Choosing an access-control system for your NZ business. Card vs mobile vs biometric, platform comparison, real costs, and the mistakes most buyers make.
Picking an access-control system isn’t just “cards or fobs?” The choice of platform locks in five to ten years of operation, integration with HR or visitor systems, and how easy it is to add or remove users. This guide walks through the decision the way we work through it on a real site visit, then compares the platforms most NZ businesses end up choosing between.
Before talking platforms, answer four questions:
This is the day-to-day experience for staff and visitors. The choice matters more than the platform.
The cheapest and most common credential. Issue and revoke quickly, no app required. Use 13.56 MHz MIFARE DESFire EV2 or HID iCLASS Seos for cryptographic security. Don’t use 125 kHz cards (HID Prox, EM4100) on a new install — they can be cloned with a $30 device.
The credential lives on a phone. Issue instantly to a new staff member from the management platform; revoke instantly when they leave. Works for short-term contractors. Paxton Net2 Entry, HID Mobile Access, and Salto JustIN are the common NZ choices. Cost is typically a one-time license per user ($15–$30 each) or a small monthly fee.
Useful as a backup or shared-credential method. Codes can be unique per user and time-limited. Don’t use PIN as the only credential because PINs leak when shared, photographed, or shoulder-surfed.
Solves “forgot my card” and “lent my card to a mate.” Privacy considerations apply under the Privacy Act 2020 (biometric data is sensitive). Document the purpose and access controls in your commissioning pack. ZKTeco is a default for NZ biometric installs; some IP intercoms (Akuvox, 2N) include face-recognition on the call panel.
The default for small-to-medium NZ commercial work. PC-based or cloud-managed, easy day-to-day operation, mobile credentials via Paxton Entry, audit logs, integration with most CCTV and alarm platforms. Sweet spot is 1–200 doors. Local NZ distributor support is strong.
HID makes the readers; the controller and management software is from a third party (Lenel, Genetec, AMAG). Default in larger commercial fit-outs and government work. Mobile credentials via HID Mobile Access. Higher entry cost than Paxton; better for sites with hundreds of doors and multiple buildings.
Australian-designed, popular in NZ for integrated CCTV / alarm / access on a single platform. Default for sites with 30+ doors, audited compliance needs, or where alarm and access events need to interlock (e.g. last-out arms the alarm). Steeper licensing model than Paxton; pays off at scale.
For retrofit jobs where running cable to every door is expensive (heritage buildings, hotels, schools, multi-level offices). Battery-powered locks at the door, no cabling required. Centrally managed, audited, but with offline-tolerance considerations. Salto JustIN supports mobile credentials.
Cost-effective, biometric-strong. Useful where physical credentials aren’t convenient (workshops, gyms, medical) or where time-and-attendance integration is the primary driver. Less polished management UX than Paxton or Inner Range; lower entry cost.
The reader is half the system; the lock is the other half. Common choices:
| Scope | Indicative cost (supplied & installed) |
|---|---|
| Single-door retrofit (existing strike, new reader, Paxton) | $900–$1,600 |
| Single-door new install (mag-lock, REX, break-glass) | $1,800–$3,200 |
| 3–5 door office (Paxton Net2 + mobile credentials) | $5,500–$11,000 |
| Body-corporate apartment building | $7,000–$15,000 |
| Larger commercial (Inner Range, 20+ doors) | From $35,000 |
Access control installation services · CCTV cost guide · security audit checklist
Indicative supplied-and-installed price for a Comsys CCTV system. Move the inputs to match your site — the calculator updates live.
This calculator is a guide only. Final pricing depends on the site visit — specific camera models, mounting access, cable routing, and any access control or alarm integration can move the number up or down. We always quote in writing after a free on-site assessment, with brand and model itemised so you can see exactly what you’re paying for.
