Sonitrol vs Signature Alert Security Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Sonitrol vs Signature Alert Security including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees

 
Sonitrol Franchise
Signature Alert Security Franchise
Investment $148,000 - $474,000$22,000 - $42,000
Franchise Fee $20,000 - $50,000$10,000 - $19,000
Royalty Fee 2.5%10%
Advertising Fee --
Year Founded 19641999
Year Franchised 19652003
Term Of Agreement 10 years10 years
Term Of Agreement 10 years10 years
Renewal Fee -$3K


Business Experience Requirements

 
Sonitrol Franchise
Signature Alert Security Franchise
Experience
  • General business experience
  • Marketing skills
  • -

    Financing Options

     
    Sonitrol Franchise
    Signature Alert Security Franchise
      In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
    Franchise Fees No/NoNo/No
    Start-up Costs No/NoNo/No
    Equipment No/NoNo/No
    Inventory No/NoNo/No
    Receivables No/NoNo/No
    Payroll No/NoNo/No

    Training & Support

     
    Sonitrol Franchise
    Signature Alert Security Franchise
    Training --
    Support Newsletter, Meetings, Internet, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperativesNewsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperatives
    Marketing Ad slicksCo-op advertising
    Operations 15% of all franchisees own more than one unit

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 20

    Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (90% of current franchisees are owner/operators)

    Franchise can be run from home.

    Absentee ownership of franchise is NOT allowed. (100% of current franchisees are owner/operators)


    Expansion Plans

     
    Sonitrol Franchise
    Signature Alert Security Franchise
    US Expansion --
    Canada Expansion NoNo
    International Expansion YesNo

    Company Overviews

    About Sonitrol

    Robert Baxter originally founded Sonitrol in 1960 as a company that would incorporate his various sound-related inventions. Everything changed when police officer and alarm company owner Al Cronk hired Baxter to manage his company's equipment. Baxter's innovations proved so successful that Sonitrol soon evolved from an invention company into a security franchise opportunity in 1965. A subsidiary of Tyco International Ltd., the Sonitrol Network has franchisees in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

    About Signature Alert Security

    Signature Alert’s Philosophy of their company is simple which is to provide state of the art equipment, with the highest quality installation, at competitive prices, and provide gold-medal service after the installation.” They install GE (General Electric) and Honeywell equipment which are the highest quality, most user friendly, on the market today. Their installers have an average of 15 years of installation and service experience. After their system is installed, they offer a 24-hour service response guarantee.