Key Fob vs Key Card: How To Choose Between Key Fobs and Key Cards
Security is important in modern-day society. We can see people using different methods to secure their homes, offices, or hotel rooms. The choice of method usually depends on convenience and safety. Today, our focus will be on key fobs and key cards. They are two great options you can use to secure rooms, homes, and other applications.
We delve deep into access control to understand the difference between key cards and key fobs, their use cases, applications, advantages, and limitations. We also help you decide which one to pick based on your needs.
Understanding Key Fobs
A key fob is often also called a key fob remote. It is a small portable device for controlling and granting access to vehicles, secured areas, or electronic systems. The key fob achieves this functionality through Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology. So, by pressing a button, you can activate the security system, unlock doors, and more, depending on its programming.
At the core of a key fob, we have the RFID technology that makes it functional. The key fob is activated when brought near the RFID reader. A connection is established once the key fob detects the electromagnetic field from the reader. This means the reader can now access the information needed from the key fob to grant or deny access.
One good thing about key fobs should be the availability of multiple designs and sizes. The key fobs usually fit in the palm of your hand comfortably. People can also attach a key ring to it for easy carrying.
Depending on the manufacturer, you can have those encased with plastic for more durability or other materials for aesthetics. As such, you can use them both for commercial and residential purposes.
Use Cases of Key Fobs
Key fobs are a staple in modern home security systems. People can now use them for arming and disarming their home security systems. Use the same for unlocking doors or gates in gated communities. There is a convenience that comes with such a system that makes people feel comfortable investing in them.
As for a commercial setting, you can also use key fobs to control access to warehouses, restricted areas, and offices. It is an efficient way of managing employee access and improving business security on overall.
Companies mostly use key fobs in combination with other traditional security systems, such as locks with keys.
Advantages of Key Fobs
- Only those with authorized key fobs can gain access to certain areas
- Great for convenience, as with a simple press of a button, you can easily unlock doors.
- Some have a remote start feature to start the vehicle at a distance easily
- Allow for keyless entry. Let us say you have to unlock several doors, then it means no need for multiple keys
- Customizable features help the user modify the performance of the key fob to suit their needs.
Limitations of Key Fobs
- As much as key fobs are good for security, they are bulky
- Also, replacement costs are higher than when you compare to key cards
Understanding Key Cards
If you have stayed in a hotel before, the chances are you have used a key card before. A key card is sometimes called an access card or proximity card. This is a thin, pocket-sized card for granting access to secured areas.
Unlike traditional keys, you can use key cards encoded with specific information stored in an embedded chip or magnetic stripe. Once the card is scanned, you can be given access or denied entry, depending on its contents.
The main types of key cards are magnetic stripes and proximity cards. You are probably familiar with magnetic stripe cards, mostly used for hotel room access. You simply have to swipe the card through a reader to validate access. The information on the stripe has specific instructions to allow or deny entry.
Proximity cards have electronic chips that are also RFID-capable. Unlike the magnetic stripe cards mentioned above, they do not need to be swiped through the reader. Simply get them close enough to the reader to pick up the signal, and that is it. They are also fast, and their operations are often preferred since they do not demagnetize over time.
Proximity RFID key cards operate just like key fobs. The difference is that they lack buttons and have more use cases.
Use Cases of Key Cards
It goes without a doubt that the hotel industry is the most common way of using key cards. They offer a secure way and temporary access to the guest rooms. You can also use the same for fitness centers, parking facilities, and pools.
In case there are several doors at the workplace to secure, you can use the key cards to access the buildings, individual offices, and floors. Also, they are good in terms of scalability. Their use can be scaled as the need arises.
Advantages of Key Cards
- Having contactless technology makes it easier to access the rooms
- Key cards are quite versatile and adaptable in terms of where to use them
- The use of key cards leaves you with a trail of useful data. This helps know who accessed where and when.
- Easy to scale depending on need. You can add and remove access points more easily than other methods.
- Key cards are also more durable and flexible than traditional keys
Limitations of key cards
- If stolen, they can allow for easy unauthorized access
- The magnetic stripes are susceptible to demagnetization or physical damage
A Comparative Analysis
Now that you have a good idea about the two security options, it is good we put them through a comparative analysis to understand them more. We will compare them in terms of security, versatility, customization, cost, and convenience.
1. Security
Key fobs have robust security features. Expect them to have advanced encryption techniques, making them resistant to unauthorized duplication. Each key fob has a unique code making it hard to clone, so you will end up with a high level of security whether for commercial or residential applications.
Key cards also have strong security features. They would also be encoded with unique access codes, providing more security than what you would get when using traditional keys. You may find that key cards are, however vulnerable to cloning than key fobs.
2. Convenience
In terms of convenience, we look at ease of use and maintenance or replacement. Key fobs are generally user-friendly. People are used to using them, so adapting the key fobs to other applications becomes easier. That is why you can find them used to unlock cars or residential doors.
Key cards are still easy to use, but some types, such as magnetic stripes, would require physical contact. This might not be ideal, but it is not a big deal for some people. You can always switch to contactless proximity cards.
In terms of maintenance, key fobs are low maintenance. They are built to last a long time and resist wear and tear. It is hard to find someone looking to replace key fobs. However, if you lose a key fob, replacement costs are higher.
Key cards might need frequent replacement since they wear fast. However, the cost is not high, so sometimes people do not worry so much about it.
3. Cost
The initial cost is another big determinant of which option to get. Key fobs may involve a higher initial setup cost. This is because, other than the key fobs, you need advanced RFID systems to handle them. However, you can get enhanced security and reliability even with the higher upfront costs.
Key cards are generally cheaper to set up and distribute. If you opt for magnetic stripe key cards, you will quickly discover they are the cheapest. However, proximity cards can involve a higher setup cost.
Ongoing expenses for key fobs are low. You would not have to worry about maintenance costs over the coming months or years. This is because they are durable and do not require frequent replacements.
Key cards may have a higher ongoing expense depending on how often you have to replace them. This is especially true for magnetic stripes, which can get demagnetized depending on environmental exposures.
4. Versatility
Key fobs are quite versatile and will be useful for many setups. This includes using them for residential, vehicle access, and corporate offices. Such adaptability makes it a top consideration for many people.
Key cards are still versatile. They are multipurpose in industries such as corporates, offices, and hotels. Proximity cards are more favored for their scalability and flexibility in access control systems.
5. Customization
Key fobs and key cards can all be customized to your specific access control requirements. A good example is when you need to restrict access to labs inside a research center. Both methods can work well in terms of customization to ensure they work well for your security needs.
Conclusion
Choosing between the key cars and fobs largely depends on your needs. This demands careful consideration because there are many things to keep in mind. Both technologies are good in their own ways and can still have limitations. The two cannot fit all of your security needs. That is why you should always take the time to analyze which one works best depending on your current needs.