Ubiquiti launches UniFi Access to reimagine door access control

Ubiquiti has officially taken the wraps off its new UniFi Access product that is aimed at reimagining door access control.

If you aren’t familiar with Ubiquiti, you’ll want to learn more about the company in a previous article I wrote about how their founder was a former Apple Wi-Fi engineer and went on to create a very successful networking company. Ubiquiti makes high-performing but low-cost networking products for the enterprise. They also offer a UniFi Protect product that I deployed a few months back. Ubiquiti is also behind the AmpliFi products that I believe are some of the best home routers on the market. I’ve been using the AmpliFi Alien since late last year, and it’s been fantastic.

Its access control solution wasn’t a secret product as it had been promoted as “coming soon” on Ubiquiti’s website for a few months, and the access control starter kit had been in the “early access” store for a few weeks. Today, it’s officially out of early access and available to purchase. I am using the UniFi Dream Machine Pro as the firewall and UniFi controller at my school, so it’s going to be as simple as starting up the Access application.

If you’ve never worked with access control product, you likely won’t understand how revolutionary UniFi’s interface is for access control. The current solutions are very clunky, and they look like they were designed in 1998.

Ubiquiti estimates that a UniFi Access setup for 25 doors would cost just under $8,000, while a typical manufacture would be nearly $40,000 for a similar solution (not including installation, locks, etc).

I’ve been very happy with my Ubiquiti products thus far, and I am looking forward to getting my hands on UniFi Access. On the door side, they have NFC readers, using an app to unlock, or using the door bell product that can ring a receptionist to unlock the door. If you have any existing access control solution, it’s compatible with most electric bolts, magnetic locks, or electric strikes.

Ubiquiti is also offering a special promotion: New UniFi Access customers who share a story on the Ubiquiti Community will get a $100 voucher for the UniFi store.