ADT’s long-rumored new security system is now live on ADT.com. The new ADT Plus system uses new ADT hardware and integrates with Google Nest cameras, smart speakers, and more, with a distinct Google Nest Secure look and feel (RIP). But how it works in your home remains to be seen.
The company also announced that the Yale Assure Lock 2 will be the first smart lock to be compatible with Trusted Neighbor, with new features that leverage technology like smart locks and facial recognition to make it easier for people you trust to gain access to your home in an emergency. At home – or just to feed the dog.
If you have a smart lock as part of your system, you’ll be able to set it up so that when your “trusted neighbor” comes to your home to help you, the door can automatically unlock and the system disarms, then restarts when they leave. Lock and rearm.
The new ADT Plus system is a significant shift for the company as it brings professionally installed systems and DIY systems to the same level. Now, no matter which installation method you use, you get the same hardware.
ADT Plus replaces ADT’s Self Setup system, which was launched in 2023 after Google invested in the company. When the Nest Secure service is shut down, it will be free to users and will continue to be supported.
ADT Chief Commercial Officer Wayne Thorsen said that the technology behind the new system uses DECT ultra-low energy consumption, Z-Wave, Wi-Fi and BLE protocols to enable deeper integration with the hardware of smart home partners such as Yale University and Google. Allows for more advanced automation.
during an interview edge, Thorson said this is just the beginning of more smart integrations on the new platform. The Z-Wave Yale lock is the first compatible lock, but Thorsen said there will be more options in the future.
Access allows someone you trust to disarm your system and unlock your door using an app or a key code based on parameters you set. These parameters can be time-based or event-based. So you can set it up to let Suzy in when a package shows up at your door, and let the plumber in when the leak detector is triggered.
It can also leverage the Google Nest camera’s Familiar Face feature and Yale Lock’s connection to the ADT system to allow homes to “magically” disarm themselves and unlock the door when a trusted neighbor is identified.
The Yale Assure Lock 2 is available in a bundled starter kit with the new system, which normally sells for $658.98, but is available with a 30% discount at launch for $461.29. Front door protection package includes new base station, two door/window sensors, Yale Assure Lock 2, and Google Nest Doorbell (battery). Professional monitoring is $45 per month and includes a Nest Aware subscription for event-based video recording (an additional $7 if you want 24/7 video recording).
The Premium Total Safety package adds a third door/window sensor, a motion sensor, three Google Nest Cams (Nest Cam Indoor, Nest Cam Indoor/Outdoor, and Nest Cam Floodlight) and three water temperature sensors for sale Price $1,101.76 (original price $1,573.95). You can also build a base station and a door and window sensor kit starting at $269.
The ADT Plus system is self-installing and self-monitoring. However, the company says that purchasing the system requires you to pay for one month of monitoring, after which you can self-monitor for free. For professional installation, a 36-month monitoring plan is required.
Nest Secure shades
The new ADT Plus system borrows heavily from the much-missed Google Secure system. It has a similar-looking base station, a backlit touch-button keypad with proximity sensing capabilities, and advanced door and window sensor options, similar to the Nest Detects of the Nest Secure. The sensor can be deactivated with the push of a button—so you can let your dog out to pee without waking the whole house—though it doesn’t double as a motion sensor like the Detect.
Since Google invested in ADT in 2020, there have been many changes in the company’s top management, and many Nest employees have switched jobs from Google to ADT, including Thorsen and the new CTO Gilles Drieu (formerly Google Nest Engineering Director).
What this all means is that the new hardware has Nest’s fingerprints all over it. I’m looking forward to testing it out to see if it’s a worthy successor to the Nest Secure. However, while ADT Plus works with Google Nest hardware, the company told me it’s not compatible with the Google Home app—app control is only available through the ADT Plus app.
As someone who has been studying smart homes and home security for over a decade, I’m excited to see better integration and innovation between these two areas, which have been largely fragmented to date. At the same time, it’s frustrating that this is all still locked into a closed ecosystem. It will be interesting to see what ADT, Google, and Yale think about this.
