SimpliSafe App Review: Monitoring, Camera, Two Phones, App Control, Troubleshooting, And More

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Family at the park looking at SimpliSafe camera from phone (Caption: SimpliSafe App Review)The SimpliSafe app allows you to control and monitor your security system from anywhere. It also gives you the convenience of remotely adjusting some smart home features like thermostats and lighting.

But is it reliable or prone to glitches? Can you use it for free? And just what can you control with it? Find out in our review.

View SimpliSafe’s Packages |Android App | iOS AppSimpliSafe logo

See The App In Action (Video)

Check out this brief video to see the SimpliSafe app’s interface and what you can do with it.

App Features

Simplisafe App ScreenshotBelow are functions you can control within the SimpliSafe app.

System

Security system remote access from the app is available only if you pay for SimpliSafe’s monthly monitoring.

  • Arm/disarm entire system or individual sensors
  • View detailed event history and alerts

Smart/Remote Controls

If you have these things set up with SimpliSafe, you can control the following smart home items:

Cameras

Not every system comes with the SimpliCam or Doorbell camera, but if you have these premium items set up, you can do the following from the app:

  • View live stream
  • View recorded video
  • View doorbell camera

Support

  • Contact support

Not Supported By App

  • Geofencing, which automatically adjusts your security and automation equipment after you’ve left a set radius of your home or “geo-fence”

Personal Experience

After having used the Frontpoint app (basically a version of the alarm.com app in disguise), the SimpliSafe app struck me as exceedingly simplistic. While it works fine, there are a few beefs I have with it:

  1. Changes are not immediate – you have to manually “refresh” to sync changes with the base station, which can take some time. This also applies when you login – the temperature, etc. will be the reading from the last time you synced, versus a realtime reading.
  2. The timeline contains very little information – no alerts, just whether or not your system was armed or disarmed, and a few other alerts.
  3. The “alerts” functionality is separate from the arming functionality, and they are mutually exclusive. In other words, if I want to “arm” my system, it will not send me alerts, and vice versa. Very strange, I’m thinking since they haven’t resolved this it must be a technical limitation.

– Alex S., Safe Smart Living

What Do Users Think Of The SimpliSafe App?

The app averages 4.75/5.0 stars with nearly 120,000 installs on devices, so users are pleased with its performance.

Positive Reviews

I enjoy the app. Easy to use and understand. I get the notifications sent to my phone when the alarm is turn on/off or other activity like my camera. Really is nice and convenient. – Paul H., Apple Store 7/20/2020

I think this App is great, I can’t imagine not having it. It is very accurate, keeps me well informed, camera is terrific, love the timeline, lets me know when anything happens on my system. My Freeze sensor is great, it lets me know the exact temp of my garage (81 degrees presently). I would highly recommend the app & system, I already sent off 3 referrals to my friends who are interested. The system was tested, all went well. The support people were great, I installed the system myself, and they assisted me, on the spot, with a few questions that came up. Don’t hesitate, order yours today!! – Betty A., Google Play 7/8/2020

Negative Reviews

App stopped working. No longer usable. System will not synchronize. Call support. 1hr on hold. Hangs up on me 60 seconds into call. Forced to call back. ANOTHER hour on hold and I’m hung up on again! No callback from them ever. Unusable service now. Can’t call back due to them being closed now. Hideous company. And their response below! “Call customer support” !?! Seriously!?! Oh the verbiage I really want to use right now! – R. Jenkins, Google Play 8/22/2020

App crashes pretty consistently on my phone and the wife’s. Full home reboot or delete and reinstall is a temporary fix. Please hire better QA folks. – bwfc-2014, App Store 8/21/2020

Compatible Devices

  • iPhones
  • iPads
  • Apple Watch
  • Android smartphones and tablets

Frequently Asked Questions

These are the most common questions about the SimpliSafe app we get from our readers.

Can I Use The SimpliSafe App Without Monitoring?

If you have the SimpliSafe security system, the answer to this is no. Without their monitoring plan, you can’t remotely arm or disarm your system or perform other basic functions. With the SimpliSafe camera (indoor or doorbell), app use is limited to live viewing and motion-detection alerts via the app (without paying a monthly fee).

And, without professional monitoring, you will not be alerted of any events and first responders will not be contacted in the case of a suspected emergency.

Is Your SimpliSafe App Not Working?

We’ve seen several reports of users having issues with the SimpliSafe app not connecting with the system. SimpliSafe recommends that you first make sure you have a WiFi connection. If that’s not the problem, then they suggest you uninstall and reinstall the app on your phone. If that doesn’t fix it, then you should call SimpliSafe’s customer support so they can help troubleshoot the issues you’re having.

What’s Our Final Verdict?

SimpliSafe Home Security System (Caption: SimpliSafe Review)The SimpliSafe app is fairly bare-bones compared to its major competitors, but if you don’t want all the bells and whistles, it’s a dependable app for a high-quality and affordable DIY security system. The major complaint many customers have is that there’s really no self-monitoring option. You have to pay a monthly monitoring fee to be able to perform even the most basic functions in the app.

However, if you want professional monitoring (which we recommend for your ultimate safety), this isn’t an issue. Read our SimpliSafe home security system review to learn more about its security system and to see pros, cons, pricing, and more.

Do you think the SimpliSafe app has enough functionality?

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The information provided through this website should not be used to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease; it is not intended to offer any legal opinion or advice or a substitute for professional safety advice or professional care. Please consult your health care provider, attorney, or product manual for professional advice. Products and services reviewed are provided by third parties; we are not responsible in any way for them, nor do we guarantee their functionality, utility, safety, or reliability. Our content is for educational purposes only.

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