Hi there! My wife and I are moving to the city for the first time and want some extra home security. We’re thinking of either Simplisafe or Abode. What’s your opinion on which one is better and why? We’re renting a 2-bedroom, 1-bath home. We mainly need a doorbell/outdoor camera to see outside our door and our cars. We also want door alarms but aren’t too worried about indoor cameras. We want everything to be wireless and to install it ourselves. We don’t want to pay monthly fees for monitoring. Let us know what you think. Thanks for any help!
Hi there.Abode excels in self-monitoring without any fees and offers compatibility with smart home systems. SimpliSafe is known for its user-friendly nature and straightforward installation. Both systems provide wireless door alarms and cameras. Opt for Abode if you prefer no ongoing costs.
I highly recommend Surety for home security. It’s a DIY company that uses the Alarm.com platform. It’s a bit more complex to set up compared to Simplisafe, but it’s much more powerful. The great thing is it can integrate with various types of equipment, so you’re not restricted to just one type of sensor. The platform itself is also much more robust.
There are a few drawbacks, though. The support is only available online and not in real-time. However, there’s a 24/7 call center for the alarm system, so you won’t have to worry about that aspect. If you’re looking for other options, you might also want to check out Alarm Grid and GeoArm. They offer similar services and might be worth considering.
I’ve had SimpliSafe for a while, but it wouldn’t connect via cellular, so I switched to Abode. Abode works great overall—I haven’t encountered the issues others mention. I heavily use geofencing, which makes life easier (I can’t remember the last time I touched the keypad). I’ve paired it with my electronic lock to auto-arm/disarm and set up rules for our dog sitter while we’re on vacation. I do wish it had a Lutron interface, but that’s minor. The geofencing is reliable, the monitoring service responds quickly, and fire alarm monitoring saves us about $70 on home insurance. I can’t speak to Abode’s camera system since I use a standalone one.
When you say it’s more powerful, what exactly do you mean by that?
How does the system integrate with smart devices? One reason I’m leaning toward Abode is its Google Assistant compatibility, along with the ability to do everything from their app.
Also, what are the payment plans like? What do I get for free after the initial purchase, and what features require additional monthly payments?
I am just curious about these small details. I am also looking for extra home security and my case is just like @Mason
I have some family members who use SimpliSafe and they haven’t had any issues with it. It really depends on what you’re looking for. Abode seems like a smaller company and I’ve heard there can be problems with customer support, but it does offer more features, so it’s kind of a trade-off.
I am especially glad that Abode has a slim strip and concealed door sensors, so the sensors are not apparent.