SimpliSafe home security review: Systems compared and ranked

SimpliSafe is a Boston-based company that provides home security systems to UK and US customers. Founded in 2006, SimpliSafe is one of the newer security companies on the market but it has gained the trust of its customers in its short lifespan. It offers nine different security packages that cater to a variety of home sizes. 

Our experts have compared its packages, focusing on pricing and equipment. We’ve chosen three of our favourite packages that cater to different home security needs. Read on to find the best SimpliSafe package for you. 

Our Independent Advisor experts have researched and tested each home security system in order to provide fair, impartial and accurate recommendations. We compare each company’s products, features, quality and costs alongside what others in the industry say and how customers rate their experiences.

Our reviews are based on the following categories:

• Reputation and credibility
• Security and performance
• Features
• Plans and pricing value
• Customer experience

We examine 35 elements within these categories, including:

• Monitoring services and contract types
• Data backup and storage
• Warranties
• Flexibility/customisation of bundles
• Quality (image, sound, product)
• Installation

All of our home security articles are verified by our in-house team of fact-checkers so that consumers have the knowledge they need to make an informed, up-to-date and confident decision. For more information, read our article on how we review home security systems.

• Equipment cost: £284.96 to £674.87
• Monthly fee:  from £15.99
• Power outage backup: yes
• Mobile phone backup: yes
• Live streaming: yes
• Push alerts: yes
• Remotely arm/disarm system: yes
• Voice assistants: yes
• Apps for: iPhone, Android, Amazon Alexa

SimpliSafe is still relatively new to the world of home security systems, but even in such a short space of time, it has managed to disrupt the marketplace its competitors ADT, Vivint and Frontspace previously dominated. 

SimpliSafe’s low-cost and easy-to-install systems have propelled its popularity, coupled with the fact that all of its equipment goes through rigorous quality checks.

SimpliSafe is one of the most affordable home security systems currently on the market. Once the system is installed, you’re not obliged to pay a monthly fee – provided you don’t mind monitoring the system yourself. Should you opt for a monthly contract, however, the SimpliSafe team will monitor your home remotely.

The packages that SimpliSafe has on offer are The Foundation, The Starter, The Essentials, The Tower, The Warwick, The Pembroke, The Windsor, The Bamburgh and The Edinburgh.

In addition to SimpliSafe’s home security packages, there are two monthly subscription options to choose from – Pro and Pro Premium – with the latter offering more features.

SimpliSafe’s security packages range from four- to 13-piece systems, and the company also has a wide array of additional equipment. To figure out which package would best suit your home, you’ll need to understand what each piece of equipment does and whether you’d need it in your home. 

Home security systems comprise various pieces of equipment, such as indoor/outdoor cameras and sensors. Here’s an overview of what each one does and how it functions. 

Entry sensor

An entry sensor can be installed on any type of door or window in your home. It consists of two parts – a magnet and a sensor. The magnet is attached to a window or door, and the sensor is installed on the frame. The magnet and sensor can be separated by up to two inches. The sensor detects whenever the magnet moves more than two inches away from it, so it knows when a window or door has been opened.

Motion sensor

SimpliSafe’s motion sensors have been engineered to detect intruders and not pets. They do this by detecting the unique heat signature of people, so cats and dogs weighing under 23kg won’t trigger the alarm. The sensor fits into a stand, which can be placed on a wall or in the corner of a room for maximum coverage – 35 feet with a 90-degree field of vision. You can also set it to be active only in away mode, ensuring you won’t accidentally trigger the sensor while at home.  

Water sensor 

SimpliSafe’s water sensor is designed to alert you in the event of a flood – the most common home insurance claim. When the sensor comes into contact with water, it sends an audible alarm, notifying you in the SimpliSafe app. Ideally, it should be placed near major plumbing to detect breaks or in the attic in case you have a leaky roof. 

Temperature sensor 

The temperature sensor triggers an alarm and notifies you in the SimpliSafe app if the temperature in your home falls below 5C. SimpliSafe’s monitoring plans give you the option to receive a phone call if the freeze alarm is triggered and access to hourly readings.

Base Station 

SimpliSafe’s base station is where you can locate and control all your sensors – it’s what makes this system one of the easiest to set up. The base station uses cellular technology (the same as your phone) to connect your home to a 24/7 alarm monitoring system via a sim card that is activated when you sign up for SimpliSafe’s professional monitoring service. 

Wired indoor camera

SimpliSafe’s indoor camera is a smart security camera that has 1080p HD video quality, night vision, two-way audio and a 120-degree field of view. This wired camera ensures reliable connectivity and comes with a privacy shutter to give you control over when the camera is watching.

Wireless outdoor camera 

The wireless outdoor camera provides colour HD security footage day or night. It has an ultra-wide 140-degree field of view and ten times digital zoom. During low light conditions, the camera’s motion-activated spotlight switches on so you can see anyone in view. 

Keypad

The keypad sends an alert via the SimpliSafe app if you leave a window or door open while away from home. It knows exactly which door or window has been left open and will alert the authorities even if an intruder has smashed the keypad.

Key fob

SimpliSafe’s systems can be armed and disarmed with the push of a button using the key fob. You can set your alarm to away after leaving home and then press a button to disarm it upon your return – the keyfob has a 30 metre range. There’s also a handy panic button, which alerts the emergency monitoring centre if you’ve opted for professional monitoring.

The company currently has a 4.8-star rating on Trustpilot, with 86 per cent of reviewers giving the company five stars. On Amazon, most of SimpliSafe’s products are rated four stars or more, which means customers are pleased with the systems they have received. Overall, the company is praised for its customer service and easy installation. 

The SimpliSafe app can be downloaded on Google Play and Apple’s App Store. It allows users to control their security system from anywhere in the world, including arming and disarming their systems remotely. 

Via the app, if you have a monitoring plan, you can:

• Send real-time system alerts to your phone through texts, emails and notifications
• Lock and unlock doors
• Watch live or recorded footage from your SimpliSafe cameras
• See a timeline of events from when motion sensors were triggered or when the system was armed or disarmed
• Use cellular backup
• Get police, medical or fire dispatch
• Download video footage
• Receive arming reminders
• Use smart home integrations

SimpliSafe’s home security packages range from 4- to 13-piece kits and touch varying price points, with the larger kits being more expensive. We’ve spent hundreds of hours researching and comparing SimpliSafe’s home security kits to find out which ones are worth considering. 

According to our research, we recommend homeowners purchase a kit based on house size. As such, we’ve picked The Essentials package for small and medium homes, The Windsor package for larger homes and The Edinburgh package for homes that are frequently vacant.

Key specifications

For small and medium homes, it’s best to avoid any extras that may not be used due to the size of your home; this way, you can ensure good value for money. Generally speaking, medium homes require a minimum of seven pieces of security equipment, which should include entry sensors for both the front and back doors, as well as a motion sensor to cover the front door area. This makes SimpliSafe’s The Essentials package ideal for both small and medium-sized homes. 

The Essentials package includes three entry sensors and one motion sensor, so once the base station is plugged in, the system will be ready to go without needing to purchase extra components. 

The package also comes with one indoor camera, which has a reliable wired connection. The camera is equipped with two-way audio and a feature to switch this off for privacy. 

With The Essentials package, there’s the option to sign up for either the Pro or Pro Premium monitoring plan, and you can tailor each of these plans to suit your needs. This is great for smaller homes as subscribing to a monthly plan gives you 24/7 professional monitoring.

Package score

Key specifications 

SimpliSafe’s The Windsor package offers full home protection and comes with 13 pieces as standard. Its five entry sensors should be enough to cover larger homes. 

SimpliSafe also recommends this product for larger homes, and one of the features our reviewers really liked about this kit is its weatherproof external siren, which alerts homeowners in the event of an intruder. Most of SimpliSafe’s packages don’t include this piece as standard, but it’s an ideal piece of equipment for larger homes. 

We also found the keyfob was an advantageous feature for larger homes, as it gives homeowners complete control even when they’re not at home. This pairs well with the key fob, which includes a panic button – a must for larger homes that may be more of a target for intruders. The panic button alerts the emergency monitoring team immediately in the event of a break-in – this feature only available for professional monitoring plans.

Package score

Key specifications

The Edinburgh package is the most comprehensive home security package SimpliSafe offers and includes 13 pieces of equipment. It’s also the most expensive option but does provide good value for money. 

This package is ideal for holiday homes or homes that are frequently vacant. One of the main components our reviewers looked for when choosing a package to suit frequently vacant homes was the inclusion of a water sensor. This alerts homeowners in the event of a flood or leaky roof. 

An outdoor camera was also a must for homes not consistently lived in. This gives homeowners full-colour footage of the outside of their house day or night, which can be viewed on SimpliSafe’s app. The camera’s battery can last up to three months. 

The Edinburgh package includes two motion sensors, unlike some of SimpliSafe’s smaller packages that only have one. If homeowners will be away for extended periods of time, installing a home security system that gives them peace of mind is ideal. So with two motion sensors, you can cover both the upstairs and downstairs areas of your property.

Package score