Updated September 30, 2026 · SmartHomeCue Editorial Team
AOSU vs SimpliSafe Home Security
AOSU vs SimpliSafe Home Security: the differences
| Compare | AOSU ReviewVisitVisit |  SimpliSafe Home Security |
|---|---|---|
| Products | Camera, Video doorbell | Alarm, Camera, Smart lock, Video doorbell, Smoke alarmCovers more |
| Professional monitoring | No | YesHas it |
| Money-back period | 30 days | 60 daysHigher |
| Top resolution | 4k | 2k |
| Recording retention | 120 daysHigher | 30 days |
| Price | $35.99 | Not confirmed |
| Monitoring per month | $0 | Not confirmed |
| Local storage | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Cloud plan per month | $4.99 | Not confirmed |
| Free features | Live view, motion alerts, event notifications, 2-way talk, detection zones, PTZ and siren control; kits record locally on the 32GB aosuBase with no plan, free Standard aosuProtect+ plan gives live mode only | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Minimum contract (0 months), End-to-end encryption (No), Installation required (No).
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Key differences
- SimpliSafe Home Security scores higher overall: 9.2 vs 9.0.
- Products: only SimpliSafe Home Security offers Alarm, Smart lock, Smoke alarm.
- Professional monitoring: only SimpliSafe Home Security.
- Recording retention is higher at AOSU: 120 days vs 30 days.
- Support channels: only AOSU offers Email, Community.
- Money-back period is higher at SimpliSafe Home Security: 60 days vs 30 days.
- Founded is lower at SimpliSafe Home Security: 2006 vs 2021.
- AOSU is available in 26 more countries.
- Pricing model: only SimpliSafe Home Security offers Monitored.
- Ecosystems: only AOSU offers Smartthings.
Our verdict on each
AOSU
AOSU suits homeowners who want cheap cameras, a video doorbell and no subscription at all. Kits sit at $35.99 with $0 monitoring and no contract. The catch is that end to end encryption is not offered and cloud video needs a paid plan.
SimpliSafe Home Security
SimpliSafe Home Security suits households wanting a self-installed alarm with optional professional monitoring and no minimum term, since contracts run 0 months. Cameras, a video doorbell, a smart lock and smoke alarms share the system, and you get 60 days to send a kit back, though doorbell clips are not end to end encrypted.
Score breakdown
| Area | AOSU | SimpliSafe Home Security |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.1Kits start at $35.99 with $0 monitoring and 0 months contract, plus a free Standard aosuProtect+ plan. | 9.1Contract terms of 0 months mean hardware is bought at entry with no minimum term to serve. |
| Offer | 9.1Covers camera and video doorbell with 4k video, battery, solar and wired options and alexa, google and smartthings voice assistant support. | 9.160 days to send a kit back, with alarm, camera and smart lock covered under a single account. |
| Trust | 8.5Backed by email, phone and help centre and a 30 days return window, with 120 days of cloud retention. | 9.7HigherA company founded in 2006 trading as SimpliSafe, Inc., with support on phone and help centre. |
The numbers side by side
| Fact | AOSU | SimpliSafe Home Security |
|---|---|---|
| Money-back period | 30 days | 60 days |
| Recording retention | 120 days | 30 days |
How they place
| Ranking | AOSU | SimpliSafe Home Security |
|---|---|---|
| Home security cameras | 2 of 83 | 11 of 83 |
| Video doorbells | 2 of 54 | 11 of 54 |
Pick AOSU if, pick SimpliSafe Home Security if
Pick AOSU if recording retention matter most.
Pick SimpliSafe Home Security if trust, products, professional monitoring, and money-back period matter most.
What we checked
AOSU
- aosulife.com: 20 facts, checked September 30, 2026
SimpliSafe Home Security
- simplisafe.com: 14 facts, checked September 30, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | AOSU | SimpliSafe Home Security |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Diy | Diy, MonitoredCovers more |
| Power source | Battery, Solar, Wired | Battery, Wired, Solar |
| Ecosystems | Alexa, Google, SmartthingsCovers more | Alexa, Google |
| Legal entity | HONG KONG GLAZERO INTERNATIONAL TRADE CO., LIMITED | SimpliSafe, Inc. |
| Headquarters | Hong Kong | Not confirmed |
| Founded | 2021 | 2006Lower |
| Support channels | Email, Phone, Help centre, CommunityCovers more | Phone, Help centre |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | AOSU | SimpliSafe Home Security | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $35.99below the median | Not confirmed | $69.99 |
| Monitoring per month | $0at the median | Not confirmed | $0 |
| Minimum contract | 0 monthsat the median | 0 monthsat the median | 0 months |
| Money-back period | 30 daysat the median | 60 dayshighest quarter | 30 days |
| Cloud plan per month | $4.99above the median | Not confirmed | $3 |
| Recording retention | 120 dayshighest quarter | 30 daysat the median | 30 days |
Median across 65 listed brands.
Pros and cons
AOSU
Pros
- Kits record to the bundled aosuBase with no plan, so $0 monitoring works as a long term setup
- Cloud retention runs 120 days, with $35.99 hardware and a $4.99 cloud plan on top if you want remote records
- Local storage is supported, so footage can stay on the aosuBase instead of the cloud
Cons
- Professional monitoring is a no, so alerts are not escalated by anyone
- Cloud video needs a paid plan beyond the free Standard aosuProtect+ tier, which gives live mode only
- $0 monitoring still leaves the paid $4.99 plan for playback history
SimpliSafe Home Security
Pros
- Nothing forces a minimum term: contract terms run 0 months, so hardware you have paid for is not tied to a renewal.
- You choose the commitment: diy and monitored covers self-installed kits and monitored systems, so the alarm can start on its own.
- Camera power runs to battery, wired and solar, so outdoor units can sit where a socket is awkward.
Cons
- Support runs on phone and help centre only, so live chat and email are not listed routes for setting up a system.
- Recorded video is kept for 30 days, so an older incident cannot be reviewed beyond that window.
- Camera resolution on the video doorbell stops at 2k, so fine detail at the doorstep is limited.
Who each suits
AOSU
Who it suits
- Homeowners who want cameras and a video doorbell on camera and video doorbell from one maker
- Renters and self installers, since installation is not required
- People who keep footage local and want to avoid a subscription
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone who needs end to end encryption on cloud footage
- Households that want professional monitoring rather than self managed alerts
- Buyers who want a premium sensor at the £36.98 level rather than $35.99 value hardware
SimpliSafe Home Security
Who it suits
- Self-installers who want a single kit rather than separate apps, since diy and monitored covers self-installed kits and monitored systems.
- Households already running alexa and google for voice control and looking for alarm, cameras and doorbell in one system.
- Owners wary of long terms, since contract terms run 0 months.
Who should look elsewhere
- Households that want a personal alarm as well as home kit: The Home Security Superstore lists alarm, camera and smart lock.
- Buyers after a single camera or a video doorbell with no alarm in mind: Annke keeps to camera and video doorbell, which makes the shortlist shorter.
- Smart home buyers who want locks, smoke alarms and doorbells first: camera, smart lock and smoke alarm carries no alarm system, so the alarm has to come from elsewhere.
Current offers
AOSU
Current offer
Free trial
aosuProtect+ cloud storage 30-day free trial: 30 days
Offered at the start of a paid aosuProtect+ subscription; requires a linked aosu device and payment details; charged after the trial
Source, checked September 30, 2026
Country by country
| Country | AOSU | SimpliSafe Home Security |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | Yes | No |
| Belgium | Yes | No |
| Bulgaria | Yes | No |
| Canada | Yes | No |
| Croatia | Yes | No |
| Cyprus | Yes | No |
| Czechia | Yes | No |
| Finland | Yes | No |
8 of 28 countries where either is available.
Questions about each
AOSU
What does AOSU cost to start, and what is the monthly cost after that?+
Kits are priced at $35.99, and $0 is the monthly monitoring charge, so local recording runs without a subscription. Cloud playback is the only recurring line, at $4.99 a month. The free Standard aosuProtect+ plan gives live mode only, so cloud history is what you pay for.
Do I have to sign a contract with AOSU?+
The contract length is 0 months, so nothing ties you in beyond the hardware purchase. There is no minimum term and no early exit fee to think about. If you later want cloud playback, $4.99 a month is a rolling plan you can stop at any time.
SimpliSafe Home Security
Does SimpliSafe Home Security lock you into a contract?+
Nothing forces a minimum term here: contract terms run 0 months. That is the difference that shows up at renewal, because a minimum agreement would keep billing after you stopped adding anything. The kit stays yours either way, and professional monitoring is a choice you can make later rather than a condition of the hardware.
What can I put in a SimpliSafe Home Security system?+
alarm, camera and smart lock covers the alarm kit, cameras, a video doorbell, a smart lock and a smoke alarm, so a single account can hold the front door and the alarm panel together. The Home Security Superstore also sells an alarm, camera, video doorbell and smart lock range, so it is a fair comparison if the alarm is the starting point.