ADT vs. Guardian Protection Security Systems

If you’ve started the process of looking for a home security system, you’ve probably heard about ADT. They’ve been around for 150 years, so they have a ubiquitous reputation in the industry. Guardian Protection isn’t far behind, though. They’ve been in the industry for over 50 years and are now the largest privately held security company in the country. But, which one can better protect your home?

We tested both providers in our own home to get firsthand experience and find out. Now that we know both systems inside and out, we’re here to report back to you. We’ll check out some similarities that the systems share, as well as the key differences, features, and general pricing you can expect. Let’s dive right in!

An Overview of ADT vs. Guardian Protection

Home Security Expert Rob Gabriele Tests ADT Home Security System

Many times, privately held companies provide better products at a lower cost since they don’t need to worry about what shareholders think. Unfortunately, that’s just not the case when we stacked up ADT against Guardian Protection. From their pricing to their capabilities, ADT beat them out in just about every category. To give you a better idea, here’s a quick overview comparing ADT and Guardian Protection in a few key criteria for choosing a home security system:

• Price: While ADT and Guardian Protection have fairly similar equipment prices with both offering packages that start around $300, ADT’s monitoring price is significantly lower — starting at $24.99 instead of $49.99.
• Contract: ADT lets you completely avoid a contract if you DIY your install. Even if you do sign an ADT contract, it starts at 36 months. Guardian Protection requires a long-term, 60-month contract no matter what.
• Equipment: It’s not that ADT offers more variety for equipment, rather the quality of their equipment is higher. Guardian Protection buys most of their equipment from third parties like Kwikset and Alarm.com. ADT designs all of their own equipment, so it’s all made to work cohesively.
• Home Automation: Speaking of equipment that works cohesively, ADT also offers more cohesive home automation capabilities. They partnered with Google so they now integrate flawlessly with all Google Home products. ADT is also Z-Wave compatible, meaning it can work with over 4,000 third-party smart home products. Guardian Protection only offers a handful of home automation devices.

>> Learn More: The Ins and Outs of Home Security Contracts

ADT and Guardian Protection Similarities

After thoroughly testing and reviewing ADT and Guardian Protection, we were genuinely surprised to find as many similarities as we did. There were definitely more differences, because, like we said, ADT offers a higher-quality security system, but a few similarities that stood out to us include:

• Wireless Equipment: Both ADT and Guardian Protection offer wireless equipment, giving you the flexibility to install your equipment anywhere it’s needed to keep your home secure.
• 24/7 Monitoring: Although it should be expected, we’re glad to see that ADT and Guardian Protection offer 24/7 professional monitoring. That way, even if you’re busy, your home stays protected and every alert gets a response.
• Cellular Backup: Regardless of the professional monitoring plan you sign up for, you’ll get cellular backup from both providers as long as you’re subscribed to a plan. This keeps your system operational and in communication with the monitoring centers even if your Wi-Fi goes down.
• Mobile Apps: You can control either system remotely through their respective mobile apps. We like ADT’s app more, though, as it has a more modern interface and more home automation capabilities.
• Floodlight Security Cameras: We find this more of a niche piece of security equipment, but ADT and Guardian Protection offer floodlight security cameras.

ADT and Guardian Protection Differences

ADT even has entryway sensors that match your trim colors.

Let’s face it, when you’re comparing two products, you care a lot more about the differences than the similarities. After all, the differences are what’s going to help you decide which one’s right for you. So, let’s dig into and go over the key differences between ADT and Guardian Protection. We’ll get into all the details so by the end you’ll know which provider is right for you.

Pricing

It’s easy to get surprised by the final cost of a home security system, especially with Guardian Protection keeping their pricing secretive. You need to reach out to them for a custom quote before you can see any pricing on their site. ADT takes a more transparent approach with clearly displayed pricing, although there are a couple tricks to their pricing model. We’ll clear up what you can expect from both, but know that in almost every case ADT offers better pricing. Here’s a quick overview comparing their similar starting packages:

ADT’s Pricing

First up, ADT’s costs. This one’s easier to calculate since all of the information is readily available on their website. Packages start at $269 for the build-your-own-kit plan, but that only includes a base station and other necessary components. For a basic home security system, expect to spend at least $349, with advanced systems costing upwards of $1,000.

Monitoring prices start at $24.99 and go up to $49.99. That means ADT’s most expensive monitoring plan costs the same as Guardian Protection’s least expensive plan.

Guardian Protection’s Pricing

Across the board, Guardian Protection’s pricing is a bit higher than ADT’s. Their starter package is $299 compared to ADT’s $269, and their monitoring fee starts at $49.99 per month compared to ADT’s $24.99 per month. We know you’re probably thinking that Guardian Protection offers more given their higher price point, but we’re as close to comparing apples to apples as you can get in the home security industry when quoting these prices. The big benefit to Guardian Protection, though, is that they offer a three- or five-year price-lock guarantee.

Equipment

Here’s everything that came with the Google Nest Cam we bought with our ADT security system.

We’ll come out and say it: ADT makes some of our favorite home security equipment in the industry. Every device we buy from them feels sturdy, performs as expected, and has a streamlined design that fits discreetly in our home.

While Guardian Protection’s equipment certainly isn’t bad, ADT is a step above. Guardian Protection buys most of their equipment from Alarm.com, which is a reputable company, but there’s something to be said about equipment that’s designed and manufactured to work cohesively as a complete system. That’s what ADT has and what we feel Guardian Protection is missing.

Home Automation

We’re home automation fanatics, so a security system that integrates with our current smart home equipment is a big plus for us. Home automation can improve the security your security system provides too, though. So, it’s not a factor to overlook even if your security system is your first smart home purchase.

>> Read More: 2025 Guide to Home Automation Systems & Smart Home Products

ADT’s Home Automation

With ADT’s partnership with Google, it’s hard to beat them at the home automation game. Guardian Protection’s Geo-Service technology, which we’ll talk about soon, is definitely interesting, but ADT offers a lot more than a single standout feature. There are tons of third-party smart home products they can integrate with beyond Google smart home products thanks to its Z-Wave compatibility.

ADT’s standout home automation feature is Trusted Neighbor. With it, you can automatically let specific people in your home using the Google Nest Cam’s facial recognition. We set ours to let our dog walker in every Thursday morning at 10:30 a.m. During confirmed alarms, our system could also let our neighbor in so they could see what was going on.

Guardian Protection’s Home Automation

Guardian Protection’s mobile app clearly displayed all of the key information about our home’s security.

The standout home automation feature during our time testing Guardian Protection was their Geo-Service technology: A location-based “geofence” feature that uses your smartphone location to send mobile reminders. For example, did you forget to arm your security system or turn off the lights before heading to work? After crossing that virtual “geofence” barrier, you’ll immediately be notified of your mistake (which can be a lifesaver on those hectic mornings). For another provider that offers geofence technology, check out our review of Frontpoint.

Installation

We installed our own ADT security system and used the peel-and-stick backings on the entry sensors.

It used to be that both ADT and Guardian Protection required professional installation. Both companies usually include it for free when you buy a system, but that can make it difficult to add on more products down the line — you’d need to pay for those new products to be installed. Neither is new to offering professional installation, either, so expect a top-notch professional installation regardless of who you go with.

ADT now offers DIY installation, though. And, even if you get your initial system purchase professionally installed, you can install your own additions to your system later down the line. Installing your own ADT system is easy. It only took us about 45 minutes to install our system. Check out our ADT Self Setup review for a complete account of our installation experience.

>> Learn More: Best Professionally Installed Home Security Systems of 2025

Contracts

In the past, ADT and Guardian offered similar contracts. They both required long-term contracts and each one's contract started at three years. Well, both have shifted from that standard. Guardian Protection extended their three-year contracts and is now offering five-year contracts as their standard.

ADT went the opposite direction. Nowadays, they don’t require a contract, but you’ll need to install your own ADT system to avoid the contract. For professionally installed systems, they still start at a three-year contract unless you live in California, where the maximum contract is two years. Needless to say, we prefer the flexibility that ADT offers.

>> Read About: Best No-Contract Home Security Systems of 2025

Availability

Unlike ADT, which is a nationwide brand available anywhere in the U.S., Guardian Protection is only available in 10 states. Here’s a list of the states where Guardian Protection is available:

• Delaware
• Florida
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Maryland
• North Carolina
• Ohio
• Pennsylvania
• West Virginia
• Texas

Thankfully, one of our editors lives in Florida, so we were able to test a Guardian Protection security system.

Which System Is Best for You? ADT or Guardian Protection

We know that’s a lot of information to take in. Overall, though, we prefer ADT over Guardian Protection. They offer more flexible plans, higher tech equipment, and more advanced monitoring capabilities. Even with all this, ADT tends to cost less than Guardian Protection.

If you live in one of the 10 states that Guardian Protection services, we do like their three- or five-year price-lock guarantee. That means even if they raise their monitoring rates, you won’t see that price increase until those two or three years are up depending on which option you choose. However, ADT has been lowering their monitoring rates recently, and if you sign up for an ADT contract, you can cancel it due to an increase in your monitoring rates. It’s not a price-lock guarantee, but it prevents a situation where you can no longer afford your payments due to a price increase.

Do neither ADT nor Guardian Protection seem like the right system for you? Check out our guide to choosing a home security system where we walk you through the steps you should take to find the perfect system for protecting your home.

FAQs About ADT vs. Guardian Protection