PIN codes vs mobile keys: start with the guest.

The case for a keypad

A guest who knows the code does not need a charged phone at the door. That makes keypad access attractive for rental properties and arrivals where installing an app would add friction. The code can be delivered through the same channel as the arrival instructions.

Use booking-specific permissions rather than a permanent shared guest code. A PIN can still be forwarded or overheard, so its validity window and the process for changing it matter. Possession of a code is not proof of the person’s identity.

The case for a mobile key

A mobile key can sit inside a supported app or digital wallet, with a platform managing which doors the credential opens. Issuance, device eligibility and sharing behavior depend on that implementation.

The guest journey may be convenient once the key is provisioned, but first-use setup deserves testing. Try it with a new guest account, unfamiliar phone and ordinary arrival instructions, not only a staff device that is already configured.

Ask the offline question precisely

Some keypad systems validate codes locally; others require credentials to be synchronized to the lock. Some mobile keys also work locally after issuance. Neither label guarantees what happens when a new booking arrives during an outage.

Test scheduled expiry, early cancellation and a changed departure time as distinct cases. A lock may reject an expired credential locally while still needing a connection or an on-site action to learn about an earlier cancellation.

Choose a fallback before choosing a favorite

Decide how a guest enters when the phone fails, a keypad is damaged or a credential was never delivered. Protect backup access as carefully as normal access, and tell the guest how to reach help.