If you're choosing an access control system for an NYC office, apartment building, or storefront, three names come up again and again: UniFi Access, Brivo, and Kisi. All three replace keys with fobs, cards, and phone unlock. All three let you add and remove people in seconds. But they're built for different kinds of buildings, and the biggest difference isn't the hardware — it's what you pay every month after installation.
We install all three across Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens. This guide explains how each one works, what it really costs over time, and which one fits which kind of NYC property.
The Short Answer
Choose UniFi Access — if you want no required monthly fees, already use (or plan to use) UniFi cameras, and are comfortable with a system managed on site.
Choose Brivo — if you manage an apartment building, a mixed-use property, or several buildings, and want a mature cloud platform built for property management.
Choose Kisi — if you run an office or coworking space and want the simplest phone-based unlock and a polished app for staff and visitors.
How Each System Works
1. UniFi Access
UniFi Access is part of Ubiquiti's UniFi platform, the same system that runs UniFi Protect cameras and UniFi networks. Door readers and hubs connect to a UniFi console installed in your building, and you manage everything from the UniFi app.
How people get in — fobs and cards, PIN codes, the UniFi app, phone-wallet passes, and face unlock on supported readers.
Ongoing cost — no required per-door subscription for the core system. You buy the hardware once.
Best feature — every door event links to video from UniFi Protect cameras in the same app.
Watch out for — it's best suited to owners or IT staff who are comfortable managing their own system, and it has fewer integrations with property management software than Brivo.
2. Brivo
Brivo is one of the longest-running cloud access control platforms, and it's widely used in apartment buildings and commercial properties. Door controllers in your building connect to Brivo's cloud, and you manage doors, users, and schedules from a web dashboard or app.
How people get in — fobs and cards, PIN codes, and mobile credentials.
Ongoing cost — a monthly subscription, priced per door (and on some residential plans, per unit).
Best feature — built for property managers: multi-building portfolios, tenant-by-tenant permissions, and integrations with intercoms, video, and property management systems.
Watch out for — subscription costs add up over time, and some features are sold as add-ons.
3. Kisi
Kisi is a cloud access control system designed around the office. Staff unlock doors by tapping their phone or a card, and admins manage everything from a clean web dashboard.
How people get in — phone tap, cards and fobs, and digital wallet passes.
Ongoing cost — a monthly subscription, priced per door.
Best feature — the easiest setup and app experience for offices, with strong visitor and team management.
Watch out for — it's priced and designed for commercial spaces, so it's usually not the first choice for a residential building.
Side-by-Side Comparison
Monthly fee — UniFi Access: none required · Brivo: yes, per door · Kisi: yes, per door
Where it's managed — UniFi Access: console in your building, plus the app · Brivo: cloud · Kisi: cloud
Best fit — UniFi Access: offices, retail, small commercial · Brivo: apartment buildings, mixed-use, portfolios · Kisi: offices and coworking
Multi-tenant buildings — UniFi Access: possible · Brivo: a core strength · Kisi: possible, mostly commercial
Video integration — UniFi Access: built in with UniFi Protect · Brivo: through integrations · Kisi: through integrations
Phone unlock — all three
What Does Each System Cost in NYC?
Installed cost per door is similar for all three. Most of the price is door hardware, cabling, and labor, not the reader itself.
Single door: $1,200 – $2,500 — depending on the lock hardware the door needs.
2–4 door office or building: $3,000 – $6,500
Larger buildings: $6,000 – $20,000+ — multiple entrances, elevator integration, or amenity spaces.
The real difference is the ongoing cost. Brivo and Kisi charge a monthly subscription per door. Published estimates range from under $10 to over $50 per door per month, depending on the plan and the size of the system — so get a quote for your door count. UniFi Access has no required subscription for the core system.
For example, a 4-door office paying $40 per door per month spends about $1,900 a year — roughly $9,600 over five years — on subscription alone. That's often worth it for the features and support a cloud platform includes, but it should be part of the decision.
For full pricing details, see our security system installation cost guide.
Which System Is Right for Your Building?
Apartment buildings and co-ops — Brivo is usually the strongest fit, especially paired with a video intercom like ButterflyMX. Its tenant permissions and property management tools are built for residential buildings.
Offices and coworking spaces — Kisi for the smoothest phone-based experience, or Brivo if the office is in a building that already runs it.
Retail stores, restaurants, and small commercial spaces — UniFi Access, especially if you're also installing cameras. One app for doors and video, and no monthly fees.
Owners with several properties — Brivo, for managing many buildings from one dashboard.
Owners who don't want a monthly bill — UniFi Access.
What About Avigilon Alta (Openpath)?
Avigilon Alta, formerly Openpath, is another cloud platform with strong hands-free phone unlock, often compared directly with Kisi. It's a good fit for offices and multi-site businesses, and works on a per-door subscription like Brivo and Kisi.
Frequently Asked Questions — UniFi Access vs Brivo vs Kisi
Q: Do Brivo and Kisi stop working if the internet goes down? A: Not usually. Their door controllers keep working with the credentials already stored, but you can't make changes remotely until the connection comes back. UniFi Access runs on a console in your building, so local control continues as well.
Q: Can I switch systems later? A: Often, yes. Locks, strikes, and much of the cabling can usually be reused. The readers and controllers are what change.
Q: Can these systems work with our intercom? A: Yes. Brivo integrates with several video intercoms, and UniFi has its own intercoms and readers with built-in cameras. We'll check compatibility with whatever you have.
Q: Which one is cheapest? A: Up front, they're similar. Over five years, UniFi Access usually costs least because there's no required subscription. Whether that's the right choice depends on how your building is managed.
Q: Do you install all three? A: Yes. We install UniFi Access, Brivo, Kisi, and Avigilon Alta, and we'll recommend the one that fits your building — not the one with the highest margin.
Get a Free Access Control Quote for Your NYC Building
Impera Security provides free on-site assessments and itemized quotes for access control installation throughout Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens. We'll look at your doors, your existing hardware, and how your building is managed, then recommend the system that fits — with a clear comparison of up-front and ongoing costs. See our access control installation services or our commercial security systems page.
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