SimpliSafe Security Camera Options and Pricing

SimpliSafe Camera Cost

So first things first. If you’re already up and running with a SimpliSafe home security system or you’re going to purchase a kit, tacking on the $99 SimpliCam seems pretty reasonable. It won’t break the bank, and it integrates seamlessly into the SimpliSafe suite of products. Easy peasy.

That said, if you’re looking for a standalone indoor security camera, you might want to shop around. The SimpliCam offers pretty basic features, and you can get similar functionality from brands like Blink, Zmodo, or Wyze for a lot cheaper. The $60 Ring Indoor Cam I reviewed is also a good option.

Unpacking the SimpliSafe Camera

If SimpliSafe wants to stay competitive, they could lower SimpliCam’s price by about $20… or improve its features, which they did when they launched the 2nd generation SimpliCam with an improved 1080p HD resolution (the one we tested had 720p). But there are more ways to improve the camera, like adding artificial intelligence in the form of person detection or facial recognition. These days, most homeowners are looking for more in a $100 camera than what the SimpliSafe camera delivers.

SimpliCam Subscription Cost

Another factor to consider is your cloud storage fees. While you don’t necessarily need this functionality — you can always livestream from your smartphone and see motion-triggered notifications — it certainly will improve your user experience. For just $4.99 per month, you’ll be able to store up to 30 days worth of video and watch 60-second clips of recordings.

Also keep in mind there is no local storage option, meaning you won’t be able to record to, say, a microSD card. Something to keep in mind if you’re serious about your privacy and don’t want recordings of you stepping out of the shower stored on some server somewhere.

The SimpliSafe Camera Experience

Installing the SimpliCam

Of the hundreds (maybe even thousands) of home security products I’ve tested over the years, SimpliCam is one of the easiest devices to install. Technically, the installation only entails plugging the power cord into a standard outlet and placing the camera wherever you so desire.

From there, simply download the SimpliSafe mobile app, connect the camera to Wi-Fi, and you’re in business. It’s really that simple! But honestly, you can expect fast and easy DIY installation no matter what indoor camera you purchase these days.

SimpliSafe Indoor Camera

One thing to bear in mind is that the SimpliCam doesn’t work outdoors. It’s simply not rugged or protected against the elements enough. In the past, SimpliSafe gave its users the option to buy a “wet suit” for the indoor cam so users could use it outdoors. Now, though, there’s an outdoor camera option that offers a lot of the same features as the SimpliCam, but rugged enough to live outdoors. The outdoor cam costs $189.99, which for an outdoor camera is a great price.

SimpliCam Performance

After reviewing the camera’s specs, expectations weren’t super high for SimpliSafe’s camera. Sure, the company hypes up the SimpliCam with fancy marketing-speak, claiming it has Variable Bitrate Compression1 to improve image quality. This is all well and good, but I wanted to see how it performed off-paper and in the real world. Thankfully, the camera handled very well in some categories.

First, you should know that we tested the first generation of SimpliCam, which only offers 720 HD resolution. It’s lower than the industry standard 1080p HD, but it’s still decent. Thankfully, if you buy a SimpliSafe cam now, the current version has a 1080p HD resolution.

Once we had the camera up and running, we started to get mobile alerts when the camera noticed something pass through its field of vision. However, it wasn’t so sensitive that every speck of dust triggered an alert. Its smart motion detection was impressive enough to ignore the dog running back and forth all day, and the company claims to use intelligent detection algorithms that will only trigger for the unique heat signature of humans — something that seemed to bear out in my tests.

Fielding alerts was easy using the SimpliSafe app. Once a notification comes through, a simple swipe of the finger takes you to the livestream. Note that SimpliCam also provides two-way talk. The built-in microphone allowed me to speak to the kids through the camera, which is always helpful. To speak through the cam, hold down the microphone icon in the app. Just remember to take your finger off the mic if you want to listen in. Two-way audio is nice, but it’s a pretty standard feature nowadays.

SimpliSafe App

So far so good. But again, none of these features is especially innovative. That said, one unique feature of the SimpliSafe camera is the stainless steel privacy shutter. The shutter provides more control over the camera feed and privacy. It opens and closes — essentially turning the camera on and off — only with user permission. It also looks like an eye-opening and closing, which I thought was kind of cyborg-chic.

Customer Service

In my experience, SimpliSafe customer service is rock-solid. Their Help Center is pretty robust, and the brand also has service channels via email, user forums, and good old-fashioned phone calls. I did come across some unflattering reviews citing long wait times, but I never waited more than a few minutes to get a friendly and professional agent on the line.

Money-Back Guarantee

SimpliSafe’s 60-day, money-back guarantee happens to be one of the better guarantees in the business, and it shows that they stand behind their product and service. If you do decide to return your equipment before your 60 days are up, SimpliSafe will even pay your return shipping. Not bad.

Standout Features of SimpliCam

Although SimpliSafe’s camera is fairly basic and barebones when it comes to features and tech, a few are still worth mentioning. Here are some standout SimpliCam features that can help protect your home and family:

Stainless Steel Privacy Shutter

If you don’t want the camera watching your every move while at home, simply switch it to “off.” This activates the stainless steel privacy shutter. You can always open the shutter (using the mobile app) once you leave home and want the camera capturing video again.

Intelligent Motion Detection

SimpliCam comes with an innovative feature designed to eliminate false alarms. The company claims its algorithms are calibrated to pick up the unique heat signature that only humans have. In my experience, this did help to reduce false alarms.

Internal Microphone

SimpliCam’s built-in microphone lets you hear what’s happening in your home, even while you’re away. If you sign up with SimpliSafe’s cloud subscription, you can even record and store audio along with video.

DIY Installation

Nobody does DIY quite like SimpliSafe. Remember, the company was founded to offer simple security solutions for renters. The do-it-yourself installation of the SimpliCam takes about 3 minutes, from start to finish. In my experience, it really couldn’t be easier.

Three-Year Warranty

SimpliSafe’s warranty is pretty generous compared to the rest of the industry. This is another advantage with SimpliSafe: Many competitors in this market offer one-year warranties. Generally, anything beyond that is going to cost extra. With SimpliSafe, the warranty is three years, and I think this is a nice touch.

Smart Home Integrations and Monitoring

I found SimpliSafe to be somewhat lacking when it came to customizations with smart home devices. But again, the brand is all about keeping things simple, and this is just part of their business model.

There is good news, though: Right now, if you purchase a SimpliSafe kit and sign up with their Interactive Monitoring plan, you can get something called “Visual Verification.” When your alarm goes off, the SimpliSafe monitoring pros can actually tap into your SimpliCam and view your live video. This way, they can verify a crime in progress and expedite emergency personnel getting to the scene. Catch ’em red-handed!

SimpliSafe Smart Lock

SimpliSafe Add-Ons

In addition to their affordable kits, SimpliSafe does offer a few add-ons, like a smart lock and video doorbell called the Video Doorbell Pro. Here are their offerings and what you can expect to pay:

A Snapshot of SimpliSafe

The SimpliSafe story is always a fun one to tell. The company was founded in 2006 by Harvard business students who were looking for a solution to prevent break-ins around They quickly realized no security system offered true DIY installation and no contracts. So they got to tinkering, and they soon created SimpliSafe. Ever since its inception, SimpliSafe has been a go-to alarm system for dorm-dwellers and renters. And from what I’ve seen, the brand fills a hole in the market for no-nonsense home security.

Final Thoughts on SimpliSafe’s Camera

The bottom line is that SimpliCam works very nicely with SimpliSafe’s security systems. As a standalone camera, I wouldn’t recommend it; it lacks features that we deem necessary in indoor cameras, like person detection, especially considering that you can often find those features in similarly-priced cameras. Maybe if the SimpliCam cost $20 less, then we’d consider recommending it as a standalone camera, but not at its current price. Simply put, there are more functional cameras out there that make more sense on their own.

But here’s the thing: SimpliSafe doesn’t do things like the rest of the industry. They’re a huge draw for apartment dwellers, and they’re highly recommended for folks who relocate frequently. The equipment is extremely easy to work with – really checking all the DIY boxes and creating a sort of cult-like following of users. Budget-conscious homeowners also appreciate SimpliSafe’s low-cost monitoring plans; this is a much smaller investment than you’d have to make by going with a Vivint system or the like. (Vivint happens to be really impressive in its own right, though. Take a look at my full Vivint system analysis for more info.)

That said, there are loads of home security brands like Ring, Blink, and Zmodo that have plenty of indoor camera options in the sub-$100 range. Check out our list of the best cheap camera systems. With some brands, you simply can’t go wrong.

SimpliSafe Cameras FAQs