Vivint vs. Cove
Compare Vivint and Cove
Vivint and Cove are two newer home security companies. Both offer the ability to customize equipment packages to best fit your needs. In addition to customizable equipment, Vivint and Cove have month-to-month monitoring options with no long-term contracts required. There are a few differences between the companies — Cove is much more limited in smart-home integration than Vivint. Vivint also offers a video doorbell, which is an option Cove doesn’t provide.
Installation and cost
 |  | |
| Installation type | Pro install | DIY |
| Installation fee | $49 to $199 | None |
| Upfront cost | Varies based on equipment | Varies based on equipment |
| Trial period | Not listed | 60-day money-back guarantee |
| Contract terms | Typical contract is 60 months; month-to-month available with upfront equipment purchase | No term contracts |
| Pro install | $49 to $199 | Varies based on equipment | Not listed | Typical contract is 60 months; month-to-month available with upfront equipment purchase |
| DIY | None | Varies based on equipment | 60-day money-back guarantee | No term contracts |
Monitoring plans and pricing
| | |
| Monitoring price range | $19.99 to $29.99+ | $17.99 to $27.99/month |
| Monitoring options | Professional | Professional |
| Self-monitoring | Not offered | — |
| Upgraded self-monitoring | Not offered | — |
| 24/7 professional monitoring | Starting at $19.99 | Starting at $17.99/month |
| Upgraded professional monitoring | Custom plans and packages available | Starting at $27.99/month |
| $19.99 to $29.99+ | Professional | Not offered | Not offered | Starting at $19.99 | Custom plans and packages available |
| $17.99 to $27.99/month | Professional | — | — | Starting at $17.99/month | Starting at $27.99/month |
Security equipment
| | |
| Wired or wireless? | Wireless | Wireless |
| Camera options | Indoor and outdoor cameras | Indoor and outdoor cameras |
| Video doorbell | — | |
| Control panel | ||
| Motion sensor | ||
| Entry sensor | ||
| Glass break sensor | ||
| Keychain remote | ||
| Siren | ||
| Panic button | Vivint Emergency Pendant | Medical panic button |
| Yard sign |
| Wireless | Indoor and outdoor cameras | Vivint Emergency Pendant | ||||||||
| Wireless | Indoor and outdoor cameras | — | Medical panic button |
Smart-home features
| | |
| Smart locks | — | |
| Smart lights | — | |
| Smart thermostat | — | |
| Garage door control | — | |
| Temperature sensor | Heat detector within smoke detector | |
| Water sensor | ||
| Smoke detector | ||
| CO detector |
| ||||||||
| — | — | — | — | Heat detector within smoke detector |
Technology
| | |
| Mobile app | ||
| Mobile app monitoring | ||
| iOS rating | 4.6 | 2.3 |
| Android rating | 4.4 | 2.5 |
| Notification/alert options | Text and push | Phone, email, text and push |
| Home automation capabilities | — | |
| Voice integration | ||
| Amazon Alexa | ||
| Google Home | ||
| Other integrations | Google Home, Amazon Echo and Nest | — |
| 4.6 | 4.4 | Text and push | Google Home, Amazon Echo and Nest | ||||||
| 2.3 | 2.5 | Phone, email, text and push | — | — |
Reputation on ConsumerAffairs
| | |
| Overall star rating | 4.6 | 1.2 |
| Verified customer reviews | Vivint reviews | Cove reviews |
| 4.6 | Vivint reviews |
| 1.2 | Cove reviews |
All information accurate as of publishing date.
Vivint
Vivint specializes in highly customizable home security equipment packages based on clients’ specific needs and wants. It also has professional monitoring options starting at around $1 per day.
Vivint can integrate with smart-home technology and assistants like Alexa and Google Home. It also offers competitive financing options for the equipment. If you choose to purchase the equipment outright, you're not required to sign a contract and can pay for monitoring on a month-to-month basis.
Vivint plans
Vivint does not offer pre-made equipment packages — instead, a representative helps tailor a package to your specific needs. Equipment options include a control panel, panic pendants, glass break sensors, smart thermostats, video doorbells, smart locks, indoor cameras, outdoor cameras and motion sensors. Vivint also has the ability to integrate with smart lighting systems and garage door openers.
What Vivint customers say
Vivint earns high marks from the majority of reviewers on our site. Customers highlight their positive experiences with the installation process, saying the technicians are knowledgeable, efficient and able to answer all questions. Most customers claim the system works well, though there are some who had negative experiences with malfunctioning equipment and poor installation.
My service rep was great and installed everything quickly. Great quality and easy to use. I like being able to control it from my phone and also the Smart Hub. I was about to choose where I wanted everything and he made it super easy for me to access.”
— Dustilynn of Richwood, TX
Cove
Cove lets customers hand-select the type and quantity of equipment they want. It doesn’t have pre-made equipment packages for easy customization, but its equipment is all suitable for DIY installation.
Additionally, Cove has low monthly monitoring rates that range from 50 cents to 83 cents per day. There are no contracts, and the company has a 60-day money-back guarantee.
Cove plans
Cove doesn’t offer bundled home security packages, but you can take a quick online survey to help you build a customized system. Equipment options include a control panel, door sensors, window sensors, motion detectors, glass break sensors, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, flood sensors, key fobs, panic and medical pendants, indoor cameras and outdoor cameras.
What Cove customers say
Cove has relatively good reviews on our site. Positive reviewers say it's a good value and easy to install. However, there are some reviews that mention false alarms. One customer said the alarm response is excellent but found the equipment a bit lacking.
Easily installed. Customer service, when setting up the security system was excellent. Keyboard easy to navigate. Push the buttons slowly. You have the option to receive a verbal notification whenever a door or window is open. The camera works well. However it requires a membership to a cloud service when saving video.”
— Ralph of Vacaville, CA
Bottom line: Vivint or Cove?
There are a few differences between Vivint and Cove. Vivint has several more equipment options that integrate with smart homes, including video doorbells, smart thermostats, smart lights and garage door openers. Cove doesn’t have these equipment options. Another difference between Vivint and Cove is that Cove is strictly a DIY installation option, while Vivint generally requires professional installation for an additional cost.
- Vivint is best for customers who need customized packages with multiple smart-home integrations and don’t mind the extra installation fees.
- Cove is best for customers who don’t have as many smart-home devices and equipment to integrate and want to install the equipment themselves.
