The DIY home security market is booming and there are a lot of players who want to dominate this space. The premise is simple, these home security systems allow you to decide which sensors to use and you can then install these sensors yourself.
No professional installation required, and no headaches involved.
One home security system that you install on your own is GetSafe. This DIY system includes the smart hub and a variety of sensors such as entry sensors, siren, and motion detector.
What’s inside the GetSafe starter kit? It has everything you need to secure your home! Each starter kit contains:
- Smart hub
- Siren
- Entry sensor
- Motion detector
- AT&T cellular SIM card
- Cables
- Batteries
- Windows stickers
You can get the starter kit and just add more sensors as you need them. You can add security cameras as well.
Contents (Jump to)
Sensors and devices
GetSafe allows you to add sensors and devices to the starter kit so that you could be adequately protected. What are the devices and sensors that you
can use?
- Indoor HD Camera. This high-definition camera allows you to get videos and photos with 1080 pixels of resolution. It also comes with two-way communication, motion alerts, and night vision. This camera sells for $99.
- Indoor 360 HD Camera. This is a 1080-pixel security camera that you can move. It can pan and tilt and it features two-way communication and motion tracking. You can get this camera for $89.
- Outdoor HD Camera. This camera is similar to the Indoor HD Camera in terms of features, but this one can be placed outside your home. This camera sells for $109.
- Wireless Motion Camera. This camera has a $129-price tag.
- Door or Window Sensor. This sensor alerts you when your doors or windows are opened. It costs $34 (For the latest prices and discounts, check here).
- Motion Detector. This device senses motion but is not triggered by your pets. You can get the motion detector for $47 (For the latest prices and discounts, check here).
- Glass Break Detector. This detector alerts you when your window pane gets shattered. This detector sells for $35.
- This device allows you to arm or disarm your security system even without your smartphone. The Keyfob costs $32 (For the latest prices and discounts, check here).
- Smoke Alarm. This alarm alerts you when it detects smoke. This alarm is priced at $88.
- Flood Detector. This device detects water leaks and flooding. You can get the flood detector for $39 (For the latest prices and discounts, check here).
- This loud siren will sound when any of the sensors are triggered. The siren sells for $48 (For the latest prices and discounts, check here).
The mobile app
The mobile app is very well-designed and it makes your GetSafe Home Security System very easy to use. The home screen shows the current status of the sensors, as well as three different arming modes.
The “Day Arm” mode allows you to disarm most alarms so that you can move freely around your home, the “Arm Away” mode allows you to easily arm your security system when you are out of the house, while the “Night Arm” allows you to activate only select sensors to keep you safe while you sleep.
Put simply, the Day Arm mode disables most alarms, the Night Arm mode enables some alarms, while the Arm Away mode enables all alarms. You can select which alarms to enable and disable in each mode.
The mobile app will also alert you if there is something wrong. You will see a detection screen or a push notification and you can use the mobile app to make an emergency call, to dismiss and silence the alarm siren, or to disarm
the alarm.
If you connect security cameras to your GetSafe system, you can also use the mobile app to see a live stream or view stored video clips. You can also create rules to enable your GetSafe sensors and devices work easily with other
Z-Wave devices.
Moreover, the mobile app allows you to customize your GetSafe system precisely to your liking. It also has a log of all your activities, including when the sensors detected something, when your system was disarmed or armed, when videos were recorded, and other events.
What you would love about the GetSafe Home Security System
For only $250 (For the latest prices and discounts, check here), the GetSafe Home Security Starter Kit can adequately protect your home with its entry sensor, motion detector, and siren. However, if you have a bigger home, you can add additional sensors to cover the whole area.
If you are worried about other threats, such as flooding and fire, you can also add sensors for them as well. What’s more, you can choose from a wide range of cameras by GetSafe.
GetSafe also works with other connected devices such as the Nest Learning Thermostat, GoControl Z-Wave Garage Door Controller, smart bulbs, smart dimmers, and smart switches.
This means that other than being able to rely on GetSafe’s sensors and security devices, you can also pair them with devices from other manufacturers. With these integrations, you can do more with your smart security system, including:
- Open or close your garage door when an alarm is triggered.
- Open the lights when the motion sensors detect movement or when your window is opened unexpectedly.
- Watch security footage captured from the cameras when an alarm is triggered.
- Shut off your HVAC system in case the smoke alarm detects smoke.
Professional monitoring
With GetSafe, you have the option to pay for 24/7 professional monitoring that includes cellular backup. This will ensure that the police, the fire department, and other authorities will get alerted even when you are not available to respond to the alerts sent to your smartphone.
GetSafe has monitoring locations in Idaho and Utah, and both of these facilities are UL Certified and CSAA Five Diamond Certified. You also get backup cellular access so your alarms will continue to work in the event of a power outage.
When an alarm is triggered, GetSafe operators will first call you to find out if you are safe. Operators will also ask for your secret pass code in order to know if you are under duress or not.
If nobody answers or if you fail to give your secret pass code, the operators will call paramedics, fire fighters or the police to your house.
Not only does professional monitoring help in ensuring your safety, you can also get up to 20% discount off your insurance policies in some states.
SOS functionality
With GetSafe’s Remote Keyfob, you can get emergency response for those times you do encounter a life-threatening situation.
If you have elderly parents living alone, or if somebody suffers from a heart attack or a stroke, you can rely on the key fob to get the GetSafe operators to dispatch emergency personnel to your house. This works even without going through the mobile app.
Get your starter kit for free
While GetSafe wants to offer users a chance for a contract-free engagement where they can just stop paying monthly fees when they don’t need to, the company does offer customers a chance to get the starter kit for free if they sign up for an annual plan.
What could be better
With GetSafe, the costs might pile up. Apart from the cost of the kit, the sensors and the devices, you will also need to pay a monthly fee for the self-monitoring or professional monitoring.
When you buy from the GetSafe website, you will be asked to pay $25 a month for self-monitoring or $35 (link to website) for
professional monitoring.
However, the company has an Amazon offer that would allow you to use the GetSafe System without paying any monthly fee, although that would mean no customizations, no smart rules, no integrations with other Z-wave devices, no backup 3G signal, and no IFTTT integrations.
The sensors are also quite pricey and if you have a big house, you can expect to invest quite a sum.
For instance, if you buy the starter kit, add indoor and outdoor HD cameras, a glass break detector, a smoke alarm, a flood detector, an extra entry sensor, an extra motion detector, an extra siren, plus professional monitoring, your total bill would amount to $783 (link to website). Plus you have to pay $35 every month.
The good news is that the GetSafe system works with a lot of other brands not just the sensors that they sell. You can even use it with Scout Alarm, Ring, Logitech Pop, Lutron and other things via IFTTT or via Z-Wave.
Final say about the GetSafe Home Security System
The GetSafe Home Security System is an easy way for you to make your home safer. The company allows you to add sensors that help you protect your home, as well as accessories that make sense as far as home security is concerned, such as security cameras and sirens.
You can get the starter kit for free when you sign up for an annual plan. You can just add more sensors as you need them, which means you do not have to pay for sensors that you do not need and will not use, such as a flooding sensor when you do not have a basement.
Overall, the GetSafe Home Security System is a great product. The company has thought about what most people would need for their home security system and bundled them in.
It offers everything you need from sensors to security cameras to sirens, and it works with other Z-Wave devices and other connected devices via IFTTT.