Frontpoint vs. SimpliSafe Security Review

Frontpoint or SimpliSafe? Which DIY home security system is better?

We think most DIYers are going to want SimpliSafe over Frontpoint. SimpliSafe is cheaper, offers self-monitoring, and is more of a DIYer’s dream. Meanwhile, Frontpoint has a ton more features and will fit well in a smart home, but it’s extremely expensive.

SimpliSafe definitely wins over Frontpoint when it comes to cost.

Frontpoint offers a one-size-fits-all monitoring plan, which makes things easy, but it’s just so pricey. (If Frontpoint were a restaurant, it would have three dollar signs on Google Reviews.)

SimpliSafe is more of a single-dollar-sign brand. All three of its monitoring plans cost a fraction of Frontpoint’s.

SimpliSafe’s equipment is a lot cheaper too. Frontpoint’s smallest package is on a permanent $129 sale, making it more affordable than SimpliSafe’s smallest package—but every other Frontpoint package is stunningly expensive. We’re talking multiple hundreds of dollars more expensive than what SimpliSafe offers.

To summarize: if you go with SimpliSafe, you will save lots of money that you can put towards your streaming subscription addiction. If you go with Frontpoint, you might have to say goodbye to Hulu or Apple TV. Save your weekly Love Island episode by choosing SimpliSafe.

Someone at Frontpoint security must have said, “Hey, let’s just offer one monitoring option. It’ll come with lots of things, but it’ll also be one of the most expensive plans in the home security industry.” And everyone just went with that, apparently.

Don’t get us wrong; there are many things to like about the singular Frontpoint monitoring plan. It gets you app access, smart home access, and camera storage in one fell swoop. (One of our pet peeves is when you have to pay a lot extra for those things—more later.) And the plan comes with identity theft protection so you can protect your stuff and your identity.

But it’s so expensive. We’re not entirely convinced that it’s worth $50 every month, even with all the great features. It’s possible to get all those things for less from other brands.

View Frontpoint Plans | Read the Frontpoint Review

SimpliSafe’s prices are a dream compared to Frontpoint. Its most expensive plan is just under half of Frontpoint’s plan, although SimpliSafe doesn’t offer identity theft protection.

SimpliSafe also has three options for a bit of variety. The first plan is a self-monitoring plan with access to camera recordings. That means you’re responsible for the safety of your home, which is a little nerve-racking because you won’t always be able to have eyes on your system. And we don’t love that SimpliSafe is essentially charging $10 a month just for you to use its app. Still, it’s always nice to have the option to pay less and take matters into your own hands.

The second plan is a professional-monitoring-only plan. SimpliSafe takes over the responsibility for your home’s safety, but it doesn’t let you use scheduled arming or add any smart home features to your system.

The third plan is the best option but the most expensive. It includes professional monitoring, app access, and smart home support. Again, we don’t love SimpliSafe charging extra for the app, but it is what it is.

All of SimpliSafe’s plans include camera storage except for the Standard plan. The Fast Protect plan offers unlimited camera recording on up to 10 cameras, while the Self Monitoring with Camera Recordings plan will let you record with up to five cameras. The Standard plan will only allow you to view a live feed and past recordings for up to seven days. We think $30 is a bit steep for a monitoring plan (especially compared to Ring Alarm's $3.99 plan), but SimpliSafe’s most expensive plan is still cheaper than Frontpoint’s monitoring plan by $20+.

View SimpliSafe Plans | Read the SimpliSafe Review

SimpliSafe has better security equipment than Frontpoint … barely. Honestly, we probably wouldn’t go to either of these providers if we wanted the best equipment money could buy.

Both brands offer wireless, cellular-based systems. And both provide door sensors, motion sensors, glass break sensors, the works.

Frontpoint does have a pretty sweet anti-theft perk that not all home security systems offer. Frontpoint systems come with Crash and Smash™ protection. Even if an intruder tries to destroy your alarm system, it'll still send out a signal.

But SimpliSafe equipment is mostly more affordable than Frontpoint equipment, and it’s original instead of the canned stuff that every security system and their watchdog is using. Frontpoint relies heavily on the canned stuff yet charges an absurd amount for it. So we’re going with SimpliSafe.

While Frontpoint cameras are slightly less expensive than SimpliSafe cameras (we know—we’re surprised too), SimpliSafe is just better at camera basics than Frontpoint.

Frontpoint cameras have bells and whistles that you don’t see in every camera. For instance, the premium indoor camera has one-way outbound calling, and it doubles as a Bluetooth speaker. That’s rad. But none of the cameras have person detection or customizable motion zones. That’s less rad.

Without more precise motion and object detection, you’ll get more false alarms. And more false alarms mean that when an intruder actually appears, you might not check the notifications right away—sort of like a boy who cried wolf situation.

Also, Frontpoint cameras might look familiar to you. Why? These cameras come from Alarm.com and SkyBell, two manufacturers who work with a lot of home security companies.

Ever tried a local security service? There’s a pretty good chance it uses Alarm.com. Which is great—Alarm.com stuff works well—but you can get it anywhere. We’re kind of side-eyeing Frontpoint for offering run-of-the-mill stuff with such an expensive service.

View Frontpoint Plans | Read the Frontpoint Review

SimpliSafe cameras are unique to SimpliSafe. (Exhibit A: the flagship camera used to literally be called the SimpliCam.) These cameras only work with the SimpliSafe app, but you don’t have to get a SimpliSafe hub to go with them. They can be standalone pieces.

Each camera has person detection for more accurate notifications, and the outdoor and doorbell cameras have adjustable activity zones. These allow you to exclude unimportant areas from the camera’s sensors, like the house across the street or the road.

Sadly, none of these cameras work as a Bluetooth speaker, but they do a lot better job than Frontpoint at covering your basic bases.

As we mentioned before, these cameras require a separate subscription fee for full use. You can get notifications without the camera service, but you won’t be able to store or play back video clips. So if you’re trying to show the cops that suspicious figure you saw in your backyard, well, you won’t have any footage to share.

View SimpliSafe Plans | Read the SimpliSafe Review

When it comes to smart home integrations, we’re Frontpoint all the way.

Frontpoint offers a fair amount of smart security and smart home equipment (outdoor smart plugs! garage door sensors!) that you can add to your system. It also works with:

• Amazon Alexa
• Google Assistant
• Z-Wave

Amazon and Google connect to Frontpoint through smart assistants, while the Z-Wave protocol allows your Frontpoint system to connect directly to a lot of different third-party pieces.

SimpliSafe, on the other hand, is compatible with the following:

• Amazon Alexa
• Google Assistant
• August door locks

The Alexa and Google connectivity is super useful, but without Z-Wave, your SimpliSafe system will be excluded from most major smart home brands.

So if you like smart home stuff, Frontpoint is your friend. SimpliSafe? Not so much.

Since we gave Frontpoint our best customer service award, it’s probably no surprise that we think its customer service is better than SimpliSafe’s.

Frontpoint pre-pairs its home security sensors so you don’t have to spend a few minutes setting it up. It also offers documentation to take down and reinstall your system when you’re moving, and it's known for its friendly, helpful reps.

The only customer service blip we can think of with Frontpoint is that it’s not the easiest to cancel. You might have to go through multiple emails and phone calls with reps before you’re off the hook.

In contrast, SimpliSafe’s customer service isn’t bad, but there’s not a lot that stands out. You have to pair the SimpliSafe sensors yourself, and you won’t get the same moving guidance.

Canceling SimpliSafe is no walk in the park either. You have to call in to cancel the service, and the rep might forget to follow through, forcing you to call again. (Source: this happened to us.)

• Frontpoint customer service number: +1-877-602-5276
• SimpliSafe customer service number: +1-888-910-1215

We think that overall, SimpliSafe does a better job of providing what a DIYer wants. It’s cheap and easy to install, makes its own equipment, and offers multiple monitoring options, including self-monitoring.

But if you’re not looking for that classic DIY experience (and have a little cash to burn), we think you’d really like Frontpoint. It has great home automation and laudable customer service.

• Prices and monitoring plans: SimpliSafe. SimpliSafe is so. Much. Cheaper. Plus, you have more monitoring choices.
• Security equipment: SimpliSafe. SimpliSafe’s equipment is generally more affordable than Frontpoint’s, and it’s unique to SimpliSafe.
• Cameras: SimpliSafe. SimpliSafe cameras cost a little more, but they cover all your basic camera needs. Frontpoint cameras are more schmancy but overlook some key features.
• Smart home integrations: Frontpoint. Frontpoint has more smart home equipment and more integrations than SimpliSafe.
• Customer service: Frontpoint. Frontpoint is excellent at the little things that make a big difference in customer satisfaction.

Read the Frontpoint Review | Read the SimpliSafe Review

When we rank home security systems, we look at the following factors:

• Price: We make sure to contextualize a home security service's equipment and monitoring prices with the features offered. 
• Equipment: Not all home security systems offer the same equipment options. We take a comprehensive look at each home security service to give you the most thorough rundown of its cameras, accessories, and available features. 
• Home automation: If you already own smart home tech, you might want to choose a home security system that's compatible with your current smart home protocols. We dig into each service's home automation protocols and capabilities.
• Cameras: It's important to look beyond just price when choosing the right home security camera for you. We investigate home security providers' camera features, such as their battery life cycle, charging method, video definition, AI capabilities, and field of vision.
• Customer service: It can be a high-stakes problem for your home security system to malfunction. We take a look at each home security provider's customer service reviews, the company's response to customer complaints, as well as the provider's various methods of contact.

We have a reviewer who lives with a SimpliSafe system 24/7, and we’ve also spent some time with Frontpoint. To supplement our personal experience, we read others’ reviews and spend time on each security system website.

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