Cox vs. ADT Review

For whatever reason, you’re stuck between Cox Security and ADT. Maybe they’re the best options for home security in your area; maybe they’re the two top recommendations your friends gave you. And now you need to pick one.

To make your choice easier, we’ve laid out a quick comparison of Cox to ADT’s offerings.

You can tell at first glance that these two offerings are pretty different. They both require professional monitoring and installation, but the pricing and contract structures have little in common.

So here’s an interesting thing about Cox. It’s more of a smart home subscription with home security added in the highest tier. That means that the home security features cost $54.99 per month, to be exact. And that’s not counting equipment costs.

But you can get Cox home security bundled with Cox internet and TV, which may bring your home service costs down overall. How much you save will depend on the package you choose.

As far as up-front costs go, Cox offers multiple equipment options. Right now, the company has both a free security and automation starter package and a $200 option. But that’s before activation and installation fees. (Activation fee is $49; installation fee is unknown to us at this time.)

Cox’s contracts are supposedly about two years, although we weren’t able to verify that for certain. We’ve also heard that there may be a possibility of going month to month after the contract ends, but don’t take that as gospel.

ADT is one of the most expensive home security providers we've covered, and that's still the case here. 

Cox and ADT have a lot of similar security equipment, while ADT has a lot more smart home devices.

When it comes to home automation, it’s clear that ADT is the better choice if you want to connect to other smart products.

Cox has no home automation that we know of. That means you can’t connect it to your favorite smart assistant or use cheaper equipment to supplement your Cox purchases.

ADT’s compatible with Alexa and Google. It also works with the Z-Wave protocol.

While we like DIY systems, there are advantages to a professionally installed system. You don’t have to do any wiring or mounting.

Both Cox and ADT’s systems are professionally installed, saving you the effort of installing a system yourself.

When you buy your Cox smart home system online, you make an appointment for a professional installer to pay you a visit.

One exception: there are a few Cox items (like lights, locks, plugs, and cameras) that you can set up yourself. So if you order some devices à la carte, you may not need the professionals.

ADT’s process is similar. You call to buy, or purchase directly from the website, and they’ll set you up with an installation date and time as well as a more thorough cost breakdown.

ADT doesn’t always measure up favorably when it comes to customer service, but next to Cox, it looks terrific.

It’s been a while since we’ve seen a positive Cox customer experience. Most Cox customers are underwhelmed by the service they get, and it’s not uncommon to see complaints about contract and billing issues.

We’d be surprised if you hadn’t heard of ADT. Have you ever watched five rom-coms on a lazy Saturday and the same guy’s in three of them? ADT is that guy but in home security.

Despite ADT being so prolific (or maybe because of; mo’ customers mo’ problems), it has its issues. Its prices are some of the highest in the industry, and the quality of service you get from its dealers varies wildly. But though we have our hang-ups about ADT, it has much better customer reviews than Cox Homelife.

With its high prices, low automation, and questionable customer service, we don’t recommend Cox to people who aren’t existing Cox Communications customers. If you’re looking for the best in home security, we’d go with ADT over Cox any day.

To learn more, read our Cox and ADT Command reviews. And take a look at our best home security system recommendations while you’re at it.