Frontpoint vs Simplisafe - Anyone have any opinions? Other options?

[iamwiz82]

Looking at a home security system to protect my home. The two I have narrowed on are Frontpoint and Simplisafe. Does anyone have any opinions on one or both?

Frontpoint is definitely more money upfront and per month but I think that their customer service is going to be better (from reading on the web) but both are concidered to have good CSRs. Frontpoint equipment is supposed to be a bit better.

 

[Greenman]

Security systems don't protect your home, they let you know when it's been broken into or on fire.

Edit: With that said, I know know nothing about either system. I assumed they were all at about the same lever of technology.

 

[iamwiz82]

Considering that they are monitored systems, they do protect. An event at the house would trigger a call to the authorities from the central monitoring point. A fire alarm that makes an audio alarm but nothing more is personal protection, versus one that has the fire dept. alerted, which I would consider as protection for the home.

 

[boomerang]

I'm lazy, what's the monthly on each? I ask because monitoring on conventional systems can be had pretty much dirt cheap. You can get nearly everything wireless these days too so it can all be easily self installed.

Just looked, I'm paying $108 a year.

 

[NutBucket]

Considering that they are monitored systems, they do protect. An event at the house would trigger a call to the authorities from the central monitoring point. A fire alarm that makes an audio alarm but nothing more is personal protection, versus one that has the fire dept. alerted, which I would consider as protection for the home.

I had a false alarm last year and it took the PD an hour to respond. I could have driven home from work in that time.

 

[iamwiz82]

I'm lazy, what's the monthly on each? I ask because monitoring on conventional systems can be had pretty much dirt cheap. You can get nearly everything wireless these days too so it can all be easily self installed.

Just looked, I'm paying $108 a year.

$25 (simplisafe) vs $42 (Frontpoint)

Both have mobile apps and such, cellular connectivity, etc.

 

[boomerang]

$25 (simplisafe) vs $42 (Frontpoint)

Both have mobile apps and such, cellular connectivity, etc.

Yeah, the monitoring company I'm with has no apps but I have functionality through their web interface. No cellular either which as I'm sure you've researched is arguably the best backup in case of cable cutting, power outages and the like. My connection to the the monitoring outfit is through the Internet so I'm not fully protected. If the power goes out the Internet goes out even though I have the modem and router on a circuit powered through a generator. Comcast is evidently without power or something somewhere in the mix.

Don't know anything about either you've asked about I'm sorry to say.

 

[Zorba]

Yeah, the monitoring company I'm with has no apps but I have functionality through their web interface. No cellular either which as I'm sure you've researched is arguably the best backup in case of cable cutting, power outages and the like. My connection to the the monitoring outfit is through the Internet so I'm not fully protected. If the power goes out the Internet goes out even though I have the modem and router on a circuit powered through a generator. Comcast is evidently without power or something somewhere in the mix.

Don't know anything about either you've asked about I'm sorry to say.

They can monitor over VoIP? That makes me (slightly) more interested in looking into getting mine monitored.

 

[CA19100]

I've had SimpliSafe for a couple of months now for our apartment, and have been very pleased. The only hiccup was a false alarm off the motion detector when I was out of town; apparently the small forced-air heater in the corner created enough of a heat signature to trip it, with the motion detector was pointed at it from about 15 feet away. I've moved it to another location, and no issues.

In that case, because I wasn't available to answer the phone, they dispatched the local police before I got a chance to call me back. The monitoring service was professional and competent, and made me feel very confident in the service I was paying for. Its communications are via a cellular link from the base station, and there's an internal rechargeable battery that'll let it communicate even if someone unplugs it.

SimpliSafe's basic monitoring is $15 a month. If you add text message alerts, internet/app control of the alarm, and a few other goodies, it can push it up to $25 a month. I upgraded it to the $25 package after the motion detector incident, just so I could disable the motion detector but keep the rest of the alarm working while I was out of town. That was very convenient to be able to do.

Otherwise, the $15 package does everything I need, and I'll probably downgrade it next month.

 

[boomerang]

They can monitor over VoIP? That makes me (slightly) more interested in looking into getting mine monitored.

I had an alarm installed after a break-in back in my POTS days with no Internet. (Yes, a long, long time ago.)

After ditching dial-up and moving to Comcast for Internet, I eventually dropped POTS and moved to VoIP. The monitoring company strongly suggested I not drop POTS but I did. I put the system in self test a number of times and everything went through without a hitch. So there is the answer to your question. But it may or may not be important to take into consideration that Comcast offers their own alarm service. Is their network optimized to transmit alarm signals over other Internet providers? I don't know the answer to that. My original monitoring company told me that alarm signals did not lend themselves to packet transmission and that information could be lost or garbled. YMMV, so be aware.

For the sake of interest, I am with a different monitoring company now. For the cost of an add-on board to my system ($99) that is set up to communicate solely through the Internet, I was able to drop VoIP and my wife and myself are now using cell phones exclusively.

I get text alerts if the alarm goes off (as well as texts for arming and disarming) which it did over the Christmas holiday while we were at a family get together. That morning, I had seen a mouse run under the couch. I had set traps but the one motion detector went off and I know it had to have been the mouse. They called me and I told them not to dispatch. I was then able to log into their website and disarm the alarm. I could have bypassed the motion but it was just easier to disarm it altogether. I figured if the motion got tripped once, it would get tripped again.

BTW, the mouse met his demise overnight.

 

[iRONic]

Simpisafe $204.99 @woot! today

No idea if that's a deal...

 

[maddogchen]

I use Viper Home Security. It has NO monthly fees unless you want to set up a camera.

It alerts me on my phone and via email if an event is triggered....NO notification of police.

I purchase the kit with 2 door/window triggers, base unit, and 1 motion detection on sale for $79.99 at Bestbuy. Each additional door/window trigger is $25.

 

[iamwiz82]

I ended up going with Frontpoint. Through Angies List I got about 2/3 of my sensors for $199 plus a $100 Amazon GC back, then I added the extra sensors. I also got a 60 day money back guarantee w/ free monitoring so if I don't like it I can return it all.

 

[tsiunltdus]

I would have suggested SimpliSafe. But since you went with Frontpoint I'm sure they are just as good.

 

[avicarmi]

nice comparison of the two:

http://peaceofhouse.com/frontpoint-vs-simplisafe-compare/

but note that all his links to amazon contain his amazon id, i.e. he makes money from amazon purchases made via his site.

also check out: http://presencepro.com/ and their campaign at https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/presence-security-pack#/story