ADT+

Review by eFreeware

ADT+ is the companion app for ADT's home security service, published by ADT LLC. It is free, carries no ads and offers no in-app purchases. The main reason to consider it is consolidation: your security system, your Nest cameras and a set of compatible smart devices all sit in one app.

It has been on Google Play since December 2022 and has passed 100,000 installs with a 4.7 average from more than 11,000 ratings. That is a healthy signal for a utility app that people open in a hurry when something needs checking. My interest here is less in the rating than in what the app actually does day to day.

Running your security system from the app

The core job is straightforward: you can arm and disarm your ADT+ security system remotely, and check its current status without walking to a keypad. For anyone who has driven back to the house because they could not remember whether they set the alarm, that alone justifies having the app installed.

Access management is part of the same picture. The app is built around secure mobile access to your system. I would expect this to be the screen most people open daily and everything else to be secondary.

The developer also lists customizable alerts that reach you by email or push notification, covering events such as arming and disarming, along with intelligent alerts from connected smart home devices. That turns the app from a remote control into something closer to a log you can scan when you want to know what happened while you were out.

Cameras, doorbells and what you can see

Camera work is handled through Google Nest hardware. The app streams live video from Nest Cams and Doorbells, supports two-way talk so you can speak to whoever is at the door, and gives you access to recorded event history so you can review what a camera captured whether you were home or away.

Two-way talk is the feature I would lean on most. Being able to answer a delivery or tell a visitor you are on your way, without opening the door or being in the house, is the sort of thing that changes how you use a doorbell. The video history matters for the opposite reason: it lets you check a clip after the fact rather than only watching live.

Smart home controls and automations

Beyond security, the app reaches into ordinary household devices. One screen handles the thermostat, garage door, locks and lights. The appeal is having one place to check whether the garage was left open rather than juggling separate apps for each brand.

Rules take this a step further. I would treat this as the part of the app that rewards a little patience: automations are only as good as the logic you put into them, and a poorly planned rule is more annoying than no rule at all.

Settings and profile management live here too, including editing the custom alerts mentioned earlier. If you like your notifications tuned precisely, this is where that happens.

Trusted Neighbor and My Safety

Two services sit on top of the standard controls. With Trusted Neighbor, a neighbor or helper can be given short-term access to check on the home while you are away. It is available to eligible ADT+ customers, so whether you can use it depends on your account.

One practical limit: My Safety is available in the United States only, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin is excluded. If you are outside the U.S., that part of the app is not something you can count on.

What you need before the app does anything

It is built to control an ADT+ home security system, and the smart home side depends on compatible devices, with Google Nest cameras and doorbells named specifically. Without that hardware behind it, the app has little to work with.

A working internet connection and Wi-Fi are required for several of the headline features, including remote control, mobile notifications, video streaming and video recording. Trusted Neighbor is limited to eligible customers, and My Safety sits with a Pro Monitoring plan. In other words, what you get out of ADT+ tracks what you have signed up for.

The app itself is free, with no ads and no in-app purchases, and it is rated for Everyone.

Who gets the most from ADT+

The clearest fit is an existing ADT+ customer with Nest cameras and a few connected devices. For that household, the app replaces a handful of separate controls with one, and the security functions alone would justify keeping it on the phone.

It also suits people who travel and want to check on the house without calling anyone, or who want a neighbor to have temporary access rather than a spare key. The combination of camera history, alerts and remote arming covers the questions people actually ask when they are away from home.

If you do not have an ADT+ system or compatible hardware, the app is not for you. That is not a flaw so much as the nature of a companion app: it is a remote for a specific setup, and it is only as capable as the setup behind it.

A capable remote for an ADT household

A 4.7 average across more than 11,000 ratings suggests it holds up for the people already using it, and the features cover everyday tasks such as arming, disarming, checking cameras, locking up and setting alerts.

The trade-offs are the ones you would expect. It needs compatible hardware, a working internet connection for the remote and video features, and eligibility or a Pro Monitoring plan for Trusted Neighbor and My Safety, with the latter limited to the U.S. outside Milwaukee. None of that is hidden, but it does mean the app is a companion rather than a standalone product.

My recommendation is simple. If you already run an ADT+ system with Nest cameras, install it and set up your alerts and rules early. If you are not an ADT customer, this app is not aimed at you.