SimpliSafe vs Vivint

SimpliSafe and Vivint are two top-rated home security companies that both offer cutting-edge security systems, features, and monitoring services, but each caters to a different demographic.

SimpliSafe maintains a DIY and budget-friendly posture that makes it one of the best security systems for renters and folks who want to keep their costs low. Vivint, on the other hand, takes a more traditional approach, prioritizing high-quality, high-tech equipment including smart home automation that’s unparalleled in the industry. All those features are going to cost you, though.

In this comparison, we pit SimpliSafe against Vivint and analyze their features, pricing, equipment, and more to determine which system is better for your needs and budget. Let’s dive in to find out which one is right for you.

Key Similarities

First, we’d like to give you an overview of what the two security systems have in common, and what they have that’s different. Let’s start with the similarities:

• Wireless equipment: SimpliSafe and Vivint offer equipment that connects to the system wirelessly. They both have some hardwired equipment too.
• Security and safety equipment: It’s not just that they both offer wireless options, but they also offer similar pieces of equipment, including entry sensors, motion sensors, glass break sensors, and security cameras.
• Professional monitoring: With either company, you can have help from professionals in monitoring your security system. That includes police, fire, or medical emergency dispatch when necessary.

Key Differences

• Installation: While Vivint offers professional installation, SimpliSafe is DIY.
• Self-monitoring: In addition to professional monitoring, SimpliSafe gives users the option to self-monitor their system; Vivint doesn’t.
• Smart home capabilities: Vivint has far more advanced smart home capabilities since it can connect to Z-Wave and Zigbee smart home devices even from third-party brands. SimpliSafe lacks that, and it can only pair up with select smart home products.

If that all sounds good, we can move on to system components.

SimpliSafe Vs. Vivint System Components

SimpliSafe and Vivint both offer a lot of different equipment options. But, Vivint offers a few more smart home products while SimpliSafe offers more environmental sensors. Here’s the complete breakdown:

While Vivint might edge out SimpliSafe on the number of smart home components offered, they charge a lot more for them. Vivint’s second gen outdoor camera for instance costs almost $400. You can get an entire SimpliSafe security system package that would protect a modestly sized home for that much.

>> Learn More: The SimpliSafe Outdoor Camera

If you’re looking for variety, Vivint takes the cake. If you’re looking for value, SimpliSafe is the clear winner.

SimpliSafe Vs. Vivint Installation

One of the key areas where SimpliSafe and Vivint differ is the installation process. With Vivint, an in-house technician will bring the equipment to your home, and then install it for you. With SimpliSafe, you’ll receive the equipment in a box and you’ll do all the installation work.

Now, while Vivint’s installation process sounds less of a hassle, the professional installation service isn’t free. The service cost starts at $99 but usually ends up around $199 for a full home, but what you’re getting is one of the best professional installation services in the market. Moreover, Vivint is no stranger to offering free installation from time to time.

With SimpliSafe, on the other hand, there are no installation fees because you’re doing the work yourself. If you really want professional installation, though, SimpliSafe can arrange for a third-party installation service for a fee that starts at $125. That said, the majority of SimpliSafe users choose the DIY route, particularly because SimpliSafe is so easy to set up.

Installing SimpliSafe

Installing SimpliSafe requires no tools, no drilling, and no knowledge of security systems at all.

The majority of the system is peel-and-stick, which a literal child could handle. Once the sensors are up, all I had to do was plug in the base station and sync everything in my SimpliSafe app. From start to finish, installing SimpliSafe took only a few minutes, so I’m super pleased.

Installing Vivint

In our experience, Vivint’s professional installation service is nothing short of white-glove. The technician who helped us was polite and courteous, even putting booties around his shoes so as not to track dirt into our home.

It’s also evident that he’s knowledgeable about the system, even answering some of the questions we had about why he chose certain areas to place sensors. After the installation, he explained how Vivint works and how to do basic stuff like arming and disarming it before handing us the key to the system, which was the touchscreen control panel.

Top System Installation

This is a matter of preference. The installation process for both is great. Vivint’s all-professional installation service is one of the best we’ve seen, while SimpliSafe gives the choice between professional and DIY installation. That said, we’re giving SimpliSafe the win here. Even though we haven’t tried their professional installation service, just the mere fact that SimpliSafe lets users choose between DIY and professional installation makes it deserving of a point.

Professional Monitoring with SimpliSafe Vs. Vivint

When it comes to home security monitoring, there are two main options available: self-monitoring through your mobile app or 24/7 professional monitoring. If you choose the latter, you’ll get a team of people monitoring your system at all times. If one of your alarms goes off, it’s the professional monitors that will contact emergency services for you, if need be. This can be especially helpful if you’re on vacation or simply preoccupied. I recommend getting professional monitoring whenever it’s offered, but SimpliSafe does give you the option to self-monitor. It’s one of our favorite self-monitored home security systems. Let’s get into more detail.

SimpliSafe Vs. Vivint Monitoring Options

With SimpliSafe, the cost of your monitoring will depend on the services you get, whereas Vivint bases it on the amount of cameras you have. Let’s start with SimpliSafe.

SimpliSafe Professional Monitoring Options

Both the Standard and the Fast Protect plans include 24/7 professional and environmental monitoring as well as cellular backup, ensuring your system will stay on in a power outage. You also get remote control of your system and smartphone notifications, both courtesy of the SimpliSafe app.

As for the Fast Protect plan, you’ll get all those plus video verification, secret alarms, and cloud storage for up to 10 cameras. Now let me explain a couple of SimpliSafe features that may not be super-obvious.

Secret Alarms allow you to receive a notification without the alarm physically going off, which could be useful for a liquor cabinet or safe.

Video Verified Alarms send a one-minute clip of your livestream footage to the professional monitoring teams, allowing them to verify that a crime has taken place. With evidence in hand, video verified alarms lead to higher arrest rates, according to the SimpliSafe website.

On top of verifying the alarms, SimpliSafe’s Fast Protect monitoring agents can also connect to your Smart Alarm Wireless Indoor Camera and speak through the two-way audio feature in an attempt to scare away any intruders. This feature is called Live Guard protection. While that can cause some privacy concerns, I felt comfortable with it since there’s a privacy shutter on the Smart Alarm indoor camera.

Live Guard protection is also supported on the Wireless Outdoor Camera Pro, but it requires the Pro or Pro Plus monitoring plan which is only available to current customers. Those two plans cost $49.99 per month or $79.99 per month respectively. The Pro plan offers overnight Live Guard protection while the Pro Plus plan offers 24/7 Live Guard protection.

SimpliSafe also offers cloud storage separate from any monitoring, if you prefer.

SimpliSafe Cloud Storage Options

Vivint makes it a lot more simple, basing your monitoring cost on the number of cameras you have.

Vivint Smart Home Video Service

Vivint’s prices aren’t terribly cheap, especially when you consider that you’ll likely also pay a monthly fee for your equipment. Vivint offers financing options where you pay for your equipment over four or five years, which is actually a good thing because Vivint security systems can be quite expensive.

That said, if you want to keep your monthly expenses low, you can actually pay up-front for the equipment, but it will run you at least $800.

Vivint Package Offerings

If you have more than two cameras, your monthly fee will simply increase. All Vivint plans include cellular backup, which is a good thing.

Clearly, SimpliSafe has reasonable prices, with its highest option at $31.99 a month being slightly higher than Vivint’s lowest option at $29.99 a month. Keep in mind that the Vivint equipment itself was $844 compared to the $559 I paid for the SimpliSafe system so overall, you’re going to spend a lot more money with Vivint than with SimpliSafe.

SimpliSafe Vs. Vivint Contracts

While all SimpliSafe contracts are month-to-month, Vivint requires you to sign either a 3.5 or a five-year contract. However, you can cancel Vivint anytime—you just need to finish paying for your equipment.

SimpliSafe Vs. Vivint Moving Policies

As SimpliSafe has DIY installation, if you’re moving, just pick up your system and install it in your new home. Or, you can get it professionally installed again for $125. With Vivint, on the other hand, they’ll reinstall it for you, but they’ll bill you unless you qualify for the free movers’ program.

Top System for Monitoring

To me, the choice is clear. SimpliSafe’s monitoring is more affordable and flexible than Vivint’s, with monthly contracting and lower monthly prices. Okay, now it’s SimpliSafe two, Vivint zero. The next two rounds should be interesting.

Customer Support with SimpliSafe Vs. Vivint

WINNER: Vivint

Both SimpliSafe and Vivint offer customer support in the form of phone lines, live chats, and online help centers. SimpliSafe lets you send support an email or submit a form online too. To see what real customers thought of SimpliSafe and Vivint’s customer support, I turned to Google reviews. Google combines customer reviews from many different websites to bring you one comprehensive rating. While SimpliSafe received a three-star rating, Vivint received a 3.8.

“Absolutely love this company. Equipment has only had one hiccup and a technician was out the next day to fix it free of charge. Customer service is always great even with small holds during busy hours (normal for any company though),”

wrote James Ballard of Vivint in a five-star review.

Top System for Customer Support

The algorithms don’t lie— Vivint has better customer support than SimpliSafe, as evidenced by their higher rating on Google. I also prefer Vivint’s live chat since I didn’t need to speak to a bot before talking to a live agent. Ladies and gentlemen, I’m giving this one to Vivint, and you know what that means— it’s all going to come down to the apps.

SimpliSafe Vs. Vivint Apps

WINNER: SimpliSafe
Now it’s time for the final round, the apps. We’re talking smart security here, so a user-friendly app is essential to monitoring and controlling your security system. Who will break the tie and reign supreme?

The SimpliSafe App

From the SimpliSafe app, you can arm and disarm your system, control any connected devices you may have, receive notifications, and if you have the Interactive Plan, livestream and download footage.

The app has amazing ratings, a 4.8 from the Apple store and a 4.5 from the Google Play store.

The Vivint App

The Vivint app has the exact same capabilities of the SimpliSafe app, plus it allows you to see and speak to visitors through your video doorbell. With ratings of 3.9 from Android users and 4.6 from iPhone users, the Vivint app is one of the highest-rated for Apple users. The main complaint from Android users was it being slow and freezing from time to time.

Top System App

Both of these systems have some of the best apps in the security games, but overall, SimpliSafe’s is ranked higher for both Android and iOS devices. SimpliSafe for the win!

Recap of SimpliSafe Vs. Vivint

Overall, we’re calling SimpliSafe the winner. While Vivint excels at what it does, and it’s actually better in many areas, SimpliSafe is more flexible whereas Vivint can only work for select types of homeowners (those who want professional installation and monitoring). With SimpliSafe, although you get a more limited equipment choice and fewer smart home features, you can choose how you want to install and monitor your security system.

With all that being said, it’s really up to you. SimpliSafe and Vivint are both great. You just need to pick the one that works better for your unique home security needs. So here’s our recommendation:

Want to learn more about Vivint? Check out our review of the Vivint home security system.