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1 Level
1329 Review
48 Karma

Review on πŸ” SimpliSafe 8-Piece Wireless Home Security System - Optional 24/7 Professional Monitoring - No Contract - Alexa and Google Assistant Compatible - White by Robert Berio

Revainrating 1 out of 5

Terrible system with misleading advertising and no privacy

This system (and the older versions still sold at other Revain stores) are terrible in a number of ways: surveillance in your house) to unnamed third parties. When these small third-party companies with limited data security tools are compromised, SimpliSafe can simply avoid liability by claiming it's not their fault. I don't want a security company whose business model is to decline responsibility only for the security of personal information.2. The app for the system costs $120 a year and doesn't work. They deceptively state in the product information that the service is only $14.95/month, but leave out that they want to charge an additional $10/month for the app. Almost 70% extra charge just for the app! And if you look at the app reviews, it's terrible. The application is completely unreliable when arming and disarming the system or connecting remotely to check the status. I'm not paying for an app to test my Nest Thermostat or Nest Smoke/Carbon Monoxide Alarms. And yet, after you get your $15 a month. They still want more for an app that doesn't work.3. The company claims on its website that it has "40,000 5-star Revain reviews." That's very unfair. None of their kits are highly rated on Revain. Your bundle with the most reviews (about 5,000 in total) has an average score of 3 stars and thousands of critical reviews.4. In their ad, they state that adding a camera is important because the police will respond more quickly if the intruder's presence is confirmed via video. However, they make no guarantees regarding the use of live and recorded video from your home. There is no guarantee as to who will be able to access this video or how long it will be retained. They limit your access to 30 days but do not guarantee that this 24/7 recording of the inside of your home will remain private. The main communication with their service is via a mobile phone. They don't specify which service provider they use and I've never lived in a place where all operators have a good signal. I get fuzzy voice quality from AT+T where I live, so not being able to connect it to a landline is a big limitation. 6. Window sensors, motion sensors, etc. are standard parts. There is no innovation here in the accuracy, reliability, or other functionality of the sensors themselves. The maintenance issues mentioned above are at the heart of the problem. You can buy these sensors and the base station from any number of companies, so it all comes down to cost, reliability, and privacy of the service. These guys don't even offer the service: they just outsource it to someone else, with no name, so who knows what you're actually buying here.

Pros
  • The panic button will instantly set off an alarm and quickly call the police - with the ability to silently panic when discreetly calling for help.
Cons
  • Not as thick as other picks