Updated September 30, 2026 · SmartHomeCue Editorial Team
Aqara vs SimpliSafe
Aqara vs SimpliSafe: the differences
| Compare |  Aqara |  SimpliSafe |
|---|---|---|
| Products | Camera, Smart lock, Smoke alarm, Video doorbell | Alarm, Camera, Video doorbell, Smoke alarm |
| Professional monitoring | No | YesHas it |
| Money-back period | 14 days | 60 daysHigher |
| Free features | 7-day free cloud clips plus local microSD recording | live feed and motion alerts |
| Recording retention | 7 days | 30 daysHigher |
| Price | £36.98 | Not confirmed |
| Monitoring per month | £0 | Not confirmed |
| Local storage | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Cloud plan per month | Not confirmed | £0.42 |
| End-to-end encryption | Not confirmed | No |
| Security update period | 2 years | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Minimum contract (0 months), Top resolution (2k), Installation required (No).
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Key differences
- Aqara scores higher overall: 9.4 vs 9.3.
- Products: only Aqara offers Smart lock.
- Products: only SimpliSafe offers Alarm.
- Professional monitoring: only SimpliSafe.
- Recording retention is higher at SimpliSafe: 30 days vs 7 days.
- Support channels: only Aqara offers Community.
- Support channels: only SimpliSafe offers Chat.
- Money-back period is higher at SimpliSafe: 60 days vs 14 days.
- Pricing model: only SimpliSafe offers Monitored.
- Power source: only SimpliSafe offers Solar.
Our verdict on each
Aqara
Aqara suits renters and homeowners who want sensors, locks and cameras to run through one hub without a subscription. Entry hardware starts at £3.49, monitoring stays free, and local control keeps automations on the hub, so the real commitment is buying the hub first and adding devices as the house grows.
SimpliSafe
SimpliSafe suits homeowners who want a self installed alarm with monitoring they can switch on, and who dislike long contracts. It ranks 1 of 60 brands on contract length, with a contract of 0 months and a cloud plan of £0.42 a month.
Score breakdown
| Area | Aqara | SimpliSafe |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 10.0Higher£3.49 entry hardware, £36.98 camera pricing, £0 monitoring and a 0 months contract term. | 9.2Cloud plan is £0.42 a month and the contract runs 0 months, so the recurring cost sits at the entry price. |
| Offer | 9.2HigherMatter certified kit, 7-day free cloud clips plus local microSD recording on cameras and 2 years of hardware warranty. | 9.1alarm, camera and video doorbell covers alarm, camera, video doorbell and smoke alarm on one account, with professional monitoring yes. |
| Trust | 8.7Lumi United Technology Co., Ltd. backs the range, with 2 years of security support and phone, help centre and community for help. | 9.9HigherSimpliSafe Ltd is the named seller, support runs on chat, phone and help centre, and the money back window is 60 days. |
Availability and regulation
| Country | Aqara | SimpliSafe |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | China | Not confirmed |
Available in 1 country for both.
Which one suits you
Pick Aqara if cost matter most.
Pick SimpliSafe if trust, professional monitoring, money-back period, and recording retention matter most.
By the numbers
| Fact | Aqara | SimpliSafe |
|---|---|---|
| Money-back period | 14 days | 60 days |
| Recording retention | 7 days | 30 days |
A third option
Schlage has money-back period at 90 days, against 14 days for Aqara and 60 days for SimpliSafe.
Schlage reviewHow they place
| Ranking | Aqara | SimpliSafe |
|---|---|---|
| Home security cameras | 13 of 75 | 17 of 75 |
| Video doorbells | 11 of 54 | 14 of 54 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Aqara | SimpliSafe |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Diy | Diy, MonitoredCovers more |
| Power source | Battery, Wired | Battery, Wired, SolarCovers more |
| Ecosystems | Alexa, Google, Homekit, Matter, SmartthingsCovers more | Alexa, Google |
| Legal entity | Lumi United Technology Co., Ltd. | SimpliSafe Ltd |
| Headquarters | China | Not confirmed |
| Founded | 2016 | Not confirmed |
| Support channels | Phone, Help centre, Community | Chat, Phone, Help centre |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Aqara | SimpliSafe | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £36.98at the median | Not confirmed | £36.98 |
| Minimum contract | 0 monthsat the median | 0 monthsat the median | 0 months |
| Money-back period | 14 dayslowest quarter | 60 dayshighest quarter | 30 days |
| Recording retention | 7 dayslowest quarter | 30 daysat the median | 30 days |
| Security update period | 2 yearsbelow the median | Not confirmed | 3 years |
Median across 65 listed brands.
Pros and cons
Aqara
Pros
- Monitoring is £0 and the contract term is 0 months, so there is no renewal price to plan for.
- Hardware opens at £3.49 and cameras start at £36.98, against a site entry median of €127.49.
- Local control and local storage are both supported, so automations and recordings can stay on the hub rather than in the cloud.
Cons
- A hub is required before any sensor, lock or blind does anything, which is an upfront cost on top of the devices.
- Professional monitoring is not offered, so alerts depend on the household rather than on a watching service.
- Support runs on phone, help centre and community only, with no live chat listed alongside them.
SimpliSafe
Pros
- No contract to exit: the contract term is 0 months, ranked 1 of 60 brands on that measure.
- The cloud plan costs £0.42 a month, and live feed and motion alerts stay included at no extra charge.
- Professional monitoring is available on the same platform, so no second supplier is needed.
Cons
- Recording retention is 30 days on the monitored plan, which is short for reviewing past events.
- Smoke alarm and video doorbell sit alongside the alarm in alarm, camera and video doorbell, but Aqara and The Home Security Superstore also add smart locks or personal alarms, giving more device options in the same basket.
- Chat, phone and a help centre make up chat, phone and help centre, with no email or community channel listed.
Who each suits
Aqara
Who it suits
- People who want sensors, locks and cameras under one hub with local control and nothing to pay monthly, since monitoring is £0.
- Households already running Zigbee or Thread kit, since the hub bridges matter, thread and zigbee and can reuse what is already installed.
- Owners who want a do it yourself system, since the model is diy and installation is not required for the camera range.
Who should look elsewhere
- Lutron buyers who only need lighting, blinds and thermostats, since lighting, blinds and thermostat carries no sensor, lock or camera line.
- SONOFF shoppers after radiator valves, since thermostat, trv and lighting includes radiator valves and hub, sensor and lighting does not.
- GHome Smart buyers who want a compact setup, since plug, lighting and thermostat leaves out blinds and a hub that hub, sensor and lighting includes.
SimpliSafe
Who it suits
- Homeowners who want a self installed system and are happy to add monitoring later, since diy and monitored covers both self install and monitored setups.
- Renters and movers who want to leave without an exit fee, given a contract of 0 months.
- Households that want alarm, camera and video doorbell covered together rather than from separate makers, since alarm, camera and video doorbell sit in one account.
Who should look elsewhere
- Shoppers wanting smart locks or personal alarms, since The Home Security Superstore lists alarm, camera and smart lock.
- Buyers who want end to end encrypted video, since end to end video encryption is not offered.
- People after Aqara's smart home range, since Aqara lists camera, smart lock and smoke alarm.
Current offers
Aqara
Current offer
Discount code
5% off your first order via Aqara UK newsletter: 5% off first order
Sign up to the Aqara UK newsletter; code sent by email
Source, checked September 30, 2026
SimpliSafe
Current offer
Free trial
First month of professional monitoring free: 1 month free
with system order, monitoring plan required
Source, checked September 30, 2026
Country by country
| Country | Aqara | SimpliSafe |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Yes | Yes |
Questions about each
Aqara
What does Aqara cost to run after the hardware is bought?+
Monthly monitoring is £0 and the contract term is 0 months, so there is no subscription to renew and no renewal price to plan around. Cameras include 7-day free cloud clips plus local microSD recording as standard, hardware opens at £3.49 and cameras start at £36.98. Nothing steps up when a year passes.
Is Aqara certified for safety and security?+
Aqara's hub is Matter certified, and the security certifications cover camera, smart lock and smoke alarm as a group. Security support runs for 2 years, which is shorter than the 2 years warranty, so buyers planning a long ownership should think about the stretch after the warranty period ends.
SimpliSafe
What does SimpliSafe cost to run each month?+
The cloud plan is £0.42 a month, and that subscription covers the monitoring service rather than the hardware. You buy the alarm or camera kit separately at checkout. For comparison, monitored alarm systems on the site run a median of €9.38 a month, so the plan charge sits below the category average.
Is there a contract or minimum term with SimpliSafe?+
There is no minimum term, since the contract length is 0 months. That puts SimpliSafe first among 60 brands ranked on contract months. You can stop the plan when you want, and the system keeps working locally as a self install alarm without it.