SimpliSafe Outdoor Camera Review

First Impressions

If you’re already using SimpliSafe to protect your property from unwanted intruders, this outdoor camera can make for a great addition. SimpliSafe offers several pre-built packages to choose from, or you can customize your own, and an outdoor camera is only going to increase the number of ways you can keep an eye on your property.

Here’s the thing, though. If you’re just looking to install a camera to keep an eye on the backyard, we might suggest you look elsewhere. While this is a good basic outdoor camera, it doesn’t have enough features to justify a stand-alone purchase.

SimpliSafe Essentials Kit

One drawback is that you need to purchase both a SimpliSafe base station and a keypad if you want to use this camera. Once that’s done, though, you’ll be able to check out the camera’s live feed at any time via the SimpliSafe app, as well as have access to past events and real-time motion alerts. All said and done, you’re looking at $389.97 — $189.99 for the camera, and $199.98 for the other requisite equipment.

The good news is, if you’re a SimpliSafe user already enrolled in the Interactive plan, the camera’s premium features are actually included in the plan. Just connect the camera to your system and you will auto-magically gain access to everything the SimpliSafe Outdoor Camera has to offer, with no additional monthly fees.

Installing the Camera

Just like the SimpliCam, which I also reviewed, the new SimpliSafe outdoor camera is very easy to install. Its construction is simple and lightweight; rest assured you’re not dealing with bulky equipment or small parts.

SimpliSafe Outdoor Camera in Box

Everything about installation was easy and straightforward, from removing the camera from the box to placing it on my wall. It’s always a good idea with any battery-operated camera to check the battery first to see if it needs charging (like we did when we reviewed the Ring Spotlight Battery). I made sure to dig out the battery from the SimpliSafe Outdoor camera box, and charge it in the house before beginning installation.

The battery took about two hours to reach a full charge (the three flashing lights on the battery are an easy indicator). To compare, this was about the same time it took for the battery-operated Reolink Argus 2 camera to charge when I reviewed it.

But here’s the big difference between SimpliSafe and the Reolink cameras I reviewed: the Reolink’s battery isn’t removable. You have to plug the USB cord into the camera itself to charge the battery, which – for me – meant having to climb up and take it down every two to three months or so. (The battery lasts three to six months before it needs a recharge.) That’s not ideal, frankly, because I’m barely 5 feet tall, I don’t have the steadiest hands, and I’m just not very fond of ladders.

SimpliSafe Outdoor Camera Inside

So with SimpliSafe Outdoor, I had a bit of flexibility, and I used it. While I waited for the battery to charge, I took the device apart and found the place the battery would go when it reached 100%. Easy enough, right?

I also had a closer look at the camera’s magnetic mounting bracket. It connects with the camera tightly, so I knew it would be secure once I mounted it, but it was also easy to adjust. Even before I’d finished charging the battery I could position the camera in the mount to test out different angles.

We really like this approach to mourning. We saw it with the Google Nest, and we saw it again when we reviewed Geeni. These magnetic mounts are great for adjusting on the fly, but make sure you’re installing them where potential burglars and thieves can’t get their hands on them. More on this in our guide to security camera placement.

I liked how I could install the camera anywhere, using just two screws and the included bracket. Since I’m accustomed to DIY cameras, this step was no sweat. But if you’re new to home security, check out my thorough security camera installation guide for more tips.

Next, I took the bracket apart, then proceeded to drill those two (very) small screws into the wall adjacent to my home’s garage door using the bottom of the bracket as my guide.

SimpliSafe Garage Door Bracket

From there, I sealed up the mounting bracket and popped the camera body into place.

Installing SimpliSafe Outdoor Camera to Wall

Here’s where things might get slightly complicated – but don’t worry, it’s still SimpliSafe, so the answer is never too hard to find. Simply put, location matters. A lot. The camera can sometimes perform poorly if it’s placed too far away from the required base station or Wi-Fi router. In fact, six to eight feet is usually the maximum distance;3 any farther away, and you can experience delays in loading the camera’s live stream or preparing motion-activated clips. The thing is, you’ll find this limitation with most of the top wireless security cameras.

You might also try installing the camera in one location, find it’s not responding at all, and have to move the camera elsewhere. It’s a common process that requires some trial and error, but it shouldn’t add too much time to the total installation.

SimpliSafe Outdoor Camera Placement

Plus, if you have a solid Wi-Fi connection and/or range extender, you might not encounter these issues at all. That said, let’s get into the full experience.

SimpliSafe Outdoor: The Full Experience

As I said previously, this camera works with a SimpliSafe alarm system and won’t record as a standalone camera. So provided you have the SimpliSafe equipment, the camera should be as easy to use as any other wireless camera, from the multi-functional Canary cameras I reviewed to the practical Lorex cameras I tested soon after.

For the most part, the technology takes care of itself, and after spending a few minutes navigating the app, locating and browsing settings, I started getting motion-triggered notifications. My live view showed up on the same screen I used to add the camera initially, and from there, I could navigate to my video timeline, look at pre-recorded clips, manually record an event, and even download clips to my smartphone or computer.

SimpliSafe Outdoor Camera App

What did that live view look like, you might be asking? See for yourself:

SimpliSafe Outdoor Camera View

Video Quality

On a beautiful early fall day in Central Ohio, the picture quality I got from the SimpliSafe outdoor camera is just about the best you can hope for in a security camera: clear and colorful, thanks to the camera’s 1080p resolution. That’s still the industry standard, and for good reason. It means the camera can capture finer details like facial features – details that could mean everything in the event of a break-in.

For what it’s worth, I’m glad to see SimpliSafe adhering to said standard in the outdoor camera. When it first came out, the SimpliCam maxed out at only 720p resolution. Of course, industry standards have gone up since then, and to SimpliSafe’s credit, the latest generation of SimpliCam now has 1080p resolution. All in all, SimpliSafe’s cameras are doing well in terms of video quality.

Night Vision

When the sun set, things got even more interesting. For one, the camera, according to SimpliSafe, can record in full color at night with a range of up to 10 feet, thanks to a motion-activated spotlight. Now, this wasn’t an earth-shattering discovery, as I’ve tested a number of spotlight cameras and found them to be immensely useful. But I was still impressed with the way this camera handles night vision, for the simple fact that I was able to control when and how I used that spotlight.

If I wanted potential intruders to see the light pop on (that’s usually when they run away), I could set the spotlight to trigger as soon as motion is detected. Or, I could keep the spotlight off for a more discrete approach and rely on infrared (in this case, black and white) night vision. It’s all right there in the app, under the camera’s settings, as seen in this screenshot:

SimpliSafe Outdoor Camera Settings

During my tests, the camera didn’t miss any motion, but because it’s an outdoor camera Wi-Fi connections can be finicky, it did struggle at times to record in color at night.

Most of the time, what I got were slightly grainy but overall decent motion clips. Would they be usable to the police if the camera happened to capture an intruder or another crime in progress? For the most part, yes. But again, wireless cameras do have their limits at night.

Now, let’s explore more notable features of this camera.

Motion Detection

In a fairly recent development, SimpliSafe’s motion detection can now decipher between people and other types of motion. So if it’s human intruders you’re worried about, turn on people mode so you’ll be notified only when a person enters the frame.

SimpliSafe Outdoor Camera Motion Detection

For intrusions of the animal variety, turn on all-motion detection to track critters in your flower beds. It’s not anything the average wireless camera can’t do these days (see our analysis of Arlo’s wireless cameras for a slightly glossier experience), but if you’re a SimpliSafe loyalist, I think you’ll appreciate this simple but important feature.

Two-Way Talk

The camera has a built-in microphone that lets you hear what’s happening around your home, even while you’re away, and talk to relatives or even suspicious lurkers within the camera’s view. This is a standard feature in security cameras, and for good reason: it can actually scare people away.

The audio handled as well as many others in the market, like the affordable Wyze Cam I tested recently. It fell just a bit short of expectations in audio clarity, but it definitely accomplished the task.

Smart Home Integrations

By itself, the SimpliSafe Outdoor Camera doesn’t integrate with any smart home platforms or third-party devices. Since the camera requires a SimpliSafe system to work properly, the only way to sync it up with existing smart home devices and platforms in your home is through SimpliSafe’s smart hub (aka base station). From there, you can set SimpliSafe to pull up your camera’s live stream if the alarm is triggered (and automatically sound the siren).

All in all, SimpliSafe automates well with Alexa-enabled platforms like the Echo Show and Fire TV, but it was a little less intuitive than when I reviewed Blink’s security cameras. SimpliSafe users still have plenty of options to automate with other components, like smart lighting, smart locks, and smoke detectors. For example, you can tell Alexa you’re going out, and Alexa will set the system to Away mode, so it’ll be armed and ready for any suspicious or hazardous activity.

One final note about home automation: You’ll need an Interactive plan to enjoy any home automation feature. Otherwise, SimpliSafe is just a security system. A pretty good one, sure, but one without smart home integrations.

>> Also see: Common Components of a Home Security System

Three-Year Warranty

Many competitors in this market offer one-year warranties by default, with options to extend – and that typically costs extra. With SimpliSafe, the warranty is three years, no matter what. It’s a nice touch, and another reason I’ve been recommending SimpliSafe as one of the best security systems out there.

On top of that, you’ll get a no-questions-asked, 60-day money-back guarantee. During that period, you can return your system and get your money back. It’s essentially a risk-free buy.

SimpliSafe Camera Costs

Side of SimpliSafe Outdoor Camera

For $189.99, the SimpliSafe outdoor camera is priced fairly, in my view. Some might find it a bit steep, since it only works with a SimpliSafe system and lacks any direct smart platform integrations. Also, as I noted above, the original Indoor camera costs only $99 and the new Wireless Indoor Camera costs just $139.99. Simplisafe frequently includes one or the other for free in pre-made packages.

We should say that where the outdoor camera is concerned, it’s pretty obvious that it was simply meant to fill a void in SimpliSafe’s product line. Users had long been clamouring for an outdoor model. Compared to $100+ outdoor cameras we’ve reviewed previously, though–like the Reolink Argus 3 camera and its successor, Argus 3 Pro–this one didn’t knock our socks off, but we also understand its primary function: as a component to SimpliSafe’s larger system, rather than a standalone camera.

It’s a decent camera at a mid-range price, reminiscent in form and function of Night Owl cameras. The price, however, appears to reflect the flexibility this camera provides, so I don’t think $189.99 is an unreasonable price for an add-on camera. If you think otherwise, the $80 Night Owl camera might be worth looking at; their cameras tested well and presented a functional alternative.

One final note about pricing —  keep an eye out for deals. SimpliSafe offers them throughout the year. For example, SimpliSafe recently offered 40 percent off of any new system PLUS a free indoor camera. It pays to do your homework.

Keep reading for a brief snapshot comparing SimpliSafe’s cameras.

SimpliSafe Cameras: Cost Breakdown

SimpliSafe Packages: Cost and Features

Interested in what a full SimpliSafe security kit might cost you? Here’s the latest pricing on the brand’s selection of packages.

SimpliSafe Package Pricing

SimpliSafe Individual Equipment Costs

In addition to their affordable kits and cameras, SimpliSafe sells their own equipment and add-ons individually, ranging from motion and entry sensors to video doorbells and smart locks. Here are their offerings and what you can expect to pay:

SimpliSafe Offerings

SimpliSafe Subscription and Monitoring Plans

Part of SimpliSafe’s value lies in its flexible monthly plans. There are no contracts required with SimpliSafe, so you can subscribe to a monthly plan with the option to cancel at any time.

Since neither of SimpliSafe’s cameras allow for local (micro-SD card) storage, the cloud is the only option for storing video. SimpliSafe’s offerings include cloud video service starting at $4.99 per month. That’s just for storing video from SimpliCams and the new outdoor camera, and that’s a pretty fair price compared to most camera subscriptions nowadays. It’s about the same price you’d pay to store video from an Arlo or Canary camera, for example. And it allows storage for more than one SimpliSafe camera, too.

If you want to connect your system to the authorities for live monitoring, the brand makes it easy to add that on. You’ll need to choose between two SimpliSafe monitoring plans, listed as follows:

Monitoring Costs and Options

Final Thoughts on SimpliSafe Outdoor

SimpliSafe Outdoor Camera, installed, evening

SimpliSafe started out as a favorite of college students and renters, but it didn’t take long for the brand to become universally beloved by homeowners, businesses, apartment dwellers, retirees, and home security enthusiasts in general.

The addition of an outdoor camera to SimpliSafe’s arsenal only makes it a more well-rounded security solution. Did the camera knock my socks off? Not really. But part of that is because there are plenty of other top security brands that can do the same thing at the same or lower price, and still be on par with this camera in terms of performance.

But those other brands don’t rely on a complete home security system to keep them running, either. With a trusted brand like SimpliSafe, you can’t really go wrong with the new outdoor camera.

If you already have a SimpliSafe system installed — or you’re considering buying one — then this outdoor camera will protect your home with the best of them.

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