Compare Protect America vs. SimpliSafe Home Security Systems

In your search for the best home security system, both Protect America and SimpliSafe may have popped up.

In our comparison, we are going to look at Protect America vs. SimpliSafe as part of our Best Home Security Systems for 2018.

Both companies provide wireless home security in all 50 states, but depending on your needs, one will be better suited for your home.

Protect America has been keeping families safe since 1992. The company began in Austin, Texas and has expanded to all 50 states.

Protect America provides intrusion and motion detection and video surveillance for all budgets. Customers will get professional help to build their home security system by phone.

Then, the complete system is built, programmed, and sent by mail. Once it arrives, customers can install it in less than an hour.

If you prefer that the system be professionally installed, Protect America offers optional professional installation.

With Protect America, customers choose from three monitoring packages, the Copper, the Silver, and the Platinum, each with a contract length of 36 months.

The equipment is built by 2GIG and GE, and it’s backed by a lifetime equipment warranty for as long as you are a customer. 

Protect America’s systems are professionally monitored 24/7 by the company's three monitoring centers, Criticom Monitoring Services (CMS).

SimpliSafe was founded in 2006 in Boston by Harvard students looking to protect their homes form break-ins in the area. They wanted to create a system for people who did not wish to or couldn’t sign a contract.

SimpliSafe can be purchased online, or at select retail locations. The company offers five equipment packages, or customers can build their own system tailored to their home security needs.

SimpliSafe does not provide professional installation, and because the company does not require customers to sign a standard monitoring agreement, the equipment must be purchased up front, and it’s yours to keep.

SimpliSafe’s basic package, The Foundation, can be purchased for $229. Additional packages range from $259 to $489.

All are available without a contract and do not require a phone line. The equipment has the SimpliSafe logo, and it comes with a three-year warranty. Professional monitoring is provided by COPS and is available 24/7.

To help you decide which company is better suited to your home, our comparison of SimpliSafe vs Protect America looks at equipment, monitoring, reputation, contract and price, and technology integration.

If you want to know which system is best, read on.

Looking at the equipment for our SimpliSafe vs Protect America comparison, we can see that both companies offer functional equipment, with Protect America providing a more traditional looking system than SimpliSafe.

In January 2018, SimpliSafe introduced a redesigned system, releasing a more beautiful and powerful system with new safeguards against intruders, featuring SmashSafe™ technology.

The system is wireless and built for DIY installation. Additionally, it can be programed in a matter of minutes. SimpliSafe manufactures its own devices, and they are backed by a three-year equipment warranty.

The devices available from Protect America are also wireless and are manufactured by 2GIG and GE. Although the system can be easily installed by the customer with guidance from Protect America, professional installation is available.

With Protect America, customers agree to a 36-month monitoring contract and receive the equipment with no money down.

The company's starter package, the Copper is perfect for small homes and starts at $19.99 when monitoring is done by landline. The systems contain a basic control panel, the Simon XT that can be upgraded to a touch screen panel, the Simon XTi, a motion sensor, and three entry sensors.

The other packages also include a control panel and a motion sensor. The Silver has nine sensors, and the Platinum, 14.

Because SimpliSafe does not require customers to sign a monitoring agreement, the equipment must be purchased. Customers choose from the Foundation $229.96, the Essentials $259.95, the Hearth $374.91, the Knox $449.87, and the Haven $489.96.

Each kit includes a base station and a wireless keypad, one keychain remote, and a motion sensor. Other items included with higher tier systems can contain a panic button, an extra siren, a glass break sensor, a smoke detector, and additional entry sensors or an additional keychain remote.

If you select SimpliSafe to protect your home, you can purchase the kit online or at a participating retailer. Once the system arrives, you do the installation.

The home monitoring system you choose will depend on the size of your home and your security needs.

While some people who live on a tenth-floor apartment can protect their home with just an entry sensor and a motion detector or camera, someone who lives on the first floor of an apartment building or owns a home will definitely need to protect every accessible window and door with entry sensors and maybe even add several motion detectors and cameras to feel 100% safe.

The beauty of both companies is that their systems can be customized to meet the needs of each client.

In addition to the basic home security devices, both SimpliSafe and Protect America provide recessed door sensors, glass break protection, indoor and outdoor cameras, and panic buttons.

Depending on your monitoring plan, you will also be able to protect your home with live surveillance. Families with elderly members or people with certain medical conditions can add medical alert pendants and monitoring for added peace of mind.

Home security systems also offer environmental protection. Depending on the devices you add to your home system, you can monitor your home for carbon monoxide leaks, flood, temperature changes, and fire.

An added safety feature available form SimpliSafe but not from Protect America is SmashSafe protection. With a home security system with this technology, your home is protected even if the intruder destroys your control panel.

Once the alarm is triggered, the user has a set number of seconds to disarm the system or send an emergency signal, if this does not happen because the system suddenly goes off-line, the central station is still notified, and, if necessary, help is dispatched.

Both home security companies provide 24/7 professional monitoring for their customers.

Protect America owns three monitoring centers under the Criticom Monitoring Services (CMS) name.

The three centers have emergency personnel around the clock who monitor your home via landline, cellular and broadband network. The three centers create an efficient redundancy system that prevents interruptions.

CMS monitors for home intrusion, fire, personal emergencies, and environmental changes. Monitoring plans for Protect America customers with a landline connection start at $19.99. The other two plans available from Protect America are the Silver for $37.99 and the Platinum for $42.99.

Customers who want to use a broadband or cellular connection must pay an additional fee. All require a 36-month monitoring agreement.

Professional monitoring for SimpliSafe customers is outsourced to one of the most recognized and awarded companies in the industry, COPS.

Plans for SimpliSafe customers start at $14.99. COPS will monitor your home for intrusion, CO leaks, fire, and floods. Professional monitoring is provided 24/7.

The other plan offered by SimpliSafe, the Interactive will cost you $24.99, and, in addition to the 24/7 monitoring, customers with this plan receive SMS and email alerts and can arm and disarm their systems remotely.

SimpliSafe offers monitoring services on a month-to-month basis. There are no contracts, so the customer can cancel their plans at any time.

Perhaps the most significant difference we found when comparing Protect America and SimpliSafe involves contracts.

While with SimpliSafe, customers do not need to sign a contract, those who choose Protect America are required to sign a 36-month monitoring agreement.

The choice is ultimately yours. Can you purchase the equipment up front? Do you want to sign up for three years of service? Do you want to turn your home into a smart home? 

The answers to these questions will undoubtedly point you to the best company for you.

If you own your home and are okay with signing a 36-month contract Protect America will be a good fit. With Protect America, you will get 2GIG and GE equipment with a lifetime warranty.

Its systems are also better at home automation that's compatible with all major platforms. The company will take care of your system for as long as you are a client.

If you want to give Protect America a try, the company allows cancellations within 30 days but will charge a restocking fee for the equipment.

On the other hand, if signing a contract is not your thing or if home automation is not at the top of your list, SimpliSafe is the company for you.

Keep in mind that you must purchase the equipment, which runs from $229 to $489. Additionally, SimpliSafe offers a 60-day money back guarantee, free shipping, and free returns.

Today’s home security industry offers much more than just home invasion monitoring, with technology playing a vital role. However, not all home security companies provide the same technological integrations in their systems.

Such is the case of Protect America and SimpliSafe.

The equipment available from Protect America is compatible with Amazon Alexa, Google Home, IFTTT, Zigbee, and Z-Wave, which lets users use a significant number of gadgets to turn their home into a smart home.

Customers can also use Android and iOS applications to control all the smart devices in their homes without much effort.

Protect America's home automation gives customers lighting control, thermostat control, appliance control, and electronic door locks.

SimpliSafe takes the second spot to Protect America’s versatility. Although there are plans to increase technological integration on SimpliSafe devices, currently, it is only compatible with Amazon Alexa.

However, that integration is less than perfect, with several customers complaining about the cumbersome process. SimpliSafe is great at protecting your home, but it has not yet become a top home automation platform.

In addition to needing 24/7 professional monitoring to keep their homes safe, customers often have questions or need to troubleshoot their home security equipment, which makes it necessary to have available customer support.

However, SimpliSafe and Protect America do not offer 24/7 customer care. Protect America’s customer support center is open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. CT and from 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. CT on the weekends, with support by chat also available three additional hours each weekday.

SimpliSafe is available seven days a week, from 9 a.m. until midnight, ET.

Regarding customer reviews, Protect America has earned an A- from the Better Business Bureau while SimpliSafe maintains an A+.

SimpliSafe is a member of the Central Station Association, which monitors central stations to ensure that the highest standards are met. Additionally, both companies are certified by the Underwriter's Laboratory (UL), an entity in charge of ensuring that all the equipment meets strict safety guidelines.

In addition, Protect America holds certifications and/or is a member of the Electronic Security Association, which represents the largest electronic security and life safety leaders in the industry; the Department of Defense, and the New York City Fire Department.

This last certificate is one of the hardest to obtain and maintain due to its requirements.  

When choosing between SimpliSafe and Protect America, be sure to answer the questions introduced in the Price and Cost section of our comparison and check the current BBB grade awarded to each company.

Another useful site is the Consumer Affairs website. Also, keep in mind that the amount of negative reviews is not necessarily cause for concern.