SimpliSafe Home Security System Review

Chris Stobing Avatar

Written by:

Updated 11:23 pm

Expert Rating

33

SimpliSafe is a home security system that truly lives up to the “simple” part of its name, with a plug and play security solution unlike anything else on the market. It can be the best home security system when it comes to simplicity. But is it possible for a security system to be a little too simple, and run the risk of getting left behind the times? You may also like our Frontpoint Security System Review.

Read on in my SimpliSafe home security system review to find out!

Overview

Price: $229.96 (as tested), $24.99 monthly 24/7 monitoring service
Available: Now

Summary: The SimpliSafe home security system doesn’t waste time trying to look good or run with fancy touchscreens, but still performs up to the task of keeping your place safe with a 100% detection rate.

What We Liked

  • Foolproof setup process
  • Nest integration is enabled
  • Performance was solid during break-in scenarios

What We Didn’t

  • Mobile app is missing functionality
  • Design is somewhat dated

SimpliSafe Home Security System Specs

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SimpliSafe Home Security System
Activation + Installation Fee N/A
Monthly Fee $24.99
Contract Agreement None
Equipment Cost (as tested) $229.96
Cellular Connection green-check-mark
Control Panel green-check-mark
Motion Detection green-check-mark
Door or Windows Sensors green-check-mark
Smoke, Carbon Monoxide green-check-mark
Mobile App/Remote Access green-check-mark
Home Automation green-check-mark
Crash and Smash Tech green-check-mark
Power Outage Protection green-check-mark
Pet Friendly green-check-mark
Take It With You green-check-mark
Installation Process DIY
BBB Rating A+
Warranty 1 Year
Buy Now

Hardware and Design

SimpliSafe Home Security
SimpliSafe doesn’t have the sleekest system we’ve seen so far, but that’s not always a bad thing

Our review setup of the SimpliSafe home security system included one keypad panel with a digital LCD display, one window/front door sensor, one motion detector, one glass break sensor, one GSM base station, and one USB keychain remote. Your SimpliSafe can be customized all sorts of ways to include dozens of sensors, cameras, and monitors ranging in price from $19.99 to $99 per device. A more effective security system with great communication between its sensors is featured in the Scout alarm home security review.

When it comes to the design of the SimpliSafe system, many of the sensors and monitors look identical to those we found with FrontPoint, LiveWatch, and Link Interactive. The sensors are small, beige, and unassuming enough that you’d be able to hide them in a door jam or in the corner of your front porch window without drawing the unwanted attention of a potential burglar. If you also want a security system that can run for a good number of hours even when a blackout hits, read the Vivint home security system review.

If I had to call the aesthetic of the SimpliSafe keypad and base station anything, I’d say they’ve got a bit of a Walgreens style going on, with two primary colors splashed against a plain beige exterior. The choice to go with what I can only refer to as “Hospital Blue” for the buttons only adds to the clinical feel of these devices, one that could have been made for an operating room in the 1990’s instead of alongside the modern interior design of today.

Setup and Installation

From opening the box to the system being fully functional, it only took about 20 minutes system armed and live, which even beats out the recent record holder over at FrontPoint.

This is because every part of the system has already been pre-registered before you opened the box, which means all you need to do is pull the tab from each battery, plug the USB keychain into the base station, and create your online login.

Because the keypad runs on such simple technology (not an Android touchscreen like on other systems we’ve reviewed), all of the details have to be handled ahead of time because there’s no option to change things around after the fact. I like this approach, as it streamlines the DIY aspect just about as far as you could reasonably expect.

Software and Integrations

SimpliSafe Home Security
A simple setup deserves a simple app, right?

Unfortunately one area the SimpliSafe really starts to show its age is in the mobile and web apps. It’s here that you can remotely arm the system, watch the timeline of events, or check images from your camera…but that’s about it.

The software functionality on this system is extremely cut and dry, without any real frills to speak of. One standout option that we haven’t seen until now is the ability to integrate with a Nest Thermostat to link up the keypad and your climate control system. This makes it so whenever you arm your system the Nest will reduce its energy usage, and bring it back up to normal levels once it’s detected that you’re back home.

Performance

With such a simple system, comes simple (but effective) performance. During our standard break-in scenario which involved cracking the front door, running up and down the hallway in front of the motion sensor, and clapping from 10ft away of the glass break sensor, the SimpliSafe system registered a 100% detection rate of all activities.

There wasn’t one thing we could throw its way that would cause it to slip up, and every time we tried to dodge the motion sensor or quietly crack the window near the glass break sensor, the alarm would pick it up in perfect timing and send a corresponding alert to our phone.

Pricing/Subscriptions

SimpliSafe Home Security
Buy at the right time and you could save hundreds on your next system

As tested, our SimpliSafe system was $229.96, with a $24.99 monthly 24/7 monitoring service. This was for a system that was extensive enough to handle a one bedroom apartment, though right now SimpliSafe is offering better deals for packages that are made for larger homes that take off a decent chunk of the budget burden.

You can also get cheaper gear if you like by shopping via the “Refurbished” section, which would bring a system similar to the one we tested down to just $188.96 upfront.

Wrap Up

While the SimpliSafe home security system may not be the prettiest or the most feature-rich of the bunch, its solid performance and extremely easy setup make it a good option for anyone who wants to secure their living space on the cheap.

Both the web app and mobile app are positively ancient, so if you’re someone who wants a future-proof option I’d say wait for another software update first, but at prices this low it’s hard to find fault with a system that posted results as consistent and reliable as what we saw during our tests.

Jump back to: Best Home Security System

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