SimpliSafe makes one of our favorite DIY smart home security systems, and you can pick up one of its bundles for 50% off at Amazon during its SimpliSafe’s Prime Day sale July 16 and 17.
SimpliSafe makes basic, easy-to-install, and expandable home security systems powered by a battery-backed central hub and a numeric keypad for arming and disarming. They support entry sensors for doors and windows; motion, glass-break, water, freeze sensors; smoke; and carbon dioxide detectors; indoor and outdoor security cameras, sirens, panic buttons, remote key fobs, and smart entry locks.
Professional monitoring, in which remote professionals watch over your system and can summon first responders in the event of a burglary or fire is available as an optional subscription service for about $30 per month. One month of monitoring is free; otherwise, these discounts don’t apply to the monitoring service.
SimpliSafe systems are designed solely for home security, so you won’t get the ability to integrate the broader range of smart home devices, such as lighting and thermostats. But you can control the system with Amazon Alexa or Google Home voice commands. You can compare SimpliSafe’s offering to TechHive’s other favorite smart home systems.
SimpliSafe’s bundles are differentiated by the number of products included in the package (they all include the central hub and a numeric keypad for arming and disarming the system). You can add compatible accessories on an ad hoc basis.
SimpliSafe Prime Day deals
- SimpliSafe 5-piece bundle (1 entry sensor, 1 motion sensor, 1 key fob): $99.99 (50% off on Amazon)
- SimpliSafe 7-piece bundle (2 entry sensors, 1 key fob, 2 outdoor cameras): $224.99 (50% off on Amazon)
- SimpliSafe 8-piece bundle (4 entry sensors, 1 motion sensor, 1 panic button): $119.99 (50% off on Amazon)
- SimpliSafe 9-piece bundle (4 entry sensors, 2 motion sensors, 1 indoor camera): $149.99 (50% off on Amazon)
- SimpliSafe 10-piece bundle (4 entry sensors, 2 motion sensors, 1 indoor camera, 1 outdoor camera): $214.99 (50% off at Amazon)
Half off is a great deal in anyone’s book, but you’ll see that not all the bundles include security cameras. If you’re looking for basic security, you should first consider the number of doors and windows you want to monitor, and then worry about cameras.
Protect entry doors first and then street-level windows that open. Upstairs windows that open should be of less concern unless there’s a nearby tree or a structure that makes them easily accessible from outside. For rooms with lots of windows that open, consider placing a motion sensor in the room instead. It won’t trigger the alarm before an intruder is already in the house, but the delay is likely to be seconds, not minutes, and that protection is a lot more cost effective.
As I mentioned earlier, you can add sensors, cameras, and other components on an ad hoc basis later on; hopefully, when those accessories on are sale!
Author: Michael Brown, Executive Editor, TechHive
Michael is TechHive's lead editor, with 30+ years of experience covering smart homes, home networking, and home audio/home theater. He holds a BA in Multimedia Journalism, authored the book Desktop Video Production, and was awarded Best Online Review by the Computer Press Association. Michael built a smart home in 2007 and used it as a real-world product-testing lab. Now living in the Pacific Northwest, he is converting his 1890 Victorian bungalow into a modern smart home. Michael has worked at CNET, PCWorld, Electronic Musician, and Maximum PC. As a freelancer, he contributed to New Media, Camcorder, MacWeek, and more.