Should you own your security system — or rent it forever from ADT or Vivint?
For almost every Dallas–Fort Worth home and business, owning costs less and gives you more control. Here's the honest, five-year comparison — no contracts, no monthly fees, no equipment held hostage.
Pay once, own it for good
A Fortify system is a one-time investment. No monthly bill, no renewal, no rate hikes — the hardware and the footage are yours from day one.
No lock-in, no lockout
We never hold your equipment hostage behind a subscription. Cancel a contract with a national brand and the gear can go dark; cancel with us — there's nothing to cancel.
Licensed, local, accountable
Texas-licensed installers and named local technicians — not a call center three states away. The same team that designs your system stands behind it.
Own it with Fortify vs. rent from a national brand
The figures below are estimates based on national providers' published 2026 monitoring pricing — they illustrate cost of ownership, not a Fortify quote. Your Fortify quote is always free and itemized.
Over five years, the monthly fees alone on a national contract run roughly $2,100–$3,240 — and you still don't own the equipment. A Fortify system is a one-time investment you own outright, with $0 in monthly fees.
Quoted-Price Guarantee
The itemized price we quote is the price you pay. No change orders you didn't approve, no hidden fees.
You-Own-It Guarantee
Every system we install belongs to you. No proprietary lock-in, no forced subscriptions, no contracts holding your equipment hostage.
Clean-Install Guarantee
Concealed wiring, labeled terminations, and a space left cleaner than we found it — or we pay for professional cleaning.
Workmanship Warranty
Our installation work is warranted. If a termination, mount, or cable run we made fails, we come back and make it right at no charge.
Own vs. rent, answered
Do I need a contract for a home security system?
No. National brands like ADT and Vivint typically require 36-to-60-month monitoring agreements, but a contract is not required to have a professional, reliable system. Fortify builds hardwired systems you own outright with no contract and no monthly fee — you can add optional self-monitoring or professional monitoring later only if you want it.
Can I have a security system without monthly fees?
Yes. The monthly fee on most national systems pays for monitoring and effectively rents you the equipment. Fortify installs systems you own, with local recording you control, so there is no required monthly fee at all. The average monitored system runs about $54 a month — roughly $3,200 over five years before equipment.
Is it better to own my security system or rent it from ADT or Vivint?
For most Dallas–Fort Worth homeowners and businesses, owning is cheaper and more flexible over any multi-year horizon. Renting bundles low upfront cost with a long contract and perpetual fees, and the equipment is leased or software-locked. Owning is a one-time cost with zero monthly fees, no contract, and full control of your footage — typically thousands less over five years.
Do I own the equipment or am I renting it?
With a contract brand, you are usually renting or financing leased equipment that the provider controls. With Fortify, every camera, cable, lock, and panel we install belongs to you outright — no proprietary lock-in and no subscription required to keep using it.
What happens to my system if I cancel?
With a national monitoring contract, cancelling can trigger early-termination fees and some equipment stops working once the subscription ends. With a Fortify system there is nothing to cancel — you own the equipment, it keeps working, and you are free to add or change monitoring on your own terms.
Own your system. Keep your money.
Skip the contract and the forever-bill. We'll design a hardwired system you own outright — and if you're holding a quote from another company, we'll review it free.