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 installation	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 installation	$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	4.7	2.5
Verified customer reviews	Vivint reviews	Cove reviews

	4.7	Vivint reviews
	2.5	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.

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.

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.