Nest Secure vs SimpliSafe: An Expert Comparison
Today we will be comparing home security providers Nest Secure and SimpliSafe, and see how they stack up! We’ll go over equipment, monitoring plans, and more!
You may be one of the thousands of customers who are currently in the process of shopping around for a home security system. There are a lot of security companies out on the market which can make the process of shopping around for a home security system a bit overwhelming. We are dedicated to making this process easier for our readers by providing detailed information about the major companies out there.
Nest Secure Control Panel
Nest is well known for their high-quality security cameras, and now they have security system that is just as impressive called the Nest Secure. The Nest Secure’s connects all your devices through its control panel call the Nest Guard. The Nest Guard has a cone shaped design with built-in indicator lights that will change colors to show different system statues. The Nest Guard connects directly to your home’s WIFI network, but you do have the option to have a cellular chip installed. It has push-button keypad that allows you to quickly arm and disarm your system. You can create custom user codes for different users for you Nest Secure system that can be enabled and disabled at any time. The Nest Guard is powered by an AC power source, and it includes a backup battery. The Nest Guard stands out from other control panels due to it have a motion detector built right into the control panel that can detect motion within a 10 ft range of the Nest Guard. The Nest Guard includes audio chimes for when your system is armed/disarmed, opened/shut doors, and other chimes for other events. If you Nest Security system is triggered the Nest Guard will sound its internal 85-decibel siren.
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Who wins?
SimpliSafe and Nest offer really easy to use control panels. We really like the design of SimpliSafe’s control panel, and the fact that it has a cellular chip already included. The Nest Guard has a lot of great features, and its built-in motion sensor really helps it standout from the rest. Since the Nest Guard has a built-in motion sensor, and the fact its keypad is built into the control panel, we are making them the winner of this category.
SimpliSafe Control Panel
To connect and control all of your security, home automation, environmental, and video cams, SimpliSafe offers their control hub. Their control hub is wireless and cellular panel that works by transmitting your data via cellular chip. The SimpliSafe control panel can connect to your home’s WIFI network as a backup, and it is powered by an AC power source. IF your power goes out, the SimpliSafe control hub includes a 24-hour backup battery. The SimpliSafe control hub has a cone shaped design making it really easy to place. It has an indicator light at the bottom of its base that will change colors to show different system statuses. The SimpliSafe control hub will also make chimes for when your devices or system are triggered, and these chimes can be customized. If you SimpliSafe system or connected devices are triggered, the SimpliSafe control hub will sound its internal siren. The SimpliSafe control panel is controlled through a separate push-button keypad that has a rechargeable battery. You can add devices, customize your SimpliSafe system’s features, as well as customize user codes right from the keypad. The SimpliSafe control panel is limited on how much you can expand it, and it will only work with SimpliSafe branded devices.
Recommended: An alternative DIY (do-it-yourself) option, our home security system at Link Interactive >>
Nest Secure Equipment
When Nest designed their Nest Secure, they went for simplicity and that is reflected in the variety of basic equipment they have to offer you. Their main intrusion sensor is called the Nest Detect. The Nest Detect is a combo door/window sensor and motion sensor. It is battery-operated and wireless. The Nest Detect will alert you when a door/window has been open in which it has been placed as well as monitor for motion in the area it is placed. Nest offers their Nest Tags as a quick a way for you to arm and disarm your system. You simply need to tap a Nest Tag on your Nest Guard to quickly arm and disarm your system. When it comes to environmental safety sensors Nest offers their Nest Protect. The Nest Protect is wireless and battery-operated and it will monitor for dangerous rises in CO gas and smoke. If these are detected your Nest Protect will make an audible alert. All the equipment offered by Nest is totally DIY, but they do include a step by step setup guide.
Recommended: An alternative DIY (do-it-yourself) option called Link Interactive >>
Home Automation
Nest has some nice home automation devices and video cams for you to choose from, and they all work perfectly with their Nest Secure system. When it comes to home automation devices, Nest offers a really nice smart thermostat and they have partnered with Yale to produce a super high-quality smart lock. Their Smart Thermostat has an amazing full colored display, and its green leaf icon lets you know you are saving money on your home’s energy cost. The Nest Smart Thermostat will learn your home’s energy patterns, and automatically adjust your home’s temperature to your preference. Their Yale Smart Lock comes in a few different colors, and it has an LED illuminated keypad. This lock is tamper-proof, and you can create different users codes. You can control both the Nest Smart Thermostat and the Nest Yale Smart Lock on the go through the Nest app.
Monitoring/Cameras
When it comes to video surveillance equipment, Nest has the major types of video cams out on the market. They have several different models of indoor, outdoor, and video doorbell cameras. Their cameras have advanced features that allow you to capture detail images along with producing and capture video in HD resolution. You can use their cameras’ night vision technology to capture crystal clear images even when there is no light around. Nest cameras’ motions sensors will trigger them to start to record, and you will be sent an instant alert. You can use their cameras’ 2-way audio feature to directly communicate with the people around your Nest cams. Nest cams are work through PoE (Power over Ethernet), or by connecting wirelessly to your home’s WIFI.
Recommended: See all of our Alarm.com powered video monitoring options at Link Interactive >>
SimpliSafe Equipment
SimpliSafe offers all the wireless and battery-operated intrusion and environmental safety sensors to give your home total coverage. They offer door/window, motion, tilt, and glass break sensors to protect the entryways to your home. SimpliSafe also offers an external siren that is wireless and battery-operated. For a quick way to arm and disarm your system, SimpliSafe offers a push-button key fob remote. To instantly trigger your system, and dispatch emergency services, SimpliSafe offers a push-button battery-operated panic button. To protect your home against the elements, SimpliSafe offers a smoke/temperature, a CO, and flood sensors. Theses sensors will look for environmental dangers such as rises and drops in temperature, smoke, CO gas, and water leaks/floods. If these environmental dangers are detected, SimpliSafe’s environmental safety sensors will trigger your system while making an audible alert. All equipment offered by SimpliSafe is DIY, but they also do offer professional installation for a one-time fee.
Recommended: An alternative DIY (do-it-yourself) option called Link Interactive >>
Home Automation
SimpliSafe offers a few devices that you can add on to your system that allows to do some home automation and video surveillance tasks. SimpliSafe offers their smart lock which fits over your existing deadbolt lock. Their smart lock has a push-button keypad and a deadbolt automatic lock that allows you to unlock and lock your doors while on the go. You can also create custom user codes for your SimpliSafe smart lock that can be enabled and disabled at any time. The SimpliSafe smart lock is tamper proof, and if a code has been entered incorrectly too many times it will lock down for 30 minutes.
Video Monitoring/Cameras
To add some extra eyes to your home, you can use some video surveillance cameras offered by SimpliSafe. SimpliSafe offers their Simpli Cam which is a wireless video surveillance camera that works by connecting to your home’s WIFI network. It can be used indoors or outdoors due to its weatherproof design, and it is powered by an AC power source. It can capture video in HD, has night vision technology, motion sensors, and 2-way audio. To keep an eye on the doors of your home, SimpliSafe offers their Video Doorbell Pro camera. This camera can capture video in stunning 1080P, and it works by connecting wirelessly to your home’s WIFI network. You can customize the chimes for your Video Doorbell Pro, and it has motion sensors that will trigger it to start to record. You can communicate with whomever is around your Video Doorbell Pro using its 2-way audio feature. If there is no light around, the Video Doorbell Pro will switch to night mode which allows it to use its night vision technology to capture images when there is no light around.
Recommended: See all of our Alarm.com powered video monitoring options at Link Interactive >>
Who wins?
Both SimpliSafe and Nest offer some nice basic equipment for you to use with their systems. Both of their entryway and environmental safety sensors are wireless and battery-operated. We really like the Nest Detect due to it being able to monitor for motion as well as for when doors/windows have been opened or shut. However, SimpliSafe has a larger selection of basic equipment for you to choose from than Nest, and for that reason we are making them our winner for this category.
There is a pretty big different with the amount of add-on equipment offered by SimpliSafe for their system, and the amount of add-on equipment Nest offers for their Nest Secure system. Unfortunately, SimpliSafe only offers one piece of home automation equipment, and their variety of video surveillance equipment isn’t much better. On the other hand, you can use a ton of home automation equipment and video surveillance devices with your Nest Secure system. For this reason, we are choosing Nest Secure as our winner for this category.
SimpliSafe vs Nest Secure App
SimpliSafe and Nest offer self, video, and professional monitoring services. Their self-monitoring and video monitoring services are done through their apps, and they are free to download and work for smartphones. Their apps will allow you remote control of your system. You will be able to remotely arm and disarm your system, stream live and recorded video, and control any connected devices while on the go. You will also receive push notifications through theirs apps when your system or devices have been triggered by an event. They both offer 24/7 professional monitoring in where you have a professional monitoring station watching over your home for emergencies. However, for you to get professional monitoring with your Nest Secure system, you will need to purchase it from Brinks which is another majority security company. If you choose to do this, you will pay higher month to month monitoring fees than you would with SimpliSafe, but you will get more features to use with your system.
Recommended: Check out Link Interactive. With Link Interactive you’ll get the Alarm.com app (the gold standard in home security), and top of the line security equipment at great affordable prices. See details >>
SimpliSafe vs Nest Secure vs Link Interactive
SimpliSafe and Nest can provide you with a solution that fits your specific security needs. SimpliSafe has an easy to use system, and their month to month monitoring cost are some of the cheapest out on the market currently. The Nest Secure’s control panel has a lot of great features, and the Nest Secure system is super expandable. Due to the Nest Secure control panel being nicer than that of SimpliSafe’s, and the fact they have more add-on equipment than SimpliSafe, we are choosing them as our overall winners.
Recommended Alternative: Link Interactive
If you’d like a better bang for your buck without skimping on features and quality of service, take a at the Link Interactive home alarm system.
Link Interactive and Nest Secure are very similar in terms of equipment and monitoring services. At Link we offer a more advanced control panel in the the Qolsys IQ 2 Panel with Alarm.com self-monitoring and third-party professional monitoring. We also offer cutting-edge video monitoring services, all at a far more affordable price point!
We have thousands of 5-star reviews on various reputable third party review sites complimenting our awesome after-sales support! We encourage you take a look at our offer here, get a quote and compare. You can also call us direct at 1-877-826-5443 for further details and speak with a rep!
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