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In this SimpliSafe home security system review, we take a closer look at the brand’s plans and products, and assess its pricing, warranties and features.
SimpliSafe is our current pick for the best home security system due to its vast range of comprehensive packages, advanced security features and years of experience.
SimpliSafe’s 9 ready-made systems are suitable for a wide range of homes, be it a small apartment or a large house. Its options to add on to existing packages or create a customised system from scratch offer flexibility to customers, making SimpliSafe a suitable choice for households on a budget.
Our expert team has analysed SimpliSafe’s equipment, price points and monitoring plans to help you decide if SimpliSafe is the right security solution for you.
Rating: ★★★★
SimpliSafe’s home security system ticks a lot of boxes. The packages are budget-friendly and flexible, with equipment to suit a range of different needs and homes. Homeowners can also create custom systems that will protect against burglaries, fires and floods as well as opt-in or -out of more premium benefits.
Homeowners can install the system themselves or choose the Professional Installation service, which starts at £133. Smart home enthusiasts can connect their SimpliSafe home security system to Amazon Alexa or August Smart Locks or use the SimpliSafe app to control their system remotely.
Overall, SimpliSafe is one of the best home security solutions for UK homeowners. The only obstacle for some could be the higher-than-average subscription costs, which are necessary if you want advanced features such as professional 24/7 monitoring.
While compiling this SimpliSafe home security system review, we consulted hundreds of customer opinions, media articles, technical documentation and professional forums. We then scored the SimpliSafe home security system against others based on the following factors:
For more information, read our article on how we review home security systems.
SimpliSafe offers 9 different packages with the option to customise any package or create your own system from scratch.
Each package includes all the device features in The Foundation kit.The 9 packages include:
Each SimpliSafe home security system contains a base station (21 × 10.2 × 10.2cm), which operates over wifi. If unplugged or without power, the 24-hour backup battery will ensure the base station keeps running until power is restored.
Before purchasing a home security system, you should have the full picture.
Here are some of the advantages of SimpliSafe’s home security system:
Although SimpliSafe systems have many advantages, there is also a disadvantage to consider; namely, its high subscription costs.
Every SimpliSafe system has a base station, keypad, entry sensor and wired indoor camera. The base station is the hub of your security system, connecting all devices and alerting you if any are triggered.
Different gadgets can be found in different SimpliSafe kits, but you can also add devices to each kit. SimpliSafe’s additional devices include motion sensors, temperature sensors, glassbreak sensors, outdoor cameras and key fobs.
If you’re really serious about security, opting for the SimpliSafe Pro or Pro Premium plans opens the door to more features, including cellular backup in the event of a power outage, unlimited camera recordings, rich notifications and 24/7 professional monitoring.
A subscription plan allows you to arm or disarm your system with the SimpliSafe app. Users can also arm their system using selected smart home devices from Amazon Alexa or Google Home; however, the system does not allow disarming via voice command as an extra layer of protection.
SimpliSafe is our top pick for the best home security system. Its wide array of packages makes it suitable for any home, and the optional 24/7 monitoring feature is ideal for households requiring extra security. It is also DIY-friendly, although you can opt for professional installation, starting at £133.
However, if you’re interested in companies with dedicated installation teams, ADT and Verisure are reliable options. Neither offer transparent pricing, however, with ADT offering a quote after visiting your home and Verisure offering a quote once you fill in an online form and speak to a representative over the phone. Despite this, both offer 24/7 professional monitoring and have a comprehensive range of security devices.
Households with gardens and driveways may also want to consider Arlo, which has a larger range of outdoor cameras, including some equipped with floodlights. Arlo is more expensive, however, with its base kit starting at £399.99.
Thanks to SimpliSafe’s frequent discounts and sales, you will likely be able to find a suitable package for a lower price. All 9 kits can be found with a 45% discount and come bundled with 2 free motion sensors at the time of writing.
To offer more perspective, we have compared the cheapest SimpliSafe package against some of its competitors to see how the company stacks up.
| Home security system brand | Cheapest package cost (excluding installation and subscription costs) |
|---|---|
| SimpliSafe | From £284.96 for a 4-piece package |
| Ring | From £219.99for a 5-piece package |
| Yale | From £190 for a 5-piece package |
| Abode | From £168.99 for a 4-piece package |
| Arlo | From £399.99 for a 6-piece package |
You should also consider the subscription costs when purchasing a new home security system. The SimpliSafe Pro and Pro Premium subscriptions are not mandatory, but they will be needed if you want to boost the effectiveness of your kit.
Compared to other home security system brands, SimpliSafe’s subscription plans are on the expensive side but offer many features. Here is how SimpliSafe’s Pro Premium subscription compares to other plans on the market.
| Home security system brand | Cost per month* | Features |
|---|---|---|
| SimpliSafe | £27.99 for SimpliSafe Pro Premium | 24/7 professional monitoring, police response, Securitas guard response, whole home protection, instant alarm alerts, unlimited camera recordings, 30-day cloud storage, premium extended hardware warranty, advanced app features |
| Ring | £8 for Ring Protect Plus | 1-year limited warranty, motion-activated notifications, live view, two-way talk, 180 days of video storage, download up to 50 videos, video saving and sharing, snapshot capture, package alerts, person alerts, rich notifications, 10% off selected Ring products at Ring.com and Amazon.co.uk, advanced video features, enhanced notifications, extended warranty for all devices. With Ring Alarm, assisted monitoring for Ring Alarm, cellular backup for Ring Alarm |
| Yale | £36 for Yale Secure Pro Plan | Cellular backup, call alerts, 24/7 professional monitoring, cloud recording for all cameras, advanced AI motion detection |
| Abode | £13.99 for Abode Pro | One-touch arm/disarm, push notification alerts, Apple HomeKit support, smart home integrations, camera pairing, unlimited users, email notifications, customisable notifications, timeline, home automation, geofencing, 7-day storage, 4G backup connectivity, 10-day video storage, 24/7 professional monitoring, exclusive deals and discounts |
| Arlo | £14.99 for Arlo Secure Plus | Advanced detection, activity zones, 60-day cloud video storage, theft replacement, 4K video resolution, unlimited camera coverage, extra 12 months hardware warranty, VIP customer support |
The SimpliSafe home security system doesn’t require a lot of maintenance. The base station will pulse the integrated LED strip light to inform you of an error with one of your sensors.
Keep an eye out for firmware updates, which will be sent to the base station automatically via wifi. In addition, your sensors use coin cell batteries that you need to replace after 5 to 10 years or when you receive an alert indicating that they need replacing.
“Very easy system to self-install. The system and app have been very well thought out with individual settings available [for] your needs as required. A minor criticism is that some sticky pads did not adhere properly, [so] a few more spares would be helpful. Overall, I am delighted with the system, which makes us feel far more secure, particularly with the 24/7 monitoring.”
“Leaving the system aside for a moment, Simplisafe customer services are terrific. I spoke with Nick on Friday, and the knowledge and professionalism shown were wonderful. To anyone from Simplisafe, this fact must be noted and taken into account for his future career prospects. The system is wonderful. [It’s] incredibly easy to install and use, but if it’s still too tricky, they will arrange an installer… at a price. It is very unintrusive and worth a look. Their discounts also apply 60 days after you initially bought, so if there’s an item you missed, you can still get it cheap.”
“We ordered Simplisafe and arranged [a] private firm installer with wide experience in setting up home security. Sadly, the app kept knocking back when each device was added to the app. We called customer service for support, who asked us to ‘try again’.Got nowhere after an hour and [a] half, and wasted money paying £168 for the installer. Returned the device the same day… SimpliSafe refused to pay any compensation for possibly faulty equipment. I would not recommend this home security to anyone. There are other reliable security systems on the market which [in]clude installation and good customer service.”
As one of the most cost-effective home security systems in the UK and considering the variety of packages and number of devices available, SimpliSafe is a fantastic option for any home. With 9 security packages of various sizes plus optional customisation, you can secure your home – big or small. What’s more, SimpliSafe’s comprehensive and reliable professional monitoring system includes guard and emergency services alerts.
If you’re looking for a system that can be as hands-on or -off as desired with flexible contracts and packages, you can’t go far wrong with SimpliSafe.
Rating: ★★★★
