Access Control Systems for Small Offices Compared
Keys get copied, lost and forgotten in the pockets of people who left months ago. Access control systems replace them with cards, phones and a dashboard that shows who can open which door and when. This comparison looks at four well-known options for small offices, explains what to check before you buy, and gives you a door audit and rollout plan you can start this month.
Key takeaways
- Kisi, Brivo, Verkada and Avigilon Alta all offer cloud-managed access control, but they differ in focus, from mobile-first door access to full physical security platforms with cameras.
- Start with a door audit: how many doors, who needs access, when, and what your lease and building allow.
- Budget for hardware, installation, ongoing software subscriptions and support, not just the reader on the wall.
- Access logs and video are personal data in many places, so check privacy rules and tell staff what you collect.
Most small offices begin with a front door key and a spare in a drawer. It works until the team grows, a contractor needs weekend access or an employee leaves without returning their key. At that point you either change the locks again or start looking at electronic access control.
Modern systems are mostly managed in the cloud. You add a person in an app, choose which doors and hours they get, and remove them in seconds when they leave. This guide compares four names you will meet early in your research. It does not rank them or quote prices, because features and costs change and depend on your doors. Check each provider's current features, pricing and privacy policies before you buy. This article is general information, not security or legal advice, so involve a qualified installer and, where relevant, your landlord or a legal adviser.
What an access control system actually does
Every system has the same basic parts, even if the brands describe them differently.
- Credentials. What people use to open the door: a key card, a fob, a phone app, a code or sometimes a wearable.
- Readers. The devices beside each door that read the credential.
- Controllers and locks. Hardware that decides whether to unlock and drives the electric lock, strike or maglock on the door.
- Software. A dashboard or app where you add users, set schedules, see logs and get alerts.
- Integrations. Optional links to cameras, alarms, visitor management, identity systems or your team directory.
For a small office, the software usually matters most day to day. You will touch the readers rarely, but you will add and remove people, change schedules and check logs often.
Pro tip
Ask each provider to show you, live, how long it takes to remove a user from every door. That one task tells you a lot about how the system will feel when someone leaves on a Friday afternoon.
Do a door audit first
Before comparing brands, walk your space and answer these questions. Your answers decide how much hardware you need and which features matter.
- Count the doors. Include the main entrance, back or fire exits used for access, server or storage rooms and any office with sensitive files.
- List who needs access. Staff, part-timers, cleaners, contractors, couriers and visitors may each need different rights.
- Set the hours. Note which doors should unlock automatically during business hours and which should always need a credential.
- Check the building. Shared buildings may already have a front-door system. Ask your landlord what you can install, who pays and who owns the hardware when you leave.
- Check power and internet. Readers and controllers need power and a network connection. Ask what happens during a power or internet outage.
- Think about fire safety. Electric locks must still let people out safely in an emergency. Your installer should follow local fire and building codes.
The four systems compared
Here is a plain-language look at each option. Treat these as starting points for questions, not verdicts.
Kisi
Kisi is a cloud-based access control system known for its mobile-first approach. Staff can unlock doors with their phones as well as cards or fobs, and admins manage everything from a web dashboard or app. It is often considered by offices, coworking spaces and studios that want a modern, simple experience and integrations with common workplace tools. Check which locks and door types its hardware supports, and how mobile unlock works for people without smartphones.
Brivo
Brivo is a long-established cloud access control provider. It is used across offices, commercial buildings and multifamily properties, and it is typically sold and installed through authorized dealers. That dealer model means you usually get local installation and support, which suits owners who want a professional to handle the hardware. Ask dealers how pricing, contracts and support are structured, and which features come with your plan.
Verkada
Verkada offers a broader physical security platform. Access control sits alongside cameras, alarms, environmental sensors and visitor management, all managed from one cloud dashboard. If you want to see video next to door events, or you plan to add cameras anyway, a single platform can simplify things. It may be more than a two-door office needs, so weigh the extra features against the cost and the privacy responsibilities that come with video.
Avigilon Alta
Avigilon Alta is a cloud-based access control and video security offering. It supports mobile and card credentials, remote management and integrations, and it can pair door access with video. It is aimed at businesses that want cloud management with room to grow into video and multi-site security. Check which hardware is required, how it is installed in your area and what the ongoing subscription includes.
Common mistake
Comparing only the cost of readers. The bigger costs often sit elsewhere: electric locks or strikes, door hardware changes, cabling, installation labor and ongoing software subscriptions per door or per user. Ask every provider or installer for a full quote that covers all of these over several years.
Side-by-side comparison
This table summarizes the general differences. Exact features depend on the hardware, plan and installer you choose.
| System | Main focus | Often suits | How it is usually bought | Ask before buying |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kisi | Mobile-first cloud access control | Offices and studios wanting phone unlock | Direct or through partners | Supported locks, credential options |
| Brivo | Established cloud access control | Owners who want a local dealer to install | Through authorized dealers | Dealer pricing, contract length, support |
| Verkada | Access control within a wider security platform | Offices planning cameras and alarms too | Through resellers and partners | Total platform cost, video privacy duties |
| Avigilon Alta | Cloud access control with video options | Businesses expecting to grow sites or add video | Through partners and installers | Required hardware, subscription scope |
Why switch from keys
- Remove a person's access instantly, with no lock changes
- Set schedules for cleaners, contractors and part-timers
- See a log of who opened which door and when
- Manage doors remotely from an app
What to weigh up
- Upfront hardware and installation costs
- Ongoing subscriptions for cloud software
- Dependence on power and internet
- Privacy duties for logs and any video
Security and privacy basics
An access control system protects your space, but it is also an internet-connected system holding information about your people. Treat it like any other business software.
Protect the admin accounts
Turn on multi-factor authentication for every admin, store logins in a password manager and give admin rights to as few people as possible. Least-privilege access applies to doors and dashboards alike.
Plan for outages
Ask how each system behaves if the internet or power fails. Many keep working locally for a time, but you should know which doors fail locked or unlocked, and keep a secure manual override.
Be open about data
Access logs show when people come and go, and video records them. In the UK and EU, this is likely to be personal data under GDPR. In the US, rules vary by state. Tell staff what you collect, why and how long you keep it, set a sensible retention period and check the rules where you operate. Employment and privacy law varies by country, so get advice if you are unsure.
Hypothetical example
Imagine Elena, who runs a twelve-person accounting practice on one floor of a shared building. The landlord controls the street door, but Elena manages the office entrance and a file room. Over three years, two former employees never returned keys, and the locks were changed twice. She completes a door audit, confirms with her landlord what she may install and gets quotes for two doors from two providers. She chooses a mobile-friendly system with cards for staff who prefer them, sets the file room so only partners can open it, and gives the cleaning company access only on weekday evenings. When an employee leaves in January, Elena removes their access from her phone in under a minute.
A rollout plan for the new year
Early November is a good time to start, because quotes and installation can take weeks and many offices prefer to avoid disruption in December. Aim to go live in January when the team returns.
Copyable access matrix template
Fill in one row per group of people before you speak to installers. The rows below are made-up examples for illustration only.
| Group | Doors | Days and hours | Credential | Who approves changes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full-time staff | Main entrance, kitchen | Every day, any time | Phone or card | Office manager |
| Cleaning company | Main entrance only | Weekdays, evenings only | Card | Office manager |
| Partners | All doors, including file room | Every day, any time | Phone | Owner |
Add a column for an expiry date for contractors and temporary staff, so access ends automatically.
- Weeks 1 to 2: complete the door audit and access matrix, and get landlord approval in writing.
- Weeks 3 to 4: request quotes from two or three providers or installers covering hardware, installation and software.
- Weeks 5 to 6: choose, schedule installation for a quiet period and write a short staff note about the change.
- Go-live week: issue credentials, test every door, including emergency exits, and collect old keys.
Your access control checklist
- Walk the office and count every door that needs control
- Fill in the access matrix for each group of people
- Get written approval from your landlord or building manager
- Request full quotes including locks, cabling, installation and subscriptions
- Check current features, pricing and privacy policies with each provider
- Confirm fire safety and emergency exit behavior with your installer
- Turn on multi-factor authentication for all admins
- Tell staff what data the system collects and how long you keep it
- Test every door at go-live and collect old keys
Frequently asked questions
Can I install an access control system in a rented office?
Often yes, but only with your landlord's permission. Many leases restrict changes to doors and wiring. Ask in writing what you may install, who owns it and whether you must remove it when you leave.
Are phone credentials safer than key cards?
Each has trade-offs. Phones are usually protected by a screen lock and are rarely lent out, while cards are simple and work for people who prefer not to use their own phone. Many systems support both, so you can offer a choice.
What happens if the internet goes down?
It depends on the system and hardware. Many controllers keep working locally for a period, but remote management and live logs may pause. Ask each provider exactly how their system behaves and keep a secure manual override.
Do I need cameras as well?
Not necessarily. Door logs alone solve the key problem for many small offices. Add video only if you have a clear reason and are ready for the privacy duties that come with it.
Related reading
The bottom line
Kisi, Brivo, Verkada and Avigilon Alta all let you manage doors from the cloud, but they suit different needs, from simple mobile unlock to a full security platform with cameras. Start with your doors and people, not the brand, and compare full multi-year costs that include installation and subscriptions.
This week, walk your office, fill in the access matrix and ask your landlord what is allowed. With quotes in hand by December, you can start the new year with no more lost keys or lock changes.
