Customer Ratings & Reviews

As our neighborhood has grown quickly with new homes and businesses moving into town during the past couple of years we decided it was time to add a whole home security system. The SimpliSafe 17 Piece Whole Home Security Kit was just what we were looking for. As the name implies, this kit supports an entire residence with multiple cameras, window/door sensors, base unit, keypad, etc. It can also be expanded (up to 100 sensors) if needed with additional pieces available from SimpliSafe. In the Box - Base Station (white), Keypad (white), 1 x Wireless HD Outdoor Camera, 1 x Wired HD Indoor Camera, 8 x Entry Sensors, 2 x Motion Sensors, 1 x Panic Button, 1 x Glass Break Sensor, 1 x Key Fob, Yard Signage/stickers and documentation. As we have 7 entry points on the first floor of our home, this package had more than enough sensors to cover them all. Setup - SimpliSafe couldn't make the setup process much easier. There's documentation in the kit that walks through setup as well as the SimpliSafe app that literally walks through the required steps. Once the app is downloaded, create an account, and follow the steps to set up the base station and associated sensors and cameras. There are QR codes on the different accessories that can be scanned to assist with adding them during setup. This package also comes with a free 30 day trial of the monitored system which can be cancelled after 30 days by calling SimpliSafe. One of the features I really like is the magnetic mounting base on the outdoor camera. As the 1080p capable camera is wireless it was super easy to pick a spot and mount the base to the house. Then just connect the camera to the base with the magnet and you're ready to go! The outdoor camera batteries are rechargeable and SimpliSafe also offers a solar panel charger as an accessory. Another welcome feature is that most of the sensors and associated accessories are mounted with tape so there is no hardwiring the system or putting holes in your walls. It also allows for all sorts of options when installing or expanding the system. Mounting the sensors is not only a breeze, there’s no damage to your home. Using the System / Security - Once the system and service are set up the system does what it's supposed to. The cameras functioned perfectly...including spying on our dog! The keypad is super straightforward (Home, Away and Off) and easy to use and the unique pins is a great feature. Multiple unique pins can be created for multiple users on the system. So far we haven’t had any issues with the system. The cameras have a number of customization features for day and nighttime use including sensitivity and resolution settings. One of the new additions to this system which our previous system did not have is the key fob. For me, it’s important to have ease of functionality and the key fob is one of my new favorite accessories. Pros: - Systems easily supports a large residence or business with 17 total pieces - Great build quality of base, keypad and accessories - Ease of setup and overall system configuration and use - Ability to add to the system such as water sensors or solar chargers for outdoor cameras - DIY installation and no service fees if you choose that route - The Key Fob makes an easy to use system even easier! Cons: - Haven't come across any after a couple weeks of tinkering and use with the system Overall, the SimpliSafe 17 Piece Whole Home Security Kit is a great value, easy to setup and use and it's expandable as needs change. It can be used free or there are a couple levels of paid monitoring services offered. I would certainly recommend this system to anyone looking to add the security of a whole home security system to their home or even a small business.

I've seen the Simplisafe products for several years now and they seem to have come quite a ways from the first ones I had seen. More options for sensors, better and smaller form factors and well laid out keypads. I've always been curious as to how well they would perform. This is a very complete system for a starter kit. It comes with a base station, 8 entry sensors, 2 motion sensors, an outdoor camera, and indoor camera, a glass break sensor, a keypad, a key fob and a panic button for a total of 17 pieces. Depending on how many windows and doors your house or apartment has, this is probably plenty to cover most if not all of your home. You can always purchase additional sensors if you find you're short for the number of entrances you would like to protect, or if you want some of the sensors that the kit doesn't come with. Setting up the system is incredibly easy. Just download the app, create your account, and start charging your cameras and setting up your sensors. Between the base station and the app, the system tells you just what to do for each device. When you first log in to your Simplisafe account, you'll be presented with options for subscription monitoring, which breaks down into monthly payments of $0.33 per day to $0.99 per day. These monthly fees will get you various degrees of home monitoring. You can also skip the monitoring and use it as a stand alone system (as I've done). We'll see just what it will let me do on my own as far as self monitoring. To add any sensor, camera, or keypad, just open the app and tap the 3 lines in the top left corner. This open up a list of what you can do and see, and gives you selections for help as well. From this list choose “Add Device or Camera”. This presents you with a general overview screen of the basic steps to add a device. Tapping the “Let's Go” button starts the device setup process and lets you select the device you want to setup and add to the system. All the items that Simplisafe offers are in the list of devices so all you need to do is pick the one you have. Actually, I found that once I put the base station into the add new device mode, all I had to do was pull out the battery tab on the device I wanted to add and the base station automatically found it and added it. So, it's just that easy to add any of the devices to you system. I don't think there's a way they could've made it any easier! Everything is wireless, from the base station to all the sensors and devices. The base station comes with a wall plug, but also has a rechargeable internal battery. In the event that you loose power, the system will still operate and continue to protect your home. The indoor camera comes with a USB cable and power plug, so I guess not 100% wireless, but it's small size makes it easy to hide. So, a quick breakdown of the device options goes like this. The entry sensors can be set up individually to customize your system. You can rename the sensor, select it to instantly trigger (to set the alarm off immediately when a door or window is opened), and choose how it acts in any of the 3 alarm modes, Off, Home or Away. The motion sensors also allow you to change names and instantly trigger the alarm. But it also has a Pet Mode which you can select if you have pets. In this mode, the motion sensor ignores motion from smaller objects (like dogs and cats), so that they are free to wander the house when your away, just as they always do, without triggering the alarm. The base station has lot of tweaks and settings but comes with a set of defaults already chosen. You really don't have to do anything with these settings, the defaults are pretty well thought out, but if you're interested, you can change things like turning off the base station light, set the volume of the entry sensor chime or turn it off altogether (this is a nice audible little chime that lets you know when a door or window has been opened), you can set the siren volume and duration it stays on. You can also set the entry and exit delay. This is the time the system gives you to exit the house after setting the alarm or the time it gives you to turn the system off when you come back home. Lots of great settings that are comparable with many fully wired systems. Both the cameras have a really cool option. These cameras actually have a “privacy shutter” in them. These are mechanical internal shutters that block any camera from seeing anything at all. You can choose how this shutter functions in all the alarm modes, so for instance, when you arm the system in Home mode, you can make sure the camera shutter is closed, giving you privacy. If you set the system to arm in away mode, you can let the camera shutter open to view anything that triggers it. You can actually hear and see the internal shutter open and close, it's a really cool feature. As I've mentioned the inside camera comes with a USB power cable and plug, the outside camera operates on a rechargeable battery, so it's completely wireless when charged. This is really helpful when trying to decide where to install it because you don't have to worry about a plug. It's base is also magnetic so when you need to charge it, just pluck it off the wall and take it inside to charge it. No fumbling around with threaded mounts. So Simplisafe will strongly suggest you sign up for one of their paid monthly subscription plans. And rightly so, they offer different packages for different needs. All of their plans are less than $1.00 per day. The $0.99 per day package gets you all the person monitored extras you could imagine, like 24/7 professional monitoring, fast police response, 2-way audio that agents can use to communicate with you in an emergency, unlimited camera recordings, etc.. The other plans offer fewer and fewer features and range from $.66 per day down to $.33 per day for self monitoring. You can use the system without signing up for any of the plans, but you're limited using the system this way. You won't be able to record any video for one. But the system will trip the alarm and set off the siren and notify you at some point that the alarm has been triggered (although for me it was pretty instantaneous). By using the app, you can always do things like shut off the siren, or remotely arm the alarm if you left the house and forgot to set it. So you still have control over the system. You can also log into your cameras and view live feeds. So, lots of choices here. You can set up the system for how you want to use and add other sensors as needed, or add a monitoring plan as well. It's really up to you. All in all, this is a really good system and it's a breeze to set up yourself. They do offer professional installation if you really just don't want to deal with it, but I think it's actually fun to set it up yourself, the way you want. All the sensors are battery operated and held in place with double sided foam tape, it just doesn't get any easier. Really nice feature packed system!

TLDR: If you are looking for the quickest & easiest way to replace your existing home security system, or want to add a whole home security system, this system deserves a look. INTRODUCTION My house came pre-wired with a security system. Every window and door in my house has a hardwired sensor, running back to a central, structured media panel. Unfortunately, when it came time for us to have the house monitored, every single security provider said they were unable to use our existing infrastructure, wanting to either replace everything in the house, or at a minimum, everything in the media panel. At this point we had to decide between having no security monitoring, or pay an outside provider big dollars to add their product to our existing hardware, thereby tying us to them for the duration of service. I was not impressed with the options and did not want tied down to one specific provider that nothing else would work with. Queue up Simplisafe. They offer what I was unable to get from outside service suppliers. A well designed, easy, flexible, expandable system that can have as many or as little options as you want. Not only that, there are no high pressure sales tactics. You decide what you want and get a system that meets your needs. Decide to add on later? No problem, you can always order more sensors as needed. Want monitoring, sure they offer that. Don’t want to have your system monitored, no sweat. INSTALLATION Simplisafe has done an outstanding job of creating an easy to install system for any homeowner, even those not well versed in technology and home renovation. All sensors can be installed with the included double stick tape or with the set of small screws included with each sensor. I was able to install the entire 17-piece kit, plus a couple of extra keypads in less than an hour. There are no wires to worry about, no power cords, nothing. Really as easy as peel and stick. Each sensor comes with a small battery that powers it. The batteries should have no problems lasting the better part of a year or more with average use. The tape has proven very durable so far. I have not had any sensors fall off after initial installation. Whether be on textured, interior drywall, or on vinyl windows that have been baking in the 105 + degree heat we’ve been experiencing. SOFTWARE I give Simplisafe high marks for the effort they have put in on their software. Once you download the Simplisafe app on your Andrioid or iOS device and create your account. You are off. I have rarely seen an app so well designed and easy to use. The app starts you off with connecting your base station (it is the brains behind the whole system) and then allows you to add sensors one-by-one. You grab a sensor, add it in the drop-down list in the app, type in its location, and then pull the battery protector off to activate. In seconds the base station will see the sensor, query it to ensure it is functioning properly and you stick it on. Wash, rinse, repeat. Seamless, easy, stress-free. CAMERAS 2 cameras are included in the kit. 1 outdoor rated camera and an indoor camera. The outdoor camera provides the option of shining a “spotlight” (really just 2 LED’s) if it detects motion after dark. Both cameras support resolutions up to 1080p and even though that is just average this day and age, the images are crisp and sharp. One nice inclusion to the cameras is that the indoor camera has its own privacy shutter that you can choose to keep closed unless the camera is being actively watched by the owner. It is a nice piece of mind for those that worry about people hacking in and being able to watch live feeds. MONITORING Like I stated earlier, the issue with the current big name security providers is their proprietary hardware and high monitoring fees, often forcing a homeowner into yet another long-term contract. That is one of the huge advantages of the Simplisafe system. You can opt to have them monitor your system for a nominal monthly fee. They will dispatch authorities or emergency services, if needed. Unlike most of the other big-name providers, you don’t have to sign up for any long-term contracts, you can pay by the month or annually, cancel at any time. But, should you not want to pay for monitoring, that is also an option. You aren’t required to pay for monitoring to have your security system work. The base station hooks into your existing home ethernet or Wi-Fi to maintain communication with you and the app. Should you lose power, the base station has both a battery back-up and a built-in cellular connection to maintain communications in the event of an outage. Slick. NEGATIVES There are times, I have noticed that the cameras are slow to respond to their wake-up command. It doesn’t happen often, but it does happen. I am usually forced to restart the Simplisafe app to get it to correct itself. I am still experiencing random dropouts from some of my entry sensors. I have noticed that there have been some updates pushed out to they system since installation, so I think the dropouts have gotten better, but I will still get a random sensor not responding error on the keypads. FINAL THOUGHTS This is one product where the pros outweigh the cons. Simplisafe has done a great job of creating a thoughtful, easy to use, easy to install system that anyone can hook up. The system is expandable and customizable with nearly any sensor a homeowner could need to keep track of their house or apartment (so many options, I won’t list them all here). This should be on your list of options if shopping for a home security system. RECOMMENDED

SimpliSafe has been a go to for DIY home security for years, rated in the top “go get a rate”. I’ve been using one of the older base systems since 2015, having been offered an upsell to the newer systems multiple times in the last few years to a more current model. I finally decided it was time, as the newer systems offer many new features for only a slight increase in monthly cost, but the time savings and feeling of protection are worth the cost. Pros: - Easy first-time setup. - Completely customizable system. - Low monthly subscription cost. Cons: - Upgrading is not as simple, hidden in the menu. - Increased cost with newer system. Setup was a breeze, just download the app and add the base station. Then it’s some settings like connecting to Wi-Fi and entering account details. Can add multiple “call to verify” users. Then you just add each device and label it in the app. There are many standard options for labeling them, and once activated the devices all have Command Strips on the back plus screws with mounting plates that can be detached for easy setup and battery replacement. The catch here, is if you are upgrading, you don’t want to select the setup new system, as this will setup a New Address account, you want to go to the bottom of your current system page to “Upgrade Base Station” to get started with upgrading. Even if you do like I did and mess this up, it’s just a simple phone call to the 24/7 support line to remove the old account. There is a 3 day “no monitoring” period for testing and setting up your new system. This comes standard with all monitoring packages but is very handy while setting it up in case you accidentally trigger an alarm. Outside of that period, if you do happen to trigger an alarm, a dispatcher will call you or the next available contact on your list and ask for the “safe word” you have in the system. This safe word is something you list when setting up the system and will be used for any communication between you and the service team. All the devices worked without issue during setup and testing. The included entry sensors are great for doors and easily accessible windows. The glass break can cover many windows at once. The motion sensors are great, though with limited range, these are better in rooms or hallways that require someone to pass through to access a part of the house. The base station though by default has the light and chime on, looks much better than prior models and blends in, looks kind of like a fancy speaker or diffuser. SimpliSafe is a subscription home monitoring services, of which there are technically 3 service plans and an Unmonitored option: - Unmonitored for 0 per month, which is just that, no services, and no camera features. This would just be the sensors tracking. - Self-Monitoring w/ Camera Recording is $9.99 per month, provides camera recording features. - Standard Monitoring (this is what I have) is $19.99 per month, which provides the previous plus dispatch services for emergency services. - Fast Protect is $29.99 per month and includes additional monitoring services such as video verification, live deterrence, and extended warranties on all products. For what it’s worth, I’ve had the prior basic services plan since 2015, which was $14.99 per month. That finally went up earlier this year to $17.99 per month, but that did include additional features over the years such as adding camera’s or using the phone app. Pricing has stayed stable, with rare increases if any. The Cameras are amazing, especially the outdoor wireless one. We didn’t set it up outside, opting to attach it to a tripod and stick it in the window or around the house. The battery life will depend on your situation, such as if in a high traffic area, the battery life will be greatly reduced. I moved the outdoor camera around the house a lot during the initial few weeks and ended up leaving it in a high traffic part of the house, the battery was down to half charge after 2 weeks. There is an optional power cable not included that could remedy this but swapping out and charging the battery pack is a simple task as well. In our case, the camera works great as a nanny camera to keep an eye on the dog while out. You can see colored day and night vision samples in the photos. The cameras have dedicated pages in the app, which makes it easy to switch over and view the selected camera. You can only view one live feed at a time, but the quality and connection of the feed was solid though that is more dependent on your home Wi-Fi and internet. There’s limited recording functionality on the standard Tier, but the Fast Protect and Self-Monitoring w/ Camera Recording have unlimited recordings for 10 and 5 cameras respectively. Otherwise, the recordings are available for download for 7 days on the standard plan. Having used SimpliSafe for over 8 years, I can say I’m satisfied with the quality and cost of the service. The service is well supported and always improving while the products are easy to use, work as intended for years, and are supported by knowledgeable customer support teams. Luckily, I haven’t had experience using the service for a home break in but can say I do feel safer knowing I can monitor my home while I’m away. Peace of mind is something priceless.

I was really impressed with the services offered, available equipment, and the total ease of installation of the SimpilSafe Security system.  Prior to this I have always used commercial security monitoring services and dealt with the associated headaches being locked into a contract period as well as the ever increasing monthly costs. First, let me reiterate, this is super easy to install, and has enough flexibility to work with many different style doors / windows / floor plans and mounting options.  I think that's the biggest surprise, you don't need to drill holes, run wires, or really do any modifications to your house for a basic setup.  The only time I even used mounting hardware was for installation of the outdoor camera base. For the 17 piece system, in the box is the base station, keypad, security placards / decals, outdoor camera, indoor camera, control key fob, a panic button, glass break sensor, 2 x motion sensors, 8 x door / window sensors and mounting hardware.  Physical setup can either be through the adhesive tabs or with permanent mounting hardware.  The only exception is the outdoor camera, which has a magnetic mount that needs to be installed with the included screws and the camera sticks to the magnetic base.  This makes it easy to change the camera battery and change the viewing angle quickly. The system setup can either be through the included instruction booklet and keypad or through the app. It's actually very quick and easy to get going, and if you already know where you want to place everything, you could be completely set up, from unboxing to going live, in 30 minutes.  One aspect that adds to ease of installation is that the sensors all have a test button so you can make sure alignment is correct prior to placement.  The base station is the central hub for setting things up, it sits on a flat surface and will need a power outlet nearby, after setting it up, I immediately paired it to the mobile app and used the app to walk through the full setup including wifi. The base station is the only component that needs power, everything else is battery powered. The base station runs on wifi, but also has cellular as an option. In case of power outage the base unit will operate for up to 24 hours, and with the built in cellular, can still send out an alarm to dispatch during an outage. After installing the base station, install the keypad, which has an adhesive mount that the keypad rests in, and has a similar footprint to many commercial security system keypads. At this point you can either add in the sensors and cameras through the keypad or through the app. Everything else you can install in any order, as well as add in other sensors later on.   For the app, I'm running it on my Android phone, it is stable, quick to respond, and intuitive.  Post setup you can control the system status (off, home, away) from the phone home screen or from the app, review timeline of events, and see a preview / watch motion events from the cameras. You can also see which sensors are open or closed, turn on immediate trigger, meaning if they are open the alarm immediately sounds, and also change the alarm mode to "secret" which will send a push notification or text/email when triggered but will not trigger the alarm or send to the monitoring service (if applicable). Other app functionality includes location services, alerts & notifications, monitoring plans, adding new devices, support, and the SimpliSafe shop. There are two plans, a self monitoring plan that gives you access to your camera feeds remotely or the Fast Protect plan with remote monitoring service, dispatch support, and warranty on hardware. The indoor and outdoor cameras have a few additional settings, video quality options are 480p, 720p, and 1080p, motion detection on/or, and low, medium, high sensitivity, there is also an auto / on / off setting for the night vision, mic & audio on/off, status light on/off, and then connection check and troubleshooting. The outdoor camera also monitors the battery, ability to rotate the image 180 degrees, and turn on/off the siren during an alarm. Overall I'm happy with the camera picture, sensitivity, and night vision. I haven't yet had an event where I couldn't view what triggered it. As far as functionality, I find that everything works as expected, no false alarms in the past three weeks.  I have a few large indoor cats, and they have not triggered the motion detector, the camera catches motion appropriately, so far no false positives from bugs or wind, and the alarms are appropriately loud enough to get attention but not so loud you cannot be in the house.  There are other sensor additions such as water, smoke, and CO2 detectors that I plan on adding so I have everything on the same platform.   Bottom line, I highly recommend this system if you want something you can setup and adjust to your needs, something that is amazingly easy to install, and doesn't come with a contact period or pushy sales people. The self monitoring gives me peace of mind and let's me control what features I want to be alerted to and how.

This kit comes with a base station and keypad, 8 door/window sensors, two motion sensors, a glassbreak sensor, one indoor and one outdoor camera, a panic button and a key fob. I setup the system using the available app. Setting up the base station and devices was simple, intuitive and painless. Each half of the door/window sensors need to be placed within a couple of inches of each other to established a closed state, but have a decent range if they need to be offset a bit. All of the included devices are mounted with included, preaffixed tape, making installation very easy. I haven't really been able to "test" the glassbreak sensor as I don't have any glass around that I'm willing to smash. The cameras work well enough, and will store recorded data (triggered by an alarm) for up to thirty days, and can be used by Simplisafe to verify an alarm trigger if you opt for that level of monitoring. You can also easily opt to add additional sensors, such as fire and CO detectors, which I have. An additional outdoor alarm speaker is also available. On the downsides, I don't really feel the need for a panic button and probably wouldn't have picked one up if it weren't in this kit, and the key fob, while a good idea, needs to have some sort of locking switch on it to prevent accidental presses. I feel like it would be a bad idea to toss it in your purse with your keys. I was a little concerned about how reliable a wireless security system can be, but so far I haven't noticed any sort of interference or problems due to connectivity or range, and I think it's solid system for general home protection.

Home security has really upped their game in the past several year, I no longer need to sign up for a 1 year contract with a set number of devices. The new approach that is being used by most companies, including this one is a adding items by a la cart and allowing a month by month payment plan. These reasons are primarily why I really enjoy SimpliSafe. The fact that I can use a giant package to cover a mansion or a simple package to cover 1 point of entry is a huge selling point to me. This package is on the larger side which works well for the property that is being used to cover. The ability to customize this set up is unparalleled too, this package was overall a good fit but did have an extra door sensor that I ended up not using. This is what make this company great, the ability to fit any user. Setting up is a piece of cake too. Once the base station is online adding new devices is as simple as pressing a pairing button on each respective device. Ease of use was very thought out when this package and technology was being designed. If there are additional devices that are desired, their online store will get you what you need with fast shipping. The companion app is also very convenient. I can toggle my system on and off and even view real time camera footage if needed. If you want to store that footage there are even a variety of monitoring/storage plans to choose from. All in all, I have had a great experience with this package and brand in general. The ease of use paired with the ability to pick and choose my package if needed is a game changer for home security and having a system that does not 100% reply on home internet is a win too. Highly recommended.

The SimpliSafe security system is a very easy to set up system that nearly took me longer to unpack than it did to install. Well, to be fair, this system I have included about 17 different devices, and it was all very neatly packed into a bigger box. I was impressed with the packing and presentation of the devices overall. This is my second SimpliSafe system and I installed this one at my in-law’s house, since they had an old wired system that required a huge monthly fee AND a physical phone to be able to call for services if they needed it. I won’t mention the three-letter name of that company, but now they are saving nearly $60 a month with the SimpliSafe $17.99 subscription when you factor in that they can get rid of the phone line since SimpliSafe has a built in 4G cellular connection for back up. I really like that feature since you don’t have to worry about thieves cutting your phone line and rendering your system useless. Each device comes neatly packaged in with some mounting hardware or 3m sticky tape. I found that the tape holds really well, if you clean the surface beforehand, however, if you are concerned with something not staying, you can use the small mounting screws in each package for that device. Inside the box is 8 door/window sensors, 2 motion detectors, glass breakage sensor, a control keypad, a key fob remote for easy arming/disarming, indoor camera, outdoor camera, main base station, and a panic button. Plus, you also get a 3-foot yard sign and various window stickers. Now they recently changed their logo to an orange, black and white one, but they also included some stickers with the older blue and black logo as well. As I mentioned before the set up was simple and the SimpliSafe app works well. My first system I got, many years ago, you could not arm and disarm using the app unless you paid for it, but since then they added that feature in with the lower tier subscription which I have been very grateful for. Now you can arm and disarm from away from your home, so you won’t have to drive back if you forget. My only complaint of the system is when it comes to the camera’s. First you must pay for the higher subscription to use them to their full potential. You can use them with the basic subscription, but you can’t see past alerts and you can basically get notified of activity and then look at the live view. The video is pretty good, and the indoor camera has a physical shutter that makes noise when it is activated. Audio is good as well, but if you are trying to use the two-way voice, its simply garbage. The sound is very low on the indoor camera, and you must yell for the person to even hear you, but its garbled anyway so you really can’t make out what someone is saying. The outdoor camera is slightly better, but overall, the two-way communication is worthless. Hopefully a firmware down the road will help with this. Expanding your system with additional sensors is a breeze and there are a lot more out there that you can add. I have added the water sensors personally, but there are also Carbon Monoxide sensors, temperature sensors, smoke detectors, and many others. Adding them is not only easy as well, but each sensor is reasonably priced too. Having the option for a 3-year warranty and no contract wraps up the deal and really makes this an attractive option for those who are looking to protect their home or homes.

In terms of ease of use and ease of setting of the product, SimpliSafe is one of the top companies in the home security category in my opinion. I’ve used the previous system for more than 5 years and this system is still just as easy to set up. This time I set up my system using the SimpliSafe app and this made it even easier. I judge a company from how well their app works with their products from the setup process to always being able to quickly access your features. In this regard SimpliSafe has nailed it, their app and product control integration is second to none. Using the app allows you to easily know all the information about your system from if it’s armed, the ability to arm or disarm, what sensor was triggered, if a battery is low etc.etc. In terms of setup, even if you’re not a tech savvy person I don’t think you’ll have a problem setting the system up. Even if you do, it truly is extremely easy to fix it. The cameras that come with it are of very good quality and quickly pickup motion. My one gripe would be they don’t accept sd cards for local storage if you don’t pay for monitoring. So if you don’t pay for the monthly subscription, you can only view a live view of your cameras and not recorded events from motion. I have numerous other cameras with local storage so I just use these when I want to view the areas they’re in live. If you want a simple and easy home security system, SimpliSafe truly is as easy as it gets.

If you are looking for a basic security system that alerts you if someone breaks in then this might work for you. However if you are a work from home parent with kids you might want to consider the following. Working from home with kids in the house I don’t arm the system for obvious reasons. This system only plays a tone when the system is unarmed and someone opens a sensor such as a window or door. Many other alarm systems provide a verbal description of what happened when a sensor is triggered even if the system is unarmed such as “Front Door Open”. For me this is a deal breaker because if I am at my desk working and I hear a tone played I have no idea whether the kids just opened a window or just headed out the door. Sure I can get my phone and open the app and check the devices to see what has happened but by then its long over. Sadly Simplisafe’s system does know the device names and does in fact call the name out when you run diagnostic functions but it only plays beeps when unarmed. I would hope this was an easy software fix but when I checked the web site there have been numerous request for the verbal call out for years but so far Simplisafe has not implemented it. While this does not impact the system’s ability to secure my house when it is armed it does impact the way I can use the system to monitor my house during the day when there is activity going on. As stated below I found the phone app not very intuitive and frustrating at times. So if you don’t need the verbal call out for sensors and can deal with the phone app then the rest of the system works reliably. Control Panel: The control panel by today’s standards if very low tech. No touch screen, instead there is a small screen that is pressed up/down left/right to make selections along with a key pad. Accessing the menu items to check the system, configure devices and arm/disarm the system is fairly easy and unlike the software app there is an indication of open sensors on the main screen. Because all the voice interaction with the system comes from the base station versus the control panel you have to be within a clear listening distance of the base station when operating the control panel. A positive is that you can easily Arm your system without having to enter a code by just selecting the Arm Away key. Software App: The software app is not the easiest to navigate and at times can be quite frustrating. I have a red notification on the app icon on the main phone screen but when I open the app there is no indication as to what that notification was. The main screen shows you the options of arming or disarming the system but to get the general status you have to swipe down on the main screen. I would have expected and wanted the status of the system components on the title screen without having to interact with it beyond opening the app. If an entry sensor – window/door is open there is no indication on the main screen so when you arm the system the base station says that the system is arming and then gives a warning that a sensor is open. So if you are in a hurry and hit Arm Away, drop your phone in your pocket and head into the garage you never hear the warning and think everything is secure but its not. Or if you get in the car and then arm the system using your phone you will never hear the warning. Separate of these issues the app does arm and disarm the system reliably and if you have an iwatch you can operate the app from it. Just be sure to check all your sensors before you arm the system using the app. Base Station: The base station is non distinct and nonintrusive. It needs to be reasonably close to the wireless router and the control panel and where you will be most often so you can hear the voice interaction and tones it plays. The base station also has a led ring around the base that provides some visual indication that something is happening. I had a frustrating event when the base station suddenly started beeping and the ring lit up but I could not find the cause. After digging out my phone and going through the app I found out that there was a software update that needed to be installed. While I understand the importance of the install the method of alerting me sure wasn’t very intuitive. Entry Sensors: The entry sensors are compact but the double stick tape used to mount them to window or frame doesn’t cover the entire base so it can wobble especially if its not being mounted to a flat flush item. The magnets are gigantic compared to the magnets in my old system and because they are so large they have limited mounting options. If you have double hung windows you cannot mount the magnet to one pane and the sensor to the other pane due to the size. This means that you need two sensors, one for the top pane and one for the bottom pane. Also because of their size they have to be mounted on top of the door frame trim which in my case is not flat so this made it difficult to align. See the photo. Other than the mounting issues of the sensor and the magnet they operated reliably. Cameras: This set comes with an inside and an outside camera. The outdoor camera supports up to 1080p with a 140 degree field of view. The camera relies on a magnetic ball mount to keep it attached to the base. This allows an infinite amount of adjustability and easy removal for charging but it also allows others to remove the camera just as easily. Where I placed my camera it does not pick up car traffic so I did not have to adjust the sensitivity or motion zones. The inside camera also supports 1080p and comes with a long power cable so you can put it quite a ways from the nearest outlet. The best feature about this camera is that it has a mechanical shutter that closes when the camera is not being used. This is great for privacy and due to the sound the shutter makes when opening/closing its quite obvious when the camera is engaged. The image quality and audio pick up on both cameras are good. The time to connect is typical of what I have seen in other wireless cameras I have around my house. The apps shows a “waking up camera” icon and about 5 seconds later shows live images. The motion sensing was reliable and the notifications are fast. Like all other security cameras there is an upcharge to record video. Setting up the SimpliSafe system is very straight forward. Once you download the app onto your phone and configure the base unit you can start adding devices. Adding the motion detectors, entry sensors and glass break sensor was simple and quick. Adding and configuring the cameras took more time and was slightly more problematic. Twice the program complained there was an issue and suggested phone or chat help but I just restarted the camera install and everything worked out. The constant notices to sign up for a monitoring subscription was annoying but expected.

Love this system! Super easy setup! It’s great for the door sensors bc you can see what is open and closed. Would recommend.

Cut my home security monthly charge in half by using SimpliSafe. Super easy setup (By a 72 year old woman!) of the whole system. My only complaint is that there is no indication on the keypad what mode the system is in unless you actually touch the keypad to wake it up. I could tell with a glance across the room whether my old system was armed or not. I'm afraid I will have lots of "false alarms" because I forget to check before opening a door. Other than that the system seems great.

Sensors are good if placed was. Frequently used door drain the batteries quick. Camera work for maybe 2 weeks then will not connect not matter what i have down or after reaching out to the support

We had a property that was recently vacated and we wanted to get a security system setup quickly to secure the home. This bundle provides great coverage for most homes, and can be easily expanded with additional sensors. Setup was quick and easy, and we were able to get it configured to use the built-in cellular connection for monitoring while we waited for the internet service connected at the house to use Wi-Fi connectivity.

Overall i like the system. I feel secure and love the ability to adjust sensors and how/when they respond. The only real complaint i ha e so far is with the keyfob and kaypad, i have experienced so issues with them not changing from off/away/home as prompted. I stood at my door hitting the keyfob and checking the status on my phone. I hit off and it would not change, hit it repeatedly and it finally changed. After getting settled i tried to use the keypad to change to home and it did the same thing, status was not updating in a timely manner. Not aure whats causing that issue. Updates were installed.

Came with the everything to get started for a great sale price. Works well. Super easy to set up

It’s easy to install! Looks better compared to my previous alarm system.

Very good security system for the money! I purchased this not knowing what to expect and have been very impressed. Easy to install and great picture quality!!!

Great, complete starter package! Easy instructions for set-up & initialization. Customer Support helpline (water sensor) was fast (connection) and very helpful.

Easy to install instruction. We placed some of it but we haven’t finished putting it all together. I placed the indoor camera in the center of the wall. Hopefully next time it will have a mounting stand that I can used together with it.