Access control with NFC cards is a familiar solution: the tenant holds a card against a reader and the door opens. For offices with a fixed group of employees that works fine. For self-storage, with changing tenants and increasingly no staff on site, it is a different story. In this article we compare NFC locks with MyLock smart locks.
How does NFC access work?
With an NFC system, every tenant receives a physical card or tag, or uses their phone as an NFC tag. It is held against a reader on the door or access panel, after which the reader verifies the tag and unlocks the door. That works well as long as someone is there to issue, collect and manage the cards.
The drawbacks of NFC in self-storage
In day-to-day self-storage operations, that card management causes a number of problems:
- A new tenant first has to pick up a card or have one sent, while booking online and using the unit right away is becoming the standard
- Lost cards have to be blocked and replaced, and every card costs money
- Cards can be passed on or copied, and a card says nothing about who is using it
- An NFC reader only works at the door itself, so managing access remotely is not possible
- Issuing, collecting and replacing cards remains manual work, including move-outs and non-payers
Using the phone as an NFC tag solves part of the card management, but the main limitation remains: the reader only works at the door itself. Managing, blocking or granting access remotely is still not possible, and the phone has to be held physically against the reader.
What MyLock does differently
MyLock smart locks work without cards. Your tenant opens the unit with a pincode or with the app in your own branding. That makes a difference across the board:
- The tenant books online and can enter right away
- You block or change access remotely from your dashboard
- Every action is logged, so you know when a unit was opened
- Tenants can grant third parties temporary access through the app
- There are no cards to issue, lose or replace
- Through the API, access is arranged automatically from your management software
Our devices cover every situation: from the XedC access panel for entrances and lifts to the Xbb and Zbb for the unit doors themselves. Battery-powered or wired, and suitable for retrofit on all brands of storage doors.
Box alarm and camera
An NFC reader only controls who can enter. Our devices go a step further. Locks such as the XbwJ have a built-in box alarm that detects attempts to force the door. When the alarm triggers, a notification is sent immediately to the tenant and to you as the operator. On the Zbb the box alarm is available as an option.
There is also camera support. The XedC access panel has a built-in camera for visual verification at the entrance, and the XbbJ for flat doors is available with alarm and camera. You review the images per device in your dashboard, so after an alert you can also see what happened.
NFC and MyLock side by side
| Feature | NFC | MyLock |
|---|---|---|
| Instant access after online booking | ✗ | ✓ |
| Works without a physical card or tag | ✗ | ✓ |
| Block or grant access remotely | ✗ | ✓ |
| Access logging | ✓ | ✓ |
| Temporary sharing without a physical handover | ✗ | ✓ |
| Box alarm and camera options | ✗ | ✓ |
| No card costs and card management | ✗ | ✓ |
When does NFC make sense?
In environments with a fixed group of users, such as an office with a reception desk issuing badges, NFC is a perfectly good solution. Self-storage works differently: changing tenants, online bookings and often no staff on site. That is where card systems fall short and where pincode and app are the better choice.
Frequently asked questions
Can a phone also act as an NFC tag?
Yes, many NFC systems support using the phone as a tag. That solves part of the card issuing, but the reader still only works at the door itself. Managing, blocking or granting access remotely remains impossible.
Are NFC cards secure?
A card says nothing about who is using it: cards can be passed on and in many cases copied. A pincode or app access is personal, is logged, and can be blocked remotely right away in case of misuse.
Can I fit MyLock smart locks on my existing storage doors?
Yes. MyLock devices are suitable for retrofit on all brands of left-hand, right-hand and roll-up doors, without modifying the doors themselves.
Does MyLock also work without staff on site?
Yes. Tenants book online and can enter right away with a pincode or the app. Management, logging and opening doors remotely is done from your dashboard, fully unmanned if you want.
Conclusion
For self-storage, access without physical cards is the logical choice. No cards to issue, remote blocking, full logging and instant access after online booking. MyLock smart locks are now used at more than 80 self-storage companies across Europe.
Want to know what this means for your facility? Contact us for a no-obligation consultation.