Once you've fitted an electric lock, the next decision is how people get in: punch a code into a keypad, or present a fob or card to a reader. Both do the same job — telling the lock to release — but they suit different buildings, and choosing wrong means either changing codes every month or funding a drawer full of lost fobs. Here's how to decide.
How keypad entry works
A keypad releases the door when someone enters a valid code. Standalone keypads wire directly to your maglock or electric strike, need no software, and most fit in under an hour. There's nothing to issue to users and nothing for them to lose — the code is the credential.
Strengths:
- Lowest cost per door — one unit, no ongoing credentials to buy
- Nothing to hand out or get back when someone leaves
- Works for unlimited users at no extra cost
- Weatherproof IP-rated units handle gates and external doors
Weaknesses:
- Codes get shared — with couriers, ex-staff, and anyone watching over a shoulder
- Revoking one person's access means changing the code for everyone
- No record of who came in, only that the code was used
How fob and card entry works
A reader checks each presented fob or card against its stored list and releases the door for valid ones. Each person carries their own credential, which is the crucial difference: access is individual, not shared.
Strengths:
- Lose a fob? Delete that one fob — nobody else is affected and the locks stay put
- Staff leaver? Deactivate their credential in seconds
- Many systems log who entered and when — useful for HMOs, offices and audits
- Faster in daily use — a tap beats typing a code with full hands
Weaknesses:
- Higher setup cost and an ongoing cost per fob (and per lost fob)
- Someone has to manage issuing and revoking credentials
The quick decision guide
- Small office, low staff turnover, one door — keypad. Simple, cheap, done.
- Anywhere with regular staff changes — fobs. Changing a keypad code every time someone leaves gets old fast.
- Flats, HMOs and communal doors — fobs. Codes leak to takeaway drivers within weeks; fobs keep control with the landlord.
- External gates and yards — weatherproof keypad, or a combined unit.
- Can't decide? You may not have to — combined keypad-and-proximity units accept both, so staff tap fobs while trusted visitors get a temporary code.
Whichever you choose, the door hardware is the same
Keypads and readers are just the trigger. The security itself comes from the lock — a maglock or electric strike — fed by a properly sized power supply, with an exit button on the secure side. That means you can start with a keypad today and swap to fob entry later without touching the lock.
Ready to choose? Browse our keypads and code entry and fob and card entry ranges — free next-day UK delivery when you order before 4pm. Torn between the two? Email hello@securemydoor.co.uk for free advice, 7 days a week.