Do all home security companies charge a cancellation fee?

No single rule covers every provider, plan or purchase channel. Check service cancellation, prepaid-plan refunds, equipment financing and return conditions separately.

How do I estimate an early termination fee?

Use the formula in your signed agreement and the applicable remaining service term. A calculator estimate does not include every possible equipment balance, refund or other account charge.

Can I avoid a cancellation fee if I move?

Ask for the relocation policy that applies to your agreement and address. A move does not automatically establish a waiver; get any approved transfer or cancellation terms in writing.

What happens if I just stop paying?

Stopping payment does not establish cancellation. Resolve the notice and final balance with the provider, keep evidence, and dispute inaccurate credit reporting through the appropriate channels.

Cancellation Fees by Brand: What It Actually Costs to Leave Your Security Contract

TL;DR

Your exit cost can include several separate items: a service cancellation fee, remaining equipment debt, a final service period, and any nonrefundable prepaid subscription. A month-to-month service plan does not settle all four questions.

Use your signed agreement and a written account-specific cancellation quote. The free ETF calculator estimates a percentage-based service fee from the inputs you supply; it cannot verify your contract or final balance.

Find the service fee and the equipment balance separately

Search your service agreement for cancellation, early termination, renewal and notice requirements. Then check any separate equipment purchase, lease or finance agreement. Canceling monitoring does not, by itself, prove an equipment balance has been cleared.

Illustrative calculation, not a provider quote: if a contract charges 75% of 48 remaining service payments at $59.99, the service fee is 48 × $59.99 × 0.75 = $2,159.64. Use that formula only if it matches the agreement you actually signed.

What to check for each provider

Use this as an account checklist, not a ranking or a statement that every plan from a brand has the same terms.

| Provider | Ask before canceling | |---|---| | SimpliSafe | Confirm the service end date, prepaid charges and any equipment return or finance terms. | | Ring | Check your subscription and purchase channel. Ring's current U.S. help page says cancellation stops renewal at the end of the billing period; refunds are unavailable unless applicable law requires them. Download recordings you need first. | | Arlo | Check the exact monthly or annual plan, billing channel, service end date and refund terms. | | Eufy | Separate any cloud or monitoring subscription from the device's storage and account requirements. | | Wyze | Check each camera or home-monitoring subscription separately, including who bills it. | | Abode | Confirm your plan's renewal, notice and refund rules, plus any equipment financing. | | Cove | Check monitoring cancellation separately from equipment financing, return conditions or promotional terms. | | ADT | Identify the actual provider, installation option and signed service/finance agreements before estimating a fee. | | Vivint | Request separate figures for monitoring obligations and outstanding equipment financing. |

A cancellation that stops renewal does not automatically produce a refund. See Ring's current cancellation policy for a concrete example of why a no-renewal action and a refund are different.

The math, walked through

Find the service charge used by the cancellation clause. Separate any equipment installment from service before multiplying.
Confirm the applicable term and effective cancellation date. Ask whether renewal or a notice period changes the calculation.
Read the actual formula. A percentage of remaining payments is one possible formula; a calculator should not substitute for the agreement.
Add separate obligations once. Ask for equipment payoff, outstanding charges, return conditions and any refund as separate line items.

The free ETF calculator is an estimate from your inputs. Compare its result with the provider's written account-specific figure before deciding.

Possible exceptions to check

An exception depends on the agreement, facts and applicable law. Do not assume one applies just because its name appears below.

Moving or service failure: ask which policy or contract provision applies, what evidence is required, and whether any equipment debt remains.
Death of the account holder: request the provider's estate/account-closure process.
Military orders: qualifying home-security service contracts may fall under 50 U.S.C. § 3956. The rule is not a blanket waiver for every move over 35 miles. Ask military legal assistance to review the orders, notice and contract.
Cooling-off rights: certain sales qualify for cancellation under the FTC Cooling-Off Rule; signing at home alone does not establish eligibility. Check the sale method, exclusions and deadline promptly.

What to do before closing the account

Request an itemized exit figure. Use the ETF calculator as a cross-check, not proof of the final amount.
Read the applicable notice and exception provisions. Keep the agreement and relevant messages.
State any dispute specifically. Identify the charge, relevant clause and supporting facts. The cancellation letter template is a starting point to adapt, not a guaranteed legal result.
Get confirmation. Save the effective date, delivery evidence, equipment instructions and final balance; check subsequent statements.

The wider checklist is in the After-signing options guide.

Free tools that pair with this guide:

ETF Calculator — estimate a percentage-based service fee
Cancellation Letter Template — plug-and-play letter
Contract Upload — plain-English contract breakdown
After-Signing System — stage-by-stage post-sign walkthrough

Sources and scope

This is a research-based checklist, not a finding about your contract. Calculator examples depend on their stated assumptions.

Editorial methodology: securitycompasshq.com/methodology. SecurityCompass HQ earns affiliate commissions from some recommended providers but does not accept payment to alter rankings or omit fees.