Joe DownsCEO & Co-Founder, Belrose Storage Group. Founder, Storage Moguls.

4 Main Access Control Options Explained

2 Mar 2026 · 1 min

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Four ways to control gate access: keypad codes (cheap, easy to share), RFID cards (harder to share), smartphone apps (convenient, needs strong signal), and license plate recognition (most secure, most expensive).

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Once you select your manufacturer, you need to decide how your tenants will actually get through the gate. There are 4 main access control options, each with different costs and security levels. Keypad entry is the most common and simplest method where tenants use a PIN code. It's reliable, but codes can easily be shared. RFID cards or fobs offer more security because they're harder to share, but they add a small cost per card. Smartphone apps are a growing trend, offering convenience through Bluetooth entry, but they rely heavily on a strong signal. And finally, license plate recognition, or LPR, is the premium option. It's seamless and highly secure, but comes with a significant price tag.