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SimpliSafe Alarm Equipment and Monitoring Options
Updated September 18, 2023
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If you’re looking for home security that’s reliable and affordable, you may want to look at a SimpliSafe system. While they offer some of the best self-monitored, DIY options in the industry, they also recently released their Fast Protect system. Packaged with a new Smart Alarm Wireless Indoor Security Camera ($139.99), you can have round-the-clock professional monitoring and near instant access to authorities in the event of an emergency.
Pro Tip: SimpliSafe’s pricing has recently changed, and they’re offering discounts on their security packages right now. We have all the insider information below.
Another reason SimpliSafe stands out for us is that they took the long-term contracts required by traditional security providers like ADT and put them directly in the trash can. Rather than making you sign up for years at a time, SimpliSafe offers month-to-month subscriptions that you can cancel at any time.
That isn’t to say SimpliSafe isn’t without its drawbacks, though. There are a few caveats that we’re going to get into here; but before we dig in further, here are few quick stats on SimpliSafe:
| Best For | DIY Installation |
|---|---|
| Difficulty Level | Very Easy |
| No. of Packages | 5 |
| Price | $150+ |
| Days Tested | 15 |
| Customizable? | Yes |
And now, let’s get to the bottom line: How much is this all going to cost?
We’ll break down everything you need to know about SimpliSafe’s equipment and pricing here. We’ll discuss monitoring costs, associated fees, and how you can save on SimpliSafe. Also, keep in mind SimpliSafe recently dropped some new pieces of security technology — namely a new indoor camera and a two-in-one smoke and CO sensor. For more on that, check out our SimpliSafe review.
Pro Tip: Adding professional security monitoring will take your home security to new heights. Read our ADT review and see why it has the best security monitoring service, even better than SimpliSafe’s 24/7 monitoring.
SafeHome.org Editor Andrew Garcia evaluating the SimpliSafe keypad
There are two main ways to build out a SimpliSafe system. You can start with one of their pre-built kits, or you can customize a kit yourself. Either way, you’ll have options to tweak your equipment to your liking.
Live in a small apartment? The four-piece Foundation kit is $244.96. Need a more robust system? At $509.86, the Haven’s 14 pieces can cover even the largest homes. Want ultimate security with indoor and outdoor cameras included in your kit? Take a look at the Beacon or the Lighthouse for $699.90 and $464.93 respectively.
Of course, those are regular prices. Right now Simplisafe is offering 50 percent off all of their security packages, and they’re also going to toss in a free indoor camera with the purchase of a monitoring plan — that’ll just add a buck a day to your total costs. Definitely worth it if you ask us.
| SimpliSafe Packages | Regular Retail Price | Equipment Quantity | Perks |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Beacon | $709.90 | 11 pieces | Includes 2 wireless outdoor cameras and 1 indoor camera |
| The Lighthouse | $469.93 | 8 pieces | Includes 1 wireless outdoor camera and 1 indoor camera |
| The Haven | $519.86 | 14 Pieces | Equipped to monitor for unexpected water damage and fires |
| The Knox | $479.87 | 13 Pieces | Great for large homes with 4+ bedrooms |
| The Hearth | $399.91 | 9 Pieces | Equipped with an extra 105dB siren |
| The Essentials | $279.95 | 6 Pieces | Most affordable price for all the essentials of home security |
| The Foundation | $249.96 | 4 Pieces | Perfect for small apartments and single-family homes |
Discount Alert: It seems like SimpliSafe is always running sales on their security packages. Most of the time these are in the 30 percent range, but we’ve seen sales up to 60 percent off. Right now, if you’re interested in picking up one of these packages, you’ll get 40 percent off as well as a free Smart Alarm Wireless Indoor Camera if you sign up for their new Fast Protect monitoring service.
SimpliSafe’s lineup of equipment includes various sensors and other useful devices and features with each package. Unless you live in the Farnsworth House, you’ll probably want to start with one of their basic monitoring packages — a base bundle like The Foundation ($245) or The Essentials ($275) — and if you do live in the Farnsworth House,1 glass sensors are $34.99 each when purchased individually. You can still add on extras to these starter bundles, so don’t worry about things being an exact fit.
Learn more about Rob and our methodology →
The Beacon is designed for homeowners whose main priority is protecting against break-ins and want the ultimate in security equipment for assurance. It includes 2 wireless security cameras with 1080p HD video and a 140-degree field of view and an indoor camera with motion detection. The system, at $709.90, doesn’t come cheap, but with SimpliSafe’s frequently run discounts, it becomes much more affordable.
For those who want indoor and outdoor security cameras without the expense that comes with the Beacon, the Lighthouse is a system to consider. It offers one outdoor camera with 1080p HD video and a 140-degree field of view and one indoor camera with motion detection. Before discounts, the system costs $469.93.
Retailing for $519.86, the Haven is best for customers that are looking for comprehensive protections for larger properties. It’s one of SimpliSafe’s more expensive security kits, but that’s because it monitors not only for break-ins and security breaches, but for environmental hazards like fires and water damage as well. Further increasing the security of Haven users is the panic button, which can be placed anywhere to summon help immediately in the event of an emergency or medical incident.
Key Stats and Specs:
Offered at $479.87, the Knox is designed to protect large homes with 4+ bedrooms. With twice as many entry and motion sensors as SimpliSafe’s next-largest bundle (The Hearth), you’ll receive six entry sensors to secure all the main entryways of a larger home and two motion sensors to cover hallways or large areas. Note, The Knox package actually has more entry sensors than The Haven, but it lacks some of the disaster detectors.
Key Stats and Specs:
SimpliSafe’s Hearth system is a great middle ground. It includes more pieces of equipment than the more basic systems, but it’s not too expensive either. At $399.91 without discounts, it’s certainly worth the price. The Hearth package includes three entry sensors. It also comes with a motion sensor, a siren, and a key fob.
Although the base station has a built-in siren, the auxiliary siren covers more ground. It has a rated loudness of 105 dB, which is about as loud as snowmobiles, so it’s plenty loud. The ear-piercing sound could easily scare away intruders, and if it doesn’t, it increases the likelihood of your neighbors noticing. Maybe they’ll call the cops for you if you aren’t home.
Key Stats and Specs:
Selling for only $279.95, the Essentials package is perfect for those looking for all of the home security basics at an affordable price. Equipped with three entry sensors, a motion sensor, and 24-7 alarm monitoring, there’s a good reason why this is SimpliSafe’s most popular package.
Key Stats and Specs:
The Foundation package is perfect for renters or owners of smaller homes. For about $249.96 before discounts, the Foundation comes with a base station and siren, one keypad, one motion sensor, and one entry sensor. For those with more than one door or window to worry about, The Foundation package is an affordable way to get the must-have base station and keypad before tacking on extras ahead of checkout.
Key Stats and Specs:
Our full SimpliSafe equipment selection prior to testing
With SimpliSafe, you have the option to upgrade, add on, or customize your home security system. All in all, the costs of their device lineup is more or less the same as the industry average — give or take $5 to $10.
Pro Tip: Keep your base station near the center of your home, so crooks can’t reach it without tripping a sensor first. The base station is responsible for alerting the monitoring center!2
Other than a couple of power cables, SimpliSafe’s entire home security system is free of wired connections, including their cameras. If you’re curious about SimpliSafe’s 1080p HD camera, called the SimpliCam, check out our roundup of SimpliCam cameras. And you can read our hands-on experience with the device in our comprehensive SimpliCam review.
Note that SimpliSafe’s wireless gear is designed to make installation and setup easy — which is a good thing because of SimpliSafe tasks customers with setting up their own gear.3 Below is a pricing summary of SimpliSafe’s wireless equipment and devices:
| SimpliSafe Equipment | Equipment Type | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Base Station | Control | $5.42 per month |
| Keypad | Control | $2.92 per month |
| Entry Sensor | Sensor | $14.99 |
| Motion Sensor | Sensor | $29.99 |
| SimpliCam (Indoor camera) | Camera | $99.00 |
| SimpliSafe (Outdoor camera) | Camera | $179.99 |
| Glassbreak Sensor | Sensor | $34.99 |
| Panic Button | Remote | $19.99 |
| Smoke Detector | Sensor | $29.99 |
| Temperature Sensor | Sensor | $29.99 |
| Water Sensor | Sensor | $19.99 |
| Key Fob | Remote | $24.99 |
| 105 dB Siren | Control | $59.99 |
| Yard sign | Display | $3.99 |
Now most security systems will require that you purchase a monitoring plan or pay a monthly fee — not so with SimpliSafe. Although you’ll certainly get more out of your system if you opt in to their Fast Protect monitoring service, the system runs perfectly fine if you choose to self monitor.
Pro Tip: Have little ones in your home? Then you know there are certain dangerous places you’ll need to watch out for. Check out our guide to five household hazards spots in your house if you have toddlers.
SimpliSafe – Camera and Base Station
SimpliSafe’s 24-7 professional monitoring plans are where they really shine. They offer two such plans — the Standard Plan ($19.99 per month) and the Interactive Plan ($29.99 per month) — that you can sign up for and cancel at any time. There are no long-term contracts or installation fees to worry about.
| Monitoring Plans | Monthly Cost | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | $19.99 | – 24-7 live monitoring – Advanced remote alerts (SMS, email, etc.) – Remote arm and disarm |
| Fast Protect | $29.99 | – 24-7 live monitoring – Fast response for police, emergency medical, and fire department dispatch – Unlimited video recording – 24-7 monitoring for water, fire, and dangerous temperature detection – Advanced remote alerts (SMS, email, etc.) – Remote arm and disarm |
SimpliSafe outsources its monitoring services to COPS,4 a company that focuses solely on monitoring. Some security companies do monitor their own systems, but SimpliSafe’s approach is not unusual either.
For just $0.93 per day, SimpliSafe’s Interactive plan — Now called Fast Protect — monitors and protects your home from burglars, unexpected water damage, and fire outbreaks. It also equips you with rapid response and dispatch to police, paramedics, or fire department personnel if a hazard occurs. It’s quite cheap (and sometimes even cheaper!) by home security monitoring standards.
SimpliSafe App
As you’d expect, this monitoring plan will keep your home monitored around the clock. It also includes some key perks. Opting for the Interactive subscription unlocks home automation options, which lets you control smart home devices connected to your system from anywhere with your smartphone. You’ll also receive security alerts via email or text message, as well as friends and family alerts.
We recommend going with the Interactive plan. Now, if you happen to own a business, this is definitely the plan you’ll want to choose. The reason being is that you’ll always be away from your brick and mortar business at night, and it’s important to get those instant mobile alerts in case of a break-in. To find out more, read our in-depth guide on SimpliSafe for Business.
SimpliSafe’s Standard plan will cover your monitoring needs 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for just $0.60 a day. It’s really all you’ll need in terms of security coverage, but it lacks some of the more advanced monitoring capabilities that its pricier sibling boasts. Overall, it’s a solid monitoring plan that meets the basic requirements. If your system detects a problem, you’ll get a call from SimpliSafe’s monitoring partners. You can call off the alert with a verbal passcode. If you don’t, the monitoring team will dispatch the authorities.
If you’re not up for paying the monthly fee for professional monitoring, you can opt to improve your self-monitoring experience with one of the camera recording plans instead. With one of these plans, your SimpliCam, SimpliSafe Outdoor Camera, or SimpliSafe Video Doorbell will record, store, and save motion clips to the cloud, allowing you to review footage of break-ins after the fact.
SimpliSafe used to offer the flexibility of several different cloud recording plans. The company now offers just one, for $9.99 a month. The good news, though, is that this plan comes with unlimited recording for five cameras. That means whether you have one camera or five, you’ll pay the same low price. Of course, you don’t get police, fire, or medical dispatch with this plan. For that, you’ll need the Standard or Interactive plans. Still, this cloud recording ensures you’ll have crystal-clear evidence to hand over to the police should anyone every try to break in.
How does your home measure up when it comes to security? Take this quiz to see how you score, and get recommendation to protect your home.
SimpliSafe does not require long-term contracts, which differs from the approach of other home security companies like ADT. If you’d rather invest in your equipment upfront, avoid long-term contracts, and opt for affordable professional monitoring plans, then SimpliSafe is a great option for you. You can sign up for SimpliSafe’s monitoring services on a monthly basis and cancel whenever you want. On the flip side, SimpliSafe does not use long-term commitments to spread out the cost of hardware and installation. However, their DIY installation and seamless wireless devices can make up for the upfront costs for many customers. SimpliSafe’s value is most obvious to renters and people who might be moving within a few months.
Farnsworth House. (2020, April 4). Wikipedia. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farnsworth_House
SimpliSafe. (2020). What does Professional Monitoring protect against? What happens during an alarm?
https://support.simplisafe.com/hc/en-us/articles/360036466511-What-does-Professional-Monitoring-protect-against-What-happens-during-an-alarm-
SimpliSafe. (2020). Installation Help for the All-New SimpliSafe.
https://support.simplisafe.com/
COPS. (2020). World-Class Professional Monitoring Services.
https://www.copsmonitoring.com/monitoring-services/
