SimpliSafe
Monitoring your SimpliSafe home security system is possible in four ways. The first option is to handle everything yourself for free and forgo a monitoring plan. The next option, the Self-Monitoring with Camera Recordings plan, costs $9.99 monthly and includes 30-day cloud video storage for five cameras and access to the SimpliSafe mobile app.
The third plan, Standard Monitoring, comes with 24/7 monitoring, priority emergency dispatch, and a cellular backup connection for $19.99 monthly. SimpliSafe’s premier plan, Fast Protect, includes 24/7 monitoring, priority dispatch security, unlimited video recording for up to 10 cameras, homeowners insurance discount qualification, and more for $29.99 monthly.
Our tester reported that the SimpliSafe system was the fastest and easiest system he had installed and set up. His only complaint was that the mobile app’s camera feeds were in a separate tab. From an equipment standpoint, our tester found that the camera footage quality was above average but not perfect, and the sensors worked well except for a response delay in the glass-break sensor.
Vivint
Vivint offers three security package levels – Starter, Premium, and Premium Plus – starting at $19.99 per month plus an initial equipment cost of at least $599.99. The system that’s right for your home will depend on the equipment package you select and any additional components you think are necessary to protect it. All plans include 24/7 professional monitoring.
The company’s Premier Plus Package contains the most features, including:
- Intrusion detection
- Voice control features
- Video security
- Video clip storage
- Smart-home automation capabilities
- Vehicle protection
Vivint requires that its home security systems be professionally installed at a cost between $49 and $199, so our tester couldn’t comment on the ease or difficulty of setting up the system. Our tester did note, however, that the mobile app was friendly and easy to navigate and that the installer was able to show him how to use it.
The camera quality was top-notch, according to our testing results, and the various sensors and detectors worked as expected.
