Frontpoint vs. Vivint

Frontpoint and Vivint are two prominent home security companies that sell security equipment and plans in the U.S. and Canada. In this article, we analyze both providers’ equipment, professional monitoring plans, and pricing in order to provide a Frontpoint vs. Vivint comparison to help you determine which offers the best home security to suits your needs.

Our Take

Frontpoint has a much longer trial period and sells more affordable security equipment than Vivint. However, Vivint provides professional installation and offers less expensive monitoring plans. Both Frontpoint and Vivint offer video surveillance, smart home compatibility, and multiple security packages.

Frontpoint vs. Vivint: Side-by-Side Comparison

Frontpoint vs. Vivint: Overview

Frontpoint Overview

Founded in 2007, Frontpoint is recognized as the first nationwide home security company to include smart security in every system. Frontpoint has been awarded for its top-notch customer service, and our team named it one of the best home security companies of 2020.

Vivint Overview

Founded in 1999, Vivint is recognized for its in-house equipment development and professional monitoring services. Vivint was listed among Fast Company’s 50 Most Innovative Companies in 2017, and our team named this company among the top home security companies in the industry.

Frontpoint vs. Vivint: Pros & Cons

Frontpoint Pros & Cons

Pros

• DIY installation
• Equipment is very affordable
• Lengthy trial period
• Month-to-month contract length
• 24/7 professional monitoring

Cons

• Professional monitoring plans are more expensive than others
• Doesn’t offer option of professional installation
• Limited customer support hours of operation
• Professional monitoring is performed by a third party
• Not available in Las Vegas or Henderson, NV, nor in the Canadian province of Quebec.

Vivint Pros & Cons

Pros

• Over 20 years of experience in the home security industry
• Sales representatives are also the installers, so they have a thorough understanding of the company’s systems
• Security system be controlled via voice, key fob, or mobile app
• Integrates with a variety of smart home devices
• In-house, 24/7 professional monitoring

Cons

• Trial period is very short
• No option for DIY installation
• Only the premium security package comes with video monitoring
• Equipment cost is high compared to other home security providers
• Not available in Maine and only available in limited Canada provinces

Frontpoint vs. Vivint: Packages

Both Frontpoint and Vivint offer a variety of security and life safety devices for homeowners. Learn more about each company’s equipment below.

Frontpoint Packages

Frontpoint offers five different equipment packages: Safe Home Starter, Build Your Own package, Safe Home Everyday, Safe Home Select, and Safe Home Preferred.

• Safe Home Starter: Includes one Frontpoint hub and Frontpoint keypad, two door/window sensors, one motion sensor, one yard sign, one set of window decals, and one door sticker.
• Safe Home Everyday: Includes nine items—compared with the Safe Home Starter package, this plan offers one additional door/window sensor and one additional motion sensor.
• Safe Home Select: Includes 12 items—a smoke and heat sensor and a glass break sensor, along with four door/window sensors.
• Safe Home Preferred: Frontpoint’s premium package, comes with 14 items. This is the only package that comes with an indoor camera for video monitoring, and it includes five different door/window sensors.
• Build Your Own: This security package lets homeowners purchase the security items they want separately.

Here are the security items the company sells, broken down by category:

• Control Panel: Frontpoint Touchscreen, extra keypad
• Intrusion: Door/window sensor, motion sensor, glass break sensor, garage door tilt sensor
• Environmental: Smoke and heat sensor, carbon monoxide sensor, flood sensor
• Cameras: Indoor camera, doorbell camera, outdoor camera, premium indoor camera
• Home Automation: Smart door lock, wireless light control, light bulb
• Accessories: Keychain remote, panic pendant, yard sign, window decals, door stickers

Vivint Packages

Vivint sells five different equipment bundles. The company allows homeowners to purchase extra cameras, sensors, and detectors as needed with these bundles.

• Smart Hub Starter Kit: Vivint’s most basic equipment package. The most significant item it includes is the Smart Hub, the touch screen panel that is the command center of the security system. It also includes two smart entry sensors, one motion sensor, one water sensor, and $100 toward additional sensors.
• Home Security System Bundle: Includes everything in the Smart Hub Starter kit plus a smart smoke detector that is capable of unlocking smart locks in case of an alarm. This equipment bundle is designed for homeowners that subscribe to the company’s Smart Security plan.
• Smart Home Control Bundle: Contains everything in the plans above plus a smart garage door opener, a smart door lock, and a smart thermostat. This bundle is designed for homeowners who subscribe to the company’s Smart Home Control plan.
• Video Security Bundle: Includes everything in the Smart Hub Starter Kit, plus an indoor camera, outdoor security camera, and a video doorbell. It also comes with Vivint Smart Drive, a storage device that saves all playback recordings. This bundle is designed for homeowners who subscribe to the company’s Smart Home Video plan.
• Smart Complete Bundle: The most comprehensive equipment bundle, Vivint’s Smart Complete bundle includes everything in the Smart Home Control bundle plus the security devices in the Video Security bundle.

Frontpoint vs. Vivint: Monitoring Plans

Frontpoint and Vivint both offer multiple professional monitoring plans that homeowners can choose from. Below, we cover the benefits that come with each plan.

Frontpoint Monitoring Plans

Vivint Monitoring Plans

Frontpoint vs. Vivint: Pricing

In terms of pricing, Frontpoint’s equipment is more affordable than Vivint, but Vivint’s professional monitoring plans are less expensive than Frontpoint.

Frontpoint Pricing

Frontpoint’s pricing is relatively straightforward and can be viewed in the tables below. Homeowners who choose the company’s Build Your Own package can calculate their anticipated cost using the prices listed on the company’s website.

Frontpoint charges $44.99 per month for its Interactive plan and $49.99 per month for its Ultimate plan.

Vivint Pricing

Vivint gives homeowners a few options in terms of pricing structure. If homeowners pay for all of their equipment upfront, they can pay month-to-month for monitoring services. If they want to finance their equipment, they will need to bundle it with monitoring services and sign a five-year contract with a monthly payment.

Here are the prices for Vivint’s monitoring services:

• “Smart Security” Monitoring Plan: $29.99/month
• “Smart Home” Monitoring Plan: $39.99/month
• “Smart Home Video” Monitoring Plan: $44.99/month

Our Conclusion

Both Frontpoint and Vivint have solid reputations and offer a variety of equipment packages and professional monitoring plans. If you’re looking for a provider that offers professional monitoring but prefer DIY installation, consider Frontpoint. If you’d like professional monitoring and installation, then Vivint may be the better option.

To get a free quote from Frontpoint or Vivint, use the tool below.

If you’re not sure whether Frontpoint or Vivint is right for you, see other top-rated security providers in the table below.

Compare Top-Rated Home Security Providers

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Vivint better than ADT?

Vivint and ADT were both named among the best home security companies by our team. We named ADT as the best overall home security provider and Vivint as the best provider for smart home integration services.

Can Frontpoint be hacked?

Frontpoint systems are secured by bank-grade encryption, which is typically 128 or 256-bit AES. As such, Frontpoint is very unlikely to be hacked.

Does Frontpoint work without Wi-Fi?

The Frontpoint Hub can function without Wi-Fi by using cellular communication. However, many homeowners choose to connect their Hub to Wi-Fi as a backup communication method.

Compare More Home Security Systems:

• Frontpoint vs. SimpliSafe
• SimpliSafe vs. Vivint
• Abode vs. Simplisafe

Our Rating Methodology

We back up our home security recommendations with a detailed rating methodology that we use to objectively score each provider. Our research includes analyzing product specifications, reviewing service and plan information, speaking with customer service representatives, and analyzing customer reviews. We then score the provider against our review standards for system options, special features, installation options, connectivity and smart-home automation features, pricing, contract terms, warranty, usability, availability of a trial period, and trustworthiness to arrive at a final score out of 100.