the 12-hour battery backup that kicks in when the power goes out, keeping your home safe during storms or other power outages.

Equipment bundles

To keep you from getting overwhelmed when deciding what security equipment makes sense for your needs, SafeStreet (an authorized ADT provider) offers these equipment bundles. Bundles are a great place to start, and make it easier to pick the equipment and features that you want.

Package	Best for	What's included	App access	Live video	Smart home control	Learn more
Remote bundle	Security newbies	Command control panel, 3 contacts, motion sensor, yard sign and window decals	Yes	No	No	View packages
Video Lite bundle	Basic video security	Command control panel, 3 contacts, motion sensor, yard sign and window decals, choice of 1 Google Nest Cam	Yes	Yes	No	View packages
Control bundle	Smart home integration	Command control panel, 3 contacts, motion sensor, yard sign and window decals, choice of 1 Google Nest Thermostat or Automated Door Lock	Yes	No	Yes	View packages
Video and Control bundle	Comprehensive home security	Command control panel, 3 contacts, motion sensor, yard sign and window decals, 1 Google Nest Cam and choice of either Google Nest Thermostat or Automated Door Lock	Yes	Yes	Yes	View packages

Info current as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. Full ADT disclaimer

Additional ADT equipment

Depending on the plan you choose, you'll have access to additional ADT equipment like various sensors, a security camera, video doorbell, smart thermostat, a panic button, smart locks, and lighting.

Equipment	Smoke detector	Carbon monoxide detector	Smart thermostat	Smart plug
What it looks like
Purpose	Detect smoke	Detect hazardous CO buildup	Monitor and control temperature	Control lamps and appliances

Equipment	Smart door lock	Glass break sensor	Smart light bulb	Key fob
What it looks like
Purpose	Lock and unlock doors	Senses vibration, breaking glass	Set lighting routines	Arm, disarm, panic button

Info current as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

Security cameras

Equipment	Indoor Google Nest Cam	Outdoor Google Nest Cam	Google Nest Cam with floodlight	Google Nest Doorbell
What it looks like

Google Nest is a trademark of Google LLC. See full disclaimers.

ADT also sells security cameras and a video doorbell. The company's partnership with Google Nest means you have access to Nest's excellent cameras from your ADT account.

ADT's top two monitoring plans offer Nest Aware video monitoring with ADT security cameras, and you can watch your home live or check recordings in the backlog.

When your ADT security system's sensors or cameras detect motion, you'll get a notification so you can tune in and see what the camera sees. This way, you can tell if it's just your pooch prowling around the house or a real emergency.

Learn more in our ADT security camera guide.

ADT sells other Google Nest products too

In addition to the Nest thermostat and security cameras, ADT also sells the Google Nest Mini, Google Nest Hub Max, and Google Nest Wifi.

Third-party smart home devices that work with ADT

Provided you pay for ADT's home automation as part of your monitoring service—$49.99 a month for ADT Smart, $59.99 a month for ADT Complete—it's compatible with plenty of smart home devices that help your alarm system move beyond its security roots. Plus, you can control the devices in one place from the Google Home app—except Alexa, for obvious smart home rivalry reasons.

Google Assistant

Google Nest Mini

View on Google Store

Google Assistant is Alexa's main rival for voice controlling your ADT system. It supports most of the same features except the ability to disarm your system using a spoken PIN code. You can find Google Assistant on most Android smartphones (there's an iOS app too) as well as on a variety of smart speakers and smart devices.

Sonos smart speakers

Sonos

Sonos One (2nd Gen)

View on Amazon

By linking your Sonos speakers to the mobile app, you gain the ability to create scenes that play music while controlling other smart home devices, perfect for a party with fam. The Sonos integration mostly boils down to controlling playback and choosing playlists, so you still need the Sonos app to create new playlists and adjust settings.

Because Sonos smart speakers—like the Sonos One—also have Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice controls, you can expect to control your ADT system from your smart speaker.

Z-Wave

While most smart home platforms use your Wi-Fi network, Z-Wave uses a different technology specifically for smart home security devices like smoke detectors, door sensors, smart plugs, and smart locks. The beauty of Z-Wave devices is that they work with many security systems like Vivint, Frontpoint, and Abode.

This means you can switch Z-Wave devices you already own to a new system to save a little cash. Your ADT specialist installer needs to put the system into "learn mode" for you to add these devices, so they're not something you can add on your own like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant.

IFTTT

ADT smart equipment works with the free IFTTT app. The premise of IFTTT is that of a central control module for all smart home automations.

Read our full guide to IFTTT to learn more.

What happened to the ADT Pulse app?

ADT Pulse was the previous version of smart home and mobile app controls for ADT, but the company phased it out in 2020 to make way for its successor: ADT Command and Control. While ADT Pulse was both the equipment and a mobile app, ADT Command included all ADT equipment. More recently, ADT also started using the Google Home app.

ADT equipment FAQ

Call ADT to choose your equipment and sign up for a monitoring plan.

No. You must subscribe to an ADT monitoring plan for the equipment to work.

No, ADT does not remove the equipment after your contract expires. We spoke with an ADT rep who confirmed you can keep or throw out the equipment.

Yes, but you don't pay for it upfront. Instead, the price of equipment is included in your custom monthly fee.

Sources

ADT, "A Comprehensive Guide to Smart Home Device Compatibility." Accessed September 13, 2024.

Disclaimers

$99.00-$199.00 Customer Installation Charge. 36-Month Monitoring Agreement required starting at $59.99 per month ($2,159.64). 24-Month Monitoring Agreement required starting at $59.99 per month ($1,439.76) for California. Form of payment must be by credit card or electronic charge to your checking or savings account. Offer applies to homeowners only. Local permit fees may be required. Satisfactory credit history required. Certain restrictions may apply. Offer valid for new ADT Authorized Dealer customers only and not on purchases from ADT LLC. Other rate plans available. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Smoke Detectors not available in all states. Services not available in all states.

Google, Google Nest, Google Assistant, and other related marks are trademarks of Google LLC. The Nest Hub Max requires a Wi-Fi network, a nearby electrical socket, and a compatible (Android, iOS) mobile device. A Google Account is required for full access to features. Minimum OS requirements are available at: Requirements for Google Nest and Chromecast devices - Android - Google Nest Help . iOS is a trademark of Cisco and is used under license.

†Amazon.com list price as of post date. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. Safewise.com utilizes paid Amazon links.

Certain content that appears on this site comes from Amazon. This content is provided “as is” and is subject to change or removal at any time.

Written by

John Carlsen

John is a technology journalist specializing in smart home devices, security cameras, and home security systems. He has over a decade of experience researching, testing, and reviewing the latest tech—he was the Smart Home Editor for Top Ten Reviews and wrote for ASecureLife before joining SafeWise as a Staff Writer in 2020. John holds a Bachelor's degree in Communications, Journalism emphasis from Utah Valley University. In his spare time, he enjoys hiking, photography, cooking, and starting countless DIY projects he has yet to complete.