shouldiuse.io

Categories

VERDICT

Should I use SimpliSafe?

Award-winning DIY wireless home security with optional 24/7 professional monitoring - simplisafe.com

Depends. A solid fit for renters and budget DIY homeowners who want no-contract security they install themselves. Skip it if you need responsive support or hardened security — support complaints and a CVE history are documented.

Confidence

Medium. Based on 50+ public sources: Reddit, Trustpilot, CVE databases, major review outlets, and news. Review snippets were truncated, so no aggregate star rating could be verified.

Ratings

  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Feature depth
  • Support quality
  • Security posture

Pricing

$184–299

Hardware kits

ModelNot disclosed
Monthly feesNot disclosed
Hardware$184–299
Free tierNo
Professional monitoringMonthly fee (see site)

Best for

  • Renters and first-time homeowners
  • No-contract DIY installers
  • Budget-conscious buyers
  • Self-monitoring households

Not for

  • Anyone expecting fast, responsive customer support
  • High-value homes needing hardened security
  • Homes still running original-generation systems
  • Commercial properties — it's a consumer product

Gotchas - check before you buy

high

SS3 rogue-keypad PIN attack disclosed 2020 — keep firmware current.

high

2016 research showed original systems' PINs interceptable — old kits may stay exposed.

medium

Hardware price is just the start — monitoring is a recurring monthly cost.

medium

Guess: Equipment is proprietary — switching brands means rebuying every sensor.

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Affordable hardware kits from roughly $184–299
  • Setup described as simple — plug in the base station
  • Optional 24/7 professional alarm monitoring available
  • Wireless sensors plus outdoor camera options
  • Positive verdicts from major outlets (PCMag, SafeHome, US News)

Cons

  • Widespread Reddit complaints that support has 'completely tanked'
  • Polarized users — multiple 'deeply regret' and 'garbage' threads
  • Security vulnerability history: 7 CVEs listed
  • Academic study flagged privacy concerns in mobile apps
  • Some users claim the system offers false security

Sources & method

Analyzed 10/06/2026 - 11 sources - Documented CVE history and researcher-demonstrated attacks; company now runs a bug bounty on Bugcrowd.

official x1review x6security x3news x1
  • SS3 rogue keypad PIN attack (2020), Tenable researchers showed a spoofed keypad could add PINs to SS3 systems.
  • Original system PIN interception, 2016–2018 research showed original-generation systems' PINs could be captured and replayed.
  • 7 CVEs listed for SimpliSafe, Includes authentication-related CVE-2020-5727 and 2018 firmware issues (CVE-2018-11399/11400/11401).

Key stats

  • Value for money: 4/5

    Rating

  • $184–299

    Starting price

  • 11

    Sources

  • Analyzed

  • Value for money: 4/5. Affordable kits, no contracts, praised by reviewers
  • Ease of use: 4/5. Buyers describe setup as simple, plug-in
  • Feature depth: 4/5. Sensors, cameras, 24/7 monitoring, app control
  • Support quality: 2/5. Reddit reports support 'completely tanked'
  • Security posture: 2/5. 7 CVEs and rogue keypad attack; bug bounty exists
  • $184–299 Hardware starting price Kit price range per clickoff.io
  • 7 Known CVEs Listed in OpenCVE database
  • GTCR (private equity) Ownership Acquisition closed 2025

Pricing

Hardware kits

$184–299

  • 8–13 piece sensor bundles
  • Base station, keypads, cameras

Professional monitoring

Monthly fee (see site)

  • 24/7 alarm monitoring
  • No long-term contract

Security

Documented CVE history and researcher-demonstrated attacks; company now runs a bug bounty on Bugcrowd.

  • SS3 rogue keypad PIN attack (2020)Tenable researchers showed a spoofed keypad could add PINs to SS3 systems.⁸
  • Original system PIN interception2016–2018 research showed original-generation systems' PINs could be captured and replayed.⁹
  • 7 CVEs listed for SimpliSafeIncludes authentication-related CVE-2020-5727 and 2018 firmware issues (CVE-2018-11399/11400/11401).⁷

What users say

Polarized: major outlets praise value and easy setup, while many Reddit users report regret and poor support.

“Do NOT buy a Simplisafe. Support has completely tanked.”
Reddit, r/simplisafe
“SimpliSafe offers FALSE SECURITY.”
Reddit, r/simplisafe
“Simple to set up.”
Amazon reviewer

Alternatives

Compare SimpliSafe with each alternative.

  • Ring Alarm

    Similar DIY kits, wider camera ecosystem, frequent SimpliSafe rival

  • Cove

    Budget monitoring plans, commonly compared alternative

    SimpliSafe vs Cove

  • Abode

    DIY hub with broader smart-home integrations

Full analysis

Based on 50+ public sources: Reddit, Trustpilot, CVE databases, major review outlets, and news. Review snippets were truncated, so no aggregate star rating could be verified.

Easy DIY setup and fair prices, but support complaints and a CVE history make it a cautious buy.

Methodology

Based on 50+ public sources: Reddit, Trustpilot, CVE databases, major review outlets, and news. Review snippets were truncated, so no aggregate star rating could be verified.

Sources

  1. SimpliSafe Home Security System Review — PCMagpcmag.com
    review
  2. SimpliSafe Security System Review 2026 — SafeHomesafehome.org
    review
  3. Trustpilot — SimpliSafe customer reviewstrustpilot.com
    review
  4. Reddit: Do NOT buy a Simplisafe. Support has completely tanked.reddit.com
    review
  5. Amazon — SimpliSafe 8 Piece Wireless Systemamazon.com
    review
  6. SimpliSafe Review 2026 — ClickOffclickoff.io
    review
  7. OpenCVE — SimpliSafe CVEs (7 listed)app.opencve.io
    security
  8. Tenable — SS3 Rogue Keypad PIN Attacktenable.com
    security
  9. Forbes — 300,000 homes open to 'unfixable' alarm hacksforbes.com
    security
  10. Bloomberg Law — GTCR acquires SimpliSafenews.bloomberglaw.com
    news
  11. SimpliSafe official sitesimplisafe.com
    official

Rate this review

Anonymous. You can change your vote.

Loading votes…

Comments

One queue. No nested comments. Give a display name first. Limit: 200 words per comment and 7 comments per day. You can edit or delete yours.

Save a name to write a comment.

0 / 200 words

No comments yet.