When a business first looks at access control, the choice of how people actually open the door often causes the most debate. Fob, card, keypad, phone or fingerprint? Each has its place. Here is a plain English comparison.
Fobs and cards
A small tag or card is presented to a reader. The reader checks it against the permissions list and unlocks the door if it is valid.
- Good for: offices, schools, factories and shared buildings where lots of people need access.
- Pros: quick, easy for users, and each person has their own credential, so a lost fob can be cancelled without affecting anyone else.
- Cons: they can be lost, lent or, with older technology, cloned. Replacements cost money.
Keypads and PIN codes
Users type a code. Standalone keypads store codes in the unit, while networked ones check against a central system.
- Good for: low-cost, low-risk doors such as stores or plant rooms, or for combining with a card as a second factor.
- Pros: no credential to lose and a low cost per door.
- Cons: codes get shared and written down, and on standalone units you must change codes at the door. A shared code cannot tell you who came in.
Mobile credentials
People use their phone to open the door, usually through Bluetooth.
- Good for: modern offices and multi-tenant buildings where staff already carry their phone everywhere.
- Pros: no cards to issue or collect, and credentials can be sent or cancelled remotely.
- Cons: relies on staff having a compatible phone with battery, and may carry a per-user subscription.
Biometrics
Fingerprint or face recognition confirms who the person is rather than what they carry. It suits high-security areas such as server rooms, but brings data protection responsibilities, because biometric information is special category data under the UK GDPR.
Cloud-managed vs on-site systems
This is a separate question from the type of credential. In a cloud-managed system, you administer users and see events through a web browser or app from anywhere. An on-site system keeps the software on your own server or controller.
- Cloud: easy remote management, simple multi-site control and no server to maintain, but usually a recurring subscription and reliance on connectivity.
- On-site: no subscription and full local control, but you manage the software and updates yourself or through your installer.
How to choose
- What is behind the door? Higher-value areas deserve a stronger credential, or two factors.
- How many people and how often do they change? High turnover favours credentials that can be cancelled instantly.
- Do you need an audit trail? Shared codes cannot give you one.
- Single site or several? Several sites make central management valuable.
- What is the long-term cost? Compare the price per door and any annual fees over several years.
We install and maintain all of these. Talk to us about your site through our access control page, or see what an access control system costs.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most secure access control credential?
No single option is best in every case. Codes can be shared, cards and fobs can be lost or copied, and phones can be lost too. Combining two factors, such as a card and a PIN, is the usual route to higher security.
Do I need an internet connection for cloud access control?
Cloud systems depend on internet connectivity to manage users remotely, but good ones keep working locally if the connection drops, using stored permissions at the door.
Can I mix fobs and keypads on one system?
Yes. Many networked systems support several credential types on different doors, so you can use a keypad where convenience matters and a card plus PIN where it does not.