SimpliSafe vs Abode: Which Home Security System Is Better?
The consistent, well-rated DIY category leader versus the most smart-home-agnostic DIY brand on the market, with a genuinely free live-video tier. Six rounds. Real numbers. One honest scorecard.
The verdict
Rounds split 3–3; Abode edges it on total score.
Abode is the more flexible, cheaper-to-start system for smart-home enthusiasts, but SimpliSafe's stronger app consistency and BBB record make it the steadier choice for most households.
Choose SimpliSafe if…
- • You want a consistently well-rated app on both iOS and Android
- • You want the stronger BBB rating and lower complaint volume
Choose Abode if…
- • You already use Z-Wave, Zigbee, or multiple smart home ecosystems
- • You want to try live video monitoring for genuinely $0 a month before paying anything
Round by round
- Round 1Monitoring & ResponseSimpliSafe winsSimpliSafe7/10
$22.99/mo
24/7 professional monitoring with live video verification
- 24/7 professional monitoring with live video verification
- Cheapest true 24/7 monitoring tier in this matchup
- No published average dispatch/response time
Source: SimpliSafe monitoring plans
Abode6/10$26.99/mo
One of the cheapest 24/7 monitoring tiers among major brands overall
- Genuinely free-forever self-monitoring tier below Pro
- Calls customer first to rule out false alarms before dispatch
- Pro plan costs more than SimpliSafe's equivalent 24/7 tier
- No published average response time
Source: Abode Pro plan
Abode's $26.99 Pro tier still undercuts most legacy alarm companies — SimpliSafe's $22.99 just undercuts it too.
- Round 2Cost — Equipment & Monthly FeeAbode winsSimpliSafe6/10
$250-730 kit
Free self-monitoring is app alerts only, no live video
- 24/7 professional monitoring priced at $22.99/mo
- Free tier lacks live video streaming
- Starter kits run notably higher than Abode's cheapest kit
Source: SimpliSafe pricing data
Abode8/10$130 entry kit
Free plan includes live video streaming and smart home integrations
- Cheapest entry kit in this matchup at $130
- Free-forever plan includes live video, not just alerts
- 24/7 professional monitoring (Pro) costs more than SimpliSafe's equivalent tier
Source: Abode pricing data
Abode's free plan actually includes live video; SimpliSafe's free tier is alerts only.
- Round 3Equipment & Device LineupAbode winsSimpliSafe6/10
Only lineup with a smart lock
Retrofit smart lock plus dedicated panic/medical/fire sensors
- Retrofit smart lock included in the lineup
- Dedicated panic button plus medical & fire sensors
- No water leak sensor offered
Source: SimpliSafe device lineup
Abode7/10iota Hub: camera+motion+siren in one
Smoke Alarm Monitor connects existing detectors instead of replacing them
- iota Hub bundles camera + motion sensor + siren into one device
- Dedicated water leak sensor SimpliSafe doesn't offer
- No smart lock anywhere in the lineup
Source: Abode device lineup
Abode's iota hub and water-leak sensor are genuinely clever; SimpliSafe still has the only smart lock in this matchup.
- Round 4Smart Home IntegrationAbode winsSimpliSafe5/10
3 ecosystems, HomeKit limited
No native Z-Wave or Zigbee support
- Works with Alexa and Google Assistant
- HomeKit integration noted as limited
- No native Z-Wave or Zigbee support
Source: SimpliSafe smart home integrations
Abode10/107 ecosystems supported
Most smart-home-agnostic DIY security brand on the market
- Native Z-Wave and Zigbee support most DIY rivals lack
- Full HomeKit, Alexa, Google Home, IFTTT, and Nest support
- Breadth of integrations can mean a more complex setup
Source: Abode smart home integrations
SimpliSafe covers the big three, imperfectly. Abode covers seven ecosystems at once, including Z-Wave and Zigbee most rivals lock out entirely.
- Round 5App & User ExperienceSimpliSafe winsSimpliSafe8/10
4.5+ iOS / 4.53 Android
Consistently strong ratings across both platforms
- Strong ratings on both iOS and Android
- ~32,000 Android ratings back up the score
- Customer service wait times frequently criticized in reviews
Source: SimpliSafe app ratings
Abode5/104.2/5 iOS, 2.4/5 Android
Notably clunkier Android experience per reviewers
- 4.2/5 on Apple App Store from ~4,200 ratings
- Only 2.4/5 on Google Play from ~1,630 ratings
- Reviewers cite a clunkier Android experience
Source: Abode app ratings
SimpliSafe's app rates well on both platforms; Abode's Android experience is dragging its average down hard.
- Round 6Trust & ComplaintsSimpliSafe winsSimpliSafe7/10
3.8/5 (17,274 reviews)
74% rate SimpliSafe Excellent or Great on Trustpilot
- A+ BBB rating
- SafeHome.org SecureScore of 9.2/10
- Recurring connectivity and customer-service-wait complaints
Source: Trustpilot / BBB
Abode4/108.5/10 Security.org, C- BBB
Editorial scores strong, but BBB and support response times lag
- 8.5/10 Security.org SecurityScore
- 4/5 SafeWise rating
- C- BBB rating
- Chat support response times reported around 10-15 minutes
Source: Security.org / BBB
Abode reviews well editorially, but its C- BBB rating is a real step down from SimpliSafe's A+.
Which one is for you?
Household already invested in Z-Wave or Zigbee smart home devices
→ Abode · Abode natively supports Z-Wave and Zigbee alongside HomeKit, Alexa, and Google
Buyer who wants a consistently rated app on both iOS and Android
→ SimpliSafe · SimpliSafe rates 4.5+ on iOS and 4.53/5 on Android
Someone who wants to try live video monitoring for genuinely $0/month
→ Abode · Abode's free-forever plan includes live video streaming, not just alerts
Buyer who prioritizes the highest BBB rating and complaint record
→ SimpliSafe · SimpliSafe holds an A+ BBB rating versus Abode's C-
Side by side
- Free self-monitoring tier available
- 24/7 pro monitoring starts at just $22.99/mo
- No early-termination fees, ever
- Owned hardware keeps working after cancelling monitoring
- Cheapest 24/7 professional monitoring tier among major brands
- Genuinely free-forever self-monitoring tier with no subscription
- Cheapest 24/7 monitoring tier among major brands at $26.99/mo
- No contract on any tier, instant fee-free cancellation
- Top Pro Plus tier runs $79.99/mo
- No professional-install option offered at all
- No radar-based or advanced behavior-detection cameras
- Video Doorbell Pro requires a wired connection only
- No published or independently benchmarked average response time
- Free tier has no professional dispatch at all
- 24/7 continuous video recording costs an extra $9.99/mo per camera
- Recurring complaints about cameras going offline