Cove vs Vivint: Budget DIY vs Full-Service Smart Home

How much do Cove and Vivint cost per month?

All figures below are as of October 2026 and come from each company's own pages. Cove publishes monthly prices on its support site and day rates on its monitoring page. Vivint publishes package prices in its pricing article and labels the monitoring figures on its three standard packages as approximations.

Cove does not list a fixed package price. Its site builds a system through a quiz and, when we checked on October 1, 2026, was running a 70% off equipment promotion with a free camera, so we do not quote a Cove equipment total that changes week to week. Cove's support site states that its monitoring only works with Cove-provided equipment.

Vivint's pricing article also carries two blocks labeled "Vivint 24/7 Professional Monitoring", one starting at $44.99 per month and one starting at $24.99 per month, without saying which package each applies to. We report both and do not map them to tiers. For a deeper breakdown of Vivint's fee structure, see what Vivint monitoring costs, and for Cove's plans in full, see Cove security cost.

What does each cost over three years?

Our arithmetic on the published figures, monitoring only for Cove because its equipment price is promotional:

The Vivint rows for standard packages use Vivint's own approximate monitoring figures, so treat them as estimates. Two things stand out. First, Vivint's HomeProtect agreement path is competitive with Cove's mid tier over three years, but it locks you into 36 months. Second, once you move to a Vivint package with cameras, the gap widens to well over $1,000 compared with any Cove plan before Cove equipment.

Vivint offers equipment financing through third-party partners, subject to credit approval: its pricing article cites 0% APR for up to 60 months for qualified customers, while a separate block on the same page lists terms up to 36 months at 0% interest. Month-to-month service is available when equipment is bought upfront. If you are weighing financing against paying cash, our guide on home security financing covers how financed equipment changes the monthly bill. Our home security cost per month guide puts both brands next to the rest of the market.

What does the extra money buy with Vivint?

Installation. Vivint states that all of its security system purchases include professional installation, with a licensed technician setting up and walking you through the system. Cove's support site describes Cove as DIY-friendly and states professional installation is not required.

Smart home depth. Vivint's pitch is a single installed ecosystem: its own hub, doorbell and outdoor cameras (the Outdoor Camera Pro uses what Vivint calls Smart Deter, a warning tone and LED light), smart locks, a thermostat, and compatibility with devices such as Nest Thermostat and Google Home. Cove's support site states that Cove does not currently support Z-Wave and that you can connect up to 10 cameras to a Cove account.

Warranty. Vivint publishes a 120-day equipment warranty with in-home repair by its technicians. Cove publishes a 1-year equipment warranty on Basic and Plus and a lifetime equipment warranty on Premium (cameras excluded, which carry 2 years), plus a $5 monthly equipment credit on Premium.

Trial and lock-in. Cove offers a 60-day risk-free trial with a full refund and no contracts on any plan. Vivint states that all system purchases include required 24/7 monitoring and that without a Vivint services plan, product functionality is limited, including loss of remote connectivity.

Monitoring. Cove says it runs six monitoring centers across the United States and uses a text-then-call response flow that can send help in as little as 30 seconds. Vivint's monitoring blocks list two-way talk through the panel, false alarm cancellation from phone or panel, and built-in cellular with battery backup.

Which one should you pick?

Of the two, by published pricing and terms as of October 2026:

• Pick Cove if you want professional monitoring at the lowest monthly cost of the two, no contract, and you are comfortable installing sensors yourself. It suits renters and anyone who may move within three years.
• Pick Vivint if you want a professionally installed system with cameras, locks and thermostat in one app, and you are prepared for a higher monthly bill and either a 36-month agreement or a large upfront equipment payment.

If Vivint's install model appeals but the price does not, our SimpliSafe vs Vivint comparison covers the other common DIY alternative. Real Vivint pricing for a camera-equipped home is quote-based, so the quote funnel is the fastest way to see what monitored systems would actually cost for your address.