Frontpoint Security prices
You’ve got two monthly monitoring packages for your Frontpoint alarm system. The tiers are structured similarly to Vivint’s.
Interactive plan
Interactive is Frontpoint’s introductory plan and is the Frontpoint plan we recommend for most people. You get mobile app access so you can arm, disarm, or check in on your alarm system from anywhere. It also integrates a smart thermostat.
Like Vivint’s base plan, the Interactive plan also includes smoke, heat, and carbon monoxide monitoring to keep an eye on your entire home. Frontpoint also includes Crash and Smash Protection, which protects your control panel’s communication with the monitoring center if someone tries to bust it.
Ultimate plan
Take everything from the Interactive plan, add smart home devices and video monitoring, and you’ve got the Ultimate plan. With this plan, you can control your lights, get an automated door lock, use a doorbell camera, and watch live video on your Frontpoint app.
Customer service
Frontpoint prides itself on quality customer service. It claims this is one of the reasons its customers keep their security systems long after their initial contract ends. Frontpoint’s customer support hours vary a little between weekdays and weekends:
- Monday–Friday: 8 a.m.–11 p.m. Eastern
- Saturday–Sunday: 10 a.m.–7 p.m. Eastern
Although Frontpoint has limited customer service hours, its employees know their stuff. They stand out for being knowledgeable, well trained, and just plain helpful, which you don’t always get from companies that outsource their customer support services.
>>Read our full Frontpoint review.
Thanks for sharing!
Vivint is well known for having some of the best looking equipment. They stand behind their lifetime warranty. They have highly trained sales agents. But good luck getting help or quality service after a few months of getting the service. The call centers are not nearly as organized as the sales reps that show up to your doorstep.
There is a good reason why they have so many complaints on the BBB and other online reviews.
Oh and they also lock the equipment….Now if i wish to use another provider i need to purchase all new equipment. #OnlyVivint
Wow Justin 512bit encryption? Can you confirm where that is documented? I mean my home Wifi uses 128bit AES encryption, with current technology it would take billions of years to break it (yes that is correct. My latest generation Intel CPU computer with special AES-NI acceleration hardware that I use for work would take 1 septillion years to break a single AES-128bit encrypted message). Even with Billions of dollars worth of computer hardware, it still takes 10s of 100s of years to break. Most protocols only support up to 256bit encryption only specialized protocols support 512bit since the overhead to the CPU is heavy without specialized hardware, thus slowing down the flow of data. So I am guessing Vivent is using one of these specialized protocols for communication over the network? I mean LTE 4G cellular encryption is only 128bit so it is not just that. I know the best I get talking to any high security website, including the top banks in the world is 256bit (since that is all SSL/TLS will support)… If you can show me the documentation, I might feel better about using Vivent for my home.
Justin — It’s always great to hear from Vivint Sales Reps. You’re right, Vivint has come a long way and has made great strides in improving their system. We are currently working on reviewing our rankings of ALL of our home security companies (as we review every quarter) and will be taking all of this (and your comments) into consideration. Affiliate compensation does not affect the inclusion of vendors in our reviews (or their rankings). We pride ourselves on our unbiased reviews, which are conducted independently of affiliate negotiations. You can read our full disclosure here: https://revert-asl-redrock.pantheonsite.io/disclosure/
Wow, thanks for taking the time to write this review and for sharing it with us. Is this based on your experience selling Vivint? Or with your personal experience as a customer? There were a few things I noticed here that I’d like to point out to you and anyone else who reads your comment: Both Frontpoint and Vivint now offer touch screen control panels. Frontpoint does offer a doorbell camera that has two-way audio, motion sensors and is easy to install (it’s about $199 MSRP). Vivint’s app may have more reviews since it is a much larger company than Frontpoint. If we are comparing reviews, then it is important to note that Frontpoint has been in business for 10 years, whereas Vivint has been in business for 19 years (under different names). Frontpoint has 1,100,000 customers and has a BBB rating of A+, only 73 complaints in last 3 years, and no government legal actions. Vivint has 970,000 customers, a BBB rating of A-, 3656 BBB complaints in the past 3 years, and 10 government legal actions. That being said, Vivint has been taking great strides this year to listen to their customers and revamp their pricing process. Vivint has created it’s own line of equipment which works together via their Vivint app. In fact, the Elements thermostat did win the Red Dot award for product design. Frontpoint equipment is supplied by Alarm.com and can feel dated compared to Vivint’s cutting-edge technology and design. Vivint systems must be installed by one of the company’s subcontracted technicians. Although it is 100% wireless, the control panel is usually mounted to the wall, which requires drilling (same with the outdoor camera). It takes about 3-4 hours and requires you to be home, but no additional fees for installation unless you purchase an outdoor camera ($99 one-time fee for installation). You can install a Frontpoint system yourself. It’s easy — you mount equipment using self-adhesive mounting pads, which makes this an ideal system for renters since it doesn’t require any drilling. (SecurityGem wrote a great piece on how-to install Frontpoint: http://www.securitygem.com/installing-frontpoint-really-easy/). We are currently working on an easy cost-comparison system, but in the meantime, you can easily compare costs using our Home Security Systems Cost Comparison post: https://revert-asl-redrock.pantheonsite.io/home-security-systems-comparison/
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Vivint Has 1.2 Million Customers not 970,000 and was recently voted
#22 most innovative company in the world by Fast Company Magazine.
https://www.fastcompany.com/3067476/why-vivint-smart-home-is-one-of-the-most-innovative-companies-of-2
When you say they are both cellular your omitting that Frontpoint uses passive cellular and Vivint uses Active. Meaning the Frontpoint cellular card is just like a prepaid phone, so it only uses it’s cellular connection to communicate with the call center, the app and devices are connected through WiFi, so if you lose internet in your home your app will lose connection to your smart home devices. The Vivint active cellular card is like an unlimited data plan, so it works with or without WiFi, you can unlock your doors, or control your thermostat with or without internet connection. It also means your smart home in encrypted through the cell card, 512bit encryption (banking level). That’s far safer than a WiFi connected smart home.
The Active sim card also means Vivint’s system is protected from smash and crash as well because the moment the panel is deactivated, the active signal is lost and the call center is alerted. Frontpoint uses a clever crash and smash method that uses a signal loop, when the delay alarm is triggered (front door for example) a signal is sent starting a loop, when the alarm is deactivated another signal is sent closing the loop. If the second signal is not received then the smash and crash alert is triggered. Vivint’s smash and crash protection is triggered immediately upon deactivation, Frontpoint’s takes the full alarm delay time (30-90 seconds depending upon the settings)
Frontpoint is a great system, but there is a strong argument for Vivint being better. It’s telling that you have an article comparing a so called #7 to a #1 yet you have them tied in 2 catagories, winning 1, and losing 2. I’d say one of those wins is questionable, Vivint is the largest provider of home automation in the America, there is no way frontpoint wins on equiptment offering.
https://youtu.be/XowCbH73tUs?t=10s
Vivint clearly deserves a higher ranking than #7. Your bias is showing…
This is a strange comparison. Here’s mine:
Panel quality:
IPad like touch screen vs gum drop buttons.
Outdoor Cameras:
Outdoor camera with professional installation included 299 upfront or less than 5 bucks a month if financed over 60 months. Or outdoor camera install yourself 347 upfront.
Doorbell Camera:
Vivint offers the best doorbell camera on the market professionally installed for 200 or 3.33 a month if financed. Frontpoint doesn’t offer one.
Customer reviews via the app stores:
Vivints app has 25k reviews on the Apple and Google app stores and averages 4.5 stars. Frontpoint has less than 1k reviews and averages between 3.5 to 4 stars.
App and software upgrades over time:
Vivint makes its on software driven panel and app. Vivint updates all of its systems weekly and has major system upgrades every 6ish months all for free and built in house. Frontpoint relies on a third party app via alarm dot com and it’s third party panel doesn’t have software for upgrades because it’s too basic (Simon xt). This means it has 0 control over upgrading and improving it’s customers experience ever.
Lifetime Warranty:
As you mentioned vivints warranty is lifetime and this is huge as you stated. Frontpoint is limited to 3 years.
Professionally installed vs do it yourself:
Let’s think about this. Would you really rather personally run wires through the attic to install your own outdoor camera? Would you really rather glue on a door sensors over having a professional recess it within your door? If you have existing wired sensors would you really rather buy all new contacts at 30 to 80 bucks or have a professional program all of those for free into your newly upgraded unit? This is a no brainer.
Contracts vs month to month:
(based on your numbers for frontpoint and vivint’s actual prices) WARNING CONFUSING BUT THOROUGH COMPARISON
Example system: 549 installation of touchscreen panel, takeover of all existing system sensors and a motion sensor; Doorbell camera 199 installed, and outdoor camera 299 installed.
Vivint month to month no contract would cost about 1,050 upfront and be 49.99 a month as long as you wish to keep service. Or financed at 0% would be 0 upfront and about 68 a month for 5 years and then drop to 49.99.
Frontpoint with example system: basic non touch panel, 2 doors and a motion, unable to use existing equipment, doorbell camera (buy third party as unsupported by frontpoint), and outdoor camera install yourself.
Equipment fee for starter panel and sensors is 199 and outdoor camera without installation is 347. The doorbell camera you need to buy at a store runs 249 for a comparable ring doorbell camera with self install and 1 year warranty and an additional third party app. Total cost upfront cost $800, no way to finance it and minimum 3 year contract on top of upfront cost. Ps frontpoint offers a touchscreen panel but it runs 200 to 400 dollars depending on the rep you talk to. If you add a touch screen panel to frontpoint it costs more than vivints no contract option and still carries a 3 year contract.
CONCLUSION: Vivint is the clear winner on pricing compared to quality. It offers no contract options if you buy the equipment and no cost upfront options if you choose to finance your equipment at 0% interest. Reviews are better when looking at unbiased real customer reviews ie the app stores (yes bbb is biased look up 2020 investigation story done on their pay to play scam). Professionally installed, higher quality equipment, and lifetime warranties. Sorry there is no comparison unless taking into account money frontpoint pays to promoters for reviews like this. Please reconsider your facts though. Hopefully these 100% true numbers, examples, and facts help you in your next unbiased review.
What about when a customer has a house that is already completely hardwired for an alarm system. All their doors and windows already have sensors, but the control panel is very outdated. How would that customer install a hard wired switch to keep all their old sensors working with a new wireless panel? With front point they would be stuck buying all new wireless sensors which would cost an arm and a leg. With Vivint the professional installer would come out and get all of the hard wired sensors working with that new technology keypad (which keep in mind looks like an iPad mini with a video screen vs the GE simon XT that front point still uses from about 7 years ago) so the customer doesn’t have to downgrade anything already in the home. Vivint has great value for many people that want to pay for a quality system. You get what you pay for!!
This is very inaccurate. I got Vivint for my business and they didn’t charge me any extra for multiple window sensors and glass breaks as well as 5 light controllers. The rep even showed me on his iPad that the only additional costs come from cameras, thermostat, echo, and space monkey (which I got all of cause we’re major techies at the dental office). Also, my contract is only 42 months and they let me choose the length. This seems like a very biased article. I have loved my Vivint and I recommend it to everyone!
Innacurate, due to the fact that Vivint gives you a panel, door lock, sensors for various Windows, two cameras, one light, and a thermostat as a bundle. Because that’s what I got! And I did only pay $99 for the installation.
Good morning! I spoke with a Vivint sales rep and was assured that they do have an activation/installation fee. If you have any questions about it, you can contact the Vivint Sales team at 800.216.5232 ext 5959. Best – Lia
Well you better recheck because I just signed up with Vivint as well this is very inaccurate and biased article I had no installation fee very nice rep as well as very informative and my contract is 42 months
I’m glad to hear you’ve had a positive experience with Vivint and that you’re enjoying the security system you’ve received from them.
Best,
– Lia
I did not pay for installation for my Vivint system nor did any of my neighbors and I received many sensors and light control things for no additional cost. I believe this article is a bit inaccurate.
My mom just signed up for Vivint, and received many home security features at no cost. I understand that if you go through one of their sales reps vs. calling them directly you can save that cost. However, her monthly fee is VERY high, higher than mentioned above, and she has a 5 year contract (which of course, with the higher monthly fee sort of makes you keep paying for that equipment.) I’m going to suggest that she re-think it since she has 7 days.