Gabe Turner: Hey, folks.
This is Gabe at Security Baron.
Today, we have quite the showdown, Scout Alarm versus SimpliSafe.
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Gabe: In today's comparison of Scout Alarm and SimpliSafe, I'm going to go over the key
similarities, key differences, installation processes, monitoring options, customer support
and, finally, the mobile application so that you have all the information you need to make
the right decision.
If you'd like to see a list of our favorite home security systems, google "Security Baron
Best Home Security Systems."
If you have a question about today's comparison, leave us a comment and I'll get back to you.
I like to begin today's comparison of Scout Alarm and SimpliSafe going over their key
similarities and differences, beginning with the similarities.
Scout Alarm and SimpliSafe both have do-it-yourself installation, cellular backup and flexible
month-to-month contracting.
A key difference between the two systems is that SimpliSafe only lets you do professional
monitoring, whereas Scout Alarm will let you do self-monitoring.
One important thing to note with Scout Alarm and its self-monitoring package is that if
you'd like to use your camera with that self-monitoring, you will have to pay a monthly fee to do so.
Those are some of the key similarities and a key difference between Scout Alarm and SimpliSafe.
The first element that we're going to compare today between Scout Alarm and SimpliSafe are
their installation processes.
Let's begin with Scout Alarm, where I have to say you just need to be patient.
It actually is a pretty straightforward setup, but I'll be honest and say that I made the
mistake of trying to go about it a little bit too quickly and made it last longer than
it should have.
It's generally straightforward.
You'll take out your mobile application.
You'll sync it with the Scout Hub, and you'll just begin adding each device, each accessory
to the mobile app and the Hub itself.
That sync goes pretty quickly.
You'll take the door sensor, put it up, sync it, and then I had no issues with my door
sensor detecting if the door is being opened or closed.
Same with the motion detector, once I actually set it up.
Patiently, I put it up in a corner and it very quickly began to detect motion.
The camera was a little bit trickier than I think it needed to be.
The power adapter has that a bit of a weird angle, which makes it a little bit difficult
just to get that power adapter connected.
You'll realize that you can't actually use the camera until you begin paying Scout Alarm.
That isn't particularly clear when you're setting up the system.
You might set it all up and just wonder, "Why is this camera not working?"
It is because you haven't paid for it to work yet.
That is just something you have to do it with Scout Alarm if you want a working indoor camera.
Overall, that camera worked pretty well.
The system worked really well.
I got all the functionality that I would expect from a home security system, with just a little
bit longer of installation process than I would have liked.
When it comes to SimpliSafe, a company that literally puts "simple" in its name, I have
to say that they really can pride themselves on their easy installation.
They always talk about no drills, no tools, no technical skills required.
That's the case because I have none of those things.
Putting together SimpliSafe is simple.
You take out the hub.
You plug it in, and it talks to you.
Everything comes pre-programmed.
When you take out your keypad and place it up, take your window and door sensors and
place them in their respective frames, and then you take out your motion detector and
put it up in a corner so that it can capture everything, immediately everything works.
I started moving around, I was told that something was going on in my home.
I opened the door, I knew immediately that that door was opened.
All of these just synced up automatically.
The entire installation process was really, really straightforward.
I appreciated the time that I had on my hands when I got finished.
When it comes to who wins in installation processes between Scout and SimpliSafe, I
have to go with SimpliSafe.
The next element we're going to look at in our Scout Alarm and SimpliSafe comparison
are monitoring options.
We love to see professional monitoring.
By that, we mean the 24/7 team of professionals to have your back and cellular backup.
Just in case something happens to your system, you can still get out that emergency notice
that alert, just the things that matter to keep you safe.
With SimpliSafe, you have two options.
I should mention that every SimpliSafe system requires that professional monitoring and
cellular backup.
That's a plus in my mind.
You have two options, with the Standard plan, which is $14.99 a month, and the Interactive
plan, which is $24.99 a month.
That Interactive plan is going to get you notifications, remote control of your systems,
30-day cloud storage, and smart home integrations.
That tends to be the one we lean towards with SimpliSafe.
Scout Alarm has a few options.
You can self-monitor and pay nothing, but know that you get no camera functionality.
You have two paid options.
You have the Always On for $9.99 a month, and the Always On+, which is $19.99 a month.
With each of those plans, you get remote control of your system, camera functionality, smart
platform integrations, and cellular backup, but only with the Always On+ plan where you
get professional monitoring.
When it comes to contracts, both Scout Alarm and SimpliSafe are rather flexible, giving
you the option to just have month-to-month contracting.
I will note that Scout Alarm does give you a pretty good discount if you decide to sign
up for one year of their monitoring.
The other thing is you don't have to really be beholden to that one year because if you
decide to break that contract at any point, they will give you a prorated refund.
That's pretty solid, if you ask me.
When it comes to their moving policies, they're identical because they're both do-it-yourself
installation systems.
You'll simply pack up the system, move to your new home, make sure you alert the company
to where you've moved to, reset it up, and you're ready to go.
Overall, very easy contracts and moving policies with both Scout Alarm and SimpliSafe.
If I have to pick a winner for top system for monitoring, I'm going to go with Scout
Alarm for their flexibility and affordability.
Quick break.
I hope you're enjoying our Scout Alarm and SimpliSafe comparison.
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Let's get back to the video.
Let's move on to the next element of our Scout Alarm and SimpliSafe comparison, customer
support.
With Scout Alarm and SimpliSafe, you can write in in an online form, email them, give them
a call.
If you just want to go solo, you can check out their online support centers.
Anecdotally, I can say that when I had issues with the Scout Alarm camera, I gave them a
call and had a really positive experience.
The customer support representative was very knowledgeable.
They didn't try to push anything onto me.
Often, you'll call these numbers, and they'll try to push something onto you or not actually
know what they're talking about.
That was not my experience with Scout Alarm.
I also have to say that I didn't have an experience with SimpliSafe because everything just worked
right out the box in the manner in which I was expecting it to.
I don't have any anecdotes about SimpliSafe.
When it comes to looking at the systems that we have today and other people's experiences,
I actually looked for similar systems on Amazon because I could not find the Summerfort security
system from SimpliSafe or the system that I have from Scout Alarm.
I got a similar 9-piece system on Amazon for Scout and a 12-piece system for SimpliSafe.
When it comes to Amazon reviews, the Scout Alarm doesn't have a ton, but it does really
well with what we see.
It has 4.2 out of 5 stars.
Of the six reviews that mentioned customer support, five of those were positive.
With SimpliSafe, it has 3.5 out of 5 stars.
It definitely has more mixed reviews when it comes to the customer support team.
If we look at Google, Scout Alarm has a full 5-star rating and really positive customer
support comments, whereas SimpliSafe has a 3 out of 5 star rating and an equal number
of positive and negative comments in relationship to customer support.
If I had to go ahead and choose who wins here when it comes to customer support, I'm going
to go with Scout Alarm.
The final element we're going to compare today between Scout Alarm and SimpliSafe is the
mobile application.
This was a weird experience for us because we had initially rated Scout Alarm, and then
we went into the app store and all of the settings were reset.
There were no ratings.
We didn't know what to do.
We just looked at what Scout Alarm had been doing recently or how they've been doing with
their customers.
The reviews weren't that great.
Before, they'd been in the middle 3s and so you were like, "OK.
It's a pretty decent app."
Me, I can say my experience with Scout Alarm even recently was pretty OK.
It wasn't anything that I thought in terms of a critical failing.
It also wasn't an app that made me want to stick around for a super long time.
It appears that people recently have not been enjoying their experience with Scout Alarm.
We had the opposite experience with SimpliSafe.
SimpliSafe is rated around the low 3s.
People really did not enjoy the experience with the SimpliSafe app initially.
Personally, once again, I didn't see any critical failings within the app.
I found it relatively intuitive, but nothing I'm going to write home about in terms of
an experience.
Recently, people have been really talking about how much the recent update has improved
their experience.
We looked at the numbers, and all the recent ratings for SimpliSafe are 4 or 5 stars.
By recent, I mean anything in 2019, anything had been to 2018, and that's pretty impressive.
They've really had this upward trajectory as a mobile application.
We don't really know what's happening with Scout Alarm.
When it comes to a winner for mobile application, we're going to give it to SimpliSafe.
Let's do a quick recap of every element that we compared today between Scout Alarm and
SimpliSafe.
Installation.
Here, we give the nod to SimpliSafe.
It's just too easy with everything pre-programmed to set it up within 30 minutes.
Monitoring options.
Here, we give the nod to Scout Alarm for their flexibility and affordability.
Customer support.
Here, we give the edge to Scout Alarm because their high ratings in both Amazon and Google
reflected our personal experience.
Mobile application.
Here, we give the nod to SimpliSafe because they seem to be doing everything they can
to improve the user experience on the mobile application.
We've come to the end of our Scout Alarm and SimpliSafe comparison.
Thanks for sticking with us.
It's been a long journey.
You want to know which is right for me, but you've also been paying attention to notice
that it's two and two when it comes to the elements of comparison.
If you want a more affordable, more flexible monitoring system, you're going to go with
Scout Alarm.
Also, if you just want a better customer support experience, you're more likely to get it with
Scout Alarm.
However, if you just want the better overall experience, you might want to go with SimpliSafe
because they do have a really simple installation process.
They have that really slick new mobile application that people are really loving, myself included.
I don't think you can go wrong with either system.
Of course, that's dependent on your personal preferences.
Me, in terms of overall experience, I'm leaning towards SimpliSafe because when you have that
installation and that mobile application, even if I'm paying a little bit more monthly
for the professional monitoring, I can really appreciate just how smooth that entire user
experience can be with SimpliSafe.
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Gabe: That concludes our comparison of Scout Alarm and SimpliSafe.
If you appreciate today's video, give us a Like and hit that Subscribe button.
As always, this is Gabe at Security Baron.
[snaps fingers] Be secure.
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