SimpliSafe is known for being one of the best DIY home security systems, offering affordable monitoring plans. But how affordable are they, and are there any hidden fees or extra charges after signing up? After reviewing SimpliSafe over six months, we can say for certain it’s everything it claims to be.
SimpliSafe isn’t perfect – it tends to raise its monitoring prices when it adds new features. But despite the price hikes, SimpliSafe manages to stay one of the most affordable security systems on the market. So let’s see how much it will cost you.
SimpliSafe continues to upgrade its equipment along with its monitoring plan features.
A Snapshot of SimpliSafe Monitoring Plans
SimpliSafe offers self-monitoring options and professional monitoring plans. We always recommend subscribing to professional monitoring plans so you don’t have to contact emergency services yourself. Self-monitoring can save you a few bucks, though, if you’re having a staycation or working from home. Here’s a quick breakdown of each of the plans and the costs.
SimpliSafe Monitoring Plans & Prices
| Unmonitored | Self-monitoring with camera recordings | Standard | Core | Pro | Pro Plus | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Self-monitoring | Self-monitoring with camera cloud storage | Professional monitoring | Professional monitoring with Intruder Intervention | Professional monitoring with Intruder Intervention and Active Guard | Professional monitoring with Intruder Intervention and Active Guard |
| Monthly cost | Free | $9.99 | $21.99 | $31.99 | $49.99 | $79.99 |
FYI: The main difference between Pro and Pro Plus is the operating hours for Active Guard Outdoor Protection. With Pro, SimpliSafe agents intervene between 8 pm and 6 am. For an extra $30 a month, you’ll get 24/7 protection.
SimpliSafe Monitoring Plan Features
Unlike ADT’s packages or Cove’s monitoring plans, SimpliSafe doesn’t restrict subscriptions based on your equipment. No matter what devices you buy, you’ll have access to all the features in SimpliSafe’s monitoring plans.
>> Compare: Cove Vs. SimpliSafe
Unmonitored and Self-Monitoring With Camera Recordings
You can “self monitor” your home and skip the monthly fee altogether. But if you go this route, you’ll need to call the police if (or when!) an emergency or break-in occurs. If you want to save your camera recordings for the authorities or to share clips with neighbors, you’ll need to pay SimpliSafe $9.99 per month.
FYI: The Self-Monitoring with Camera Recordings Plan saves recordings for up to 30 days for up to ten cameras. You can also schedule arming and disarming of the system and secret alerts, which won’t trigger an alarm or chime from the base station.
In our opinion, it’s worth paying $22 to $32 per month for the peace of mind of knowing you’re connected to SimpliSafe’s monitoring center in case a crisis occurs.
SimpliSafe Standard
The Standard plan at $21.99 per month includes around-the-clock professional monitoring, environmental monitoring, and cellular backup. This is an underrated, life-saving feature that keeps your security system online if your Wi-Fi connection drops out.
>> Read More: Best Cellular Home Security Systems in 2025
It’s one of the leanest professional monitoring plans on the market. Ring Alarm has a similar priced option with most of the same features. However, it includes video event history for up to 180 days, whereas SimpliSafe’s Standard Plan lacks any video recording features at all. If you’re buying security cameras, we recommend the next option – Core.
FYI: SimpliSafe’s environmental monitoring can detect smoke, heat, water/floods, and frozen pipes. Keep in mind you’ll need to buy these sensors separately – the good news is they’re affordable.
SimpliSafe Core
SimpliSafe’s Intruder Intervention is the star of the Core plan, but it requires SimpliSafe’s Wireless Indoor Camera to work. When the system detects a potential intruder, the privacy shutter opens and a SimpliSafe agent accesses the live feed and two-way speakers to deter the intruder.
Verifying the crime via live feed is also helpful for police, as they tend to respond faster to video verified reports. We’ve seen this feature in action while reviewing Arlo cameras and testing Ring cameras.
We recommend getting the Wireless Indoor Camera and subscribing to Core for Intruder Intervention
We recommend getting the Wireless Indoor Camera and subscribing to Core for Intruder Intervention
If you own an Amazon Alexa or Google Home device, you can also use voice control to manage SimpliSafe hands-free with the Core plan. This feature isn’t available in the Standard plan, and doesn’t work with Apple HomeKit. We tested this by asking our Amazon Echo, “Alexa, ask SimpliSafe to arm my system in away mode,” and it worked within seconds. Checking the status of our system was as simple as saying “Alexa, ask SimpliSafe what's shakin'.” And this is just the beginning of what it can do.
>> Read More: Best Home Security Systems That Work With Alexa in 2025
SimpliSafe Pro and Pro Plus
The Pro and Pro Plus plans have everything in the Core plan, plus extra Active Guard Outdoor Protection to merit the $49.99 price tag. Like Intruder Intervention, it requires a camera – specifically, the Outdoor Camera.
Using AI to distinguish between everyday activity and active threats, the Outdoor Camera alerts the SimpliSafe monitoring center of intruders. The agent will then engage with the intruder using two-way audio, spotlights, and sirens to scare them off. As we mentioned earlier, the Pro plan covers the night shift, while Pro Plus offers 24/7 protection.
And yes, these plans are expensive compared to traditional home security monitoring offerings. But if we look at the competition, you’ll see that SimpliSafe’s Pro and Pro Plus plans are much more affordable. For example, Ring’s Virtual Security Guard plan requires a $99 monthly fee on top of a $9.99 to $19.99 cloud recording plan. That’s about $109 to $119 per month. Deep Sentinel also charges at least $100 per month for live camera monitoring, and the cost scales with the number of cameras.
Pro Tip: The Pro and Pro Plus plans require at least one SimpliSafe Outdoor Camera to work, but you can also add the SimpliSafe Video Doorbell to the monitoring. We’ve been able to set up a maximum of three cameras (two outdoor cameras and one doorbell camera) when we tested Active Guard.
>> Learn More: Everything to Know About Security Cameras
SimpliSafe Plan Features Overview
| Standard Plan | Core Plan | Pro Plan | Pro Plus Plan | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24/7 professional monitoring | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in cellular technology | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Environmental monitoring | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Visual alarm verification | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Intruder Intervention | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Active Guard Outdoor Protection | No | No | Overnight protection from 8 PM to 6 AM local time | 24/7 protection |
| On-demand video recording | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile app with instant alerts | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Alexa and Google Assistant compatible | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Price | $21.99 per month | $31.99 per month | $49.99 per month | $79.99 per month |
Which SimpliSafe Plan is Best?
Our short answer is: the Core plan. You’ll simply get more ‘bang for your buck' compared to the Standard, Pro, and Pro Plus plans. With that said, you might not care about staple features like smartphone controls, video support, and home automation. If that’s you, then the Standard plan will do the trick and should keep you and your family safe and secure. Or, you might need full outdoor protection, in which case the Pro and Pro Plus plans could be worth it. Honestly, all plans are pretty reasonably priced, so you really can’t go wrong.
FYI: If automation is important to you, we recommend checking out our guide on the best security systems with home automation. SimpliSafe’s features are limited compared to systems from ADT and Vivint, which can run routines and schedules, such as turning off lights and locking doors at specific times.
The Big Takeaway
Using SimpliSafe in our home, we were glad to have chosen their Core plan. It provided us with 24/7 protection from break-ins and environmental threats like fires and floods. But it went beyond monitoring, offering convenient app-based controls and video support, too. And let’s not forget that SimpliSafe plays well with Alexa and Google Assistant — that is, if you’re willing to spring for the Core subscription.
The SimpliSafe Base Station blended in nicely with our decor.
Compared to other monitoring plans we’ve tried, SimpliSafe really impressed us with all-around value. Our only gripe was that we wished it had better smart home automation options, and Active Guard Outdoor Protection for its outdoor camera is a tad expensive for us even though it’s less than the competition. But if you can overlook these minor drawbacks, we think you’ll be happy with SimpliSafe’s affordable plans. They’ll protect your home day and night, and they’ll do it with a dash of style.
FAQs About SimpliSafe Monitoring
- Which SimpliSafe monitoring plan is the best?
In our opinion, the Core plan has the most value. It strikes the perfect balance between features and price, unlocking most of SimpliSafe’s features without costing an arm and a leg.
- Is the Pro or Pro Plus plan worth it?
For our home, since we only have a small yard, the Pro and Pro Plus plans weren’t worth it just to add Active Guard Outdoor Protection for the Wireless Outdoor Camera. But, if you have a big yard and need multiple outdoor cameras, the price is still less than the competition.
- How do I subscribe to the Pro or Pro Plus plan?
You can choose your monitoring plan at checkout alongside your SimpliSafe security system. It’s also easy to change plans at any time. So if you need more protection, sign in to your account and upgrade to Pro or Pro Plus.
- What does SimpliSafe charge for monitoring?
SimpliSafe’s monitoring fees start at $21.99 and go all the way up to $79.99. There is also a free self-monitoring plan and a $10 self-monitoring plan that stores camera recordings for up to 30 days.
- Does SimpliSafe offer high-quality monitoring?
While SimpliSafe doesn’t have the fastest response times in the industry, we still think their monitoring is good. They add innovative features like video verification to get appropriate emergency personnel to your home as fast as possible.
