Is Openpath the same as Avigilon Alta Access?

Yes. Motorola Solutions acquired Openpath in July 2021 and rebranded the access control line as Avigilon Alta Access (sometimes shortened to Alta). The platform, mobile credential approach, and reader hardware continue Openpath. New marketing, contracts, and documentation use the Avigilon Alta name. Existing Openpath deployments still operate; the platform was not sunset.

Is Brivo or Openpath cheaper over 5 years?

Depends on door count and credential mix. Both run a per-door subscription, so 5-year TCO is dominated by per-door fees plus reader hardware on Day 1. Brivo's edge is broader legacy credential support, lowering retrofit costs when you already have HID iCLASS or Prox cards in circulation. Avigilon Alta's edge is bundled video plus access if you go all-in on the Avigilon stack. Model both for your door count, credential mix, and whether video is in scope.

Are Brivo and Openpath (Avigilon Alta) both NDAA 889 compliant?

Yes. Both publish NDAA Section 889 documentation. Brivo is headquartered in Bethesda, MD. Avigilon Alta sits under Motorola Solutions (Chicago, IL). Both pass typical federal-touching procurement reviews. Check the FCC Covered List for any specific vendor.

Which has better mobile credentials?

Avigilon Alta (Openpath) has the cleaner mobile experience. Wave-to-unlock and triple-tap are patented, and the flow is the smoothest in the category for offices where everyone has a smartphone. Brivo Mobile Pass works well on the same Bluetooth and NFC use cases, but mobile is one feature among many for Brivo, not the brand. If mobile-first experience decides it, Alta usually wins on that criterion.

Can I keep my existing HID iCLASS or Prox cards?

Both support legacy HID readers in retrofits. Brivo's reader portfolio is more accommodating to mixed-credential populations, making it the easier swap when several thousand badges are in circulation. Avigilon Alta reads legacy credentials too, but is tuned for mobile, so the design conversation nudges toward credential migration over time. Tec-Tel scopes the migration plan on the consultation call.

What if I'm not sure which fits?

The deciding detail is usually buried in what you already run: the credentials in employees' wallets, the video vendor on the other console, the door count by type. We go through all of it on the call, building by building, then tell you which platform fits which sites and a 5-year TCO bracket for each. If switching means re-badging people, you get a credential migration plan before anyone commits, not after.

Compare · Cloud access control

Brivo vs Openpath, from a 15-year integrator.

An unbiased, criterion-by-criterion read from an integrator that installs both. Credentials, integrations, and your video vendor decide the answer.

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NDAA-compliant
Platform-agnostic
1,000+ deployments over 15 years

Brivo wins when you need a mature cloud access platform with deep ecosystem integrations and a proven multi-tenant install base. Openpath, branded Avigilon Alta Access since Motorola Solutions acquired it in 2021, wins when mobile credentials and a polished employee experience are the priority, especially at modern offices and multi-tenant CRE. Both are NDAA 889 compliant, both run cloud-only, and both fit a typical mid-market deployment. The pick depends on credentials, integrations, and whether you also run Avigilon video.

§01 At a glance

The head-to-head that matters.

Pick the criterion that matters most to your buildings and credentials, then read the row. Capability claims are sourced to each vendor's public product documentation and NDAA Section 889 statements.

Criterion	Brivo	Openpath
Pricing model	Per-door cloud subscription plus reader hardware. Tiered plans (Brivo Access Standard, Professional, Enterprise) layer features. Quotes negotiated through certified resellers.	Per-door cloud subscription plus reader hardware. Tiered plans (Standard, Plus, Premium) under Avigilon Alta. Bundles available when paired with Avigilon video or Motorola radios.
Mobile credentials	Brivo Mobile Pass works. Bluetooth and NFC unlock supported. Solid but not the marketing centerpiece.	Mobile credentials are the brand. Wave-to-unlock and triple-tap patented flows. Cleanest employee unlock experience in the category.
Physical credential support	HID Prox, iCLASS, Mifare, key fobs, PIN. Strong legacy-credential coverage; works in retrofits where existing badges live.	Mobile-first by design. Supports cards and fobs but the platform is tuned for mobile and biometric. Retrofits with heavy legacy badge populations need extra design work.
NDAA Section 889	Yes. Brivo publishes NDAA 889 compliance.	Yes. Avigilon Alta (Motorola Solutions) publishes NDAA 889 compliance.
Video integration	Open API integrations across Eagle Eye Networks, Rhombus, Verkada (limited), Cisco Meraki MV, and others. No first-party video product.	Native tie-in to Avigilon Unity and Avigilon Alta video. Cleanest single-pane experience if you also run Avigilon cameras. Third-party video via API.
Visitor management + intercom	Brivo Visitor (separate module) and partner integrations (Envoy, SwiftConnect). Brivo Onair Pass for guests.	Avigilon Alta Aware (visitor + intercom) is bundled into the Alta family. Single-vendor stack if Alta covers the full need.
Open API + ecosystem breadth	Strong. 30+ documented integrations: HR (BambooHR, Rippling), SSO (Okta, Azure AD), and PSIM. The mature ecosystem play.	Solid and growing. SSO, Okta, Azure AD, Slack alerting, HRIS connectors. Expansion accelerated post-Motorola acquisition.
Best fit	Multi-tenant CRE, healthcare, education, regional chains where legacy credential sprawl is real and ecosystem integrations matter.	Modern offices, tech companies, multi-tenant CRE that prioritizes employee experience, and customers already running Avigilon video.

§02 Where Brivo wins

Pick Brivo when these matter most.

Mature multi-tenant track record

Brivo runs at thousands of multi-tenant CRE buildings, school districts, healthcare networks, and regional chains. Load-tested at scale longer than most.

Legacy credential retrofits

HID iCLASS, Prox, Mifare, fobs, PINs all supported. When you have several thousand existing badges in circulation and reissue is the wrong move, Brivo lowers the migration cost.

Ecosystem integrations

HRIS connectors (BambooHR, Rippling, Workday), SSO (Okta, Azure AD), and PSIM tie-ins are documented and in production at peer customers. Mature integrations save IT effort.

Video-vendor independence

Brivo works with Eagle Eye Networks, Rhombus, Cisco Meraki MV, Verkada (limited), and others. If your video stack isn't Avigilon, Brivo gives wider choice.

§02 Where Openpath wins

Pick Openpath (Avigilon Alta) when these matter most.

Mobile-first employee experience

Wave-to-unlock and triple-tap are the cleanest mobile-credential flows in the category. Modern offices where everyone has a phone feel it every day.

Avigilon video alignment

Native single-pane access plus video if you run Avigilon Unity or Avigilon Alta video. Click an access event, see the clip. Cleanest investigation flow when both sides are Avigilon.

Identity-provider sync

Okta, Azure AD, Google Workspace, JumpCloud auto-provisioning. New hires get access on Day 1. Departures lose it at termination. IT teams standardized on SSO feel the fit.

Modern offices and Motorola ecosystem

Tech-forward companies and modern multi-tenant CRE that want the front door to feel as good as the product. And where Motorola radios, CommandCentral, or APX are already in place, Alta ties in natively.

§03 Pricing reality

How each vendor actually charges.

Neither vendor publishes a public price list. Quotes are negotiated through certified resellers. Both run a per-door cloud subscription that recurs annually for the life of the deployment.

Brivo: reader and controller hardware is a per-door one-time cost (Brivo readers, ACS6000 or ACS300 controllers). The subscription is tiered (Standard, Professional, Enterprise); higher tiers unlock visitor management, advanced reports, and integrations. Terms are typically 1, 3, or 5 years. Add-ons (Brivo Visitor, Onair Pass, video, SSO) are separate SKUs.

Avigilon Alta: reader and controller hardware is a per-door one-time cost (Smart Reader, Smart Hub, door hardware). The subscription is tiered (Standard, Plus, Premium); tiers unlock identity-provider sync, video tie-in, biometrics, and visitor plus intercom. Bundle discount when paired with Avigilon video or Motorola radios. Add-ons (Alta Aware, biometric readers, elevator control) are separate SKUs.

→ Subscription recurrence: both run a per-door cloud subscription annually. Tier selection (Standard vs Premium) drives most of the variance on a 25-door office over 5 years.
→ Reader refresh: reader hardware on both carries a 5 to 10-year useful life. A 5-year window usually doesn't trigger a refresh.
→ Credential lifecycle: mobile credentials on Avigilon Alta typically carry a per-user fee bundled in the subscription. Physical badge reissue stacks up at scale in legacy environments.
→ Lock-in: both lock you into their reader hardware. Switching means new readers at every door plus credential migration. Factor a switching cost into your 5-year model.

Questions buyers ask us

FAQ

Is Openpath the same as Avigilon Alta Access?: Yes. Motorola Solutions acquired Openpath in July 2021 and rebranded the access control line as Avigilon Alta Access (sometimes shortened to Alta). The platform, mobile credential approach, and reader hardware continue Openpath. New marketing, contracts, and documentation use the Avigilon Alta name. Existing Openpath deployments still operate; the platform was not sunset.
Is Brivo or Openpath cheaper over 5 years?: Depends on door count and credential mix. Both run a per-door subscription, so 5-year TCO is dominated by per-door fees plus reader hardware on Day 1. Brivo's edge is broader legacy credential support, lowering retrofit costs when you already have HID iCLASS or Prox cards in circulation. Avigilon Alta's edge is bundled video plus access if you go all-in on the Avigilon stack. Model both for your door count, credential mix, and whether video is in scope.
Are Brivo and Openpath (Avigilon Alta) both NDAA 889 compliant?: Yes. Both publish NDAA Section 889 documentation. Brivo is headquartered in Bethesda, MD. Avigilon Alta sits under Motorola Solutions (Chicago, IL). Both pass typical federal-touching procurement reviews. Check the FCC Covered List for any specific vendor.
Which has better mobile credentials?: Avigilon Alta (Openpath) has the cleaner mobile experience. Wave-to-unlock and triple-tap are patented, and the flow is the smoothest in the category for offices where everyone has a smartphone. Brivo Mobile Pass works well on the same Bluetooth and NFC use cases, but mobile is one feature among many for Brivo, not the brand. If mobile-first experience decides it, Alta usually wins on that criterion.
Can I keep my existing HID iCLASS or Prox cards?: Both support legacy HID readers in retrofits. Brivo's reader portfolio is more accommodating to mixed-credential populations, making it the easier swap when several thousand badges are in circulation. Avigilon Alta reads legacy credentials too, but is tuned for mobile, so the design conversation nudges toward credential migration over time. Tec-Tel scopes the migration plan on the consultation call.
What if I'm not sure which fits?: The deciding detail is usually buried in what you already run: the credentials in employees' wallets, the video vendor on the other console, the door count by type. We go through all of it on the call, building by building, then tell you which platform fits which sites and a 5-year TCO bracket for each. If switching means re-badging people, you get a credential migration plan before anyone commits, not after.

Get a straight comparison

A free consultation picks the right access platform for your buildings.

Tec-Tel installs both vendors, so there's no incentive to push one on a generic page. Bring your door count, existing credentials, video vendor, and any compliance constraints. We model Brivo and Avigilon Alta side by side over five years for your specific shape.

Tell us how many sites you run and what's already in place. We'll show you what a build or upgrade looks like.
Straight answers from the team that does the work. We're platform-agnostic, so you get the system that fits your sites, not one brand's catalog.

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