Updated September 30, 2026 · SmartHomeCue Editorial Team
Lockin vs SimpliSafe
Lockin vs SimpliSafe: the differences
| Compare | Lockin ReviewVisitVisit |  SimpliSafe |
|---|---|---|
| Products | Smart lock, Video doorbell | Alarm, Camera, Video doorbell, Smoke alarm |
| Professional monitoring | No | YesHas it |
| Money-back period | 30 days | 60 daysHigher |
| Cloud plan per month | $0 | £0.42 |
| Free features | AI detection, video, remote access and app control with no fee | live feed and motion alerts |
| Price | $129.99 | Not confirmed |
| Monitoring per month | $0 | Not confirmed |
| Local storage | Yes | Not confirmed |
| End-to-end encryption | Not confirmed | No |
| Recording retention | Not confirmed | 30 days |
Same on both: Minimum contract (0 months), Top resolution (2k), Installation required (No).
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Key differences
- SimpliSafe scores higher overall: 9.3 vs 9.0.
- Products: only Lockin offers Smart lock.
- Products: only SimpliSafe offers Alarm, Camera, Smoke alarm.
- Professional monitoring: only SimpliSafe.
- Support channels: only Lockin offers Email.
- Support channels: only SimpliSafe offers Chat.
- Money-back period is higher at SimpliSafe: 60 days vs 30 days.
- Pricing model: only SimpliSafe offers Monitored.
- Power source: only SimpliSafe offers Wired.
- Ecosystems: only Lockin offers Homekit, Matter, Smartthings.
Our verdict on each
Lockin
Lockin suits people who want a lock and a video doorbell with no running fees. The range starts at $129.99, with cloud and monitoring both at $0. Expect US only, a 0 months commitment, and no one watching your alarms.
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 | Lockin | SimpliSafe |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.2Entry price of $129.99 with cloud plan of $0 and monitoring of $0 keep running cost at nil. | 9.2Cloud plan is £0.42 a month and the contract runs 0 months, so the recurring cost sits at the entry price. |
| Offer | 9.0Range covers smart lock and video doorbell on a diy model, with video kept on the device and detection. | 9.1Higheralarm, camera and video doorbell covers alarm, camera, video doorbell and smoke alarm on one account, with professional monitoring yes. |
| Trust | 8.8Founded 2014, Matter certified, US market, warranty of 1 year and 30 day returns. | 9.9HigherSimpliSafe Ltd is the named seller, support runs on chat, phone and help centre, and the money back window is 60 days. |
Feature by feature
| Products | Lockin | SimpliSafe |
|---|---|---|
| Alarm | No | Yes |
| Camera | No | Yes |
| Smart lock | Yes | No |
| Video doorbell | Yes | Yes |
| Smoke alarm | No | Yes |
A third option
Schlage has money-back period at 90 days, against 30 days for Lockin and 60 days for SimpliSafe.
Schlage reviewWhere these facts come from
Lockin
- lockin.com: 16 facts, checked September 30, 2026
SimpliSafe
- simplisafe.co.uk: 13 facts, checked September 30, 2026
- support.simplisafe.com: 2 facts, checked September 30, 2026
How they place
| Ranking | Lockin | SimpliSafe |
|---|---|---|
| Video doorbells | 7 of 54 | 14 of 54 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Lockin | SimpliSafe |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Diy | Diy, MonitoredCovers more |
| Power source | Battery, Solar | Battery, Wired, SolarCovers more |
| Ecosystems | Alexa, Google, Homekit, Matter, SmartthingsCovers more | Alexa, Google |
| Legal entity | Not confirmed | SimpliSafe Ltd |
| Founded | 2014 | Not confirmed |
| Support channels | Email, Phone, Help centre | Chat, Phone, Help centre |
Smart home devices
| Fact | Lockin | SimpliSafe |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $129.99 | Not confirmed |
| Protocols | Matter, Thread, Wi fi | Not confirmed |
| Matter certified | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Hub required | No | Not confirmed |
| Local control | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Subscription per month | $0 | Not confirmed |
| Warranty | 1 year | Not confirmed |
| Markets | US | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Lockin | SimpliSafe | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $129.99highest quarter | 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 |
| Recording retention | Not confirmed | 30 daysat the median | 30 days |
Median across 65 listed brands.
Pros and cons
Lockin
Pros
- No contract: 0 months means nothing locks you in
- Cloud plan and monitoring both sit at $0, so the buy is the whole cost
- Detection, video, remote access and app control are bundled at no extra charge
Cons
- Professional monitoring is not offered, so alarms are not watched
- US is the only listed market, so buyers elsewhere face a shipping question
- Warranty runs 1 year, shorter than the life of a front door lock
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
Lockin
Who it suits
- Renters and homeowners replacing a front door lock who refuse subscriptions
- Matter-minded buyers already running Alexa, Google, HomeKit or SmartThings
- People who want video history on their own device rather than in the cloud
Who should look elsewhere
- Buyers who want a watched alarm service, since professional monitoring is not part of the Lockin offer and Annke or Aqara suit camera-led setups
- Shoppers outside the US, because US is the only listed market
- Anyone after a wired camera or full alarm kit, since smart lock and video doorbell stops at locks and doorbells
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
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 | Lockin | SimpliSafe |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | No | Yes |
Questions about each
Lockin
Is there a monthly fee for Lockin smart locks and video doorbells?+
No. The cloud plan is $0 and monthly monitoring is $0, so the hardware price is the only outlay. Detection, video, remote access and app control are all included at no fee, which keeps the running cost at nil for as long as you own the device.
Does Lockin require a contract or subscription?+
The contract term is 0 months, so there is nothing to cancel and no minimum term to serve. That is part of why Lockin places 1 of 60 brands on contract length, the same top spot it takes on monitoring at $0.
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.