Best Home Security System for Frequent Travelers

You should know two things about me: 1. I love to travel, 2. I’m really bad at remembering seemingly little things.

Case in point: I left town last weekend and left the garage door wide open. I drove off and didn’t even think about it. I live in a busy city and, candidly, if I hadn’t done something about it, I would have come home to a very empty garage. Thankfully, my Vivint home security system helped me fix my mistake without even having to go back home.

More on how that works in a second. First, for those in a hurry, I’ll skip ahead and tell you my top five reasons why Vivint is the best security system for people who love to travel (and, frankly anyone).

Top Reasons Why Travelers Should Use Vivint:

• Everything is controllable on your smartphone.
• You don’t have to install it yourself.
• You can have custom alarm codes for your dog walker, plant waterer and house sitter.
• You can see and talk to delivery drivers from your phone, and even tell them where to hide your packages.
• You can control your locks, garage door and lights remotely, making it look like you’re home.

This is the third home security system I’ve personally tried. I’ve also had ADT and Frontpoint and I literally threw my Frontpoint system in the garbage (I’ll get to that story… it involves a lot of sitting on hold and ripping self-installed sensors off the wall).

Comparatively, Vivint had better sign-up incentives, was better rated by our neighbors, and offered MUCH better customer service.

First, though… the basics.

Why You Need A Home Security System

We have a Doberman Pinscher and a Labrador. Ours is probably not the house a bad guy is going to choose to break into. That said, when we travel, we often board our pets, so we wanted a backup system.

The biggest reason to get a home security system is that it serves as a deterrant. If a bad guy sees your Vivint security sticker, camera, or automated lights turn off and on, they may choose to find an easier target.

The second biggest reason to get a home security system is for the home automation. Remember earlier when I mentioned I left the garage door wide open when I left town? Well, I got an alert on my smart phone, saw the garage door was open and was able to close it remotely from my app. I can also activate the alarm, turn my lights on and off and unlock the house. I can keep an eye on the front porch and yard with the security cameras, and if anything is amiss, Vivint’s team is standing by to send help.

This is the quote from my actual install in April 2021. All in, our cost is just shy of $3,000. Full disclosure, I did add a garage door control later for $99 (I’ll include the a la carte equipment prices below).

Monthly, we pay $44.99/month for Smart Video monitoring. You can either buy the equipment outright or finance it at 0% APR. Here’s a breakdown of their current plans:

As of 5/11/2021. Offers subject to change.

Here’s the breakdown of Vivint’s three tiers:

• Smart Security Plan: This is the bare-bones plan. It gives you access to the mobile app, but no home automation or video devices (camera, doorbell).
• Smart Home Plan: This is the mid-tier plan, offering smart home automation options and the ability to connect to your Nest thermostat. This plan does not include video monitoring.
• Smart Home Video Plan: This plan includes everything—the app, video support, recording, up to six cameras ($4.99 for every additional camera beyond the first), and smart home automation. If you purchase and use all six cameras, you’ll pay about $70/month for home security monitoring.

Vivint Equipment Pricing:

The starter kit that I bought includes the smart Vivint touch screen hub, two door/window sensors, a motion detector, a water detector, and a credit of $100 for extra sensors. Here’s an overview of the rest of the A La Carte Pricing (reminder: prices are subject to change):

• Motion sensor: $100
• Smoke detector: $100
• Glass-break sensor: $100
• Carbon monoxide detector: $100
• Water sensor: $50
• Vivint Outdoor camera: $299
• Vivint Smart Drive: $249
• Vivint Doorbell Camera Pro: $249
• Vivint Indoor Camera: $199
• Vivint Outdoor Camera Pro: $399
• Vivint Thermostat: $169

How Vivint Works

Thankfully, not DIY. I’ve been down that road before. Remember earlier, how I told you I threw our Frontpoint system in the garbage? That was the last home security system we had. Within two years of self-install, our panel battery died, and sensors on 3 doors and two smoke detectors all malfunctioned.

Unfortunately, when this happens on a DIY system, there is no option for in-person support. You have to call customer service, sit on hold for 90+ minutes (in one call, it took 6 hours for a call back), and then they have to walk you through the troubleshooting over the phone. By the end, I was fed up. I ripped our remaining system off the wall and started searching for alternatives.

Our Vivint installers were polite, knowledgeable and courteous. The whole job took about four hours. The only annoying thing was that they make you watch these installation videos on their iPads verifying that you agree to everything that they’re doing. Other than that, everything was perfect.

Vivint Smart Device Capability

Vivint works with several third-party Z-Wave devices (locks, lights, outlets, speakers, and thermostats). I know personally, it works with SimpliSafe, Nest, and Logitech.

How Is Vivint Security Monitored

That’s one of the biggest selling points, in my opinion. Vivint comes with 24/7 monitoring. When a sensor is tripped and I don’t immediately disarm, I get a text, an alert on my phone and a call from the Vivint monitoring service. You can set up custom alerts (like the one I set up alerting me the garage door is open). This can all be customized via the app or the Smart Hub panel.

Does Vivint Require a Contract

There are two options with Vivint. You can purchase all your equipment upfront or you can finance it. If you choose to finance, a 60-month contract is required. If you buy everything up front, you can have a month-to-month contract.

How To Contact Vivint Customer Service

You can call . Every time I have called customer service, I’ve received prompt attention and have never waited on hold for longer than five minutes (unlike Frontpoint). You can also chat with a customer service agent online.