I gave my house to Vivint Smart Home Security and here's what happened

A fully featured smart home security system for the technology-minded

Vivint montage featuring hub touchscreen camera and doorbell
(Image: © Future)

Digital Camera World Verdict

The Vivint Home Security System fulfills its promises in pretty much any way you can think of. Easy to use mobile app and an intuitive main panel are big plusses. It's not cheap and Google Assistant integration is fiddly at best, but the peace of mind from 24/7 monitoring is genuine.

Pros

  • +

    Excellent app, easy to use, and very functional

  • +

    Super video quality and FOV from the cameras

  • +

    Automation functions are very useful

  • +

    Great build quality on all Vivint products

  • +

    Main panel is a joy to use

  • +

    Huge feature set

Cons

  • -

    Pricey compared to its peers and DIY systems

  • -

    Google Home / Assistant integration is a pain to set up

  • -

    Cameras not as pretty as others on the market

  • -

    No self-install option

Why you can trust Digital Camera World Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out how we test.

The home security marketplace has grown at an alarming rate (pun completely intended) the last 5-10 years with the birth of “smart” home features built into many DIY products. However, systems such as Google Nest, Arlo, and Ring have drawbacks which can include over-dependence on your home Wi-Fi and – one way or another – reliable power to keep working.

Vivint system is aiming to combine the benefits of smart home security and higher-end monitored systems, and even the brand name makes that plain. If you speak Latin. "Viv" comes from "viva," to live, and "int" is the prefix of the word intelligently.

Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Dan M Lee
Pro Travel and Adventure Photographer, Educator and Author

Dan M Lee is a professional travel and adventure photographer who has shared his knowledge with hundreds of individuals through his in-person wilderness photography training and thousands more through his writing. That includes a book, Creating Photography: The Professional Edge but the way to get involved is to join him on an expedition via kodiakphotoworkshop.com.

Dan has a broad range of photographic interests – and tech enthusiasm – which he can trace back to his first job, while still at school, in a photography shop in England. He has since been lured across the Atlantic to New York City where he undertakes commissions for numerous publishers.

His extensive traveling means he can be out of his home for more than half the year, which has also seen him develop an interest in smart security systems.

He is also a regular on the Not The Gear and The Grumpy Photographer podcasts.