Updated September 30, 2026 · SmartHomeCue Editorial Team
Philips Hue vs SimpliSafe Home Security
What sets them apart
| Compare |  Philips Hue |  SimpliSafe Home Security |
|---|---|---|
| Products | Alarm, Camera, Video doorbell | Alarm, Camera, Smart lock, Video doorbell, Smoke alarmCovers more |
| Professional monitoring | No | YesHas it |
| Money-back period | 30 days | 60 daysHigher |
| End-to-end encryption | YesHas it | No |
| Recording retention | 60 daysHigher | 30 days |
| Price | $65 | Not confirmed |
| Monitoring per month | $0 | Not confirmed |
| Free features | live streaming, 24-hour video history, light and sound alarms, instant notifications | Not confirmed |
| Security update period | 3 years | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Minimum contract (0 months), Top resolution (2k), 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 Smart lock, Smoke alarm.
- Professional monitoring: only SimpliSafe Home Security.
- End-to-end encryption: only Philips Hue.
- Recording retention is higher at Philips Hue: 60 days vs 30 days.
- Support channels: only SimpliSafe Home Security offers Phone.
- Money-back period is higher at SimpliSafe Home Security: 60 days vs 30 days.
- Pricing model: only SimpliSafe Home Security offers Monitored.
- Power source: only SimpliSafe Home Security offers Solar.
- Ecosystems: only Philips Hue offers Homekit, Matter, Smartthings.
Our verdict on each
Philips Hue
Philips Hue suits homeowners who want lighting, a camera and a video doorbell working together in a single app, and who would rather own the hardware outright than fund a running plan. Entry hardware starts at $15.99 and the monthly subscription sits at $0.
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 | Philips Hue | SimpliSafe Home Security |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.4HigherCost score rests on hardware entry at $15.99, a $0 subscription and $65 cameras, so nothing recurs monthly. | 9.1Contract terms of 0 months mean hardware is bought at entry with no minimum term to serve. |
| Offer | 8.9The free tier carries live streaming, video history, light and sound alarms and instant notifications, with 60 days retention across alarm, camera and video doorbell. | 9.1Higher60 days to send a kit back, with alarm, camera and smart lock covered under a single account. |
| Trust | 8.6Backed by Signify Holding with a 2 to 3 years warranty and 30 days returns, against help limited to help centre. | 9.7HigherA company founded in 2006 trading as SimpliSafe, Inc., with support on phone and help centre. |
Also worth a look
Schlage has money-back period at 90 days, against 30 days for Philips Hue and 60 days for SimpliSafe Home Security.
Schlage reviewSources behind this comparison
Philips Hue
- philips-hue.com: 17 facts, checked September 30, 2026
SimpliSafe Home Security
- simplisafe.com: 14 facts, checked September 30, 2026
How they place
| Ranking | Philips Hue | SimpliSafe Home Security |
|---|---|---|
| Home security cameras | 15 of 83 | 11 of 83 |
| Video doorbells | 15 of 54 | 11 of 54 |
| Home alarm systems | 9 of 35 | 7 of 35 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Philips Hue | SimpliSafe Home Security |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Signify Holding | SimpliSafe, Inc. |
| Founded | Not confirmed | 2006 |
| Support channels | Help centre | Phone, Help centreCovers more |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Philips Hue | SimpliSafe Home Security | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $65below 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 |
| Recording retention | 60 daysabove the median | 30 daysat the median | 30 days |
| Security update period | 3 yearsat the median | Not confirmed | 3 years |
Median across 65 listed brands.
Pros and cons
Philips Hue
Pros
- Live streaming, video history, light and sound alarms and instant notifications all sit in the plan at $0, so the daily features are not held back for a paid tier.
- Local control is a yes, so automations and the light alarm keep working on the hub when the internet does not.
- The range covers alarm, camera and video doorbell with cameras at $65 and accessories from $15.99, which keeps the opening outlay modest.
Cons
- Professional monitoring is a no, so an alarm reaches the homeowner only and nobody at a monitoring centre responds.
- Support runs on help centre alone, which is thin at the moment a camera is down and a call would be the sensible next step.
- A hub is required, so the bridge sits on top of the $15.99 entry price and becomes the part that has to keep working.
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
Philips Hue
Who it suits
- Homeowners with Hue lighting already, who want cameras and a doorbell in the same app as the lights.
- People who want alerts and live view without a monthly bill, since the subscription is $0 and monitoring is $0.
- Households on Matter or mixed brand platforms, since Hue is Matter certified and lists alexa, google and homekit.
Who should look elsewhere
- Not for a whole house climate project: the Hue lighting, plug and hub stops at lighting, plug, hub and sensor, while the Aqara hub, sensor and lighting and the SONOFF thermostat, trv and lighting both add blinds and thermostats.
- Not for anyone who wants a monitoring centre on call, because professional monitoring is a no here, and the do it yourself diy model leaves the response with the homeowner.
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
Philips Hue
Current offer
Discount code
Sign up and save 15%: 15%
Sign up to the Philips Hue newsletter; code received within 1 hour after subscription; not valid on email addresses already enrolled in the Philips Hue newsletter
Source, checked September 30, 2026
Country by country
| Country | Philips Hue | SimpliSafe Home Security |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | No | Yes |
| United States | No | Yes |
Questions about each
Philips Hue
What does Philips Hue cost to get started?+
Lighting and accessories start at $15.99, and the security side begins higher, with cameras at $65. Both are hardware prices paid up front rather than instalments, so the entry cost is simply the kit you pick. Budget for a bridge as well, since a hub is required for the system to run locally.
Is there a monthly fee for the Hue Secure cameras and doorbell?+
No. The Hue Secure subscription is $0 a month and monitoring is $0, so running costs are not where the money goes. Live streaming, video history, light and sound alarms and instant notifications are part of the plan you get for nothing. That covers the alarm, camera and video doorbell in the range, so the only spend is the hardware itself.
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.