How do I actually cancel Vivint?

Call Vivint's cancellation line at 800-216-5232, ext. 5020, according to SafeWise's and SafeSmartLiving's Vivint cancellation guides — there's no self-serve online or in-app cancel button. If your circumstances involve a death in the family, bankruptcy, or a move to an assisted living facility, Vivint routes those through a separate line, 800-678-2635. After the call, Vivint sends a formal Notice of Cancellation to sign and return.

How much does it cost to cancel Vivint early?

Vivint doesn't publish a flat early termination fee the way ADT does. Instead, per SafeWise, you generally owe the remaining balance on your financed equipment and any remaining monitoring commitment — which in practice is often close to 100% of what's left, not a discounted percentage. SafeSmartLiving's guide quotes a Vivint rep saying "some people may be able to get off the hook by just paying half of what they owe," but that's negotiated case by case, not guaranteed.

Does paying cash for the equipment avoid the contract?

Yes — this is the biggest lever Vivint gives you. Pay the equipment cost upfront (minimum around $599.99 plus $49-$199 installation, per SafeSmartLiving) instead of financing it, and you can sign up for month-to-month monitoring with no multi-year term at all. Finance the hardware instead, and you're typically locked into a 42-to-60-month agreement tied to that equipment balance.

Is there a buyer's-remorse window like ADT's?

Yes, though it works differently. Federal law gives you a 3-business-day right to cancel any door-to-door or in-home sale, which covers most Vivint installs — SafeSmartLiving notes you generally need to send a postmarked cancellation letter within that window, not just place a phone call, to invoke it. Miss that window and you're back to owing the remaining balance on whatever term you signed.

What happens to the equipment when I cancel?

If you paid cash and go month-to-month, you own the hardware outright and keep it regardless of what happens to monitoring — same as Ring or Arlo. If you financed the equipment and cancel before it's paid off, you generally still owe that remaining balance even after the account closes, per SafeWise's reporting, since the financing agreement is separate from the monitoring contract.

Are there exceptions for seniors or medical situations?

Vivint reviews "extenuating circumstances" cases — death, bankruptcy, or a move to assisted living — through its dedicated line (800-678-2635), but SafeSmartLiving is explicit that approval isn't guaranteed and the remaining balance may still be owed. It's a case-by-case review, not an automatic waiver.

How to Cancel Your Vivint Contract (2026): Cash vs Financed + Steps

Quick Answer: Cancel Vivint by calling 800-216-5232, ext. 5020 — there’s no online or app cancellation option. Whether it costs you anything depends entirely on how you paid for the equipment: pay cash upfront (around $599.99 plus $49-$199 install) and you’re on month-to-month with nothing owed to exit; finance the hardware instead and you’re typically locked into a 42-to-60-month term where canceling early means paying the remaining equipment balance, per SafeWise’s and SafeSmartLiving’s Vivint cancellation research — not a discounted percentage like ADT’s 75% early termination fee. A 3-business-day federal cooling-off window applies right after signing, but it requires a postmarked letter, not just a call.

Last updated September 20, 2026.

Vivint’s sales pitch leans hard on 0%-down financing to get equipment in your door, and that financing is exactly what turns a simple “I want to cancel” call into a math problem. Here’s the actual process and why the cash-vs-financed split matters more than it does with ADT.

How to cancel Vivint, step by step

Step	What to do
1. Call 800-216-5232, ext. 5020	Vivint's cancellation line — no online form or app toggle handles this
2. Extenuating circumstances? Call 800-678-2635 instead	Death, bankruptcy, or a move to assisted living get routed through a separate review line
3. Ask whether your equipment is paid off or financed	This single fact determines whether you owe anything at all
4. Request the exact remaining balance in writing	Don't rely on a verbal estimate — get the payoff number before agreeing to anything
5. Sign and return the Notice of Cancellation	Vivint sends a formal document to confirm the cancellation date
6. Keep or return equipment based on payoff status	Paid-off hardware is yours to keep; unpaid financed hardware may still carry an obligation after the account closes

Why “no early termination fee” isn’t the same as “free to cancel”

The real cost driver: cash vs. financed

Per SafeWise's and SafeSmartLiving's Vivint cancellation research

Pay cash upfront (~$599.99 + $49-$199 install) → month-to-month, cancel anytime, nothing owed.
Finance the equipment → 42-to-60-month term, cancel early and you generally owe the remaining equipment balance in full, not a discounted percentage.
One Vivint rep told SafeSmartLiving some customers negotiate down to "half of what they owe" — but that's a retention-call outcome, not a published policy.

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That 3-business-day federal cooling-off window is your cleanest exit if you’re brand new: per SafeSmartLiving, it requires a postmarked cancellation letter, not a phone call, so calling 800-216-5232 alone inside those 3 days may not be enough to preserve your rights if the account isn’t also formally canceled in writing.

Vivint vs. ADT: two different flavors of “locked in”

Brand	Cancel channel	Contract	Early exit cost
Vivint	Phone only (800-216-5232 ext. 5020)	42-60mo if financed; none if paid cash	Remaining equipment balance (often close to full cost)
ADT	Phone only (800-238-2727)	36 months typical (24 in CA)	Up to 75% of remaining monthly charges
Ring	App or website	None	Nothing — hardware owned outright
SimpliSafe	Phone or chat	None, month-to-month	Nothing — runs locally, unmonitored option free

The headline difference: ADT’s fee is a defined formula you can calculate in advance (see our how to cancel an ADT contract guide). Vivint’s “no ETF” framing sounds friendlier, but because it’s tied to whatever’s left on an equipment loan, the actual dollar amount owed can land higher than ADT’s discounted 75% — the only way to guarantee a clean, free exit is avoiding the financing agreement entirely by paying cash upfront. If a locked-in loan is the dealbreaker, our Vivint vs Ring, ADT vs Vivint, and best DIY home security system guides all cover self-install, no-financing alternatives. Still deciding which Vivint camera to keep or swap out first? Our best Vivint camera guide ranks the full lineup on its own.

The bottom line

Call 800-216-5232, ext. 5020 to start a Vivint cancellation, and ask upfront whether your equipment is paid off or still financed — that answer determines whether you owe nothing or the full remaining balance. Cash-paid customers can walk away free on a month-to-month plan; financed customers are tied to a 42-to-60-month term with no fixed discount like ADT’s 75% formula. Once you’re out, our best DIY home security system guide and Vivint vs Ring comparison both cover no-financing alternatives that keep you in full control of the exit.