Access control is one of the most foundational systems in multifamily housing. Building managers need solutions that reliably let the right people in while keeping the wrong people out. But access control is no longer just about locked doors — it’s about managing how people move through a community efficiently, securely, and conveniently.
As residents increasingly expect digital and mobile-first experiences, access control systems have become a key part of how multifamily properties deliver both safety and service — and also a key part of how they can collect data about their properties for potential improvements.
The system impacts nearly every aspect of property operations — from handling resident move-ins and vendor access to managing package deliveries and amenity reservations, access control touches multiple workflows. Finding the right cutting-edge solutions can reduce staff workload, minimize rekeying and manual processes, improve resident satisfaction, and minimize ongoing maintenance headaches. And so when multifamily owners and operators evaluate access control systems, they’re balancing security, convenience, operational efficiency, and cost across a complex environment — residents, staff, vendors, and guests all need different types of access.
This report takes a deep dive into how major multifamily property managers and operators are approaching the process of selecting access control systems, comparing and contrasting major vendors including Kastle Systems, Brivo, ButterflyMX, RemoteLock, SmartRent, Latch / DOOR, Openpath, SALTO Systems, AccessIQ, and Amazon Key. It outlines the most important factors to consider — from system integration and scalability to resident experience and cost management — and highlights best practices that help ensure a smooth implementation.
Access Control at an Inflection Point
The pace of change and tech adoption in the access control industry has long been glacial, for a number of different reasons, according to industry experts.
This inertia is not the result of a single constraint but rather a structural combination of economics, operational realities, risk considerations, and industry incentives that collectively impede rapid innovation. Long building and hardware life cycles inhibit change, as well as an extremely low tolerance for risk and downtime. Once an access system is installed and deployed, many owners would prefer to keep it maintained rather than risk something new.
And multifamily is also such a fragmented industry that it can be hard for widespread change to filter through.
“Multifamily is the weirdest mainstream industry — it’s a cottage industry disguised as a big one,” says Lee Odess, CEO of the Access Control Collective. “Even giant owners do everything locally. You get a hunting license at corporate in New York but still need buy-in from the local GC in Miami. Fragmentation is both the problem and the charm of the industry.”
And so, as a result, access control has changed very little for “centuries,” says Mike DiBenedetto, the Chief Information Officer at Northland Investment Corp. But he says the industry is now squarely in the middle of its digital transformation. For the past decade many in the industry have been declaring the “the year of mobile/cloud,” while the prevailing market resisted. But in the past 3–5 years, a real inflection in adoption has started, he says.
“Most of the thinking around access control is still legacy — 90% of the conversation is stuck in the past, even though only 10% of the revenue now comes from that traditional mindset,” says Odess “Historically, access control was a utility: keep bad people out. It wasn’t designed for multifamily; it was designed for airports and government buildings and then retrofitted into apartments. Even the hardware was siloed — unit doors, perimeter doors, gates — all separate, all hardware-driven. Now the shift is to software and it is all changing.” And the software is all about credentialing and integrations.
“Access control isn’t just the hardware — it’s also the key-control component, which doesn’t get talked about enough in multifamily,” says Stephanie Gubiotti, the CEO and Founder of Verra Communities (and previously President of New Urban Residential). “When I think about access control, it’s not just ‘gaining access.’ It’s about how all the integrations work together. In a high-rise, your parking garage is one access point, then the building entrance is another, then the package room, then the apartment door. They’re all separate systems. Multifamily is extremely disjointed in that way.”
But therein lies the opportunity at this moment. By opening up to smart locks and more complex integrations, owners can unlock new value in operational efficiency, revenue generation, and user experience.
“Owners need to reset their expectations,” says Odess. “Yes, access control still provides the basic utility of safety and security — if I don’t feel safe, I don’t care how good your latte-ordering app is. But now the expectation is: ‘What else can you do for me?’ And they should be asking their vendors that exact question.”
Credentialing
One of the fundamental roles of an access control system is credentialing — the process of defining and managing the identities, permissions, and access rights of everyone who interacts with a community. Functioning as the central system of record for identity, the access control platform becomes the foundation for the broader resident experience.
“We’ve tried pretty much all the new credentialing features — face, thumbprints, keypads, cards, says DiBenedetto. “Fobs are still the simplest to manage at scale. They’re harder to lose track of than people think, and residents understand them immediately. Biometrics are interesting, but multifamily isn’t like corporate campuses — you need something universal and low-friction.”
Nonetheless, he believes that credentialing is moving toward largely existing within residents’ mobile phones.
“Whether right or wrong, everybody is driving to the idea that your credential is going to be on a smartphone,” says DiBenedetto. “And then you start to get into the details of what that technology might be on that smart device — is it NFC and you can just tap it like you would if you’re doing a payment, or is it more of an app-based Bluetooth style integration where you launch an application and tap a button and then that app sends a Bluetooth command to a particular device?”
Gubiotti says she isn’t a big fan of fobs or keys, and also sees things moving toward the smartphone.
“I prefer mobile-based access so residents can manage guest permissions through their portal. Residents want deliveries placed inside their units, or they have dog walkers who need periodic access. With mobile systems, residents know exactly who opened their door and when. The goal is flexible, effortless security.”
This kind of “effortless security” may seem jarring to some residents, who are still getting used to the idea of carrying around and submitting personal identity information everywhere they go — but as access becomes more seamless, individual experiences in the built world can become more customizable.
“Long term, buildings are becoming nodes in connected cities,” says Odess. “Access control becomes identity infrastructure allowing you to free-flow through buildings, transit, venues — the system knows it’s you and can deliver personalized experiences. As a result, multifamily owners will think across portfolios, not individual buildings. We’re moving toward a world where the building knows you’ve been there a thousand times and treats you accordingly, instead of treating every visit as your first.”
Data and Interoperability
With enhanced, seamless credentialing, building owners are now able to better gather, analyze and use data about how buildings are being used. But to do that, widespread integrations are key — and that can be a key decision factor for owners.
“The interoperability between the access control vendors typically comes into play — certainly the property management system — because what ideally we want to get to that full integration where, if somebody is moving into a property, the staff doesn’t have to manually credential them when they get to the property,” says DiBenedetto.
Gubiotti notes that some platforms like Venn and Elevated Living create dashboards that can pull disparate access systems together, but in general she thinks the industry needs to move toward more completely integrated whole-property solutions.
“Multifamily deals with one of the toughest access environments — people’s homes,” says Gubiotti. “We have to balance security and convenience across a lot of doors, residents, vendors, guests, and maintenance personnel. Lost keys have been a never-ending issue throughout my career. Access control today can’t just be a standalone solution — technology has advanced too far for that. It absolutely needs to integrate with your property management system and with IoT devices. And then with predictive analytics, you can actually get real insights into how the building is being used.”
And that kind of building data can be mined for all kinds of adjustments that can lead to NOI improvements and energy savings.
“You can use traffic patterns to plan capital improvements,” notes Gubiotti. “If certain hallways get the most foot traffic, you know the carpet will need replacement sooner. If no one visits the leasing office on certain days, maybe you close it that day or rethink how you serve residents. If you find that many residents use dog-walking services, maybe you partner with that vendor. Mixed-use communities get even more interesting because you can track how residents and commercial tenants move through the space. From an operator’s perspective, having access logs is valuable, so I can see which amenities are actually being used. If gym traffic is low but the clubhouse is busy, that affects where we invest money.”
How to Think about Upgrading
For new developments, the inclusion of smart tech can be sort of a no-brainer — it’s easy to build a modern system while walls are open. Value-add renovations often include managed Wi-Fi and access control upgrades for the same reason.
But outside of a big capital project, smart locks are harder to justify. The incremental operational benefits — maintenance access, fewer keys — can seem small. And operators who decide to change access control systems on their existing buildings can face a lot of frictions. Owners often choose to upgrade because locks are on a 5- to 10-year replacement cycle, and their upgrades often coincide with managed Wi-Fi rollouts, where properties introduce a tech bundle fee — say $60–$70 a month for Wi-Fi plus smart amenities — that makes the economics work.
“Replacing a system because you like another one better isn’t realistic,” says DiBenedetto. “You need a trigger event lik major renovation, failure, or a portfolio-wide standard. Migration is a whole process: hardware, software, retraining staff, swapping credentials — it’s not just flipping a switch.”
Dom Beveridge, founder and principal at 20for20, points to the public REITs as good examples of forward-looking companies that see locks and access control as part of a broader technology-enabled operating model, where smart access ties into reducing onsite staff and increasing centralized operations.
“Most operators don’t think that way — they are likelier to treat locks like countertops or appliances: ‘What does it cost, and how does it make my product more competitive?’” says Beveridge. “The SaaS fees that smart tech companies charge make sense to companies that treat the tech as part of their operating platform.”
Meanwhile, for small operators — owners of two-to-four-unit buildings — the smart access is different. Beveridge says it could be valuable for single-family rental operators, where no one is onsite and remote monitoring is useful. But if you own one or two small properties, the software platform is less central to asset performance.
Evaluating an Access Control System
Multifamily building owners evaluate access control systems through a practical lens shaped by operations, resident expectations, and long-term portfolio strategy.
“Every building is a case-by-case decision,” says DiBenedetto. “You might like one vendor better, but if the existing hardware is from another ecosystem, swapping it out can be cost-prohibitive. So you’re always balancing: hardware already in place, size of community, reliability, integrations, and what your staff can actually support.”
Owners increasingly expect access control to sync seamlessly with core property management systems like Yardi, RealPage, Entrata, or AppFolio so that resident move-ins and move-outs automatically trigger credential updates. They also look for compatibility with the broader smart-home stack — a modern access control system must support a wide range of access points, from front doors and unit entry to elevators, parking gates, and amenities. Cloud-based architectures are often preferred because they simplify remote management, reduce reliance on local servers, and make portfolio-wide expansion significantly easier.
“You have to start with the building systems themselves — what you have dictates what’s even possible — then you branch out from there,” says DiBenedetto. “Older, more analog buildings force you to think harder about control and reliability. Connectivity is always the elephant in the room. If someone can’t get into their apartment because of wi-fi hiccups, that’s a massive operational failure.”
Another lens is operational efficiency. Many owners and operators favor platforms that centralize the administration of all access points, automate credential revocation at move-out, and eliminate the headaches of managing physical keys. Integrations with maintenance systems are increasingly important as well, enabling automated and auditable access for staff and vendors without requiring manual intervention from the leasing office. An efficient system can also ease scalability and flexibility across portfolios that include multiple buildings.
“Maintenance access, vendor access, and deliveries are big drivers,” says Odess. “Parking is a huge revenue opportunity — dynamic, on-the-fly renting.”
Security and compliance also remain foundational concerns. Owners want confidence that credentials and personal data are protected through strong encryption — and they must include emergency override functions that allow operators to lock or unlock spaces instantly when needed.
“Internet connectivity has gotten better, but you still have to design for the moment it goes down,” says DiBenedetto. “The worst-case scenario — someone locked out because the cloud can’t talk to a lock — is something we absolutely cannot risk.”
Other major priorities include user experience (both for residents and for the staff who support them), total cost of ownership and maintenance, as well as a solution’s flexibility and potential future-proofing. Owners want systems that support emerging technologies such as biometrics or advanced mobile credentials, include open APIs for integrating future proptech tools, and can adapt as resident expectations evolve toward contactless and self-service experiences.
Comparing Key Vendors
As in all industry sectors, comparisons of multifamily access control vendors aren’t always apple-to-apple. Here is a rundown of some of the biggest players.
- Kastle Systems
Kastle Systems occupies a distinctive position in the multifamily access control ecosystem as the only major provider offering a true managed-service model — which means the company takes full responsibility for operating and supporting the system. This makes Kastle appealing to large, enterprise-scale portfolios or ownership groups that want predictable performance, minimal staff involvement, and a single point of accountability. The company is known for its reliability, enterprise-level security standards, and mobile credentialing experience. Its cloud platform is mature, stable, and battle-tested across both commercial and residential properties.
However, this level of control comes at the cost of some flexibility. Kastle relies heavily on proprietary hardware, meaning operators cannot freely mix and match components or integrate widely with third-party smart-home systems. And its pricing is typically higher than competitors, reflecting the bundled service model. For smaller operators or portfolios without robust on-site support, the managed model may feel overly rigid or expensive.
- Brivo
Brivo is widely recognized for pioneering cloud-based access control and remains one of the most flexible, integration-friendly platforms on the market. Its strengths lie in its mature cloud infrastructure, strong mobile credentialing, and an open approach to hardware that allows operators to select from a wide range of readers, controllers, and lock options. This flexibility is particularly valuable for operators modernizing diverse portfolios or performing phased retrofits across different building types. Brivo also has robust API capabilities, enabling seamless integration with all the major PMS systems.
While Brivo excels in cloud and common-area access, its unit-level capabilities lag behind more specialized providers like SALTO or SmartRent. Brivo also does not attempt to be a full property “operating system” — meaning operators who want integrated smart-home, amenity scheduling, or full-building IoT coordination will need additional partners. Overall, Brivo stands out as the provider offering the best balance between flexibility and modern cloud-native design without pushing operators into proprietary hardware ecosystems.
- ButterflyMX
ButterflyMX leads the industry in video intercom and front-of-building access, having become the dominant entry system in urban mid-rise and luxury multifamily properties. Its hallmark is a sleek resident and guest experience: intuitive video calling, mobile app unlocks, QR-based visitor access, and smooth integration with delivery workflows. Installation is typically easy due to the product’s retrofit-friendly design, making it ideal for properties seeking to modernize their front door without a major infrastructure overhaul.
However, ButterflyMX isn’t currently a full access control solution — though those capabilities are reportedly in the works. It currently excels at building entry solutions, but needs integrations with third-party systems — or partners like RemoteLock or SALTO — for unit-level and interior door control. These integrations exist but are not as deep as those from access-first players like SmartRent or RemoteLock. As a result, ButterflyMX often becomes part of a larger ecosystem rather than the core of it.
- RemoteLock
RemoteLock is known for offering the most flexible hardware ecosystem in the multifamily marketplace. Its platform supports dozens of lock brands and access hardware types, allowing operators to combine legacy devices, preferred hardware partners, and new installations under a single cloud dashboard. This makes RemoteLock especially valuable for portfolios with varied property ages, as well as owners who specifically want to avoid vendor lock-in. The company is also strong in PMS integration, streamlining resident move-ins and move-outs with automatic credentialing and de-credentialing.
RemoteLock’s flexibility, though, comes with its own challenges. The platform does not offer intercom hardware, meaning operators will need to pair it with solutions such as ButterflyMX or Latch for building entry. Additionally, managing multiple hardware vendors may create complexity for teams not accustomed to multi-brand environments. Even so, RemoteLock stands out because it is the best option for portfolios seeking maximum choice and compatibility, rather than a tightly controlled hardware stack.
- SmartRent
SmartRent offers a comprehensive smart-home and access-control suite tailored specifically for multifamily owners and operators. Its biggest advantage is its deep integration with PMS systems, enabling seamless workflows for resident verification, credential issuance, maintenance access, and automated move-outs. SmartRent’s platform also unifies smart locks, thermostats, sensors, and other IoT devices under a single ecosystem, making it ideal for new developments or large operators looking to deploy full smart-home capabilities.
However, SmartRent’s ecosystem relies heavily on Wi-Fi, making network reliability a potential point of failure — a concern raised by multiple operators. Additionally, some customers may feel limited by SmartRent’s integrated hardware stack, which can make switching or mixing other lock brands difficult. SmartRent stands apart as the only solution offering a fully unified smart-home and access control platform, which is its greatest differentiator and primary appeal.
- Latch / DOOR
Latch (now rebranded with products under DOOR) has positioned itself as a premium smart-building platform emphasizing design, resident experience, and an integrated building OS. Latch offers modern, aesthetically distinctive hardware that appeals to luxury developers, along with an acclaimed resident mobile app that consolidates access, smart-home controls, and building services. Its unified approach makes it a strong fit for mixed-use or high-amenity buildings where resident UX and touchless workflows are a priority.
Its limitations include periods of operational instability and challenges related to hardware availability and corporate transitions. Latch’s hardware ecosystem is also relatively closed compared to RemoteLock or Brivo. Nevertheless, Latch’s differentiator is its focus on a cohesive, premium building-wide operating system, offering one of the most seamless resident experiences in the industry.
- Openpath
Openpath (acquired by Motorola Solutions) is known for its exceptional mobile credentialing and touchless access technology, making it one of the most frictionless unlocking experiences available. Its cloud platform is highly secure and enterprise-grade, reflecting its strong roots in commercial-office. The hardware is flexible, modern, and supports multiple credential types, and operators frequently praise its speed and reliability.
Yet, because Openpath originated in commercial real estate, its unit-level access options for multifamily are limited without pairing with other lock providers. Its integrations with PMS platforms are also not as deep or multifamily-specific as SmartRent or RemoteLock. Still, Openpath stands apart for delivering the best mobile-access UX and top-tier cloud security, making it a top choice for operators prioritizing speed, security, and touchless entry.
- SALTO Systems
SALTO is a global leader in wireless and offline-enabled smart locks, making it one of the strongest vendors for unit-level deployments and large-scale retrofit projects. Its hardware is durable, feature-rich, and capable of supporting sophisticated offline capabilities that reduce dependence on Wi-Fi. SALTO’s solutions shine in environments with many unit doors or where wiring is difficult or costly. Operators appreciate the cost savings associated with SALTO’s retrofit-friendly approach.
The platform’s limitations lie in its relatively weak intercom/video offerings and PMS integrations that, while improving, still lag behind more software-forward companies like SmartRent or RemoteLock. SALTO is primarily a hardware-forward company rather than a software ecosystem — and remains a strong vendor for large unit-door deployments, particularly projects focused on wireless locks and cost-effective retrofits.
- AccessIQ
AccessIQ represents the new wave of integrated access and resident experience platforms, combining access control with operational intelligence and analytics. The system is designed to unify resident apps, access credentials, and building workflows into a cohesive ecosystem. Strong PMS integration and a focus on actionable data — such as building traffic patterns, service usage, and operational efficiencies — make it appealing to operators who think about access as part of broader digital transformation.
AccessIQ is still scaling, both in market penetration and hardware partnerships, meaning it may not yet match the breadth of solutions offered by more established players. Hardware options remain more limited than platforms like RemoteLock or Brivo. That said, its differentiator is its emphasis on analytics-driven access management, appealing to operators seeking insight-rich platforms that extend beyond simple door control.
- Amazon Key
Amazon Key has a radically different approach to access control — one that is delivery-centric, rather than building-centric. Amazon Key allows delivery drivers to access package rooms, lobbies, or designated secure areas by authenticating directly with Amazon’s cloud systems. This eliminates missed deliveries, reduces package theft, and eases strain on on-site staff. The hardware is simple, often retrofittable, and the service is typically free for properties. Because it integrates directly with Amazon’s logistics network, it offers a level of delivery automation unmatched by any traditional access vendor.
However, Amazon Key is not a full access control system and does not attempt to be one. It does not manage resident credentials, unit locks, amenity access, or multi-door ecosystems. Instead, it is designed to complement existing access control systems — not replace them. Operators must ensure their primary platform handles resident access, visitor management, and property-wide security. Amazon Key’s uniqueness lies in its laser focus on delivery operations and its deep integration with Amazon’s last-mile logistics.
The fundamentals of access control may be fairly constant, but the industry is indeed at an inflection point where new innovations and articulations can bring more value to multifamily owners and operators. After years of slow, incremental change, the convergence of cloud-based management, mobile-first credentialing, and increasingly intelligent building systems is reshaping what access control can do — and what owners can expect from it.
-David Hirschman
