Which SimpliSafe Monitoring Plan Should You Choose?

SimpliSafe has two professional monitoring plans, the Standard and the Interactive. We recommend the Interactive plan. At $27.99 per month, it costs $10 more than the SimpliSafe Standard plan, but you get a lot more bang for your buck.

The Standard SimpliSafe monitoring plan is extremely basic. Sure, it’s backed up by the same 24/7 professional monitoring as the Interactive, but you don’t have many ways to control your alarm system. You can use the keypad on your wall or the key fob that comes with your system, but that’s it. You don’t have mobile app access, and you can’t arm and disarm your system remotely with your phone.

SimpliSafe’s Interactive monitoring plan gives you access to the SimpliSafe mobile app. The mobile app is pretty basic, but it at least lets you arm and disarm your system using your phone, which is convenient if you get to work and realize you forgot to set the alarm.

The SimpliSafe mobile app is also handy so you can check your system’s status. If you get to work and can’t remember whether you armed the system or not, the SimpliSafe mobile app will tell you. And in the app, you can view a list of events, which tells you when the system was armed or disarmed, and through what method (mobile app, keypad, etc.).

Without the Interactive monitoring plan, you don’t have access to SimpliSafe’s smart home integrations. SimpliSafe doesn’t have the most impressive home automation resume, but it does have a few integrations: Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and August smart locks.

If you want to arm your SimpliSafe system with Alexa or Google using your voice, then you need the Interactive plan to have access to that skill. The Interactive plan also lets you sync your August smart door locks with your SimpliSafe system, so they lock or unlock as you arm or disarm your security system.

You don’t need the Interactive plan to use SimpliSafe’s security cameras, but it does give them some extra functionality. With the Interactive plan, you can view camera events alongside security system events in the SimpliSafe mobile app.

The Interactive plan also supports video verification through your SimpliSafe cameras.

With video verification, the SimpliSafe monitoring reps can temporarily view footage from your SimpliSafe security cameras if someone triggers the alarm. This only happens when someone sets off your alarm system.

SimpliSafe reps can use the cameras to determine if there’s an actual emergency happening (and if so, what kind), or if your kid just forgot the key code again and it’s really a false alarm.

Some cities charge fines for too many false alarms, so this is a useful way to cut down on calling the cops for no reason. And if it is an actual emergency, then SimpliSafe can give first responders more info about the situation.

SimpliSafe’s Standard plan gives you 24/7 professional monitoring, but that’s it. With the SimpliSafe Interactive monitoring plan, you get the same professional monitoring, plus access to the mobile app, SimpliSafe’s smart home integrations, and video verification for extra security.

SimpliSafe also now offers customers of the Interactive plan a 10% discount on equipment add-ons and a lifetime warranty on equipment as long as they maintain their subscription. We think it’s worth the 10 extra bucks per month.

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