Doorbell · SimpliSafe
SimpliSafe Video Doorbell Pro privacy & local-first review
Wired (8–24 VAC), 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi · List price: Unverified
Last verified · 3 unverified items
10Local-First Score
how we score
how we score
At a glance
| Works without internet | Unverified 1 SimpliSafe lists a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi connection as a requirement; we found no statement on offline behaviour. |
|---|---|
| Local storage | None None without a plan; with a plan, recordings are kept in your SimpliSafe account for 30 days12 |
| Home Assistant | Cloud Official (SimpliSafe) · Cloud Polling · doorbell reports detection3 |
| Open protocols | Unverified Unverified (no RTSP/ONVIF/Matter documentation found) |
| Subscription needed? | Required Yes to record: "not required to use" the doorbell, but recording to your timeline needs a monitoring plan14 |
| Cloud account required? | Required Yes (recordings are stored in your SimpliSafe account)2 |
| End-to-end encryption | Unverified 4 SimpliSafe says "We encrypt and protect your camera feeds and video recordings"; it does not describe end-to-end encryption. |
Score breakdown
| Works without internet | Unverified | 0 / 20 |
|---|---|---|
| Local video storage | None | 0 / 15 |
| Home Assistant, locally | Cloud | 3 / 15 |
| Open protocol (RTSP / ONVIF / Matter) | Unverified | 0 / 10 |
| No cloud account required | Required | 0 / 10 |
| No subscription for core recording | Required | 0 / 8 |
| End-to-end encryption | Unverified | 0 / 7 |
| Privacy policy: does not sell your data (brand) | Ad sharing disclosed SimpliSafe's privacy policy says it works "with advertising partners such as Facebook and Google to deliver advertisements tailored to your interests" and offers an opt-out of targeted advertising / "Do Not Sell" link, i.e. this happens by default.5 | 0 / 5 |
| Police requests: warrant or no access (brand) | Legal process SimpliSafe's law-enforcement guidelines: account content (including video) requires a "Search Warrant OR Subpoena with prior notice to Customer OR 18 U.S.C. 2703(d) Court Order and prior notice to Customer"; a separate emergency process covers "danger of death or serious physical injury". Its camera-privacy page says it won't share footage "unless required by law".64 | 2 / 5 |
| No incidents in our tracker, last 5 years (brand) | None tracked None in our tracker | 5 / 5 |
| Total | 10 / 100 |
Privacy notes
- SimpliSafe says monitoring agents can access cameras only during an alarm event or Active Guard engagement, and only if you opted into those services.4
- Video recording is off by default and only available on plans that include it; you can delete recordings in the app.4
Police & law-enforcement requests (SimpliSafe)
Legal process SimpliSafe's law-enforcement guidelines: account content (including video) requires a "Search Warrant OR Subpoena with prior notice to Customer OR 18 U.S.C. 2703(d) Court Order and prior notice to Customer"; a separate emergency process covers "danger of death or serious physical injury". Its camera-privacy page says it won't share footage "unless required by law".64 Compare companies
Security incidents & settlements (SimpliSafe)
None found in our tracker. Brands with a tracked incident in the last 5 years lose the 5 incident points.
Similar doorbells compared
| Device | Score | Offline | Local storage | Home Assistant | RTSP/ONVIF | Subscription | Account |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ubiquiti UniFi G4 Doorbell ProDoorbell · Wired (doorbell wiring or PoE kit) | 90 | Yes | Yes | Local push | Yes | Not needed | Not required |
| Reolink Video Doorbell (PoE / WiFi)Doorbell · Wired (PoE or 12–24 VAC) | 82 | Yes | Yes | Local push | Yes | Not needed | Not required |
| Amcrest AD410 Video DoorbellDoorbell · Wired (doorbell wiring) | 73 | Yes | Yes | Local polling | Yes | Not needed | Unverified |
| SimpliSafe Video Doorbell ProDoorbell · Wired (8–24 VAC), 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi | 10 | Unverified | None | Cloud | Unverified | Required | Required |
Reolink RTSP/ONVIF setup note (added Oct 22, 2026): on many current Reolink models, RTSP and ONVIF (and on some, HTTP) ship switched off. Reolink says to enable them once in the Reolink App or desktop Client under Network > Advanced > Server Settings, or in the web interface where it is reachable78. For cameras attached to a Reolink NVR or Home Hub, enable the ports on the NVR/hub instead7. The App and Client can manage a camera as a "Local Device" using only its UID, username and password, so no Reolink account is needed for this step9. Home Assistant users report the same out-of-the-box behavior on recent firmware10.
More from this company: Is SimpliSafe safe? Policies and incident record. Have a question about this device? Ask us or suggest a device.
Spotted an error? See our corrections policy. Informational only, not legal advice.
Sources
- SimpliSafe: Video Doorbell Pro requirements · checked Oct 22, 2026
- SimpliSafe: Video Doorbell Pro install & recordings · checked Oct 22, 2026
- Home Assistant: SimpliSafe integration · checked Oct 22, 2026
- SimpliSafe: Camera privacy · checked Oct 22, 2026
- SimpliSafe: Privacy policy · checked Oct 22, 2026
- SimpliSafe: Law enforcement guidelines · checked Oct 22, 2026
- Reolink: How to configure Reolink ports settings · checked Oct 22, 2026
- Reolink: Reolink Home Assistant integration (prerequisites) · checked Oct 22, 2026
- Reolink: Local Device vs Account Device · checked Oct 22, 2026
- Home Assistant Community (user report): Reolink cameras ship with open-protocol ports off · checked Oct 22, 2026