Cove vs simplisafe – which home security brand is best?

Cove and SimpliSafe are among the leading home security systems. They score excellently across the most important home security and home protection parameters. Moreover, they offer many similar home security devices, equally adept customer service, and even have comparable prices. 

So, how to decide between the two when choosing your new home security system? Read this detailed Cove vs SimpliSafe comparison article to determine which DIY security system is better for you.

Cove vs SimpliSafe

Cove Device vs SimpliSafe Device
Cove Device vs SimpliSafe Device

Cove has been around for only a short while, having started in 2018. However, even in such a short period, this home security company has grown into a major player in the DIY home security market. It offers innovative and high-quality devices, excellent smart home integration features and affordable security system prices.

Compared to Cove, SimpliSafe is a veteran in the industry, as it started operating in 2006. A more expensive DIY home security product than Cove, SimpliSafe offers some impressive home security devices with great integration. And, even though it might not be as dominant as a few years ago, SimpliSafe still offers fantastic value.

SimpliSafe vs Cove – Key Features

Price and Value

The price difference between Cove and SimpliSafe home security systems is not very significant.

Moreover, it’s challenging to compare the two systems’ prices, as they have different pricing models. SimpliSafe has some pre-set options, which include:

  • The Haven – $379
  • The Knox – $349
  • The Hearth – $293
  • The Essentials – $207
  • The Foundation – $183
  • Custom-Created – Starting at $139

In comparison, Cove offers a limited selection of fixed options. You can choose from four pre-set security system options. These are The Cottage, The Sanctuary, The Stronghold, and Cove’s trademark Smart Home Security System. These don’t offer you great variety, as they are pretty close in prices and features, especially the two more expensive options.

Instead, if you opt for Cove, it’s better to build your home security system from scratch. Creating comparable Cove home security systems from scratch will cost you around $50 or more on average than the SimpliSafe systems with the same properties. 

Equipment Included

To get the best feel of what equipment you can expect from your Cove or SimpliSafe home security package, we’ll compare two similarly priced packages. With that in mind, here’s a table overview of the equipment included in Cove and SimpliSafe home security options:

FeaturesSmart Home Security By CoveSimpliSafe – The Knox
Price$334$349
Base Station / Control PanelYesYes
Entry Sensors6 Door Sensors6 Window Sensors6 Entry Sensors
Motion Sensors2 Sensors2 Sensors
Smoke DetectorYesYes
Wireless SirenNo Yes
Flood SensorYesNo
Panic / Medical ButtonYesNo
Security Key RemoteYes (2 Remotes)No
CO DetectorYesNo
Glass Break DetectorYesNo
KeyfobNoYes (1 Key Fob)

It’s crucial to keep in mind that, while SimpliSafe lacks some options, as listed in the table above, you can still add these devices additionally or purchase a more expensive SimpliSafe package. The table we’ve shared should serve only as a reference for the devices you’ll get for approximately the same amount of money with each system.

Equipment Quality

The two companies offer equipment of very similar quality. That is to say, both Cove and SimpliSafe manufacture top-quality home security products. So, while some of their devices might differ in design and appearance, you can count on comparable build quality for Cove and SimpliSafe devices.

Installation

Both home security systems are intended for DIY installation. They are relatively simple to set up, even if you don’t have any technical experience. That said, we’d say that the Cove security system is a bit less complicated to install, meaning it’s a better pick for buyers who want a simpler home security system. Nevertheless, both companies provide extensive help for installing all of their devices, as you can find detailed step-by-step guides on their sites.

Professional Monitoring / Subscription Plans

In addition to the base price you pay for the home security devices, there’s also the added monthly cost for professional monitoring. Cove and Simplisafe offer basic and premium professional monitoring services. With this in mind, SimpliSafe’s plans are slightly pricier, but the difference is negligible. Additionally, you can get either home security system without a contract.

The Cove Basic Monitoring service plan costs $17.99 per month, while the Cove Plus Monitoring plan costs $27.99. The Plus plan includes added benefits such as lifetime equipment warranty, lifetime monitoring rate-lock guarantee, and Alexa and Google Assistant integrations, among other benefits.

By comparison, SimpliSafe offers a Standard Monitoring Plan for $19.99 a month and the Fast Protect plan for a monthly fee of $29.99. There’s also a Self Monitoring with Camera Recording plan, which costs $9.99 a month. We recommend going with the most expensive plan if you opt for SimpliSafe, as it offers better notification, verification, and integration support than the two cheaper plans.

Home Automation

Cove and SimpliSafe provide very high levels of home automation. You can pair them with a handful of smart assistants and voice control apps, creating a well-connected and secure smart home. 

Additionally, both home security systems offer very flexible home automation when adding new devices and elements to your system. In other words, you can easily expand your system if you want to customize or enhance your smart home’s capabilities down the line.

Storage

Cove enables you to store camera footage on a memory card or in the Cloud. On the other hand, SimpliSafe home security systems only use Cloud storage. This difference is key to determining if you prefer having local storage you can access through an SD card and move to your PC.

Monthly Cost

Currently, Cove offers free camera storage in the Cloud in a fairly limited timeframe. The company announced that it would be adding Cove Cloud+ for $2.99 a month per camera for added storage retention time sometime in the future. 

On the other hand, SimpliSafe already offers premium camera recording subscription plans automatically included in the cost of its Interactive Monitoring plan. Additionally, you can purchase storage individually for $4.99 a month per camera or $9.99 a month for up to ten cameras.

Storage Retention Time

Currently, Cove allows you to store and access seven days of unlimited recordings you’ve saved to the Cloud. This is significantly less than what its competitor currently offers, as SimpliSafe provides you with 30-day access for all subscribed cameras.

Camera Options

There’s not much room for differentiation when comparing the two companies’ camera options. Cove and SimpliSafe offer HD indoor cameras and HD outdoor cameras. The only difference between the two is that SimpliSafe offers just one type of doorbell camera, while Cove provides two options, an affordable one and a premium one. 

Continuous Recording

Cove offers continuous recording, a standout feature in this Cove vs SimpliSafe comparison, seeing that SimpliSafe doesn’t currently offer this feature. That said, this is understandable, as SimpliSafe uses only Cloud storage, meaning that continuous recording would eat up a lot of data and take up a lot of space.

Power / Battery Features

Different Cove and SimpliSafe cameras use different power sources. For example, the Cove indoor camera uses a power cord, while the outdoor camera is battery-powered. The Cove doorbell cameras can be either battery-powered or wired. All SimpliSafe cameras work in the same way.

Cove security systems have a built-in backup battery that lasts up to 24 hours in case of any power outages. If the power outage lasts longer than 24 hours, you can manually remove the backup battery and replace it with a new one.

SimpliSafe Base station also comes with a backup rechargeable battery that keeps your home security station powered up for 24 hours in case of any power outages. If your power outage lasts more than 24 hours, you’ll need to replace the station’s rechargeable batteries with new rechargeable batteries.

Trial Period

If you’re not sure which of the two home security systems is a better choice for you, both Cove and SimpliSafe offer you a trial period of 60 days. This is a great feature of both home systems, as you can rely on a full refund within the first 60 days of your purchase, so you’re not risking a cent if these home systems don’t live up to your expectations.

Warranty

As with many other aspects of their offer, Cove and SimpliSafe offer identical warranties for their home security programs. More specifically, if you opt for a Cove Basic monitoring plan, you can count on a one-year warranty for the company’s products. But, if you sign up with the Cove Plus Monitoring service plan, you can rely on a lifetime warranty for all equipment.

In comparison, all SimpliSafe products come with a one-year warranty. Additionally, SimpliSafe offers a limited lifetime warranty to all customers who sign up with the Interactive Monitoring service plan.

Company Reliability / Customer Service

Both companies are considered among the most reliable and reputable in the home security device market. That said, Cove does offer better customer support working hours as you can reach their live chat and phone support representatives around the clock. 

SimpliSafe doesn’t offer a live chat support service. Moreover, their phone support service is only available from 8 am to midnight ET. Additionally, SimpliSafe’s email support responds within three to five business days, while Cove’s support staff responds to emails within 24 hours.

Technology Features

Control Remotely Via App

Cove and SimpliSafe allow you to control your home security system from anywhere in the world using their native Android and iOS apps. That said, regardless of which of the two systems you pick, you will have to subscribe to their higher-priced plans if you want to utilize this feature.

Cove App
Cove App

Cellular Backup

Cove home security systems use pre-installed cellular connections, so you don’t have to worry about any connection drops in case you lose your Internet, or there’s a power outage. By comparison, SimpliSafe systems work on Wi-Fi but feature a cellular module that operates on a cellular network if your Wi-Fi connection drops.

Image / Streaming Quality

Cove and SimpliSafe offer identical image streaming properties, as we’ve mentioned that they offer HD image quality across all supported devices. So, as long as you have a stable and fast enough Wi-Fi or cellular connection in your area, you don’t have to worry about image quality. If you’re looking for better streaming quality, we recommend Arlo or Nest security cameras.

Night Vision

All Cove and SimpliSafe cameras we’ve mentioned or that we will be discussing further down this Cove vs Simplisafe article offer night vision. This means that you can always see what’s happening in full color, both indoors and outdoors. 

Video Display – Fields of View

Cove and SimpliSafe outdoor cameras offer identical fields of view, measuring ultrawide FOVs of 140 degrees. SimpliSafe’s indoor camera offers a slightly better field of view, as it supports a field of vision of 120 degrees, compared to the 110 degrees of the Cove indoor camera. 

SimpliSafe Outdoor Camera Footage
SimpliSafe Outdoor Camera Footage

Lastly, the SimpliSafe doorbell camera offers a 162-degree wide-angle field of view. This is slightly narrower compared to both Cove doorbell cameras. The Cove Kami doorbell camera offers a 170-degree horizontal and 90-degree vertical field of view, while the Skybell doorbell camera has a 180-degree horizontal and 120-degree vertical field of view. 

SimpliSafe’s cameras offer slightly better zoom capabilities. This is especially the case with the SimpliSafe outdoor camera, which offers 8x digital zoom. 

Real-time Notifications

Cove and SimpliSafe apps have real-time push notifications that inform you of any potential security changes or motion in your household. To receive real-time notifications from either home security system, you’ll first have to turn this option on in your app, as both Cove and SimpliSafe have this option off by default.

SimpliSafe App
SimpliSafe App

Two-way Audio

Two-way audio is available with indoor and outdoor cameras in both Cove and SimpliSafe systems. You can utilize this handy feature through the respective Cove or SimpliSafe Android or iOS apps.

Person Detection

Cove and SimpliSafe cameras have a valuable person/motion detection feature. Of course, as these cameras can pick up on any type of motion, it’s also crucial to calibrate them properly to avoid false alarms. So, it’s vital to set activity zones and motion sensitivity. This brings us to the next section.

Activity Zones

This feature is another common but beneficial trait you’ll find in most security cameras. So, it comes as no surprise to see it available in both Cove and SimpliSafe security systems. The activity zones are easily customizable and accurate.

In other words, you can use the Cove or SimpliSafe app to exclude specific portions of your camera’s view from triggering alerts. For instance, this can be very useful if the camera catches typically busy areas like roads or sidewalks.

Safety Button

Both home security systems offer safety buttons you can use in case of emergencies. In Cove’s case, this is a Medical Button primarily used to send signals to medical services. Additionally, you can program the Cove Medical Button as an SOS button you can use to contact the police.

The SimpliSafe Panic Button works the same way, as pressing the button instantly contacts emergency services. The only difference between the two is that SimpliSafe’s Panic Button is primarily set up to contact the police, and you can set up medical alerts additionally.

Emergency Connections and Response Times

Both Cove and SimpliSafe are partnered with RapidSOS. The RapidSOS emergency response data platform is used by over 4,700 911 centers and covers more than 90% of the entire US population. 

Both security companies provide excellent response times and significantly cut the standard communications processes. Instead of verbally relaying critical information, Cove and SimpliSafe use RapidSos to send data directly to nearby 911 centers. This results in average response times from 30 to 45 minutes.

Types of Products

Cove Doorbell vs SimpliSafe Doorbell
Cove Doorbell vs SimpliSafe Doorbell

Flood Sensors

Flood damage is one of the most common insurance claims among US homeowners, and it’s also one of the most expensive ones. Luckily, both Cove and SimpliSafe manufacture flood sensors you can place near major plumbing systems in your home to catch leaks before they cause any major damage. Cove’s flood sensors cost $10 per device, while SimpliSafe’s water sensors are priced at $19.99 each.

Doorbell Camera

Cove provides you with a couple of doorbell camera options. The Kami doorbell camera is a simpler, more affordable camera priced at $99. The second option, the Skybell doorbell camera, costs $189 and possesses some more enhanced features. This includes wider viewing angles and a more robust weatherproof rating.

Cove Skybell Doorbell
Cove Skybell Doorbell

In comparison, SimpliSafe only offers one camera option. This is the Video Doorbell Pro, priced at $169. With HDR imaging, 1080p HD video quality, motion alerts, and infrared night vision, this doorbell camera is one of the best in the market.

SimpliSafe Video Doorbell Pro
SimpliSafe Video Doorbell

Fire and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Both home security companies also provide the option of adding fire/CO detectors to your system. Their products differ in this regard, as Cove manufactures a two-in-one smoke/CO detector, while SimpliSafe offers two separate devices. 

With that in mind, SimpliSafe is more expensive, as you’re purchasing two products, with the smoke detector priced at $29.99 and the Carbon Monoxide detector costing $49.99. The Cove fire/CO detector costs just $27.50 per device.

Temperature Sensor

Cove’s fire/CO devices come with a heat detector, but the company doesn’t provide any separate temperature sensing devices you can include in your system. SimpliSafe offers a temperature sensor, priced at $29.99.

Entry Sensors

Cove offers separate door and window entry sensors that allow you to cover these common burglary entry points. Both the Cove door and window sensors cost $7.50 each. Looking at SimpliSafe’s products, this home security company offers universal entry sensors that work with most doors and windows. These are also considerably more expensive than Cove sensors, costing $14.99 each.

Security Camera

Cove’s indoor camera is priced at $49.50  and offers pretty good value for its price tag. Cove also offers an outdoor camera, priced at $99.50. Having these prices in mind, SimpliSafe offers an indoor camera with many features similar to Cove’s indoor camera but priced at $99. Additionally, the company offers an outdoor camera that costs $169.99.

Security Tablet

Cove and SimpliSafe use two very different but equally easy-to-use control tablets. The Cove touch screen panel features a more minimalistic and streamlined design with only a couple of control buttons and an intuitive touch screen. 

SimpliSafe uses a basic touchpad you’ll find with most other home security systems. While the SimpliSafe keypad features a relatively big and bright display, it’s still not as impressive as Cove in this regard.

Smart Device Integrations

Alexa

Both Cove and SimpliSafe smart home security systems offer Amazon Alexa compatibility. You can arm or disarm your home security system using Alexa or use this voice assistant to check if your home is secure. While Cove and Simplisafe aren’t exactly robust in this regard, both offer simple and easy-to-use integration with Amazon Alexa. 

Google Assistant

The two systems are also fully compatible with Google Assistant, offering pretty much the same control options. Interestingly, both systems include the option to arm your home through voice control, but SimpliSafe systems don’t provide a disarm function. SimpliSafe explains the absence of this voice control option is deliberate to keep the user’s home better protected.

Apple HomeKit

Neither smart home security system offers native integration options with Apple HomeKit. Still, you can find online guides on integrating these systems with Apple HomeKit through Homebridge. If you’re looking for a home security system that offers native Apple HomeKit integration, we recommend Abode.

IFTTT / Stringify

Unfortunately, you won’t find IFTTT/Stringify support in either Cove or SimpliSafe. However, the Cove app does have a convenient Routines feature, which serves as a neat IFTTT variant. It lets you set routines and automate your home security system. With that in mind, we should highlight that the Routines feature is only available with the Cove Plus plan. 

August Smart Locks

Cove and SimpliSafe also work with August Smart Locks. August makes great smart locks that are easy to integrate into your smart home security system. This delivers a bit more protection to already safe Cove and SimpliSafe security systems.

Conclusion

The two companies are shoulder to shoulder in nearly every important category, so it’s impossible to crown the outright winner of this Cove vs SimpliSafe comparison article. Both companies equally excel at delivering top-quality equipment, solid cameras, and versatile smart home integration with great app support. As Cove offers better customer support service available around the clock, we give it a slight edge over SimpliSafe.

*Prices for equipment and subscriptions current at the time the article was written.

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About Melissa

Hey! I'm Mel, I write the occasional article for Spacehop, amongst other things. I love meeting new people and chatting, so if you have any questions don't hesitate to ask.

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