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About SimpliSafe Reviews
SimpliSafe designs wireless home security systems that are easy to install with no drilling or tools. With a wide array of sensors and security cameras, SimpliSafe offers all-encompassing protection plus integrated apps that make system control possible from anywhere. It provides seamless 24/7 alarm monitoring without the long-term contracts and sky-high prices of traditional home security companies.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Affordable plans
- Highly customizable packages
- Simple DIY installation
Cons
- Upfront equipment costs
Bottom Line
SimpliSafe has one of the most affordable home security system plans on the market. You do have to pay for the equipment, but packages are highly customizable, and the DIY installation is easy.
Featured Reviews
SimpliSafe is an easy to setup home security option. We've always had great interactions with their customer service and the system works flawlessly. The system is easily customiz...
Read full reviewOur family has found SimpliSafe to be reliable, affordable and a plus was; it was a breeze to install! No high pressure sales pitches whatsoever... You pick and choose what you fe...
Read full reviewOur editor’s take
SimpliSafe is ideal for homeowners or renters looking for a DIY home security option. The company’s two monitoring plans give you flexibility on using professional monitoring or monitoring the system yourself, and the company’s seven equipment packages and a la carte purchase options provide plenty of opportunities for customization.
While the company doesn’t require a contract and offers month-to-month options, you must purchase the equipment upfront, which can be a significant investment.
SimpliSafe Reviews
ConsumerAffairs has collected 408 reviews and 829 ratings.
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Reviewed Sept. 13, 2023
My app for SimpliSafe picks up someone's camera on their doorbell. I have called 3 times and they state security will call. They have given false information as to why and it's not corrected. Hopefully this doesn't ever happen with an indoor camera.
Reviewed Sept. 10, 2023
They advertised that the mobile app usage is free. But once bought the whole home system and set it up they are asking to monthly paid subscription to even log in to the app. Now I am stuck with it. Please find about this false adv before you buy.
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Reviewed Sept. 6, 2023
I had this alarm system and monitoring service on two households and had nothing but problems at both. Faulty and intermittent problems with base unit, poor cellular reception at both locations (different cities), poor monitoring service, poor customer service. Several serious internal glitches, including changing the address at one location to the wrong address! So, if there had been an emergency, no one would have arrived at the correct address!
The final straw was I tried to cancel one of the locations but they refused to do so by any means other than a direct phone call, which I was unable to do, and which isn't required by any other business I have accounts with. They also refused my repeated requests for a supervisor and they refused to identify themselves in their generic emails. So, I decided to cancel both accounts. The only reason I hung on so long is I didn't want to spend the 3 hours installing a new system. I finally did (Ring) and am so happy I finally did so.
Reviewed Aug. 20, 2023
We bought the system for all windows, doors, glass breakage and 4 outdoor cameras. What a waste of money. We also use the monitoring service. The wireless cameras have to be only a short distance from the main hub or they don’t work. Even today, if we get an alert that there is motion on our phones, it takes 30 seconds to a minute to wake the camera up, if it works at all. If there were an intruder, he would be gone before the cameras woke up.. Then the batteries don’t last but 3-4 weeks at best in the cameras but even worse… most of the window needs door alarms also have battery issues. Even when we first received SimpliSafe, 6 batteries were already dead and they wouldn’t send replacements. I should have known right then. Almost $800 wasted on this poor system. Great concept but poor equipment.. my suggestion… DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY!
Reviewed Aug. 19, 2023
Simplisafe is not as expensive as some of the other well known companies. However, when it comes to being worthwhile, it a waste of money. I've been a Simplisafe customer for year. However, one day my alarm went off accidently... There was no call, no check in, nothing. When I called Simplisafe to ask why they didn't check in, the customer service agent explained very rudely that Simplisafe outsources all of its local call services to local contractors and Simplisafe is not responsible for their poor performance. I've had a number of other false alarms with no calls or follow-up from them... Don't know why I'm paying for this service.
Reviewed Aug. 18, 2023
Purchased complete security system, not impressed with exterior camera, returned for refund. Attempted numerous Cust Svc calls to resolve with same result. Sorry, refund takes 1-5 business days. NoJoy
Reviewed Aug. 2, 2023
While SimpliSafe may be good system, I had tenant using it and for initial purchase, we used my credit card, after that SimpliSafe continued to bill my card unauthorized for monthly service. They have yet to rectify and response by Ceo escalations has been less than forthcoming. I have provided documentation to the charges as well as the fact that my email is not tied to the account. Phone response is of no help. Customer service and their general lack of "security" to protect consumers which raises the question from an overall service model to keep one safe.
Reviewed July 29, 2023
Problems started with the purchase of the SimpliSafe system. I could not order the additional magnets for door monitors that I needed on the web so I had to order from a sales person. There was a promotion on at that time of a free indoor wireless camera, which I really wanted, with my order. However, even though I requested that camera, the sales person ordered a free wired indoor camera for me. I caught the mistake when reviewing the electronic mail with the order and called in to get the order corrected.
The wrong camera was sent with my original order which I had to return and the correct camera was sent. Then, SimpliSafe says, correctly, that I am required to have my alarm system registered with my county police department who is trying to minimize false alarms. The electronic mail says that SimpliSafe will mail the required form to me for filing with the county within 2-3 business days by priority mail. Thirty days later, I still have not received the registration form so I send an electronic mail to the permits department requesting that it send me the application. It does not send the application but sends a series of automated responses telling me that I need to respond to them.
I finally call customer service and spend two hours. The first hour is spent with overseas customer service which asks the same questions over and over and in the end says that they do not know how to contact Permits and I need to send them an electronic mail. I tell them that I have done that already and it is not helpful. Since I cannot get the permit issue resolved and there is a $50 non-registration fine, I call and spend another hour to cancel the service. A Loyalty supervisor attempts to get the permit and eventually tells me first that I should not have police monitoring, as advertised, but only have the do-it-yourself monitoring and when I said that I really wanted police monitoring said that a colleague has told her I need to call my local police station to obtain the registration application regardless of what the written information from SimpliSafe says.
A call to the police station refers me to the police headquarters which confirms that SimpliSafe is required to send me the local county permit application with SimpliSafe registration and telephone numbers on it. This is terrible customer service and put me at risk of fines from my police department. The customer service does not know how to solve problems and appears to resort to lies when presented a difficult problem. Accordingly, I have cancelled the service and am sending the equipment back.
I hope that I do not have the problems with receiving the refunds that other customers have noted. The system itself was reasonably easy to install, though the placement of exterior cameras as recommended by SimpliSafe makes them vulnerable to theft and I purchased third party brackets to hold the cameras more securely. Truly a horrible experience with extraordinarily poorly trained customer service representatives. If you want police alerted monitoring service and there are registration requirements in your city of county, I would avoid purchasing this equipment and service.
Reviewed July 28, 2023
We purchased a SimpliSafe alarm system after having a disconcerting encounter with a neighbor. Since activation we have have 4 false alarms, 3 police and 1 fire department. That have resulted in being charged $200 in “false alarm” fees by our city. SimpliSafe has admitted that these are completely erroneous alarms (not triggered by us in any way) yet have not reimbursed us for these fines. Had we been POC our lives would have been in significant danger when the police showed up at our door due to a false alarm “panic button” triggering. Even as a ** woman, I felt very stressed and uncomfortable with the police at my door questioning me about the alarm. Again this was 100% not a real alarm and instead a glitch due to the SimpliSafe system. I would not recommend SimpliSafe to anyone.
Reviewed July 16, 2023
Installed about 6 months ago, and now the camera stopped working ring is ok but no camera. I tried to charge it but you dont need to its hard wired, tried to reboot it doesn't work. Product is crap. Have a nice day.
How customers rated SimpliSafe
SimpliSafe offers DIY options for home security with professional monitoring or self-monitoring options. Customers who left reviews on ConsumerAffairs have noted positive experiences with the company’s installation and setup experiences, but tend to leave negative feedback on the company’s customer service and alarm monitoring.
Our analysis of the reviews here on ConsumerAffairs surfaced the following trends.
- Customer Service is the most mentioned by reviewers and is mostly negative.
- Alarm monitoring has been mostly negative.
- Installation and setup experiences have been mostly positive.
- Product reliability has been almost exclusively tied with a negative experience.
- Customers rarely mention ease of use.
- Reviewers tend to have poor experiences with service calls.
- 5,781 people have found the reviews for SimpliSafe on ConsumerAffairs helpful.
How satisfied are reviewers with SimpliSafe?
| Star rating | High satisfaction | Neutral | Low satisfaction |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.8 / 5 | 86 (22%) | 16 (4%) | 289 (74%) |
Customer service: Fair
SimpliSafe has received mixed reviews regarding customer service on our site, with some reviewers saying the customer support team is helpful and responsive while others criticized it for being unresponsive and difficult to reach.
Installation and setup: Excellent
SimpliSafe's DIY installation and setup process has received mostly positive reviews on our site. Many customers have reported that the process is straightforward and easy to follow without any professional assistance. Some customers have reported issues with the setup process, however, including difficulties with connecting the devices to the base station or with the mobile app.
Service technicians: Good
While many customers have been satisfied with SimpliSafe's service technicians, some customers who left reviews on our site have experienced issues when seeking assistance with their systems.
Compare SimpliSafe to other home security companies
| Rating | # of reviews | Installation | Monitoring | Mandatory commitment* | Equipment package costs | Monitoring costs | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 SimpliSafe | 2.3 | 408 | DIY or professional ($99+) | Optional | No-contract options available | $134.73 to $384.94 | $9.99 to $29.99 | Read Reviews |
 ADT | 4.5 | 14,818 | Professional (included with online purchases) | Required | 36 months (60 months if financing equipment) | Start at $599 to $1,387 | $45.99 to $59.99 | Read Reviews |
 Vivint | 4.7 | 30,371 | Professional (included with online purchases) | Required | Typical contract is 60 months; month-to-month available with upfront equipment purchase | Start at $997.99 to $2,827.92 | $19.99-$29.99+ | Read Reviews |
SimpliSafe cost
Getting started with SimpliSafe requires purchasing the equipment. The company doesn’t have direct financing, but it does partner with affirm for those who don’t want to pay the full equipment price upfront. The company’s equipment packages range from $159.22 to $699, but you can also build your own system customized to your needs.
The company requires you to choose a professional monitoring or self-monitoring plan. The professional monitoring plan costs $27.99 a month, while the self-monitoring option runs $9.99 a month.
SimpliSafe equipment
SimpliSafe offers seven different starting equipment packages, all of which can be customized.
The company offers a 60-day trial period and a hardware warranty for the life of your subscription. You can install the equipment yourself or choose professional setup, which starts at $99.
- The Beacon ($699): The Beacon includes a base station, a keypad, four entry sensors, two motion sensors and two wireless outdoor cameras.
- The Haven ($509.86): This package includes a base station, a keypad, four entry sensors, two motion sensors, a panic button, a temperature sensor, a water sensor, a key fob, a wireless siren and a smoke detector.
- The Lighthouse ($464.93): The Lighthouse package includes a base station, a keypad, three entry sensors, a motion sensor and a wireless outdoor camera.
- The Knox ($469.87): This equipment package was designed for large homes and has extra entry and motion sensors. It comes with a base station, a keypad, six entry sensors, two motion sensors, a key fob, a wireless siren and a smoke detector.
- The Hearth ($394.91): The Hearth comes with a base station, a keypad, three entry sensors, a motion sensor, a key fob, a wireless siren and a smoke detector.
- The Essentials ($274.95): The Essentials package includes a base station, a keypad, an entry sensor, a motion sensor and an indoor camera.
- The Foundation ($159.22): The Foundation is a good choice for small homes and apartments. It includes a base station, a keypad, an entry sensor and a motion sensor.
The company also lets you build your own custom system by starting with a base station and keypad and adding equipment such as entry sensors, motion sensor, cameras, smoke detectors and key fobs.
SimpliSafe monitoring plans
SimpliSafe lets you choose professional monitoring or self monitoring for your system. The professional monitoring plan costs $27.99 a month and includes:
- 24/7 police, fire and medical dispatch
- Unlimited camera recording
- Video verification of intruders
- 24/7 flood and extreme temperature monitoring
- Subscription lifetime warranty on equipment
The self-monitoring plan costs $9.99 a month and comes with unlimited camera recording and a one-year equipment warranty.
FAQ
How does SimpliSafe work?
SimpliSafe is a home security company that offers DIY systems with competitive monitoring costs. The company’s professional monitoring plan costs $27.99, while its self-monitoring plan costs $9.99 a month.
The DIY setup for equipment is relatively straightforward: Place the base station near the center of your home, plug it in and adhere the peel-and-stick sensors to the wall. SimpliSafe offers month-to-month contracts, so you don’t have to commit to a long-term agreement.
Is SimpliSafe wireless?
SimpliSafe’s products work over wireless or cellular connection, meaning they don’t require a landline for operation. If you choose the Wi-Fi or wireless option, you’ll likely have more backup and connectivity than with cellular, although both are options.
Can I use SimpliSafe without monitoring?
SimpliSafe offers professional monitoring or self-monitoring options.
Does SimpliSafe have a doorbell camera?
SimpliSafe sells a doorbell camera that provides wide-angle HDR video. It costs $169 to add it to a package or to purchase by itself.
Do SimpliSafe cameras require Wi-Fi?
SimpliSafe cameras don’t require Wi-Fi, but it might provide better connectivity. You can use the base station to connect over a cellular network if you prefer.
Is SimpliSafe good?
SimpliSafe is a solid option for an affordable home security system. We love that it has a self-monitoring and a professional monitoring option, a wide array of plans and plenty of customization options. The quick and painless DIY installation means you won’t lose a whole day setting up your system, too. If you’re looking for a reliable security system that doesn’t break the bank, SimpliSafe is definitely one to consider.
SimpliSafe Company Information
- Company Name:
- SimpliSafe
- Address:
- 294 Washington Street
- City:
- Boston
- State/Province:
- MA
- Postal Code:
- 02108
- Country:
- United States
- Website:
- simplisafe.com
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