SimpliSafe vs ADT home security

Home security systems provide security and protection for your home, and different home security brands offer numerous solutions, including professional or DIY installation and self-monitored or professionally monitored systems.

Our experts have reviewed two market-leading home security brands – ADT and SimpliSafe – and compared the most important factors you should consider when choosing a system.

Our key findings were that SimpliSafe delivers better service for affordability, installation, monitoring options and customer care.

SimpliSafe

SimpliSafe offers a choice of nine home security system bundles with prices varying from £284.96 for The Foundation package and £674.87 for The Edinburgh package.

Each bundle includes several essential components: a base unit, entry and motion sensors, a keypad and surveillance cameras. The top-tier package also offers extra entry and motion sensors, additional cameras, a key fob, a siren, a panic button and environmental sensors.

You can further enhance your system with individually priced items or you can design a system to meet your specific requirements. 

Simplisafe’s home security packages come with a 60-day full refund guarantee.

ADT 

ADT provides fully customisable systems with high-quality electronics, including touchscreen security panels, motion sensors and 720p high-definition (HD) cameras with two-way audio and night vision capabilities. ADT also offers a comprehensive array of environmental and safety monitoring tools, such as smoke detectors, water leak detectors, gas sensors, panic buttons and more.

Home security systems from ADT are priced by quotation only and come with a six-month money-back guarantee.

SimpliSafe

Designed for budget-aware DIY enthusiasts, SimpliSafe’s packages feature wireless components that can be installed without tools. Each item comes with user-friendly peel-and-stick pads for effortless wall mounting.

However, you can book a professional installation from £133, and a SimpliSafe technician will install, connect, and explain your security system.

Once you’ve downloaded the mobile app, plug in the base station and follow the in-app instructions to add sensors, monitors and other devices. You can then use the Simplisafe app to control your system, including changing notification and alarm settings.

SimpliSafe systems are designed to connect to your home wifi, but they include cellular backup to ensure your system remains operational even if your wifi goes down.

SimpliSafe has two monitoring plans managed by Securitas: Pro Premium at 93p/day and Pro at 53p/day. The Pro plan provides 24/7 monitoring and contacts your designated keyholders if necessary, while the Pro Premium plan includes police and fire dispatch, guard response and unlimited camera recording. SimpliSafe’s plans come without a contract, which means they can be cancelled at any time.

ADT 

ADT systems require professional installation, and prices for this are available by quotation. The cost of installation will depend on the size of your system and the level of monitoring you require. Packages start with an ADT Bell Box with a flashing LED light, a Smart Home Hub alarm panel and Smart Services to control your system. You can then tailor the system to your needs by adding equipment such as wireless door contacts, PIR motion sensors, wifi cameras and video doorbells.

After a consultation, you’ll be given recommendations on the best security devices for your home. A technician will set up and test your system and provide a comprehensive tutorial on its operation, including guidance on using the mobile app.

All ADT systems include round-the-clock monitoring as a primary feature. Three paid monitoring plans are offered, so you can designate a trusted friend as a keyholder, opt for police notification or arrange for a private security guard to respond when your alarm is activated.

SimpliSafe

At the heart of SimpliSafe’s system is its compact base station, which has a blue light to indicate the unit is active. The base station houses a 95dB siren, a backup battery (that reportedly lasts up to 24 hours) and a sim card for cellular connectivity.

The motion detectors can distinguish between intruders and pets, as they can recognise the distinct heat signature of humans and ignore the presence of cats and dogs. The sensor can monitor up to 35 feet and has a 90-degree field of vision.

The keypad is battery-powered, and its touch-to-wake feature lights up the panel only when you need it. It alerts you if an entry sensor detects an open entry point in your home, and it can identify the specific window. Should an intruder smash your keypad, the SmashSafe feature ensures authorities will still receive an alert. 

SimpliSafe’s key fob offers the convenience of arming and disarming your system with just the press of a button. This lets you set your alarm to “away” mode when you leave home, and you can press “off” to disarm it upon your return. The key fob includes a helpful panic button that, when pressed, sends an alert to the emergency monitoring centre.

SimpliSafe’s high-resolution cameras provide clear images, which are useful for identifying details such as faces or number plates.

Outdoor cameras deliver 1080p HD video, colour night vision, a 140-degree field of view and digital zoom options. Several outdoor models also feature motion-activated spotlights.

The indoor camera has adjustable height and tilt features, but it doesn’t support panning or zooming. Despite this, its 120-degree lens ensures a broad viewing range.

ADT

Included in all ADT’s tailored systems, the Smart Home Hub is a 7-inch tablet with an HD touchscreen. This tablet allows you to arm/disarm your system, and it has an 8MP camera, two-way audio and glass-breaking detection.

Depending on your requirements, you can incorporate a range of sensors and cameras in your system.

ADT’s indoor camera features 1080p colour HD video quality, a 113-degree field of view and two-way communication. Equipped for clear infrared recording in low-light or dark conditions, it preserves battery life by activating upon detecting movement.

The outdoor camera lets you record and watch live 1080p HD footage and uses ADT’s advanced night vision technology to deliver clear, sharp images. It also includes a two-way audio function and a high-endurance 256GB SD card, allowing for continuous recordings.

SimpliSafe

SimpliSafe provides several methods to contact customer support, including a comprehensive help centre and an online user forum for sharing ideas and asking for advice.

Customer support is available by phone:

Weekdays – 9am-7pm

Weekends – 9am-5:30pm

If you prefer, you can complete an online email form or schedule a call back from SimpliSafe’s team.

SimpliSafe has a Trustpilot rating of 4.8 out of five stars with over 10,000 customer reviews, 94 per cent of which have awarded the company four or five stars. One- and two-star ratings account for 4 per cent of the reviews, and both positive and negative reviews have received a prompt reply from SimpliSafe.

Many customers cite hassle-free installations, good products and responsive, helpful customer support.

ADT

ADT’s app allows customers to contact support, book engineers and access the online help centre. 

However, depending on your query, several phone numbers are also available, including an emergency helpline and an online email form.

With over 29,000 reviews, ADT has been awarded 4.5 out of five stars on Trustpilot. Four and five stars make up 84 per cent of these reviews, while 14 per cent are one- and two-star reviews.

Customers frequently mention the professionalism of ADT’s engineers and good product performance; however, several customers have reported poor customer service. ADT responds to its reviews in a timely fashion.