SimpliSafe Pricing, Plans, and Package Costs 2024

Our Methodology

Before we dive into the ins and outs of SimpliSafe’s costs, we want you to know how we put guides like these together. If you’re going to trust our analysis, you need to know where that analysis comes from.

There’s no big mystery. We perform in-depth research and in-home testing on every single system we review. You can find all the details about a given system in our review articles. For articles like this one, on cost, we focus on the value of the system. This doesn’t mean we ignore system components, but we use these to consider whether the cost of a system makes sense.

We consider a system’s functionality, design, and durability, as well as its monitoring offerings, installation costs, and other fees. Then we compare that to the cost of its services and equipment. In other words, this is not a report on how affordable or expensive SimpliSafe is, but a report on whether the system is worth the price.

With that in mind, let’s put SimpliSafe under the microscope.

SimpliSafe System Costs

Obviously, there’s no system without equipment. This is also your biggest upfront cost when setting up home security. So, let’s start with an examination of what you’ll pay for a SimpliSafe equipment package.

There are two ways to purchase a SimpliSafe system. You can buy a premade package, or you can build your own system. We’ll get to the build-your-own option in a bit. For now, here’s a complete list of the premade options, starting with the smallest packages.

The Foundation

What does it include?

• One motion sensor
• One entryway sensor
• One base station
• One keypad

Who is it good for?

One nice thing about SimpliSafe is that it names its packages, and the names are always appropriate. The foundation, for instance, is just what it says it is: a foundation upon which to build your system. It’s basic, which makes it a good system for an apartment or a small home with limited entryways. Or, it makes a good starting point if you’re on a budget and want to create a larger system over time. Keep in mind that SimpliSafe lets you buy pieces a la carte.

How much does it cost?

The Foundation package costs $249.96.

The Starter

What does it include?

• One motion sensor
• Three entryway sensors
• One base station
• One keypad

Who is it good for?

The Starter is SimpliSafe’s most popular system, and it’s great for small homes under 1,200 square feet. The entryway sensors cover your front, back, and side doors, and a well-placed motion sensor protects your home from intruders.

How much does it cost?

The Starter package costs $279.94.

The Hearth

What does it include?

• One motion sensor
• Three entryway sensors
• One base station
• One keypad
• One smoke detector
• One key fob
• One siren

Who is it good for?

In terms of security, the Hearth is virtually identical to the Starter package, but it comes with additional safety features in the form of a smoke detector.  Make no mistake, though – this system still protects you from break-ins. The Hearth also includes an extra-loud siren that could wake up you and your neighbors should someone try to enter your property.

How much does it cost?

The Hearth costs $409.91.

Expert Examined

From Joshua Lee, Active-duty Police Sergeant

“It is unfortunate that most Smoke and CO detectors are not connected to a security system. I remember responding as a patrol officer to an “alarm” call at a house. We knocked on the door and the homeowner came out. He said he was having trouble with the bedroom CO detector going off. The fire department checked the CO levels in the home and discovered that deadly carbon monoxide was entering the home through a broken gas clothes dryer.”

The Knox

What does it include?

• Two motion sensors
• Six entryway sensors
• One base station
• One keypad
• One smoke detector
• One key fob
• One siren

Who is it good for?

The Knox – as in Ft. Knox – is a great system for larger homes with multiple entryways and ground-floor windows. Similar to the Hearth, it includes SimpliSafe’s extra-loud siren and connected smoke detector, but it comes with additional entry sensors so you don’t have to leave any door or window unprotected.

How much does it cost?

The Knox costs $489.87.

The Haven

What does it include?

• Two motion sensors
• Four entryway sensors
• One base station
• One keypad
• One smoke detector
• One key fob
• One siren
• One water sensor
• One temperature sensor
• One panic button

Who is it good for?

The Haven is where we get into comprehensive protection. The included temperature and water sensors protect you from the elements — especially if you live in a colder climate — and the panic button ensures you can summon help at a moment’s notice. Pick the Haven if you need to protect a larger home from multiple threats.

How much does it cost?

The Haven costs $529.86.

The Lighthouse

What does it include?

• One motion sensor
• Three entryway sensors
• One base station
• One keypad
• One outdoor camera

Who is it good for?

The Lighthouse is a good option for small to medium-sized homes — up to 1,600 square feet — that want the added protection of a security camera. For more information, check out our review of the SimpliSafe Wireless Outdoor Camera and our guide to security camera placement.

How much does it cost?

The Lighthouse costs $479.93

The Beacon

What does it include?

• Two motion sensors
• Four entryway sensors
• One base station
• One keypad
• Two outdoor cameras

Who is it good for?
I’d recommend the Beacon for folks looking to keep an eye on threats to their property from all angles. Two outdoor cameras, standard, means you can protect front and back entries, or you can use these two cameras to provide expanded coverage of a larger property.

How much does it cost?

The Beacon costs $729.90.

How Do SimpliSafe’s Prices Compare?

SimpliSafe sits comfortably atop our list of the most affordable security systems. Browsing through the package prices, you might find that hard to believe. The thing is, like a lot of the most popular home security systems on the market, SimpliSafe likes to claim its normal prices are high and then offer deep discounts. You’ll come across the same practice in our Cove review and our Frontpoint review. We’re not really big fans of this particular marketing tactic. It creates a false sense of urgency that encourages customers to make snap decisions out of fear deals might disappear. The last product you want to be rushed into buying is a home security system.

The upside, though, is that you’ll rarely — if ever — pay full price for SimpliSafe equipment. Right now, for example, SimpliSafe is running a Halloween sale. You can get a full 50 percent off all systems plus a $100 Visa gift card when you sign up for professional monitoring. If that doesn’t suit you, wait a couple of weeks. The company sometimes offers free months of its monitoring service or free cameras.

To give you an idea of what you’ll actually pay for the systems, I made the chart below.

Can you always get 50 percent off at SimpliSafe? No. But you can always get at least 30 percent off. For more information, read my guide to how to save on SimpliSafe.

With that out of the way, let’s talk about the second way to purchase your SimpliSafe system: ordering off the a la carte menu.

Building Your Own SimpliSafe System

A security package is convenient, but SimpliSafe also gives you the option to build your own security system. We recommend going that route. Why? Because every home is unique, and every homeowner or renter’s needs are different. SimpliSafe offers seven different packages – more than most companies – but odds are still pretty good that if you go with a pre-packaged system, you’ll wind up with equipment you don’t really need.

Here I am installing a SimpliSafe motion sensor.

Of course, you can always select one of SimpliSafe’s packages and supplement it with additional equipment. Sometimes, though, that can feel like trying to jam a square peg in a round hole. If you want comprehensive security, I recommend full customization.

Every SimpliSafe system requires a base station and a keypad, so building a package starts there. Together, these two pieces cost $199.98. Of course, that’s before any discounts. Once those are in place, you can choose from a wide range of additional equipment.

We’ll say it yet again: these are regular prices. Discounts and deals are applied at checkout. SimpliSafe is currently offering half off on new systems, but it typically offers between 30 percent and 60 percent off.

SimpliSafe’s discounted equipment prices are similar to Cove’s, though SimpliSafe’s retail prices are more expensive. The thing is, SimpliSafe’s equipment is a bit higher quality. The bottom line is, you’re getting a real deal no matter what you’re paying. Plus, even at retail prices, SimpliSafe is still cheaper than traditional companies with white-glove professional installations. For more on that, read my review of ADT and my in-depth guide to Vivint, which are both great systems in their own right.

That’s all there is to say about SimpliSafe’s equipment, but that’s just one side of the story. Let’s switch gears to SimpliSafe’s monitoring costs.

How Much Is SimpliSafe’s Monitoring?

SimpliSafe changed the way it does monitoring, but I have all the information you need. There are three packages to choose from: Core (formerly Fast Protect) Monitoring, Standard Monitoring, and Self-Monitoring With Camera Recording. Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll get with each.

SimpliSafe is a good option for full-on self-monitoring too. If you don’t want to pay a subscription fee, you can monitor the system on your own. I don’t recommend that since you won’t get all the security benefits of a paid system, but it’s an option if budget is a concern.

Installing a SimpliSafe entryway sensor.

Also worth noting: SimpliSafe is one of the best no-contract systems, which means you won’t have to jump through hoops if you decide to change how your system is monitored. I canceled my Core Monitoring during my test period and self-monitored the system to see how big of a difference it made. The process was pain-free.

Expert Examined

From Joshua Lee, Active-duty Police Sergeant

“Self-monitoring calls come in a lot quicker because the entire process bypasses the monitoring station. We typically get more detail from self-monitoring because the victim is the one giving us the information instead of the monitoring station. Police dispatch also can ask specific questions to the victim that monitoring stations will not have. For example, I responded to a burglary call where the victim called 911 saying an intruder broke into his home through the front door. The victim told us to stay out of the backyard since he had two very aggressive dogs he recently adopted. Without that information, we would have likely been confronted by violent dogs.”

With monitoring out of the way, let’s talk about specific recommendations.

My Recommendations

Just to give you some idea of what you can get with a build-your-own SimpliSafe system, here are three custom systems we priced out for our own homes. We’ve got average-sized properties with no more than three doors and four ground-floor windows. Plus, we have garages.

Budget-Friendly

This system totaled $279.94 before taxes. You might notice that we went with only the equipment we felt was absolutely necessary. We also decided to monitor the system ourselves, which saved us tons of money over time.

Next up, a more complete system.

Middle of the Road

This one was a bit pricier, at $728.91. Plus, we went with standard professional monitoring, which costs $21.99 per month. The package included all the necessary equipment mentioned above but added glass-break sensors to cover downstairs windows, an outdoor camera to keep an eye on our backyards, and a doorbell camera to watch our front doors.

Finally, we also priced a more premium package, just to see what we’d pay.

Top of the Line

This ultimate system costs $1023.86 before taxes. That’s a lot, but it includes SimpliSafe’s Active Guard Monitoring, which provides active guard protection and video verification through the wireless indoor camera. It also offers protection from all environmental hazards. We included a key fob, too, because, hey, we like convenience. In the end, we’d call this complete home security, at least for our sized homes.

There are a few things to keep in mind with these recommendations though.

First: Your security needs will differ from mine. I suggest covering at least your exterior doors with entryway sensors and a motion detector to cover the largest swath of your home possible. If you can, invest in wireless security cameras next. They’re exceptional burglar deterrents and help you round things out. Finally, think about nonhuman threats to your property. Are you worried about pipes bursting in the wintertime? What about your hot water heater giving off deadly carbon monoxide? If it’s in the budget, invest in environmental sensors as a tertiary priority.

Checking out the privacy screen on SimpliSafe’s indoor camera.

Second: The prices I included above are SimpliSafe’s retail prices. Like I said throughout this article, the company constantly offers discounts. If I bought that top-of-the-line system today, it would cost around $500 instead of over $1,000. When you price out your SimpliSafe system, remember that it’s likely to be discounted.

To bring things home, I want to tell you about my experience with my SimpliSafe system, and then I’ll give you my final recommendation.

My Experience With SimpliSafe

I have more detail in my review of SimpliSafe, but overall I’m happy with the company’s security systems. I’ve worked with its equipment for years and have seen it evolve from a small company focused on protecting apartments and dorm rooms to a major player in the home security space.

Simply put: It’s the best DIY security system I’ve tested. Its equipment is well designed, high quality, and built to last. It’s easy to install and customize as your security needs change. I also love its next-gen monitoring. Active guard protection is some of the coolest technology I’ve seen in this space. The ability for SimpliSafe security experts to interact with you — and would-be burglars — adds a peace of mind not often seen with affordable DIY systems.

There are, however, downsides to SimpliSafe’s systems. First, I can’t figure out why SimpliSafe makes you purchase a keypad. The company has one of the best security apps, and I controlled the system from my phone the entire time I was testing it. I think the analog keypad is an outdated piece of technology that should be phased out.

SimpliSafe’s keypad installed next to my front door.

Next, I’m not a fan of the adhesive strips SimpliSafe provides to mount the equipment. They work for entryway sensors, but the heftier pieces of equipment, such as motion detectors, require more for a permanent hold. I got a lovely 3 a.m. wake-up call when a false alarm was triggered by my motion detector falling off my wall. I recommend using the included hardware to mount heavier pieces so they don’t go rogue.

SimpliSafe’s adhesive strips have done me wrong in the past.

Overall, those are minor gripes. At the end of the day, it’s a rock-solid system that offers comprehensive security for any property owner.

Is SimpliSafe Worth It?

Based on the retail prices listed on SimpliSafe’s website, systems and equipment are overpriced. Those prices are more of a marketing gimmick than a reflection of what you’ll pay for SimpliSafe, though. SimpliSafe is always running a sale, and you can get equipment for at least 30 percent off and often more. That makes the company’s packages more attractive.

It’s also true that SimpliSafe charges more for monitoring than some systems. If you want real 24/7 professional monitoring, you’ll pay $32. That’s about $12 more than Ring monitoring. SimpliSafe has made that price a better deal, though, by adding advanced monitoring capabilities to many of its cameras. Features like video verification and active guard protection cost as much as $100 per month with other companies, including Ring.

The bottom line is that SimpliSafe has always been a top system if you’re looking to self-monitor. Now it’s become a top system for professional monitoring, too. That’s a pretty unbeatable combination.

FAQs About SimpliSafe’s Pricing

Why is SimpliSafe so expensive?

It might seem like SimpliSafe is expensive if you only look at their retail prices. But, they’re almost always running a sale which usually gives you about half off your entire system. The best sale we’ve seen was 60 percent off with a free outdoor security camera, a $199 value.

Is SimpliSafe’s Core (formerly Fast Protect) monitoring worth the extra $10?

Yes, we think SimpliSafe’s Core monitoring is well worth the extra $10 compared to SimpliSafe’s Standard monitoring. The cloud storage for up to 10 cameras is worth the $10 alone, but you also get video verification and active guard protection.

What are SimpliSafe’s Pro and Pro Plus plans?

With the Core Monitoring plan, active guard protection only works for the Wireless Indoor Camera. The Pro and Pro Plus plans expand that capability to the outdoor camera as well. You’ll get overnight active guard protection on the outdoor camera with the Pro plan or 24/7 active guard protection with the Pro Plus plan. But, that comes at a hefty price tag of $49.99 or $79.99 per month. That’s a bit much for us, so we’d recommend the Core Monitoring plan for most people.

When is the best SimpliSafe sale?

The best SimpliSafe sale we’ve seen happened last Black Friday when they offered 60 percent off all new systems and components, a free outdoor security camera, and one free month of Core Monitoring.

Is the Wireless Indoor Camera worth the extra price compared to the Wired Indoor Camera?

For us, the Wireless Indoor Camera was worth it since we subscribed to the Core Monitoring and wanted to try out SimpliSafe’s new active guard protection feature. But, if you want to self-monitor your system or only want standard monitoring and have a convenient outlet, we think the Wired Indoor Camera gives great value.