Vivint Terms of Service

Item: Vivint
Rating: 32
Author: Terms.Law Editorial Team

Last updated: November 2025 | Reviewed: February 2026

Premium smart home security with professional installation, but equipment financing creates long-term lock-in. Early cancellation means paying off the entire equipment balance plus fees.

Grade D

Bottom Line: Vivint's premium smart home system comes with premium lock-in. Equipment financing over 42-60 months creates an effective long-term contract even without explicit contract terms. Canceling early means paying off thousands in equipment costs immediately. Their aggressive sales tactics have also drawn regulatory scrutiny.

Category Scores

Contract Terms 22/100

Cancellation Rights 25/100

Liability Provisions 30/100

Dispute Resolution 35/100

Transparency 45/100

Key Findings

⚠ Hidden Long-Term Lock-In via Financing

Vivint structures deals with equipment financing over 42-60 months. While marketed as "flexible," canceling service means immediately paying off the full equipment balance, which can exceed $2,000.

"Equipment is financed separately from monitoring services. Upon cancellation of monitoring, the full remaining equipment balance becomes immediately due and payable."

⚠ Aggressive Sales Practices

Vivint has faced multiple regulatory actions for aggressive door-to-door sales tactics. The FTC and several state attorneys general have taken action over deceptive practices including misrepresenting contract terms and using high-pressure tactics.

⚠ Equipment Remains Vivint-Locked

Even after paying off equipment, Vivint's proprietary system cannot be transferred to another monitoring provider. The equipment becomes effectively useless if you switch to a competitor.

"Vivint equipment is designed to work exclusively with Vivint monitoring services and may not function with third-party monitoring providers."

⚠ Auto-Renewal After Financing

Once equipment is paid off, the monitoring contract auto-renews annually. You must provide written notice 30 days before the renewal date to cancel, or you're locked in for another year.

"After the initial financing period, this agreement renews automatically for successive twelve-month periods unless cancelled in writing 30 days before renewal."

Comparison: Home Security Providers

Feature	Vivint	ADT	SimpliSafe
Effective Lock-In	42-60 months	36 months	None
Equipment Cost	$1,500-$3,000	$200-$500	$200-$500
Can Switch Providers	No	No	Yes
Professional Install	Required	Required	Optional
Smart Home Integration	Excellent	Good	Limited

Recommendation

Approach with Caution: Vivint offers premium smart home features but at the cost of extreme lock-in. Before signing, calculate the total cost including equipment financing and understand you cannot switch providers without losing your equipment investment.

Alternative: If you want professional installation and smart home integration without the lock-in, consider purchasing your own smart home equipment (Ring, Nest, etc.) and using a no-contract monitoring service.