Compare SimpliSafe vs. Nest Home Security Systems

SimpliSafe is a home security company that was founded in 2016 by Harvard students who were worried about recent break-ins in the area and wanted to safeguard their apartments.

The company was founded in Boston, Massachusetts and provides wireless security for both residential and commercial properties.

Nest Labs, on the other hand, was founded in 2010 by two former Apple engineers who were motivated by a faulty thermostat and decided to build the perfect one themselves.

Nest is headquartered in Palo Alto, California. The company has since been purchased by Google but operates independently from the tech giant.

Nest offers security for both residential and business customers.

Both SimpliSafe and Nest provide reliable wireless home security systems with a no-contract monitoring option, but one is more geared toward home automation and the other one toward providing affordable home security.

Depending on your current home security needs and home automation plans, one of these companies will be better suited to your home.

SimpliSafe vs Nest, which is right for you?

Before you purchase either system is vital to do your research and request quotes from both providers.

You should also determine what type of system you will need, the number of sensors and the type of devices that you want to install, and call each company to request a quote.

Remember to talk to your friends and family who may have a Nest or SimpliSafe system as well.

And the most important thing you can do is to read on to see what our Nest Secure vs SimpliSafe comparison reveals about each company.

We have examined the following elements for our review: equipment, monitoring, contract and price, technology integration, and reputation.

As far as home security, both companies provide good equipment that will undoubtedly help keep your home safe.

However, the amount of protection provided by Nest and SimpliSafe varies, in that SimpliSafe goes beyond the basic home intrusion protection to offer environmental protection as well, while Nest Secure focuses on helping you turn your home into a smart home.

Both systems are built to be installed in minutes with the detailed instructions provided, and customers can also call customer support for assistance if necessary.

Additionally, Nest customers who would like to have their home security systems professionally installed can contact one of the Nest independent contractors to schedule an appointment for the installation.

The Nest pro who visits your home can find the best place for every Nest product, install and tests it, help you create an account with the free app provided by Nest, and can show you how to use the system. 

Keep in mind, though, that some areas might not have an available professional.

SimpliSafe and Nest are both excellent choices for those looking for a self-installed home security system, with Nest providing optional professional installation through independent contractors.

Both companies manufacture their own equipment to the highest standards and have made it easy to install.

The Nest Guard is the heart of the system. It’s a siren, keypad, and motion sensor in one.

The system also includes an entry sensor (Nest Detect) that is also a motion detector, a fob (Nest Tag) that lets users arm and disarm the system without a passcode, and the Nest app that gives users total control from anywhere.

Customers can add extra devices or sensors to build their perfect system.

Moreover, this base system can be complemented with indoor and outdoor cameras, smart doorbells and door locks, a smoke + CO alarm, temperature sensors, and the renowned Nest Thermostats.

The Nest app can be used by Android and iPhone users.

Customers who choose SimpliSafe can purchase any of the five packages available and add any extra devices or sensors.

Conversely, customers can build their own systems to meet their needs. All systems from SimpliSafe start with a base station and a wireless keypad.

Among the devices that can de added to the SimpliSafe system are motion detectors, glass break sensors, panic buttons, smoke and CO detectors, indoor cameras, and key fobs to disarm the system without a passcode.

SimpliSafe’s is equally easy to install, and also has issues when it comes to third party support. The SimpliSafe app can be downloaded from iTunes or Google Play.

With both systems, customers can choose to use live surveillance, with Nest offering both indoor and outdoor cameras while SimpliSafe only offers indoor cameras.

However, this service from Nest costs extra. Two devices that SimpliSafe offers that are not readily avilable from Nest are the panic button and configurable key fob.

If you or a family member requires a medical alert system, SimpliSafe’s panic button and key fob can send a medical alert signal to the monitoring station, where the distress signal is immediately routed to a medical response team.

With Nest, the process takes a bit longer because the system is not equipped to send medical alerts.

The distress call will go out but will require voice confirmation as to the nature of the emergency. With SimpliSafe, there is no additional wait time.   

When looking at Nest vs SimpliSafe, it's paramount to select the company that has a record of responding to alarms or threats in a quick and efficient manner.

Nest outsources it’s monitoring to Brinks Home Security and also allows customers to select self monitoring.

With professional monitoring, customers can choose between a month-to-month agreement for $29.99 or a three-year contract for $19.99 a month.

Nest offers cellular backup with any of the professional monitoring packages or charges $5.00 a month (or $50.00 a year) if the customer is self-monitoring.

And notably, Brinks’ average response time is 18 seconds from the time a sensor in your home is triggered to the time the monitoring center responds.

SimpliSafe uses COPS’ six monitoring centers that provide 24/7 professional monitoring, police, fire department, and medical emergency dispatch.

The centers have redunadancy procedures in place to ensure continued monitoring. 

Monitoring from SimpliSafe starts at $14.99 for the Standard plan that monitors for home intrusion and environmental hazards (no smart home integrations) and the Interactive plan for $24.99 that adds remote alarm control and home automation capabilities.

SimpliSafe customers can also choose to forgo professional monitoring and use their system as a local alarm. SimpliSafe’s monitoring centers take an average of 10 seconds to respond to an alarm event in your home.

SimpliSafe and Nest are both good alternatives for customers who do not want to sign a long-term monitoring agreement.

With SimpliSafe, after choosing from the five home security packages (the Foundation $229.96, the Essentials $259.95, the Hearth $374.91, the Knox $449.87, and the Haven $489.96), customers can choose between two monitoring plans, the Standard and the Interactive.

The Standard provides 24/7 live alarm and environmental monitoring over a cellular connection. This basic plan does not provide home automation capabilities or smartphone alerts.

If you are interested in remotely arming and disarming your home security system, you will have to pay for the Interactive monitoring plan that also provides unlimited camera recording, video alarm verification, smart home integrations, secret alerts, and allows users to receive alerts on their phone.

The Standard plan is available for $14.99, and the Interactive is priced at $24.99, both without a contract.

With Nest, customers purchase the Nest Secure system for $399.00 and can add sensors or devices to enhance their home security system. Nest sensors start at $49.00.

The monitoring plans are provided through Brinks Home Security, and Nest gives customers two choices: a month-to-month plan for $29.00 and a three-year agreement for $19.00 a month.

Brinks provides 24/7 professional monitoring out of their monitoring center in Irving, Texas and if necessary a backup monitoring center designed to handle extreme emergencies.

SimpliSafe and Nest are both good choices for any homeowner or renter who wants to protect their home, and wants to do so without a contract.

If you are thinking about fully automating your home, Nest might be the best choice for you. Keep in mind, though, that Nest is the most expensive of the two systems and adding sensors and devices will make it even more costly.

And while SimpliSafe’s home automation could use some improvements, it’s a solid choice for those looking for a simple, yet effective home security system that can grow with them and won’t break the bank.

Being able to remotely control our home has become a reality in today’s home security industry. It’s a feature most people are attracted to when researching home security systems.

When we look at the technology integrations available with Nest and SimpliSafe systems, Nest takes the lead.

Although SimpliSafe is capable of home automation integrations, it pales in comparison when we consider the number of platforms Nest is compatible with.

While SimpliSafe works with Amazon Alexa, Nest devices and the Apple Watch, Nest is compatible with Google Home, Z-Wave devices, and Amazon Alexa.

Moreover, both systems are capable of sending an email and text alerts, let users control several smart devices and have apps that can be downloaded from iTunes and Google Play.

Customer experience is an essential factor that needs to be considered when choosing a home security system.

When comparing SimpliSafe and Nest, the better rating goes to SimpliSafe. The company earned an A+ from the Better Business Bureau and has an excellent reputation when it comes to handling customer complaints.

Nest, on the other hand, obtained a  D- from the organization and many of the customers complain about the lack of knowledge shown by the company’s customer representatives.

The ratings available form Trustpilot seem to reinforce the BBB grades, at least for Nest, with 1.5/10 stars awarded by consumers.

SimpliSafe fared better with 5.2/10 stars. Complaints on this site are very few for SimpliSafe and point to customer care not being helpful.

Nest has a larger number of complaints when compared to SimpliSafe but they point to the same issue.

SimpliSafe and Nest’s monitoring centers hold the Central Station Alarm Association (CSAA) Five-Diamond certification, the highest accreditation awarded to monitoring stations that maintain the highest standards and the Underwriter’s Laboratory (UL) certification, an independent safety science company.

Although it is important to read customer reviews before choosing a product or service, remember that the amount of negative reviews is not necessarily cause for concern and that you should also do your own research.