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If you’re looking for a reliable home security provider and you’ve narrowed your search to Brinks and Ackerman, here are some details about the two companies to help you make your choice. Both Brinks and Ackerman have a long history, tons of experience, and a wide variety of equipment options. Both offer 24/7 professional monitoring and home automation, but their service areas are quite different. We’ll explore these differences and some other key details below.
Compare Brinks vs. Ackerman Home Security
Price
Winner: Ackerman
Ackerman’s cost for professional monitoring beats Brinks by $10 per month, costing only $19.95 per month in comparison with Brinks’ $29.99 per month. Equipment cost, however, is hard to pin down, as Ackerman’s systems are all customized. You’ll have to call for a consultation to determine your total cost.
Monitoring
Tie: Brinks and Ackerman
Both Ackerman and Brinks offer 24/7 professional monitoring, and both do a great job of it. Ackerman's better price is balanced by Brinks longer history, but both companies bring a solid offering to the table in this area. Neither offers DIY monitoring making this round a tie.
Equipment
Winner: Ackerman
Both Brinks and Ackerman offer a variety of equipment including security cameras, window and door sensors, control pads and home automation. Brinks offers a few different package deals, but Ackerman’s equipment is always fully customized. This means you have to book an appointment to determine your cost, However, Ackerman pulls ahead in this round by offering to utilize any existing equipment.
Contract
Winner: Brinks
Brinks requires a 36-month contract for its direct services, but with a Nest system, you have the option of a month-to-month arrangement. Ackerman requires a contract, and the length is actually unclear. Since it doesn't specify on its website, you’ll have to book a consultation to find out. Brinks wins this round for being transparent and for offering a way to go month-to-month.
Warranty
Winner: Ackerman
While Brinks does offer a two-year equipment warranty, that’s small potatoes compared to Ackerman’s 200% money-back guarantee. If your home is burglarized, Ackerman promises to pay 100% of your deductible, and then match that in cash up to $25,000. This is one of the most generous guarantees in the industry.
Home Automation
Tie: Brinks and Ackerman
Brinks and Ackerman are neck and neck in home automation, both offering a variety of options such as smart locks, smart lights, voice control, thermostats and garage door controllers. Ackerman’s custom model means you’ll be able to pick and choose your equipment to fit your exact needs.
The Bottom Line: Brinks vs. Ackerman
Overall, Brinks is our final winner. For Atlanta residents, Ackerman offers a solid alternative to Brinks, and given its generous guarantee, lower cost per month for monitoring, and customized equipment setups, this company may actually be the better choice, despite its slightly less pristine reputation. For home security customers outside the Atlanta area, however, Brinks is the only choice among the two. Brinks has an incredible reputation, the most experienced provider in the business and a wide variety of cutting edge home security systems, so customers not living in Atlanta will do very well with Brinks.
Frequently Asked Questions About Brinks and Ackerman
Brinks offers three equipment packages, including most basic Essential, mid-level Complete and top-tier Ultimate packages. The Essential package includes a touchscreen controller, wireless motion sensor, two wireless door sensors and yard signs and stickers. You can also choose Brinks’ partnership with Nest as an option. Ackerman equipment packages are all custom designed. To determine your equipment cost, you’ll need to call and set up an appointment with a consultant.
Ackerman offers 24/7 professional monitoring for $19.95 per month. The length of its contract is undisclosed, but reviews indicate it’s usually a year. Brinks, on the other hand, offers professional monitoring starting at $29.99 per month with a three-year contract.
Both Brinks and Ackerman offer only professional monitoring options at this time.
Brinks systems are fully wireless, and with Nest you have the option to install equipment yourself, so it’s not hard to move. Ackerman’s systems are custom, and they will work with existing equipment, so renters are well-served with them as well.
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