Ackerman Security Review
Ackerman Security is a home security company servicing the state of Georgia. It dates back more than half-a-century and was first formed after its founder, Charles Ackerman, was the victim of a gunshot wound during a home invasion. Ackerman, formerly a commercial real estate developer, aimed to start a home security company focused on customer service at a time when home security systems were usually reserved for celebrities and the wealthy.
Ackerman is based in Atlanta, Georgia and services areas of Georgia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland, but you’ll need to speak with them directly to make sure that they cover your area.
Ackerman has claimed a unique space in the home security world with its “No-theft guarantee”. This means that if you have Ackerman service armed in your home but you still get burglarized, the company will cover your financial losses. The company says they will cover your losses up to $25,000 which is pretty impressive.
Ackerman is a competitively priced option among professionally installed and professionally monitored alarm products, but it is available only to a very limited number of customers.
- Hardware: 4.5 out of 5 stars. Ackerman is known for reliability in its equipment and it offers a full range of security hardware.
- Customer service: 3 out of 5 stars. Sales and support staff were helpful when our Security Nerd reached out but the company has received some complaints.
- Pricing: 3 out of 5 stars. Professional monitoring packages require a long term commitment, but the price beats out many competitors. The company isn’t very transparent about pricing for its hardware though.
- The mobile app: 3 out of 5 stars. The mobile app is full-featured, but some users complain about glitches.
- Smarthome capabilities: 3 out of 5 stars. Ackerman has its own line of smart-home products, but doesn’t interface as well with third-party devices as some competitor products do.
Ackerman fees & features
| Item | Stat |
|---|---|
| Monthly Price | Packages start at $19.95 per month |
| Installation Fee | $99 |
| Installation | Professional |
| Mobile Access | Yes |
| Smoke and CO Monitoring | Yes |
| Medical Pendant | Yes |
| Video Monitoring | Yes |
| Motion Sensors | Yes |
| Door/Window Sensors | Yes |
| Doorbell camera | Yes |
| Smart Home Integration | Yes |
| 24/7 Monitoring | Yes |
| Contract Length | 3 years |
| Warranty | 5 years on control panels |
| Yard Signs | Yes |
| iTunes app rating | 2 out of 5 |
| Google Play app rating | 3.8 out of 5 |
Nerd Pros
Knowing that the company will cover your financial losses should you be burglarized is some pretty solid peace of mind.
Nerd Cons
Ackerman requires you to sign a three-year contract when you install a security system and sign up for monitoring service. Many other alarm, and particularly DIY systems, provide much more flexibility including month-to-month monitoring or monitoring with no long-term commitment at all.
Equipment available from Ackerman
When you buy a security system from Ackerman, a professional comes to your home to discuss your needs and to customize your alarm package. You can find out some details about Ackerman Security products online, but no pricing information is available until contract negotiations.
Here are some of the different types of equipment that you could potentially include in your customizable Ackerman system, according to the company’s website:
- Alarm panels
- CO2 and smoke detectors
- Smart locks
- Smart thermostats
- Smart lights
- Smart video cameras
- Video doorbells
- Garage door control
In-home consultations can be scheduled any day but Sunday and a security technician will walk through your home and assess weak points and vulnerabilities to help you identify the equipment you need.
Ackerman mobile app
Ackerman, like most home security systems, allows you to receive notifications and interact with your alarm system on your mobile device.
The mobile app from Ackerman has a:
- 3.8 rating in the Google store
- 2.0 rating in the Apple App store
The app allows you to:
- Arm and disarm your alarm system no matter where you are.
- Receive a notification when the system is disarmed
- Receive notifications, including via text and email, if an alarm is triggered
- Watch video on your home security cameras and record live video
- Control Ackerman home automation devices including lights, video cameras, garage door controls, and video doorbells
- Adjust your thermostat temperature if you have an Ackerman smart thermostat
As you can see from the below screenshot, arming and disarming the system can be done with the push of one button, although you also have the option to take more control as well including arming or disarming your system on a delayed schedule or interacting with specific sensors.
Ackerman smart home capabilities
Ackerman has its own customizable home automation products, but you will need to buy them with your security package if you want to control them all within your Ackerman app and ensure they interact seamlessly with your security system.
Ackerman doesn’t interact with as many third-party home automation products as some competitor systems do and does not use tools such as If This Then That (IFTTT), which would allow you to set different applications to take specific automated steps in response to triggers.
If you’re willing to buy Ackerman devices, some of the smart home capabilities you can take advantage of include:
- Smart locks
- Smart thermostat control
- Lighting control
- Video doorbells
- Voice control of your system using Amazon Alexa
- Garage door control
You can receive immediate notification on your Ackerman app, control your temperature and lights within your home from anywhere, and instantly begin recording live video using your Ackerman app if you buy these devices when purchasing your security system.
Ackerman customer service
Ackerman Security has received some customer service complaints, including customers reporting problems cancelling service; connectivity and reliability issues; and problems with installation. It also fails to provide the pricing transparency of many other security companies, discussing prices and security design only when you have a technician come to your home and start negotiating the terms of a security system installation and monitoring contract.
To test customer service, our SecurityNerd tested each of the following processes:
- Sales: Sales staff was helpful and eager to set up an appointment at my convenience if I lived in a service area.
- Design: Designing and pricing a system is difficult because a technician must come to your home and no prices for equipment are listed online.
- Service: Getting customer support on the phone was quick and easy
Ackerman can be contacted via phone at 800-552-1111. You can also use an online form to enter your information and request a text back to your mobile phone.
Ackerman covers the following areas
Ackerman pricing and packages
When purchasing a security system, costs to consider include:
- Equipment
- Installation
- Monthly monitoring
Ackerman charges for all three, but will discuss pricing only with customers negotiating a contract. This makes it difficult to comparison shop with other companies; however, online reviews and testimonials indicate pricing starts at $19.95 for monthly monitoring and a $99 activation fee is required to begin service.
Nerd Rating: 3 / 5
Wrapping up
Ackerman has many of the same drawbacks as other professionally installed and professionally monitored systems: you need to sign a long-term contract and pay up front for equipment and installation.
However, its customizability and home automation features still make it a good choice for homeowners who want a system designed to provide exactly the protection they’re looking for. If you live in Ackerman’s service area and are willing to have a technician come out to conduct and evaluation and provide you with pricing, then Ackerman is a company worth considering for your situation.
If you want to look for a more nationally-known home security company that provides professional installation, you should take a look at some of the larger players such as ADT, Brinks or Vivint. You can also find larger companies that allow you to save money by installing your home security system yourself. Frontpoint, Protect America and SimpliSafe are all larger companies that have DIY equipment packages.
About the Author
Christy Rakoczy
Christy Rakoczy has been a full-time writer for more than a decade. She has a law degree from UCLA School of Law and a degree in English, Media & Communications from the University of Rochester. In addition to writing for the web, she has also written textbooks and educational content and has served as a subject matter expert for online course development.