Best Home Security System After Canceling SimpliSafe (2026)

Choose a replacement for the feature or service you are missing. Compare Cove for a compatible sensor alarm, Ring if you want to build around Ring devices, or another provider for a specific installation or integration need. Include staying with your current equipment in the comparison.

First: is switching actually the right move?

Start with the reason you want to leave: a documented service problem, a device you cannot use, installation help or the ongoing cost. Check whether your current equipment and a different plan can meet that need. Replacing hardware and setting up a new system can cost more than changing service, even when monitoring is month-to-month.

If you do have a specific reason, here's the scenario-based breakdown. One scenario also makes the honest case for staying.

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Match your situation to the right next step

I want a different professional monitoring service

→ Compare covered events and response procedures

Cove Basic and SimpliSafe Standard are both listed at $22.99/month in their support guides. Ring Pro is listed at $19.99/month or $199.99/year, plus tax, with eligible alarm equipment and enrollment required. Those prices do not establish equal features or better dispatch performance. Ask how each service verifies an alarm, contacts you and requests emergency help; a certification label alone does not answer that.

I want tighter Amazon / Alexa integration

→ Check Ring device and service compatibility

If you want to keep or add Ring cameras, compare the exact alarm, camera and Alexa functions you expect to use. A compatible Ring Pro subscription can combine eligible alarm monitoring with camera features at one location. Confirm each device and command before buying; do not assume every brand supports the same voice controls. Review current Ring plan requirements.

I want Apple HomeKit or Z-Wave smart home control

→ Abode

Compare the exact Abode hub and its current device-compatibility list before buying for an existing smart-home setup. Check the lock, sensor or automation you actually want to use. Then distinguish ongoing professional monitoring from any service that requires you to request a response.

I want lower monthly cost

→ Compare the full cost before choosing Cove

Cove Basic and SimpliSafe Standard currently have the same $22.99 support-page base rate. A $3/month Cove saving is not supported by those prices. Compare applicable fees, equipment, installation and the features included in your actual offers. If monthly costs are equal, switching to Cove will not pay back replacement hardware through service savings alone.

I want professional installation

→ Vivint or ADT

Compare a written installation quote from Vivint or ADT if you want a technician to plan and install the system. SimpliSafe also offers paid professional installation, so check that option before replacing working equipment just to get setup help. Confirm appointment availability, work included and any service or equipment commitment. SimpliSafe installation options.

Actually — should I stay on SimpliSafe?

→ Possibly yes

Keeping working equipment can avoid replacement costs. If you need recordings, SimpliSafe Standard excludes saved camera video; Core includes recordings and professional dispatch. Higher plans have different active-guard features. Check the feature and compatible hardware you need rather than upgrading automatically. A plan change cannot, by itself, establish that a reported service failure has been resolved.

I want to keep my SimpliSafe system and stop paying for professional monitoring

→ Compare the unmonitored option’s actual features

SimpliSafe’s plan guide lists live camera viewing and remote arm/disarm as basic unmonitored features with an internet connection. That is not professional dispatch, network backup or a paid recording service. Do not assume every alert or camera feature remains available without a plan; confirm the requirements for your system and the function you rely on. Read SimpliSafe’s unmonitored feature list.

What to know about switching from SimpliSafe

Check which equipment can be reused

List the model and generation of the sensors, keypad and cameras you want to keep. Ask the new provider to confirm compatibility before treating existing hardware as part of its system. Budget for the equipment it cannot use; do not rely on an assumed resale percentage to fund the switch.

Confirm the cancellation date and new activation

If you still want professional monitoring, confirm that the replacement is active and the required equipment is working before ending the old service. Ask SimpliSafe for the cancellation effective date and final bill, and check any separate equipment-financing obligations. Use the linked cancellation guide for the request process.

Use an itemized switching cost

Add the actual new equipment, installation and applicable fees, then compare ongoing service at the same scope. Avoid generic starter-kit prices that may omit sensors or camera storage. Cove Basic and SimpliSafe Standard have equal published base rates in this check, so there is no service-price payback to calculate between those two rates.

Frequently asked questions

Why would I switch away from SimpliSafe if it has no contract? +
A missing device or integration, a documented service problem, or an installation need can justify comparing alternatives. Check whether a plan change or repair resolves it first. Include new hardware and setup in the cost; Cove Basic’s published base rate is not lower than SimpliSafe Standard’s in this check.
Does SimpliSafe equipment work with another monitoring provider? +
Do not assume another provider can monitor your existing SimpliSafe sensors or keypad. Give it the exact model and generation and ask which components it supports. Budget for any new hardware before switching.
Can I sell or reuse my SimpliSafe equipment? +
You can investigate keeping compatible equipment on SimpliSafe’s unmonitored option or transferring it to another owner. Check the model, account-transfer process and remaining financing first. This guide has not verified resale values, so do not rely on recovering a fixed percentage of the original price.
What should I do if SimpliSafe's monitoring failed to respond during an alarm? +
Ask SimpliSafe to review the specific event, including the account’s active service, sensor signal, verification steps and attempted contacts. Keep the event details and its response. When comparing another service, check its actual response process; a monitoring-center designation alone does not prove it will handle the event better.
Is Cove monitoring actually better than SimpliSafe? +
This guide has not measured their emergency-response outcomes. Compare covered alarm types, verification steps, connection backup and the written service terms. Cove Basic and SimpliSafe Standard are both listed at $22.99/month in their support guides before applicable additional charges; certification alone does not establish a winner.
Should I cancel SimpliSafe before or after installing my new system? +
If you want uninterrupted professional monitoring, confirm the new service is active and the required equipment is working before ending the old one. Check practice periods and effective dates, then retain written cancellation confirmation. Delivery and activation times vary.
What if I want to upgrade to professionally installed security? +
Compare Vivint and ADT installation offers against paid installation for your existing SimpliSafe setup. Ask what work, equipment and service are included, and read the payment commitments. Confirm who will contact you and what happens after you submit a quote request.
Sources and targeted update

October 5, 2026: corrected plan prices, post-cancellation app claims, unsupported switching savings and related FAQs. This is a targeted research correction, not a new hands-on test or a complete refresh of every older page element.

Use the exact system family and written offer. Cove’s marketing uses rounded daily prices; its support monthly figures are used here. Cove also documents a $3 credit-card fee. Confirm whether that fee is already included in the quoted total.

Build your replacement plan

Not sure whether you’ve exhausted all your post-sign options? See the full system map: Full after-signing options system — where replacement-shopping fits in the complete post-sign workflow →

Related reading: SimpliSafe cancellation fee — is there one?

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