Security System Installation Cost: Every Published Fee, Compared
By published pricing as of August 2026: DIY installation is $0 and is how most modern systems are designed to go in. Professional installation of a DIY-style system runs $124.99 to $224.99 flat through OnTech, the provider SimpliSafe's support site names for its Pro Setup service, or starts at $129.99 per device at Ring. Vivint's HomeProtect offer terms price professional installation at $199, currently advertised as free for new customers. ADT does not publish a flat installation fee; its pro-install path is priced by custom quote. The real cost driver is not the install visit, it is the contract that sometimes rides along with it.
Figures researched 2026-08-19, page updated 2026-10-29; each source below carries its access date. Prices change; treat any price here as "as of" its date.
Published installation fees, provider by provider
Here is every installation price we could verify on official pages, as of August 2026:
| Provider | Published installation cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| SimpliSafe (self-install) | $0 | Systems designed for self-setup; monitoring choice unaffected |
| SimpliSafe via OnTech | $124.99 (up to 10 pieces), $154.99 (15), $184.99 (20), $204.99 (25), $224.99 (30) | Camera, doorbell, smart lock, and standalone smoke/CO installs are separate: $129.99 each, 50% off when purchased with a multi-piece package |
| Ring (self-install) | $0 | Kits designed for self-setup |
| Ring professional installation | Starts at $129.99 per device | Modifications and extensions to existing wiring cost extra and are billed separately |
| Vivint | $199 per HomeProtect offer terms, currently advertised as free for new customers | Vivint states all security system purchases include professional installation |
| ADT Pro Install | Not published as a flat fee; priced by custom quote | As of October 2026, ADT's plans page lists pro-install monitoring from $49.99 per month, on a 36-month contract (24 months in California) whose early termination charge may be 75% of the remaining monthly charges |
Two patterns worth noticing. First, the DIY brands price installation transparently because it is optional: a flat fee for a defined visit. Second, the traditional pro-install brands fold installation into a quoted bundle of equipment, install, and a monitoring agreement, so the install fee is a negotiating lever rather than a list price. Neither approach is wrong, but only one lets you comparison shop from your couch.
A note on ADT's numbers, as of October 2026: its monitoring plans page lists Pro Monitoring from $49.99 per month for Pro Install, without per-tier prices, so the rate for your tier comes by quote. Its offer terms quote other starting rates for specific offers, $44.99 per month for the Essentials Kit offer and $45.99 for Secure Monitoring on a reactivation, so $49.99 is not the lowest rate ADT publishes. We quote each figure with the page it appears on rather than blending them.
For ADT specifically, ADT equipment cost separates the equipment and install prices ADT publishes from the ones it only quotes. New construction is the cheapest time to run wire; security prewire for new construction explains what to prewire, though installers quote it per house.
What the install fee does and does not buy
A professional installation visit at the published prices above generally covers mounting and placement, connecting devices to Wi-Fi, first-time configuration, and a walkthrough of the system. OnTech's published SimpliSafe packages list installation of up to 30 SimpliSafe products, confirming products are compatible with the home, connecting to Wi-Fi and performing first-time setup, customizing device preferences, configuring products with the SimpliSafe app, and teaching you how to use the products and app.
What it typically does not include: electrical work beyond the device itself, wiring modifications (Ring states that modifications and extensions to existing wiring are available at additional cost and billed separately, with extension available only for low-voltage wiring), or drywall repair. If your job involves running new wires, expect the flat fee to grow.
Is paying for installation worth it? For wireless DIY systems, the work is genuinely simple: peel-and-stick sensors and an app-guided setup, which is why self-install is the default and $0. The published fees make sense when you have a large system (30 sensors is a long afternoon), wired doorbells or locks, cameras at height, or you are setting this up for a relative remotely; our home security for elderly parents guide covers that scenario. For hardwired retrofits, professional installation is effectively mandatory and quoted per job, since no provider publishes flat pricing for in-wall work.
Remember that installation is a one-time cost sitting on top of recurring monitoring, and the recurring side dominates over a few years. A $199 install amortized over five years is $3.32 per month; the difference between two monitoring plans can be ten times that. The full recurring picture is in home security cost per month.
The contract attached to the free install
Free or discounted professional installation at the traditional providers is generally financed by the monitoring agreement. ADT's residential terms tie professionally installed systems to a 36-month monitoring contract (24 months in California), and its plans page lists that monitoring from $49.99 per month as of October 2026; ending the contract early may cost 75% of the remaining monthly charges. Vivint's currently waived $199 install fee comes with the purchase of a system whose HomeProtect offer terms price equipment at $349.99 and monitoring at $29.99 per month; Vivint's separate financing terms state that month-to-month service agreements are available when equipment is purchased upfront, which implies a service agreement otherwise.
The arithmetic to run before signing: 36 months at $49.99 is $1,799.64 in committed monitoring, or $1,619.64 at the $44.99 rate in ADT's Essentials Kit offer terms. Against that, a one-time $124.99 to $224.99 published install fee on a no-contract system is small. This is not an argument against pro-install providers, whose service includes things DIY does not, but the install fee is the wrong number to anchor on. Compare the total committed cost, then decide.
If you want actual numbers for your home rather than starting-at prices, our short questionnaire at /quote fetches real quotes from professional monitoring providers, including installed options, so you can see the full bundle price before anyone is in your living room.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does it cost to have a security system professionally installed?
- By published pricing as of August 2026: $124.99 to $224.99 flat for a SimpliSafe system through OnTech depending on piece count, starting at $129.99 per device at Ring, and $199 at Vivint per its HomeProtect offer terms (currently advertised as free for new customers). ADT prices installation within a custom quote rather than publishing a flat fee.
- Is professional installation required for a monitored system?
- No. SimpliSafe states that regardless of whether you install your system yourself or select Pro Install, you can still choose the monitoring plan that best meets your needs, and Ring's monitored Pro plan works with self-installed kits. Professional installation is required in practice only for hardwired systems and for providers like Vivint, which states all its security system purchases include professional installation.
- Why does ADT not publish an installation price?
- ADT prices systems through custom quotes that bundle equipment, installation, and a monitoring agreement; its published terms set out the contract length and early termination charge but not a standalone install price. If a provider quotes you a bundle, ask for the install fee, equipment cost, and monthly fee as separate line items.
- What extra installation charges should I watch for?
- Wiring work is the main one: Ring states that modifications and extensions to existing wiring are available at additional cost and billed separately. OnTech's camera, doorbell, lock, and standalone smoke installs are separate line items at $129.99 each (50% off when purchased with a multi-piece package) rather than part of the flat package fee. SimpliSafe's support page also warns that failing to give adequate notice of rescheduling, or not being home during the scheduled window, could result in additional charges from OnTech.
- Is DIY installation actually free, or am I trading my time?
- It is a real afternoon for a full kit, but wireless systems are designed for it: peel-and-stick mounting and app-guided pairing, no wiring. If the system is large or involves wired devices, the published flat fees ($124.99 to $224.99 for up to 30 pieces via OnTech) are modest insurance against a botched setup.
Sources
- OnTech SimpliSafe pro installation packages: $124.99 (up to 10 pieces), $154.99 (15), $184.99 (20), $204.99 (25), $224.99 (30); standalone video doorbell, outdoor cam, smart lock, indoor cam, and smoke/CO/listener alarm installs $129.99 each with 50% off when purchased with a multi-piece installation package or other standalone installations; service includes installation of up to 30 SimpliSafe products, compatibility confirmation, Wi-Fi connection and first-time setup, device preference customization, app configuration, and training: https://www.ontechsmartservices.com/pages/simplisafe-home-security (accessed 2026-08-19)
- SimpliSafe support names OnTech's Pro Setup service, states camera installations may be purchased separately for an additional fee, and warns that failure to give adequate notice of rescheduling or not being home during the scheduled installation window could result in additional charges from OnTech: https://support.simplisafe.com/articles/getting-started/how-do-i-purchase-and-schedule-my-pro-setup-service-by-ontech (accessed 2026-08-19)
- SimpliSafe: regardless of whether you install your system yourself or select Pro Install, you can still choose the monitoring plan that best meets your needs: https://simplisafe.com/features-alarm-monitoring (accessed 2026-08-19)
- Ring professional installation starts at $129.99 per device; modifications and extensions to existing wiring available at additional cost and billed separately, with extension available only for low-voltage wiring: https://ring.com/plans (accessed 2026-08-19)
- Vivint HomeProtect Offer Terms: equipment package regularly priced at $349.99, professional installation priced at $199, and Vivint system monitoring at $29.99/mo; professional installation shown struck through as FREE for new customers; all Vivint security system purchases include professional installation; month-to-month service agreements are available when equipment is purchased upfront: https://www.vivint.com/vivint-specials (accessed 2026-08-19)
- ADT Pro Monitoring starts at $49.99 for Pro Install (stated in the page FAQ); ADT prices systems via custom quote: https://www.adt.com/monitoring-plans-security-services (accessed 2026-08-19)
- Pro Monitoring starts at $49.99 for Pro Install; Secure (no smart home devices or cameras), Smart (smart home devices, no cameras) and Complete (cameras) tiers with no per-tier prices; Complete includes live video monitoring and 30 days of stored clips with Nest Aware; Trusted Neighbor requires Complete and compatible devices; MySafety on all tiers; six company-operated 24/7 monitoring centers, all US-based and not outsourced, largest company-operated network claim; 2x more customers than next closest competitor; Alarm Messenger over 50% reduction in false alarm events vs sites not enrolled and over 10 million prevented false dispatches per ADT monitoring data; verified alarms sent for faster response vs unverified; cellular alarm event backup; 24-hour battery backup: https://www.adt.com/monitoring-plans-security-services (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Essentials Kit offer: 40% off, requires 36-month monitoring contract starting at $44.99/mo (banner on the same page says $49.99/mo), $599 standard price, minimum purchase $359.40 after discount, includes 1 ADT Base, 3 door/window sensors, 1 motion sensor; 36-month contract (24 months in California); ADT AutoPay; must call; add-ons eligible for 40% discount up to total max discount of $550; expires 12/14/2026; early termination may cost 75% of monthly service charges for the balance of the initial term; $8/mo guard response fee where required; permit cost plus one-time $8 processing fee; free virtual reactivation $99 off, requires 36-month monitoring contract for Secure Monitoring service starting at $45.99/mo; professionally installed system remains property of ADT; money-back guarantee conditions (attempted resolution within six months, continual QSP and monitoring payments, equipment return); Theft Protection Guarantee up to $500 of homeowner's deductible, requires continual monitoring and a request within 60 days; some insurers offer homeowner's discounts; 40% off Select ADT Blu Kits with Pro-Protect plan (Build My System $99, Video Essentials $199, Outdoor Video $229, Total Safety $419), additional products eligible for 40% off up to a total max discount of $550 per order, offer expires 11/18/2026; Security Starter Kit $249 with 1 Base, 3 door/window sensors, 1 motion sensor; Life Safety Kit $279; Blu month-to-month plans, one month minimum; professional installation not available for Blu; Blu devices only compatible with Blu systems; Self-Protect and Video Connect deliver alerts only to the user: https://www.adt.com/about-adt/legal/residential-terms-and-conditions (accessed 2026-10-29)
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