Updated September 30, 2026 · SmartHomeCue Editorial Team
Philips Hue vs SimpliSafe
What sets them apart
| Compare |  Philips Hue |  SimpliSafe |
|---|---|---|
| Products | Alarm, Camera, Video doorbell | Alarm, Camera, Video doorbell, Smoke alarmCovers more |
| Professional monitoring | No | YesHas it |
| Money-back period | 30 days | 60 daysHigher |
| End-to-end encryption | YesHas it | No |
| Free features | live streaming, 24-hour video history, light and sound alarms, instant notifications | live feed and motion alerts |
| Recording retention | 60 daysHigher | 30 days |
| Price | $65 | Not confirmed |
| Monitoring per month | $0 | Not confirmed |
| Cloud plan per month | Not confirmed | £0.42 |
| Security update period | 3 years | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Minimum contract (0 months), Top resolution (2k), Installation required (No).
We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings.
Key differences
- SimpliSafe scores higher overall: 9.3 vs 9.0.
- Products: only SimpliSafe offers Smoke alarm.
- Professional monitoring: only SimpliSafe.
- End-to-end encryption: only Philips Hue.
- Recording retention is higher at Philips Hue: 60 days vs 30 days.
- Support channels: only SimpliSafe offers Chat, Phone.
- Money-back period is higher at SimpliSafe: 60 days vs 30 days.
- Pricing model: only SimpliSafe offers Monitored.
- Power source: only SimpliSafe 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
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 | Philips Hue | SimpliSafe |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.4HigherCost score rests on hardware entry at $15.99, a $0 subscription and $65 cameras, so nothing recurs monthly. | 9.2Cloud plan is £0.42 a month and the contract runs 0 months, so the recurring cost sits at the entry price. |
| 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. | 9.1Higheralarm, camera and video doorbell covers alarm, camera, video doorbell and smoke alarm on one account, with professional monitoring yes. |
| Trust | 8.6Backed by Signify Holding with a 2 to 3 years warranty and 30 days returns, against help limited to help centre. | 9.9HigherSimpliSafe Ltd is the named seller, support runs on chat, phone and help centre, and the money back window is 60 days. |
How they place
| Ranking | Philips Hue | SimpliSafe |
|---|---|---|
| Home security cameras | 15 of 83 | 36 of 83 |
| Video doorbells | 15 of 54 | 25 of 54 |
| Home alarm systems | 9 of 35 | 16 of 35 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Philips Hue | 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 | Signify Holding | SimpliSafe Ltd |
| Support channels | Help centre | Chat, Phone, Help centreCovers more |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Philips Hue | SimpliSafe | 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
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
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
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
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
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 | Philips Hue | SimpliSafe |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 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
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.