Best Home Security Systems in Atlanta

Our Top Picks for the Best Home Security Companies in Atlanta

To find the best Atlanta home security, we looked beyond national providers like ADT to local and regional home security companies. Our top-recommended alarm companies tout decades of experience in home security and provide Atlanta home security monitoring services for an affordable price.

Our top picks for Atlanta home security companies offer wireless home security equipment, home security camera systems, and some home automation integration with mobile alerts and apps. From Marietta to Sandy Springs, each of our recommended Atlanta home security companies provides the solid customer service and superior monitoring you’d expect from national security brands.

Here are Atlanta’s best home security systems

1. Ackerman Security Systems: Best Overall
2. EMC Security: Best Affordable Monitoring
3. CPI Security: Best Customer Service

Compare Top Atlanta Home Security Companies

Data effective 12/2/2019. Offers and availability subject to change.

Reviews of Atlanta’s Top 3 Home Security Companies

Ackerman Security: Best Overall

Ackerman Security has been in business for more than 50 years and to say they know their stuff is an understatement. While Ackerman provides commercial security nationally, it specializes in residential home security for the Atlanta area. And it’s not just Ackerman’s reasonable monthly monitoring fees and reputation for solid customer service that makes it the cream of the crop.¹

No-Theft Guarantee
There are two main advantages of choosing Ackerman. The no-theft guarantee means that if you have an Ackerman home security system and fall victim to a home burglary, Ackerman will pay double the amount of your insurance deductible in cash. And if that isn’t a powerful incentive, Ackerman also offers a guaranteed 45-second response time from their UL-certified, CSAA 5-Diamond Monitoring Center.

The Contract
If it sounds too good to be true, rest assured that there are caveats. First off, you can’t self-monitor, and it does require a year-long contract. Ackerman does, however, allow you to transfer over your previous home security equipment and offers upgrades when you renew your contract.

The Bottom Line: Ackerman Security makes the grade for its no-theft guarantee and quick response times.

EMC Security: Best Affordable Monitoring

CPI Security: Best Customer Service

CPI Security serves states throughout the southeast, but it’s been providing Atlanta customers with home security for more than 25 years. While the website is clunky, CPI Security wins extra points for transparent packages and a comprehensive line of inTouch home security camera systems that’ll dazzle any homeowner looking for video surveillance.

We recommend the inTouch Essentials Plus package, which combines basic home security equipment with a doorbell camera and starts at $39.99 a month.

Customer Service
CPI Security also provided friendly, prompt service and were one of the few companies who quoted pricing upfront without having to be cajoled. That reputation for excellent customer service is reinforced by an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and largely positive reviews from nearly a thousand customers on Google and Trustpilot.³

No False Alarms
CPI’s no false alarms guarantee is particularly attractive for Atlanta home security customers who pay fees for false alarms. But the downside is your CPI home security system comes with a contract that spans anywhere from three to five years. Want to avoid a long-term commitment? You can purchase equipment up front and go month to month on a monitoring plan.

The Bottom Line: If you want locally-owned home security that minimizes false alarms and has a reputation for excellent customer service, take a closer look at CPI Security.

Other Atlanta Alarm Companies Worth Considering

We’ve tried to sift through the research and give you a definitive ranking of the best Atlanta home security options, but there are other Georgia-based companies that may be a better fit for your needs.

Phoenix Systems, based in Alpharetta, serves the metro Atlanta area with home theater installation as well as home security services. While it doesn’t specialize in security, Phoenix Systems does offer superior options for home automation including energy management and lighting.

If you think EMC’s monthly monitoring costs are low, you should check out Atlanta Home Alarm Systems’ $14-a-month monitoring plan. With 4.9 stars on Google and a 5-star rating on Yelp, Atlanta Home Alarm Systems inexplicably manages to deliver a UL-certified monitoring station.⁴ However, since they’ve been around for only five years, Atlanta Home Alarm Systems is still the new kid on the block.

More Atlanta Home Security Companies

Should I Buy Local or National Home Security?

National home security brands like SimpliSafe may have the market cornered on the latest technology, but staying local has advantages. Local companies know the challenges of the neighborhood you live in and can suggest home security solutions with a proven track record in your area rather than pushing the latest package from ADT or Protect America.

Local companies also tend to have better pricing on monitoring plans and may even be supported by local monitoring stations. During our research on Atlanta-based home security companies, we noticed several of them are listed as award-winning employers who give back to their community. It’s nice when the best home security for your family also supports local sports team and community services.

What to Know about Buying Home Security in Atlanta

Before you decide what company to choose for your Atlanta home security, it pays to take a closer look at factors that could contribute to the kind of equipment and services you need.

Crime Rates

The current Atlanta crime rate is a bit higher than the national average, but it wasn’t always that way.⁵ For three decades Atlanta ranked in the top five for high rates of violent crime.

The city undertook a serious public safety campaign that has virtually transformed the area. Now Atlanta and the surrounding suburbs enjoy safer streets. The improvement has been so remarkable that one of the Atlanta metro area cities, John’s Creek, earned a spot on SafeWise’s list of the safest cities in Georgia.

You can learn more about the state of safety in Georgia by reading our report or exploring the safety resources listed at the end of this page.

Environmental Factors

Let’s be real. Georgia can get hot. And awfully humid. One of the real downsides to living in Atlanta is not just the heat but the potential for intense thunderstorms and flooding.⁶ You may want to consider adding environmental monitoring to your home security package, including early warning devices like flood sensors.

Alarm Permits and Fees for False Alarms

Most cities charge fees for false alarms and Atlanta is no exception. Atlanta also requires alarm permits for installation of any alarm system within the city limits. If you decide to live outside Atlanta in places like Sandy Springs, you’re likely to be facing fines for false alarms either now or in the very near future.⁷

What to Consider When Buying a Home Security System in Atlanta

If you’re in the market for an Atlanta home security system, carefully weigh the following before you decide to move forward with a national or local home security company.

The Neighborhoods

Most folks don’t live within the city limits, although there are a few in-city neighborhoods like Five Points and Castleberry Hill. Instead, many Atlantans buy or rent homes on the outskirts of the city or to the north in Buckhead. Whether you’re setting up house in Tuxedo Park or grabbing a condo in Peachtree Battle, the kind of home security system you need will depend on the challenges your neighborhood faces.

Professional Monitoring or Self-Monitoring

Some Atlanta home security companies don’t allow self-monitoring, so read the fine print carefully. While we always recommend professional monitoring, we understand there are times when it’s not feasible. If you do opt into a professional monitoring plan, look for UL-certified stations with redundant monitoring.

Home Security Cameras

If you plan to install and use home security cameras for surveillance on or around your property, follow Georgia privacy laws. In general, home security cameras that capture a clear view of a neighbor’s front or back yard or their windows or doors are illegal⁸. Make sure you consult a qualified security technician for guidance on mounting your cameras without infringing on privacy.

Home Automation

When you’re looking to outfit your home with the latest and greatest technology, choose a smart home security company that has a mobile app and plenty of smart home devices. Look for basics that national brands like ADT Pulse offer, such as lighting control and energy management, but also check the manufacturer of the equipment the home security company uses and what kind of smart home compatibility it offers.

Atlanta Safety Resources

Use these resources to better understand safety and community concerns in and around the Atlanta area.

Safety Resources

• Georgia Home Security and Crime Prevention Center
• Atlanta FBI
• Crime Stoppers Greater Atlanta
• Roswell Neighborhood Watch

Atlanta Statistics and Trends

• Georgia State Safest Cities
• GA State’s State of Safety
• 100 Safest Cities

Sources:

1. Better Business Bureau “Ackerman Security Systems”; Trustpilot, “Ackerman Security”
2. Better Business Bureau “EMC Security”
3. Google, “CPI Security Atlanta”; Better Business Bureau, “CPI Security Systems,” Trustpilot, “CPI Security”
4. Google, “Atlanta Home Alarm Systems”, Yelp, “Atlanta Home Alarm Systems”
5. FBI, Criminal Justice Information Services Division, “2018 Crime in the United States”
6. AJC, “Ten years later: The epic 2009 flood that submerged metro Atlanta”
7. AJC, “Police won’t respond? Sandy Springs law shows tension with alarm groups”
8. Justia US Law, “2010 Georgia Code Title 16”