SimpliSafe review

Updated September 30, 2026 · SmartHomeCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 30, 2026

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Our verdict

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.

Key facts

Best for
Homeowners and renters who want a self installed alarm plus cameras on one account with no contract.
Minimum contract
0 months (Source, checked September 28, 2026)
Products
Alarm, Camera, Video-doorbell, Smoke-alarm (Source, checked September 28, 2026)
Professional monitoring
Yes (Source, checked September 28, 2026)
Money-back period
60 days (Source, checked September 28, 2026)
Cloud plan per month
£0.42 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
End-to-end encryption
No (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Free features
live feed and motion alerts (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Top resolution
2k (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Recording retention
30 days (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Installation required
No (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Legal entity
SimpliSafe Ltd (Source, checked September 28, 2026)
Support channels
Chat, Phone, Help-centre (Source, checked September 28, 2026)
Pricing model
Diy, Monitored
Power source
Battery, Wired, Solar
Ecosystems
Alexa, Google
Official website
simplisafe.co.uk

Apps and profiles

Get the app
Google Play
Elsewhere
TrustpilotXinstagram.comfacebook.comyoutube.comtiktok.com

Pros and cons

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.
  • Wide device spread for one account: alarm, camera and video doorbell, against camera and video doorbell at Annke.
  • Video works inside voice assistants: alexa and google cover Alexa and Google, wider than the camera and video doorbell range at Annke.

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.

Ready to try SimpliSafe?

Scored 9.3 / 10 by SmartHomeCue.

See alternatives

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.

Pricing

SimpliSafe sells hardware up front and adds a monitoring subscription on top, so two figures matter at the start. The cloud plan costs £0.42 a month once you sign up for a plan, and the contract term is 0 months, which means there is no minimum term and nothing to run down at renewal. That sets SimpliSafe apart from the alarm systems category, where the median brand locks a contract of 0 months and the longest runs 36 months. At renewal the same plan price applies rather than a higher tier, since there is no contract term to reprice when the subscription rolls on. The one-off cost is the kit itself, and you size that for the rooms and sensors you want before the plan starts. Camera and video doorbell buyers should read the cloud plan line as the ongoing cost of video history and alerts, with live feed and motion alerts included at no added charge. For context, monitored alarm systems across the site run a median of €9.38 a month and as much as €48.90, so a £0.42 cloud plan sits below the usual monitoring price for the category. SimpliSafe scores 9.2 on cost, the strongest of the three score parts, and 9.3 overall.

What it does well

The range is broad for a single account. alarm, camera and video doorbell means an alarm, camera, video doorbell and smoke alarm can sit on one system, where Annke covers camera and video doorbell only. diy and monitored shows the same hardware works as a self install setup or as a monitored one, so monitoring is a choice rather than a separate product. Monitoring is a genuine part of the offer. Professional monitoring is available, with video clips held for 30 days. Cameras come with live feed and motion alerts as standard, so the basics of watching your home and knowing when something moves are there before you pay for a plan. Power options are broad too, with battery, wired and solar covering battery, wired and solar, so outdoor cameras are not tied to a cable. On the gaps, end to end video encryption is not offered, which matters most to anyone who treats video privacy as a deal breaker. Installation is not required, so the system is set up by the buyer rather than an installer, and that is the one step that takes planning before the kit arrives. alexa and google cover Alexa and Google for voice control, and the alarm tops out at 2k video resolution, which is fine for identifying activity at a door but short of the highest tier in the category. SimpliSafe scores 9.1 on offer.

Who runs it

The seller is SimpliSafe Ltd, the UK entity named in the sale terms, so contracts, returns and the subscription are with a named company rather than a marketplace listing. Support runs on chat, phone and help centre: chat, phone and a self service help centre, which covers both a quick answer and a person on the line when an alarm or camera needs sorting out. There is no separate accreditation to weigh here, and the trust score reflects the strength of the seller rather than a certification. SimpliSafe scores 9.9 on trust, the highest of the three score parts and above the 9.3 overall, and the entry decision is backed by a money back window of 60 days, which gives room to live with the system before settling in.

How SimpliSafe compares

Where SimpliSafe is available

Available
United Kingdom

Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 28, 2026)

Frequently asked questions

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.

Do I need professional monitoring with SimpliSafe?+

No, monitoring is optional. diy and monitored covers both self install and monitored setups, so the same hardware runs on its own first. Professional monitoring is available when you want someone else to respond, and video clips are kept for 30 days while a plan is active.

What devices can I add to a SimpliSafe system?+

alarm, camera and video doorbell covers alarm, camera, video doorbell and smoke alarm, all on one account. That is wider than Annke, which lists camera and video doorbell. Smart locks and personal alarms sit outside the range, where The Home Security Superstore includes alarm, camera and smart lock.

Is SimpliSafe video end to end encrypted?+

End to end video encryption is not offered on the camera range, so streams are not end to end encrypted. Buyers who treat that as a requirement should weigh it before buying. SimpliSafe scores 9.9 on trust, and the seller is SimpliSafe Ltd, a named UK company.

Can I install SimpliSafe myself?+

Installation is not required, so the system is designed for the buyer to set up. battery, wired and solar covers battery, wired and solar, which means outdoor cameras can run without a cable run. Plan a little time for setup before the kit arrives.

What do I get on SimpliSafe without paying for a plan?+

live feed and motion alerts are included on the cameras, so the live view and motion alerts do not depend on a subscription. The plan charge of £0.42 a month adds the monitoring service and the video history kept for 30 days.

Does SimpliSafe work with Alexa and Google?+

Voice control runs on alexa and google, so the system works inside Alexa and Google. Camera resolution tops out at 2k, which is clear enough for identifying activity at a door. Broad video doorbell support is also why Annke, limited to camera and video doorbell, is the narrower pick.

Sources

Compiled from 9 source pages, checked September 30, 2026. We did not open an account.

Not confirmed yet: Price, Monitoring per month.

SimpliSafe

Homeowners and renters who want a self installed alarm plus cameras on one account with no contract.

9.3/10See alternatives

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