SimpliSafe also offers two professional monitoring plans: the Standard, which costs $17.99 per month, and the Interactive, which costs $27.99 per month. Unfortunately, the Standard plan skips a lot of the most useful features, so we recommend shelling out the extra $10 per month for the Interactive plan. If you opt out of professional monitoring, then your SimpliSafe system will function as a “local alarm.” That means if someone trips a sensor, it will still set off a siren. But that’s it. Without a monitoring service, no one will contact you. You won’t get a notification. No one will call the police for you. The only thing deterring a burglar from stealing your TV is a loud noise. Because of SimpliSafe’s DIY installation and no-contract model, you do have to buy all your security equipment up front. Even so, you’ll still pay less for SimpliSafe’s equipment than you would for equipment from most other security companies. Vivint aside, SimpliSafe’s pricing is roughly on par with other DIY home security systems like Abode and Ring Alarm. But you’ll pay less for SimpliSafe than you would for Frontpoint.
Entry sensor Motion sensor/motion detector Glass break sensor Water sensor Temperature sensor 105 dB siren Keypad Smoke detector Carbon monoxide sensor Panic button Key fob/keychain remote Smart lock SimpliCam Outdoor camera Video Doorbell Pro Yard sign
Simultaneous cellular and Wi-Fi connections. So if your internet goes out or you lose a cell signal, your system will still work. “SmashSafe” back-up. If an intruder destroys your wireless keypad or base station, your system will send out an alarm to the monitoring center. Base station battery backup. If your base station loses power, it still has 24 hours’ worth of battery backup juice.
Cellular is the most secure connection a home security system can offer, so as long as your location has a strong enough cell signal, we can’t recommend a better option. The base station does have a pretty bright light on the bottom that stays on all the time, so keep in mind if you put it in your living room, it might annoy you during movie night. You can turn the light off in Settings, either through the keypad or through the mobile app.
SimpliCam indoor camera Video Doorbell Pro Wireless outdoor camera
SimpliSafe’s cameras aren’t the best security camera options. But the company did recently debut its first true outdoor security camera. And all of SimpliSafe’s cameras have basic features you’ll need to keep an eye on your house and talk to visitors on your porch. But person detection only works if the camera has light. Both cameras have night vision, but person detection turns off. So overnight you’ll get alerts about any motion at all, be it car, delivery truck, or racoon. SimpliSafe’s cameras also don’t have many artificial intelligence features. These cameras can’t tell the difference between an animal and a package. They don’t have facial recognition, and they don’t send smart alerts. Even if the camera spots a person, it will send you a generic notification that just says “motion detected.” There are plenty of doorbell cameras out there that can do more than the SimpliSafe version, such as the Google Nest Doorbell and the Arlo Video Doorbell. But these models won’t integrate with your SimpliSafe security system, and you’ll have to use separate apps for them. For more info on the SimpliCam and the Video Doorbell Pro, check out our SimpliSafe Cameras Review. A lot of alarm systems come with either Z-Wave or Zigbee integration (or both if you’re Abode or Scout), which lets you add in third-party devices like smart locks and lights. SimpliSafe comes with . . . neither of those. It also doesn’t work with IFTTT or SmartThings. But good news, you can use an August Smart Lock and sync it with your SimpliSafe system to lock and unlock your doors depending on your security system’s status. You can set it so that when you leave for work in the morning and arm your security system, your front door locks automatically. With the free plan, you’ll be able to lock and unlock your alarm, get push notifications, change the system settings in the app, and see the live video feed. If you choose the $9.99 per month Self-Monitored plan, you’ll have access to all the same features as the free version, as well as access to recordings for 30 days and the ability to download recordings. The Interactive plan includes all the great features of the app, as well as unlimited recording up to 10 cameras, video verification, a lifetime equipment warranty, arming reminders, and secret activity alerts. Even setting up the base station and arming the system are no big deal. Just follow the instructions in the setup guide or go through the SimpliSafe app. We used the app, and it gave us step-by-step directions to get everything connected and ready to go. Our whole system was up and running within 15 to 20 minutes. Everything from ordering our SimpliSafe system online to setting it up at home went smoothly for us. We got one call from the SimpliSafe monitoring center when we ran a test signal for our system. They called us within seconds, and they were pleasant to talk to. There are definitely smarter home security systems on the market, but if you just want the basics, then SimpliSafe is a good (and affordable) choice.
Pricing: All the podcast ads are true: SimpliSafe is affordable. It’s not the cheapest security system on the market, but it’s pretty close. And it has a well-known brand name that potential intruders will recognize on your yard sign. Equipment: SimpliSafe has a range of security and environmental sensors to help protect your home from both human and non-human events. It doesn’t have a lot of smart-home devices, and each Simplisafe camera is pretty basic, but its security equipment is good. Home automation: SimpliSafe falls short on the home automation front. It works with Alexa and Google, but you can’t do much with either. And the system doesn’t integrate with any smart lights. Installation: SimpliSafe installation is a piece of cake. We had our system up and running in about 15 minutes. Customer experience: SimpliSafe monitoring contacted us quickly, and the monitoring rep we talked to was friendly. Overall, the system is easy to use.
To learn more about choosing a home security system, read our Best Home Security Systems Review. The outdoor camera runs off batteries, which makes it really easy to install. And it has a built-in spotlight, which is helpful if you don’t have motion-activated security lights in your yard. If you want a different security system you can monitor yourself and control from your smartphone, then we recommend Abode or Ring Alarm. Professional monitoring is included in the Standard or Interactive plan. With these plans, you’ll get peace of mind knowing that a professional is watching your system 24/7. ADT is one of the best-known names in the home security world. You’ll pay a bit more for monitoring and equipment, but professionals will manage everything for you from installation to monitoring. SimpliSafe is a cheaper option, and completely DIY. You can set it up yourself, and choose to self-monitor for free, or pay for professional monitoring. If you’re looking for the ADT brand name, but also want a system you can install yourself, ADT Self Setup is a great option. The system is easy on your wallet, simple to set up, and there are no contracts. SimpliSafe also offers a wide variety of equipment, including carbon monoxide sensors, window sensors and leak detectors.
