How to Choose an Access Control System for Your Business: Brivo vs Verkada vs Legacy Systems

Your Key Cards Are Costing You More Than You Think

If you're still using a legacy access control system with physical key cards or fobs, you're dealing with problems you've probably accepted as normal:

• Lost cards that take days to replace and deactivate
• No visibility into who's actually entering your building
• A dedicated server in a closet that nobody maintains
• No way to grant or revoke access remotely
• Zero integration with your cameras or alarms

Cloud-managed access control eliminates all of this. Here's how the two leading platforms compare.

Brivo: The Access Control Specialist

Brivo has been doing cloud access control longer than anyone — they pioneered the category. Their platform is purpose-built for managing who goes where:

• Mobile credentials — employees use their phone instead of a card
• Smart locks — retrofit existing doors without running new wiring
• Multi-site management — manage hundreds of doors across dozens of locations from one dashboard
• Open API — integrates with virtually any camera system, HR platform, or building management system
• Eagle Eye Networks integration — native video pairing for video-verified access events

Best for: Organizations that need sophisticated access control with flexibility to integrate with existing camera systems. Multi-tenant buildings, property management, and enterprises with mixed security vendors.

Verkada: The Unified Platform

Verkada's access control is part of their broader security ecosystem. If you're already using (or considering) Verkada cameras, their access control integrates natively:

• Video-linked access events — every door event includes a camera snapshot
• Single dashboard — cameras, doors, sensors, and alarms in one interface
• Guest management — built-in visitor sign-in with background checks
• Environmental sensors — door held/forced alerts plus air quality and occupancy
• Zero additional servers — everything cloud-managed

Best for: Organizations standardizing on Verkada for cameras who want a single-vendor solution. New construction, offices, and schools.

Side-by-Side Comparison

The Real Cost of Keeping Legacy Access Control

We regularly encounter businesses paying $2,000-5,000/year in card replacement costs alone. Add in the IT time maintaining an aging server, the security risk of unpatched software, and the inability to quickly revoke access for departed employees — the true cost of a legacy system is far higher than the subscription fee for a modern platform.

Get a Free Access Control Assessment

We'll evaluate your current doors, wiring, and access needs to recommend the most cost-effective upgrade path — whether that's Brivo, Verkada, or a combination.

Call 1-877-877-9080 or schedule a consultation.