Abode vs. SimpliSafe

SimpliSafe tops Abode in every category except smart home integration and monitoring prices. If you use Apple HomeKit or third-party smart home devices, Abode is the best choice. For everyone else, SimpliSafe provides better value and performance. Let’s see why Abode can’t keep up with SimpliSafe.

SimpliSafe is best for people purchasing their first home security system thanks to its generous return and refund policies, flexible monitoring options, lack of cancellation fees, and affordable equipment prices. Not sure what you want? You can figure it out with SimpliSafe—and you won’t get slapped with extra fees in the process.

Abode is best for people living in smaller and/or more open spaces thanks to its all-in-one base design. Abode’s also the better choice for Apple HomeKit users since SimpliSafe doesn’t work with HomeKit.

Both SimpliSafe and Abode cater to people who want flexible home security systems. You can set up these systems by yourself or purchase professional installation, starting at around $100.

Learn more about installing SimpliSafe.

You also don’t have to lock yourself into an annual contract since both brands sell month-by-month monitoring plans. They’re also very similar in terms of equipment offered, and both give customers the option to self-monitor their systems for free.

Need to save money on pro monitoring services? We think Abode offers the better deal, but SimpliSafe does have a pared-down monitoring plan that’s more affordable. Read more about their monitoring differences.

Worried you’ll get hit with cancellation fees? SimpliSafe won’t charge you for canceling and has a generous 60-day money-back guarantee. Abode charges a $35 cancellation fee on plans and only gives refunds in the first 30 days. Read more about their different cancellation policies.

Need to prioritize more affordable equipment? Go with SimpliSafe. (Both brands also offer discounted refurbished equipment.) Read more about equipment differences.

Want to integrate other smart devices with your security system? Abode works with a dozen brands. SimpliSafe only works with three. Read more about compatibility differences. 

Gotta have a good app? SimpliSafe gets way more praise from customers. Read more about app differences. 

Both Abode and SimpliSafe allow you to pick and choose which equipment you want, but they’ll start you off with a base package. You get similar equipment for less with SimpliSafe. And if you're a Fast Protect™ monitoring subscriber, you get an extra 10% off.

SimpliSafe offers four additional equipment packages, which you can compare on our full SimpliSafe equipment review. Or, check out Abode’s most popular bundles on our full Abode equipment review. 

Besides offering more bundles, SimpliSafe also offers a wider variety of equipment than Abode, and most of it is significantly more affordable to boot. We love that SimpliSafe even sells extra batteries and adhesive tape in their online store to simplify the customer experience.

Abode and SimpliSafe tie in camera offerings.

There are three types of Abode cameras, including the indoor-only Iota, the indoor/outdoor Cam 2, and the video doorbell. 

SimpliSafe offers the same suite of three SimpliSafe camera options:

• SimpliCam
• SimpliSafe Video Doorbell Pro
• SimpliSafe Outdoor Camera

Abode’s most expensive plan (Pro) costs about $8 less per month compared to SimpliSafe's most expensive plan (Fast Protect™). A lower price sometimes means less value or fewer services, but not in the case of Abode vs. SimpliSafe. The plans seem highly comparable, so Abode wins.

Still, people looking for just the basics might appreciate SimpliSafe’s bare-bones Pro Monitoring Only and Camera Recordings Only plans.

Both SimpliSafe and Abode appeal to the DIY crowd. These companies promise no-contract, flexible monitoring. But when we dug deeper into their offerings, SimpliSafe emerged as the winner for customer-friendly policies.

Case in point: you can cancel SimpliSafe free of charge. Want to take a break from pro monitoring services to save a bit of money? No problem. It’s free. Abode, on the other hand, sneaks in a $35 charge on canceled annual plans. In other words, if you order a year of monitoring alongside your system and then return the system, there’s a $35 deduction taken from your full refund. 

SimpliSafe also goes one step further by selling its monitoring services in 30-day chunks versus calendar months. That means you can pay for monitoring only on the days when you really need it, like when you’re heading out of town for the weekend.

SimpliSafe customers have up to 60 days to test out the equipment and service. If you’re not happy for any reason, you can return the SimpliSafe system within that 60-day window for a full refund. SimpliSafe even pays for return shipping. 

Abode offers a 30-day refund period for US orders only. You have to pay for return shipping. 

Each security company honors returns or refunds only for products purchased directly from them.

If you want all of your smart home devices to communicate, go straight to Abode. Do not pass Go. 

Abode’s main strength hinges on its industry-leading compatibility. You can connect 160 devices to an Abode system, including Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and plenty of other Abode-compatible brands that operate with Z-Wave or Zigbee technology. 

What does this actually mean for you and your security system? It means you can set up some pretty nifty home automations, like having your smart door locks automatically unlock for the fire department when the smoke alarm goes off. 

No brand competes with Abode when it comes to compatibility . . . yet. 

SimpliSafe is only compatible with Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and August door locks (sleek, keypad-free alternatives to the SimpliSafe Smart Lock). Read our guide to pairing SimpliSafe with Alexa to see a list of available voice commands.

It doesn’t matter if you get the best equipment at an unbelievable price—if the app stinks, you won’t be satisfied with the system. 

You want a user-friendly app that doesn’t suffer from glitches every other day. We read reviews on the Apple App Store and the Google Play store to see which brand earned the highest app ratings.

The SimpliSafe app won by a significant margin, with 4.4 stars on Google Play and 4.8 stars on the Apple App Store. The Abode app earned 3.3 stars on Google Play and just 2.5 stars on the Apple App Store. 

SimpliSafe also had over 221,000 combined ratings, whereas Abode had less than 750. (No, we didn’t forget any zeros.)

SimpliSafe knocks Abode out of the park in virtually every category, making it the overall winner in this head-to-head competition. Still, Abode is one of our recommended alternatives to SimpliSafe if you want a smart home on a budget.

• SimpliSafe: More affordable equipment, more flexible contracts, and more customer-friendly policies
• Abode: More affordable monitoring and more compatibility

Still undecided? Read our full SimpliSafe and Abode reviews to learn more. 

• SimpliSafe FAQ
• Abode FAQ
• SimpliSafe vs. Frontpoint Home Security
• Abode vs. Ring Security
• Best DIY Security Systems