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The Best Security Systems for the Deaf in 2025
Vivint’s advanced technology and home automation make it the best security system with alternative alerting options through various mediums.
Rob Gabriele, Managing Editor & Home Security Expert
Updated August 21, 2025
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Vivint
SecureScore™: 9.1/10
Vivint capitalizes on its home automation abilities to provide alternative alerting options that don’t involve audible alarms. That includes alert texts and automatic threat deterrence through its outdoor camera equipped with an LED light and siren.
ADT combines home automation and its state-of-the-art monitoring service to provide accessible home security. Text alerts give deaf users alternative alerting options. Plus, video verification enables monitoring teams to dispatch appropriate emergency personnel during real, verified emergencies.
SimpliSafe’s live security camera monitoring helps ensure that help is on the way whenever your family needs it. Using your camera’s two-way talk, monitoring agents can scare off intruders and communicate with emergency personnel when it’s needed most.
Most security systems rely on audible alarms to alert users to life-threatening emergencies. But, if you or someone you live with suffers from hearing loss, sirens might not be enough. You need a security system that offers alternative alerting systems such as text-based alerts and automated smart and/or strobe lights.
The good news is you don’t have to look far to find security systems with those components. Some of the most trusted names in the industry — the best security systems, so to speak — offer inclusive technology that can help keep all of us safe from home dangers.
We’ve personally tested over 30 security systems to find the best options for people with hearing loss. Out of those 30, we ended up with three to recommend. Vivint is our top pick because of its home automation capabilities and specialized equipment, but we found that ADT and SimpliSafe are solid security systems, too. Read on to find out why we recommend them.
Our Methodology: How We Tested and Ranked The Best Security Systems for the Deaf
Our Approach
We’ve found the best way to make unbiased reviews is by testing home security systems ourselves. Our team buys the equipment, installs the devices in our homes, and tests them for weeks and sometimes months. We want to get a feel for what it’s like to live with the security system while experiencing the features, app, and response time. That way we’re able to make honest recommendations based on our real-life experiences.
Our Testing Setup
Several factors affect testing home security systems, but we find ways to compare apples to apples. For example, we install the test units in the same house. We use a two-story, 2,200-square-foot home owned by one of our experts. Testing in a real home means we can gather accurate data and make better real-life observations.
We also buy the same devices for each security system and set them up in identical locations. You can see the places where we typically install equipment below.
We looked beyond loud sirens when choosing security systems for the deaf. There needs to be multiple ways to alert people to life-threatening situations if they’re hard of hearing. To pick our top six options, these were the criteria we deemed most important:
Alert options (40%): We want app-based alerts, text messages, sirens, and a check-in from monitoring centers to see if assistance is needed.
Automation features (30%): Setting up schedules and routines puts less reliance on having to arm security systems manually. Bonus points if we could use the one app for the system and third-party devices.
Professional monitoring (30%): When an alarm is triggered, we expect a speedy result from the monitoring center. The industry average is under 30 seconds.
After reviewing each system with these criteria, here is how we ranked the top six:
Rating the Best Home Security Systems for the Deaf
Why You Can Trust Us
We’re different from those other websites that review everything from coffee mugs to beach towels. Our team of experts exclusively covers home security and safety equipment. This means we can dedicate our attention to the security systems and make recommendations you can actually trust. The team who worked on this review were:
Rob Gabriele, Editorial Director & Home Security Expert
Andrew Garcia, Lead Editor & Home Security Researcher
Jaime Fraze, Security Camera & Video Doorbell Expert
Derek Prall, Home Security Expert & Testing Coordinator
Paul Frew, Home Security System Expert & Security Camera Expert
Joshua Lee, Former patrol officer and detective for a police department in Arizona.
Our team has over 75 years of combined experience, making us the most accomplished home security team online. Since starting in 2016, our work on SafeHome.org has been showcased in several major outlets, including The Washington Post and The New York Times. Together, we have achieved:
Over 10,000 hours of research
More than 100 home security guides
60+ security system reviews
40+ industry research/studies
All of our recommendations come from first-hand product experience and a deep understanding of the security industry. Now, let’s learn more about our top picks.
Best Security Systems for Individuals With Hearing Loss
Vivint uses home automation and other types of advanced technology to boost home security for everyone. Normally, advanced tech means a system that’s not so easy to use, but Vivint keeps their system simple enough to use that it made our list of the best security systems for seniors. From cameras that can detect and actively deter trespassers to a smart hub that can orchestrate an entire smart home system that reacts to alarms, Vivint has it all.
Pros & Cons:
Pros:
Wireless equipment
Advanced home automation and customizations
7-inch touch-screen smart home hub
AI-powered outdoor, indoor and doorbell cameras
Professional installation service
Cellular monitoring with two monitoring facilities
Cons:
Equipment can be pricey
Requires a contract up to 60 months
Short three-day cancellation window
Lack of pricing transparency on its website
Our Experience:
Alternative Alerting Options
Vivint is an excellent home automation system. You can take advantage of that by setting your sensors to trigger your smart devices. Lights that turn on when the system detects movement are great alternative to sirens for people with hearing loss.
Here’s every component of the Vivint security system we tested.
We also like that Vivint sends text alerts in addition to phone call notifications. The alerts we received read something like, “Vivint has received an alarm from your property. Click the link to let us know what to do.” From there, we could confirm or cancel the alarm without speaking to a responding agent.
One of the newer options from Vivint is the Spotlight Pro attachment for the outdoor camera. It can double as a strobe light. When the outdoor camera identifies someone lurking on your property, it turns on the 1,800-lumen Spotlight Pro to spook them off. With Vivint’s home automation capabilities, you can turn on your bedroom light at the same time so you wake up.
Vivint’s Smart Home Integration
Our Vivint Outdoor Camera kept watch over our driveway and alerted us if someone was lurking outside.
There’s a reason Vivint calls their security system a smart home alarm system. That’s because they offer the most advanced home automation features in the industry. Like we mentioned, we used the touch-screen control panel to create an automation that would cause our bedroom light to turn on when our Vivint cameras detect a lurker. The camera would also sound a siren and turn on its Spotlight Pro to scare away the lurker.
You can make these same types of automated responses to alerts for any Vivint sensor or camera. Another useful automation you could set up involves the Vivint Doorbell Pro. It can tell the difference between packages and people. Set an automation to turn on a light in your house when someone’s waiting at your door. Then, you can pull up the live feed, see who it is, and then decide what to do next.
Pro Tip: When buying your Vivint system, we recommend adding their smart light devices. That way, when Vivint’s technicians come to install your system, they can also set up all of the home automation you need to receive visual alerts instead of audible ones.
Vivint’s Professional Monitoring
With Vivint, you don’t get to choose if you want professional monitoring. They require it. We don’t think that’s a bad thing, though, as we always recommend professional monitoring. Vivint’s monitoring offers text-based alerts, which makes it easier for people with hearing loss to respond. Plus, Vivint can keep you updated on the alert through text if you’re away from home. Here’s how much Vivint’s professional monitoring costs:
Monitoring Plans
Monthly Price
Smart Security
$29.99
Smart Home
$39.99
Smart Control
Starts at $44.99
If you get security cameras, which we recommend, you’ll need the Smart Control plan. That unlocks video verification as well, so Vivint’s monitoring agents can assess the situation and get emergency personnel to your house faster.
FYI: Although we liked Vivint’s professional monitoring service, we didn’t like Vivint’s long-term contract. They lock you in for the long haul, so make sure you’re ready to commit before buying a Vivint system. However, there are no-contract options if you’re ready to pay for all of your equipment upfront.
ADT has long been making security systems accessible to all types of people, and the latest version of its system incorporates smart features to boost security. It’s not just ADT’s technology that we liked, but also the overall service — especially when it comes to professional monitoring.They own and operate 12 monitoring centers, so your system will never go unmonitored — no matter what happens. Add their cellular backup and backup battery to the equation and you have one of the most reliable security systems out there. (ADT is one of the best cellular security systems we tested.)
Pros & Cons:
Pros:
DIY and professional installation available
24/7 professional monitoring from 12 monitoring centers
SMART monitoring via text message for faster response
Intuitive smartphone app
Financing available
Six-month money-back guarantee
Cons:
No touch-screen control panel
Video support is only available on the most expensive monitoring plan
No local storage options
Our Experience:
Alternative Alerting Options
ADT’s monitoring response procedure includes System Monitoring and Response Technology (SMART) built around the ADT Alarm Messenger web app. It’s similar to Vivint’s text alerts, but it incorporates a group messaging system. That means anyone in your family can respond to the monitoring center during emergencies. Since it’s all sent in a group chat, everyone stays in the loop during the whole process. That makes ADT’s alert messaging platform a little better than that of Vivint.
Here’s a look at the small form factor of the new ADT entryway sensors, with a quarter for scale.
Unlike Vivint, ADT doesn’t have a touch-screen control panel. We still appreciate the LED light around the top of the base station that communicates the system status. Based on the color of the light and how fast it blinks, it tells you whether your system is armed, if any sensors have a low battery, and if there’s an alert. Of course, there’s still a siren to make any intruders think twice. Take a look at our ADT vs. Vivint guide for a detailed comparison of their approaches to home security.
One of ADT’s most recent moves to upgrade their technology involves a partnership with Google. That partnership enabled ADT to natively integrate with Google Home and all Google Nest equipment. Google Home products offer some of the most advanced smart home capabilities, and now ADT has full access to them all.
One of our favorites is the Google Nest Cam’s familiar face feature; it uses facial recognition to identify people who regularly visit your home. Using this feature in the Google Nest Cam with Floodlight allows your floodlight to turn on anytime your camera sees someone it doesn’t recognize. Pair the floodlight turning on with a specific light in your home going on and you have visual notifications anytime a stranger walks on your property. That’s the power of ADT’s home automation features.
Did You Know? ADT’s Trusted Neighbor feature lets you take advantage of the safe community you and your neighbors have built. It lets you use the Nest Cam’s facial recognition to give people of your choosing access to your home during alerts or specific times.
ADT’s Professional Monitoring
We already mentioned ADT’s SMART Monitoring feature. It really is the best text-based alert we’ve tested. Their monitoring also alerts you if your ADT Smoke & CO Detector goes off. That’s a nice plus for people with hearing loss, as you’ll receive a text instead of relying on its siren. You can also tie those alerts to a smart light for a visual cue as well. Here’s an overview of ADT’s monitoring prices:
Monitoring Plans
Secure Monitoring
Smart Monitoring
Complete Monitoring
Price for DIY Systems
$24.99 per month
$29.99 per month
$39.99 per month
Price for Professionally Installed Systems
$34.99 per month
$39.99 per month
$49.99 per month
Read our ADT Self Setup review to find out if a DIY ADT system is right for you. It has all the same components as the professionally installed system and lower monthly monitoring costs. So, in most cases, we recommend it.
SimpliSafe is a leading DIY security system. It’s known for its wireless equipment that can be installed in under 30 minutes; our SimpliSafe installation took only 22 minutes. They go well beyond typical DIY security with unique active monitoring subscriptions. Those plans mean SimpliSafe monitoring agents actively respond to threats to you and your home using the two-way audio in your security cameras.
Pros & Cons:
Pros:
Offers no-monthly-fee self-monitoring
Stylish wireless equipment
Professional installation service available
Equipment packages start at $250
Active monitoring features for SimpliSafe’s indoor and outdoor cameras
Cons:
Missing a few types of equipment, like garage door sensors
Limited smart home and home automation capabilities
Monitoring price increases regularly
No touch-screen keypad
Our Experience:
Alternative Alerting Options
Just like ADT and Vivint, SimpliSafe also offers text-based alerts. They’re not quite as good as ADT’s SMART group messaging system, but we appreciate that SimpliSafe includes text-based alerts in their self-monitoring plan too. You can add multiple people to receive text-based alerts by adding multiple primary contacts. It won’t be sent in a group chat, though. Unlike ADT and Vivint, you respond by texting the message itself instead of clicking a link to a web app. That means even if your internet isn’t working, you can still respond to SimpliSafe alerts.
A sampling of SimpliSafe equipment on our dining room table.
Text-based alerts are the only alternative alerting option for SimpliSafe. They don’t offer any advanced home automation that lets you set up visual cues through smart lights, like you can with Vivint and ADT. That said, SimpliSafe offers the loudest alarms of the three. So, if you only have partial hearing loss, SimpliSafe gives you the best odds of hearing a siren.
Tip: SimpliSafe is also a good security system for self-monitoring because of its loud siren. If you’re self-monitoring SimpliSafe, make sure to put sirens on every floor of your house and on the exterior — not only to alert your family and your neighbors, but also to scare away intruders.
SimpliSafe’s Smart Home Integration
To put it bluntly, SimpliSafe’s smart home capabilities are its weakest point. Sure, it can integrate with Amazon Alexa and Google Home, but it barely offers any functionality. All we could do with those integrations was arm our security system and check its status with our voice. Not very useful for anyone with hearing loss.
SimpliSafe’s Professional Monitoring
SimpliSafe’s monitoring agents intervened when our SimpliSafe Outdoor Camera identified a potential threat.
While SimpliSafe can’t beat ADT’s reliability when it comes to professional monitoring, they give ADT a run for their money when it comes to unique features. The most notable is their Intruder Intervention and Active Guard Outdoor Protection. Check out our ADT vs. SimpliSafe comparison guide for more details on the differences between their monitoring services.
Both of those features let SimpliSafe’s monitoring agents access your security cameras during an active alarm or when the camera detects a potential threat. They can view the camera’s live feed, use its two-way talk, and activate any built-in lights or alarms. Intruder Intervention works for the Wireless Indoor Camera and is included in the Core plan and above. Active Guard Outdoor Protection works for the Outdoor Camera and is included in the Pro plan and above. Check out our review of SimpliSafe’s Outdoor Camera to learn more.
FYI: SimpliSafe also offers a free unmonitored plan. The free plan doesn’t offer any alternative alarms, though, so we recommend at least the self-monitoring plan for anyone with hearing loss.
Product Specs:
Monitoring options
Professional and DIY
Installation
Professional and DIY
Smart platform integration
Alexa and Google Home
Equipment cost
Packages starting at $250.96
Monthly monitoring cost
From $21.99
Contract length
Monthly
Runners-Up
Vivint, ADT, and SimpliSafe are the security systems that stood out to us the most for people who are deaf or have hearing loss, but they’re far from the only systems that can work. If you’re looking for other options, here are a few more of our top contenders:
Abode (SecureScore: 8.0/10): Abode is a DIY security system much like SimpliSafe, but with smart-home capabilities that rival Vivint. The system is compatible with thousands of third-party smart-home devices that use Z-Wave and Zigbee. It has its own automation platform called CUE, with which you can formulate rules, schedules, and scenes to make your life more convenient. Read our full Abode home security review for more pros and cons.
Frontpoint (SecureScore: 8.7/10): Frontpoint is a customizable DIY system that requires professional installation. Instead of text alerts, it offers app-based notifications where you can conveniently verify or cancel alarms. It also offers automation options, but they’re only about as customizable as ADT. Here’s our Frontpoint review for more information.
Cove (SecureScore: 8.8/10): Cove is a solid, reliable security system that’s even cheaper than SimpliSafe. It offers InstaText alerts (text-based alerts) for as low as $19.99 per month, but like SimpliSafe, it lacks home-automation features. Read our Cove review to see it in action and discover how quickly the cops got to our house after we triggered the system.
The abode App made it easy to integrate our smart home devices from other brands for home automation.
Expert Examined
From Anthony Travaglia, retired police officer and home security expert
“Dogs can help to deter burglars and thieves. Most burglars want to stay undetected and are looking for an easy score. A barking dog makes noise, which can alert neighbors. Dogs can also be dangerous for the intruder, especially a large dog that wants to protect its home and owners. So a “beware of dog” sign can be a huge red flag for a criminal who wants to stay undetected.”
Fire Safety for Homeowners With Hearing Loss
While it’s important to ensure your and your family’s safety from criminals, burglars, and home invaders, there are other home hazards that you must protect yourself against. Fire is one of the major ones.
A home fire injury occurs in the U.S. every 53 minutes.
Home fire fatalities occur at an alarming rate of once every three hours and 14 minutes. That’s around seven per day.
The good news is that having smoke alarms and an automatic extinguishing system (AES) reduces home fire fatalities by up to 90 percent.
This SimpliSafe smoke detector can trigger the base station’s siren and all the other auxiliary SimpliSafe sirens we installed.
Most fire detectors rely on a loud siren to notify residents of a fire risk. They also typically don’t have active prevention like sprinkler systems, at least for residential structures. So if you or someone you live with has hearing loss, we strongly suggest investing in fire detection systems that don’t just rely on audible alarms. Bed shakers, strobe lights, and wearables that vibrate such as smartwatches are all feasible solutions.
That said, we also want to highlight the importance of professional monitoring. Security alarm centers don’t just monitor for burglaries and break-ins; fires are also on their radar. If your home is monitored, it increases the chances of the fire department arriving at the scene before the fire gets out of hand.
How to Use Smart Lights for a Security System’s Visual Alerts
People with hearing loss can use smart lights to get visual alerts during their security system’s alarms. Not every security system can do this, though. So, make sure the security system you choose offers some type of home automation support such as IFTTT or their own home automation system. As long as your security system offers home automation support, you’ll be able to set up a smart light as your visual indicator of an alarm. Here are a few tips to make the most of this automation:
Dedicate smart lights for alerts. You don’t want to wonder whether the light turned on because of a timer or an alarm, so we recommend using dedicated lights as your visual cues for security system alerts. Spread them out throughout your house so you don’t miss one because you’re in a different room.
Set different colors for different alerts. If your home automation system and smart light supports it, set a different color for each alert type in your security system. At a minimum, we recommend a color for environmental alarms and a color for potential intruders.
Make sure it can wake you up. When choosing where to put your smart light, make sure it’s somewhere that will wake you up. That means you shouldn’t hide it in the corner of your bedroom. Also, choose a light that’s bright enough to wake you up whether you’re taking a nap on the couch or sleeping in your bed.
Summary
If you or a family member has hearing loss, there are certain precautions to take to ensure their safety and security. Not all security systems offer those precautions, but a lot of them do. In our experience, Vivint, ADT, and SimpliSafe offer the best solutions. They provide alternative alerting options, have advanced protection features, and offer professional monitoring services you can count on in times of emergency.
As always, though, it’s best to choose a security system based on your personal security needs. A lot of systems now offer accessibility features for users with hearing loss, so take a look at the best security systems I’ve tested for more options. You can also consult our security system buying guide for more information on how to choose the best security system for your home, your family, and yourself.
FAQs About the Best Home Security Systems for People With Hearing Loss
Still have some questions to figure out which system is best for you? We have the answers.
Yes, people with hearing loss can still use a home security system. Most systems these days offer alternative alerting solutions aside from a standard home security siren. They can send you texts for alerts or turn on a smart light to give you a visual alert.
Some security systems do require you to speak with their agents so that you can verify or cancel alarms. There are systems — such as Vivint, ADT, and SimpliSafe — that offer text-based alerts so you can respond to alarms without a phone call.
Yes, a siren does more than just alert you of a potential threat. It also acts as an effective deterrent against intruders. When they hear a siren, it can scare them away. Sirens can also notify neighbors so that they call the cops.
We recommend choosing a video doorbell that offers some type of home automation so that you can have a smart light turn on when someone rings your doorbell. These types of video doorbells can also send you a push notification when someone’s at your door.
While there aren’t any security systems made specifically for people with hearing loss, there are systems that offer accommodations for people with hearing loss. Such features include text-based alerts and visual cues. Our favorite systems that work for people with hearing loss are Vivint, ADT, and SimpliSafe.
As a home security expert and Managing Editor for SafeHome.org, Rob Gabriele has written and edited over 1,000 articles related to home security. His expertise is in smart home protection with thousands of hours of testing and research under his belt. Formerly a reporter and producer for the USAToday network, Rob has been a writer and editor for over 10 years. He holds a Master’s of Science with an emphasis on writing from the University of Montana, and he currently lives in Indianapolis, IN.
Updated August 21, 2025
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