Do all home security companies charge a cancellation fee?

No. Of the 9 major brands SecurityCompass HQ tracks, 7 carry no early termination fee at all because they sell month-to-month or no-contract monitoring. The 2 that do charge ETFs are ADT and Vivint, both of which use multi-year contracts as their default.

What is the typical formula for an early termination fee?

The two common formulas are (a) 75% to 100% of the remaining contract value and (b) a fixed dollar amount. ADT and Vivint both use a 'percentage of remaining payments' formula in most contracts.

Can I avoid the ETF if I move?

Some contracts include a 'move clause' that lets you transfer or terminate without penalty if you move outside the service area. Read the contract — these clauses typically have specific documentation requirements and apply only to certain types of moves.

What happens if I just stop paying?

The ETF is treated as a liquidated debt. Most brands send the unpaid amount to a collection agency, which can damage your credit. Worth disputing in writing before letting it get to collections.

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

TL;DR

Of the 9 major home security brands we track, only 2 charge an early termination fee (ETF) at all: ADT and Vivint. Both can cost $900 or more to exit, depending on how many months remain on your contract. The other 7 brands sell either month-to-month or no-contract monitoring, so leaving costs nothing beyond your final monthly bill.

If you have an ADT or Vivint contract and are thinking about cancelling, the free ETF calculator will give you the exact dollar amount based on your specific contract terms.

Why most homeowners don't realize there's even a fee

The cancellation-fee conversation never happens during the sales pitch. It's not a deal-killer — but it's not a feature you brag about either. So it gets buried in the contract under a phrase like "liquidated damages" or "early termination charge equal to seventy-five percent (75%) of the remaining payments due under this Agreement."

In practice, that wording maps to a real number. On a 60-month, $59.99/mo Vivint contract, cancelling at month 12 means 48 months remain × $59.99 × 75% = $2,159.64. That's not a typo. It's a number that catches homeowners completely off guard when they call to cancel.

The 9 major brands, ranked by cancellation cost

Here is the practical reality for each brand SecurityCompass HQ tracks. ETF figures are based on each brand's standard published terms; your specific contract may vary.

Tier 1 — No contract, no ETF (cancel anytime)

These brands sell month-to-month monitoring. Cancellation costs nothing beyond your final monthly bill, which is pro-rated to the day you cancel.

SimpliSafe — Month-to-month plans across all tiers. Cancel via account portal or phone, no fee.
Ring — Month-to-month protection plans. No ETF, no penalties.
Arlo — Month-to-month subscription. Cancel anytime via account portal.
Eufy — Local-storage-first, no monthly contract required for core function.
Wyze — Month-to-month Cam Plus or Home Monitoring. No ETF.
Abode — Month-to-month and on-demand monitoring options.
Cove — Sells contracts but allows cancellation at any time without an ETF (verified policy as of 2026).

Tier 2 — Contract-based with significant ETF exposure

These brands default to multi-year contracts. Cancelling mid-term triggers a real, often substantial, fee.

ADT — Standard contract is 36 months. ETF formula varies by contract version but commonly 75% of remaining monthly payments. On a $50/mo contract with 24 months remaining, that's $900.
Vivint — Standard contract is 42 to 60 months. ETF can equal 100% of remaining payments depending on the contract version. The longest-term contracts can produce ETFs of $2,000+ if cancelled in the first year.

The math, walked through

Here is how to calculate your real ETF in 60 seconds:

Find your monthly monitoring rate. The exact dollar amount on your contract — not the marketing rate.
Find the months remaining on your initial term. Don't include any auto-renewal extension.
Find the ETF percentage in your contract. It will say "X% of remaining payments" or similar. Common values: 75%, 80%, 100%.
Multiply. Months remaining × monthly rate × ETF percentage = your ETF.

The free ETF calculator does this for you and shows the curve over time, so you can see what cancelling looks like at month 12 vs month 24 vs month 36.

What actually triggers an ETF (and what doesn't)

Some cancellation reasons are exempt from the ETF in many contracts. These vary by brand, so verify in writing:

Move clauses. Some contracts waive the ETF if you move outside the service area, typically with documentation.
Service failure. If the brand failed to deliver monitoring (verified failure events, missed dispatches, broken equipment they wouldn't repair), you may have grounds to argue the contract was breached first.
Death of contract holder. Most contracts include estate-cancellation language.
Military deployment / orders. Federal Servicemembers Civil Relief Act gives military members special cancellation rights for orders relocating them more than 35 miles.
Cooling-off (3 days). If the contract was signed at home (door-to-door or in-home sales), federal law gives you 3 business days to rescind, no questions asked, no ETF.

What to do if you're already inside an ETF

Calculate the real number first. Use the ETF calculator so you walk in knowing what they'll quote.
Read your contract for exemption clauses. Move clause, service-failure clause, cooling-off provisions.
If you have grounds to dispute, do it in writing first. A polite, specific written dispute often resolves the issue before it becomes a credit problem. The free cancellation letter template has the right phrases.
If you're paying it, pay it cleanly. Get the cancellation confirmation in writing, save the certified-mail receipt, and watch for any rogue charges in the next 60 days.

The full stage-by-stage walkthrough of post-signing options is at securitycompasshq.com/after-signing.

Free tools that pair with this guide:

ETF Calculator — exact dollar amount for your contract
Cancellation Letter Template — plug-and-play letter
Contract Upload — plain-English contract breakdown
After-Signing System — stage-by-stage post-sign walkthrough

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.