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Secure your business or institution with state-of-the-art key fob and card access systems. They’re your keys to a safer, smarter workspace.
But how much do these access control systems cost? And when it comes to quality, security level, and price, how do they compare to other access control credentials?
Let's find out!
Key fob and card access systems are part of the broader category of access control systems. Access control systems use keyless credentials—including key fobs and cards—to identify users before granting or denying access to different areas of a property.
Enhanced Security: Traditional mechanical keys can easily be duplicated, but electronic keys are much harder to copy. Unlike traditional keys, which cannot be deactivated when lost or stolen, lost or stolen electronic keys can instantly be deactivated as soon as they are reported missing.
Convenience: Fob and cardholders need to fumble through fewer keys; a single fob or card can grant access to multiple areas. What’s more, system administrators can add, revoke, or adjust access privileges remotely and at any time.
Audit Trails: By automatically storing access data, administrators can find out who accessed what area and when for an extra layer of accountability.
According to a recent survey on access control uses from Security Magazine, 42% of organizations use access control systems to monitor occupancy data, highlighting the use of modern access control systems for more than just restricting access.
The rough industry standard cost for access control is between $1,700 and $2,500 per door.
That said, when installing seventy or more electronic door controls in a small area, such as a single apartment building or hotel, the price can drop significantly. This is because wireless connections make sense in dense settings, thereby reducing the need for expensive cabling infrastructure.
Below, we’ll compare the typical costs of fob and card systems with other popular credential options. Then, we’ll look at door hardware costs, which can affect the price of an installation independently from other factors.
Key fobs and cards are often lumped together because they operate on similar principles. The cost for these types of systems varies but generally falls within the following ranges.
Key Fobs: $4 to $25 per unit
Cards: $4 to $25 per unit
Readers: $100 to $700 per door
Installation and Software: $500 to $7,000
Network Infrastructure: Variable
Biometric systems use biological data to recognize users and are on the higher end of the cost spectrum. These systems can range in price depending on the biological data that must be scanned. For example, iris scanners are significantly more expensive than fingerprint scanners.
Scanners: $200 to $2,000 per unit
Software and Installation: $1,000 to $6,000
Network Infrastructure: Variable
PIN-based systems are generally the least expensive approach to access control, but they also provide the lowest level of security. Costs can include:
Keypad Readers: $100 to $700 per door
Software and Installation: $200 to $7,000
Network Infrastructure: Variable
Mobile access systems use smartphones as credentials and are becoming increasingly popular.
Software Licenses: $5 to $25 per user per year
Readers: $200 to $700 per door
Network Infrastructure: Variable
Beware: while card and fob licenses are transferrable, most smartphone credential licenses cannot be migrated. They must be purchased anew when end-users switch to different phones.
Cloud access controls eliminate the need for on-site servers and often operate on a subscription model, making it easier to budget and manage expenses. With features like remote management, real-time alerts, and comprehensive reporting, cloud-hosted access control systems are revolutionizing the way organizations safeguard their assets and personnel.
Cloud Hosting: $7 to $40 per door per year
Readers: $100 to $700 per door
Network Infrastructure: Variable
The type of access control credential you opt for can significantly impact your overall costs, but so can your door hardware (regardless of the credential used). Door hardware for access control systems can range from $150 to $5,000, with simple electric strikes falling on the lower end of the spectrum and electrified push bars (which pull in automatically when movement is detected) being more high-end.
Consult an Expert: Don't go it alone. Consult with professionals like the team at Mammoth Security to assess your needs.
Regular Updates: Keep the system's software up-to-date to protect against vulnerabilities.
Employee Training: Make sure your staff knows how to use the system correctly to avoid any security lapses. After installing or upgrading security systems, the experts at Mammoth Security provide free staff training to ensure that your system’s features are effectively leveraged.
While key fob and card systems offer a balanced approach in terms of cost and security, the best choice for your business will depend on your specific needs and budget constraints. Biometric systems offer the highest level of security but come with a steeper price tag. PIN-based systems are the most budget-friendly, but they’re also the least secure. Mobile access systems offer a modern, scalable solution, but they require a robust network infrastructure and charged smartphones to initiate entry (and sometimes exit) processes.
Mammoth Security is Connecticut’s one-stop shop for business-grade security products and installations, including fob and card access control systems. We provide our customers with an expansive variety of high-caliber security solutions that we customize to their specific site layouts, workflows, and security requirements.
Click to contact us and fill out the form for a free site survey and consultation. We’ll send over a friendly expert to assess your property, answer your questions, and begin developing a system that’s ideal for your needs.
A reliable, secure, and convenient access control system is a must-have for your property or facility. There are a multitude of options with many different features and benefits, including keypad, key card, biometric, and smartphone access control systems. Depending on which access control system you choose, access control pricing can vary significantly from system to system.
Unless you are using a commercial smart lock or a traditional physical lock and key, remember that most access control solutions will need an electric lock and power supply. Those costs are not included in these estimates.
Here is an estimate of the average costs per door of popular types of access control systems:
The cost of rekeying locks and replacing keys can add up quickly. Keys are frequently lost, or users may leave an organization and don’t return their physical keys. When this happens, it is critical to ensure a safe environment and you will need to change the door locks or rekey the lock.
For an experienced locksmith, cutting a new key should take less than 2 minutes and replacement keys can range from $2 for a simple key to $70 for a coded key. Ultimately, you’re going to spend anywhere from $50to $2400 per door if you rekey. Changing the lock takes longer and costs more, and still requires new keys. On top of that, if it’s an emergency or an after-hours situation, expect to pay even more.
Keypad entry systems range from $500 to over $1,500 per door and they need hardware to be installed on the outside of the building. Most keypad entry systems install quickly, but ultimately, it will depend on the wiring of your building. While keypad systems can offer one of the lowest cost options, they are also one of the least secure options, mainly because:
Changing the code on a keypad is not too difficult, but someone must physically be on site to do this. Another hidden cost with keypads is that when you change the code, everyone accessing the building must commit the new code to memory which often results in lock-outs and support calls.
Buzzer, telephone or video intercom access control systems range widely in price. You will pay around $750 per door for a basic buzzer system and up to $10,000 per door for a system that has integrated high-quality video storage and access control for the residents. Installation will take at least 4 hours per intercom depending on the complexity of the wiring in your building. The systems have to be actively managed and it can take 15 minutes for someone onsite to add or delete a new user. On top of that, the more sophisticated systems can have hefty monthly support fees.
The highest cost option and highest security option is biometric access control but these systems are often the least convenient. They can range from $2,500-10,000 per door because in addition to your electronic locking hardware, you need a biometric scanner, a network connection and computer hardware and software. Installation of biometric hardware should take about 1-2 hours per door, but the setup of of software and connecting the system to a network can take several hours. Like most of the other technologies, they also need some hardware to be installed on the outside of the building.
Biometric systems use things like fingerprints, handprints, hand geometry, iris scanning and face recognition to control access. They eliminate the cost of purchasing and managing keycards, however that savings is usually offset by the cost of enrolling and administering users. It is often a cumbersome process that requires each user to register at each door and setup and training can take more than 15 minutes per user. If you have 100 tenants, that’s 1,500 minutes!
Lastly with biometrics, they are also subject to false positives (letting someone in who should be) or false negatives (locking someone out who shouldn’t be) which is something not found in other technologies.
Key card and key fob access solution generally costs $1,000-3,000 per door. when you include the readers, panels, wiring network configuration and training. On top of that, there is an additional cost of $3 to $10 per card or $5 to $50 per fob. They take more time to install than a keypad, but less than a biometric system and still need some hardware to be installed on the outside of the building. Adding and removing users requires a physical interaction with the user because you have to get their card or fob to them which means someone will need to be onsite (or you are mailing cards/fobs to user). If there is a network onsite, remote management is possible for many systems but that may come with service fees anywhere from $10 per month to $100 per month per door and many systems require the software to be upgraded annually to ensure you have all the latest and greatest features.
Every time a key card or key fob is lost, the property manager will need to spend time removing the lost fob and manually adding a new one to the system. On average a property manager will spend 15 minutes per tenant every year administering the system. With a pay rate of $20/hour, to cost of managing a system with 500 tenants, employees or residents would cost an additional $2,500 per year.
Smartphone access control systems typically start around $500 per door, but the costs of smartphone access control systems can vary significantly, depending on brand and the type of access. The options are either a smartphone reader that’s connected to an electronic door lock or a commercial smart lock that’s battery-powered.
Smartphone-based access systems offer an affordable option that eliminates the cost and management of keycards, key fobs and costly hardware. If your smartphone reader users NFC, they have to be mounted on the outside. If they use WiFi, ZigBee or Z Wave, you will need a property-wide network to support it. If it uses only Bluetooth, it can be mounted on the inside and doesn’t need a property-wide network which can be a significant cost savings.
Many owners and managers are upgrading to a smartphone-based systems as they offer more security and convenience than keys, keypads, cards and fobs while significantly reducing the direct costs and administrative cots of managing and maintaining the system. People have many reasons for changing, some obvious and some you may find surprising.
The VIZpin Bluetooth access door controller with built-in Bluetooth reader costs $299 per door. Installation is fast and straightforward and does not require a property-wide network or anything to be mounted on the outside of the building.
Every VIZpin Smart Lock and door controller includes our free Lite access management service which comes with 5 smartphone credentials also known as Smartkeys. We also offer an annual paid Plus service which comes with 500 smartkeys. For a low annual fee, you receive unlimited upgrades and electronics warranty for as long as you have the Plus service.