All things considered, the SimpliSafe home security system is an excellent alternative to the contract model offered by big home security companies. Though the system lacks the home automation features offered by providers like ADT, SimpliSafe seems to work just as well as the big players as far as basic home monitoring is concerned. From the time we opened the kit to registering the system using SimpliSafe’s online portal, it took no more than an hour to be up and running. Monthly fees for monitoring start at $14.99 for the basic service and go up to $24.99 for additional features, such as smart phone and online controls.