Updated September 30, 2026 · SmartHomeCue Editorial Team
Reolink vs Vivint
Reolink vs Vivint: the differences
| Compare | Reolink ReviewVisitVisit |  Vivint |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $69.99Lower | $199.99 |
| Monitoring per month | $0Lower | $24.99 to $44.99 |
| Products | Camera, Video doorbell | Alarm, Camera, Smart lock, Video doorbell, Smoke alarmCovers more |
| Professional monitoring | No | YesHas it |
| Minimum contract | Not confirmed | 0 to 60 months |
| Top resolution | Not confirmed | 4k |
| Recording retention | Not confirmed | 10 days |
| Installation required | Not confirmed | Yes |
Same on both: Local storage (Yes), Money-back period (30 days).
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Key differences
- Reolink scores higher overall: 9.1 vs 8.8.
- Price is lower at Reolink: $69.99 vs $199.99.
- Monitoring per month is lower at Reolink: $0 vs $24.99 to $44.99.
- Products: only Vivint offers Alarm, Smart lock, Smoke alarm.
- Professional monitoring: only Vivint.
- Support channels: only Reolink offers Email.
- Pricing model: only Reolink offers Diy.
- Pricing model: only Vivint offers Monitored.
Our verdict on each
Reolink
Reolink suits homeowners and renters who want to install their own cameras and pay no monitoring subscription, since monitoring runs at $0 a month and a turret camera costs $69.99. The catch is that nobody watches the property for you, so no response team is called if a break-in happens while you are away.
Vivint
Vivint suits households that want a monitored system sold, installed and maintained as a single package rather than a box of self installed cameras. It scores 8.8 overall, and the trade to weigh is a higher entry price and a contract term against professional monitoring on every device.
Score breakdown
| Area | Reolink | Vivint |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.2HigherMonitoring at $0 a month plus a DIY entry hardware price of $69.99 keeps running ownership cost low. | 8.2Entry price of $199.99 ranks 65 of 70, while monitoring at $24.99 to $44.99 ranks higher. |
| Offer | 9.0Local storage alongside a camera and video doorbell range gives a usable kit at $69.99 with no subscription attached. | 9.2HigherA single system covers alarm, camera and smart lock, and the app adds energy reporting on top. |
| Trust | 9.1A 30 day money back window and email, help centre and phone support back a hardware-only purchase. | 9.1A monitored service with a 1 year warranty, 30 days money back and phone support. |
By the numbers
| Fact | Reolink | Vivint |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $69.99 | $199.99 |
| Monitoring per month | $0 | $24.99 to $44.99 |
| Money-back period | 30 days | 30 days |
How they place
| Ranking | Reolink | Vivint |
|---|---|---|
| Home security cameras | 4 of 83 | 19 of 83 |
| Security cameras without a subscription | 4 of 53 | 15 of 53 |
| Video doorbells | 4 of 54 | 19 of 54 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Reolink | Vivint |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Diy | Monitored |
| Power source | Not confirmed | Wired, Poe |
| Ecosystems | Not confirmed | |
| Legal entity | Reolink Innovation Limited | Vivint LLC |
| Headquarters | Hong Kong | United States |
| Founded | 2009 | Not confirmed |
| Support channels | Email, Help centre, PhoneCovers more | Phone, Help centre |
Smart home devices
| Fact | Reolink | Vivint |
|---|---|---|
| Device types | Not confirmed | Hub, Sensor, Thermostat, Lighting, Plug |
| Price from | Not confirmed | $199.99 |
| Protocols | Not confirmed | Wi fi |
| Hub required | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Local control | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Energy reporting | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Subscription per month | Not confirmed | $24.99 to $44.99 |
| Warranty | Not confirmed | 1 year |
| Markets | Not confirmed | US |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Reolink | Vivint | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $69.99at the median | $199.99highest quarter | $69.99 |
| Monitoring per month | $0at the median | $24.99 to $44.99highest quarter | $0 |
| Minimum contract | Not confirmed | 0 to 60 monthsat the median | 0 |
| Money-back period | 30 daysat the median | 30 daysat the median | 30 days |
| Recording retention | Not confirmed | 10 dayslowest quarter | 30 days |
Median across 65 listed brands.
Pros and cons
Reolink
Pros
- Monitoring costs $0 a month and local storage is offered, so recordings can stay on hardware in the house rather than on a paid cloud plan.
- The range covers camera and video doorbell, so a camera for the garden and a doorbell for the front can come from the same maker.
- Support runs on email, help centre and phone, giving buyers a phone line, email and a written help centre for self-install problems.
Cons
- Professional monitoring is not offered, so nothing is watching the property or calling anyone on your behalf while you are away.
- The DIY plan turret camera at $69.99 costs more than $13.95 and $19.99, and Reolink sits at position 35 of 70 on price.
- Product types come down to camera and video doorbell, so a combined alarm panel or a smart lock means looking at another maker.
Vivint
Pros
- Professional monitoring is included rather than sold as an add on, and the plan also supports local storage with video kept for 10 days.
- A single plan spans alarm, camera and smart lock, so cameras, a video doorbell, a smart lock, an alarm and a smoke alarm run on the same account.
- The recurring fee of $24.99 to $44.99 places Vivint at 46 of 51 on monthly cost, which reads well for a monitored service.
Cons
- The entry figure of $199.99 ranks 65 of 70, far above the $19.99 Annke charges and the $13.95 The Home Security Superstore charges for a single device.
- Contract terms run 0 to 60 months, so the $24.99 to $44.99 monitoring fee keeps going well past the point where a cheaper kit would have paid for itself.
- The service sells in the US only, which closes it off for buyers in other countries.
Who each suits
Reolink
Who it suits
- Renters and homeowners who install their own kit and want recordings kept on storage in the house.
- People who want a camera and a video doorbell from the same maker without adding a monitoring subscription.
- Buyers who want a 30 day window to send back hardware that will not set up.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone who wants a monitoring centre to call out on their behalf, since Reolink offers no professional monitoring and the response side stays with you.
- Buyers on the smallest hardware budget, where $13.95 and $19.99 buy a cheaper entry camera.
- UK shoppers who want the lowest price in sterling, since Aqara lists £36.98.
Vivint
Who it suits
- Households that want professional monitoring and installation handled rather than self installed.
- People fitting out a whole home at once, since one account covers alarm, camera and smart lock.
- Owners who already run Google in the home, as the range works with google.
Who should look elsewhere
- Buyers outside the US, where the service is not offered.
- Shoppers on a tight entry budget, since Annke at $19.99 and Aqara at £36.98 both start lower than $199.99.
- Renters who may move during the term, because contract terms run 0 to 60 months.
Country by country
| Country | Reolink | Vivint |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | Yes | No |
| Austria | Yes | No |
| Belgium | Yes | No |
| Bulgaria | Yes | No |
| Canada | Yes | No |
| Croatia | Yes | No |
| Czechia | Yes | No |
| Denmark | Yes | No |
8 of 32 countries where either is available.
Questions about each
Reolink
Is there a monthly monitoring fee with Reolink?+
Monitoring on the DIY plan runs at $0 a month, so the running cost of the cameras is not what drives the bill. Local storage is offered as well, which means clips can be kept on storage in the house rather than on a paid cloud tier. Reolink also holds position 1 of 51 brands on that measure.
What does a Reolink camera cost to buy?+
The DIY plan is sold as hardware, and entry pricing starts at $69.99 for a turret camera. Because no subscription is attached, that entry figure is the whole purchase cost rather than the opening instalment of something longer. There is no renewal price to budget for, which is the main practical difference from a monitored alarm package.
Vivint
What does a Vivint system cost to begin with?+
The introductory figure for the Vivint security plan is $199.99. After that, the recurring monitoring charge is $24.99 to $44.99 a month, and installation is required, so the real outlay is the entry figure plus the monthly fee for as long as the system stays in the house. Contract terms run 0 to 60 months, which sets how long that addition continues.
Is there a contract, and how long does it run?+
Contract terms run 0 to 60 months, spanning a short arrangement at one end and a multi year tie in at the other. That length decides how much of the $24.99 to $44.99 monitoring fee you pay in total, so the term matters more than the entry figure of $199.99 for anyone planning to move within a few years.