CPI Security Systems has been making a big marketing push to increase its brand awareness in recent years, but they have been in business for more than 20 years. They have received an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau as well.
CPI is not available nationwide, as they are only in 20 states, primarily in the Southeastern U.S. Still, if you are in their market, they do offer pretty good equipment and 24/7 professional monitoring that is handled in-house and not outsourced.
Quality and warranty
CPI offers a variety of equipment packages that each come with the standard security devices, with the availability to choose upgrades. Unlike some of the other smaller business security companies, CPI offers some proprietary equipment, a solid control panel, and even a mobile app for monitoring and controlling your system remotely.
CPI provides a warranty that comes included with their monitoring contracts, however, it only lasts 12 months from the day of installation.
Check out our roundup of the Best Business Security Systems
Features
With CPI, you can choose either a wired or wireless security system for your business. Their wireless systems use cellular technology on which they run. CPI also has a wide offering of products, including HD doorbell cameras, indoor and outdoor HD cameras, fire communication, and door/window sensors. Their cameras are actually quite impressive, but they are more expensive of course.
The security system is run by what they call the CPI Intouch Control. It’s the company’s proprietary software and dashboard for its app, which is a nice feature versus some competitors that just use the generic Alarm.com app. The system allows you to control your entire security system as well as any smart home devices such as a thermostat, and it also gives you notifications when doors are locked or unlocked or if the alarm is triggered.
CPI does have an entire division of their company dedicated to business security, which is nice. To see the full features available in this realm, you would have to contact a CPI professional for a personal consultation.
Price
CPI has built a number of packages that you can explore on their websites, everything from basic security monitoring to much more advanced systems that include the indoor and outdoor cameras and keyless door lock through their touchscreen control panel.
A big downside to CPI, though, is that they don’t provide pricing for any of their equipment packages or add-ons. Instead, you have to contact the company and request a quote, even if you’re simply selecting one of the pre-built packages. Typically, though, customers report that you can expect to pay anywhere from $99 to $299 for most of their systems.
Monthly monitoring starts as low as $29.99 per month but can reach as high as $64.99 per month, based on the services you select for your system. Those prices are also for home security options. Business security systems with more advanced features could be even higher.
Support
In addition to 24/7 professional security monitoring, CPI offers 24/7 customer care as well. This is an excellent feature and one that not many of their competitors offer. The other nice thing is that CPI doesn’t outsource their security monitoring; they handle this completely in-house.
Installation
CPI’s security systems are fully installed by professionals. There are no options to do it yourself. This could be a good feature for some who don’t want to be bothered with installing something as important as a security system. The downside, though, is the installation will cost at least $299 and could increase based on the system you choose.
Things to consider
A big downside to CPI is they require a five-year contract for all of their monitoring services, and they require you to purchase the equipment fully upfront as well. In addition, if you wish to cancel your service, you have to give them a 60-day notice. If you don’t do this, your contract will automatically renew for another year.
Pros
- A+ rating from Better Business Bureau
- Wide variety of equipment, including HD cameras
- Proprietary devices and in-house security monitoring
- Excellent customer service
- Dedicated business security division
Cons
- Equipment can get very expensive and must be paid for upfront
- Professional installation costs at least $299
- Security monitoring requires a five-year contract
- Only available in 20 states
Rating breakdown
- Overall: 4.0
- Equipment: 4.3
- Features & Technology: 4.1
- Contract & Price: 2.9
- Customer Service: 4.5
