Is Kisi or Openpath (Avigilon Alta) cheaper?

On a standalone per-door basis, both land in similar ranges in the quotes we benchmark, but Kisi publishes its starting tiers and Alta does not, so Kisi makes early budgeting easier. Alta can come in lower when bundled with Avigilon video, though that bundle deepens the platform commitment. Get quotes for your specific door count and compare directly. Tec-Tel models both side by side during the free consultation.

Are Kisi and Avigilon Alta both NDAA Section 889 compliant?

Yes. Both vendors publish NDAA Section 889 compliance documentation and are approved for federal-touching deployments. Kisi is headquartered in New York, NY. Avigilon Alta (formerly Openpath) is headquartered in Culver City, CA, and falls under Motorola Solutions' compliance framework. Tec-Tel installs both vendors and requires NDAA compliance across its installation portfolio.

What happened to Openpath? Is it still sold as Openpath?

Openpath was acquired by Motorola Solutions and rebranded as Avigilon Alta. Same hardware and software, new branding. The product line still ships and sells through resellers including Tec-Tel. When you see 'Openpath' in older comparisons or RFP language, it refers to what is now Avigilon Alta.

Which has better integrations with HR systems?

Kisi. It ships pre-built connectors to Okta, Azure AD, Google Workspace, Rippling, and BambooHR that configure in minutes without code, and access auto-revokes when an HR record is deactivated. Avigilon Alta integrates with major identity providers too, but its catalog of plug-and-play connectors is narrower. For tech-forward offices managing identity centrally via Okta or Azure AD, Kisi's integration depth is frequently the decision factor.

Does Kisi work with my existing cameras?

Yes, via integration. Kisi does not make cameras. It integrates with third-party VMS platforms (Genetec, Milestone, Verkada, and others) via API so door events can be linked to camera footage in your existing VMS. The experience depends on the VMS and the integration depth. If you want native door-event-to-camera-footage linking without any integration setup, Avigilon Alta plus Avigilon cameras gives you that out of the box. If you have a mixed camera environment and want to keep it, Kisi with API-based VMS integration is the more camera-agnostic path.

Which system should I choose if I am not sure?

Book the free consultation with our team. You walk through your door count, site layout, existing camera and video system, IT model, and what you are actually trying to fix. You leave with a written recommendation that covers Kisi and Avigilon Alta side by side for your specific deployment, a 5-year cost bracket for each, and a note on whether your camera situation opens a third path.

Compare · Cloud access control

Kisi vs Openpath (Avigilon Alta).

Two cloud-native, mobile-first access platforms, both installed by Tec-Tel. The pick comes down to one question: a pure-access layer with deep HR integrations, or native video unified into one security platform?

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

Kisi wins for tech-forward offices and coworking operators who want fast deployment, transparent per-door pricing, and deep API integrations with HR and identity tools. Openpath (Avigilon Alta) wins when you need native video unified with access, a tighter Motorola Solutions ecosystem, or a growth path into enterprise-scale multi-site deployments. Tec-Tel installs both. The right call depends on whether you need a pure-access cloud layer or a unified security platform.

§01 At a glance

The decision, point by point.

Both vendors are NDAA-compliant, cloud-native, and mobile-first. The differences show up in how each handles video, HR integrations, and the hardware ecosystem around the door.

Criterion	Kisi	Openpath
Pricing model	Per-reader cloud subscription. Kisi publishes starting tiers publicly, which is unusual in this category. Hardware is one-time; software recurs monthly or annually per door.	Per-door cloud subscription. Hardware is one-time. Pricing is reseller-negotiated and not published publicly, so benchmarking requires a quote. Bundles with Avigilon video can shift the per-door cost.
Video integration	Integrates with third-party VMS platforms via open API. No native camera line. If you run Verkada, Genetec, or Milestone for video, Kisi can link door events to camera footage via integration.	Native video integration with Avigilon cameras and Alta cloud VMS. Door unlock events surface alongside live or recorded video in a single pane. If you already run Avigilon video, this is a significant workflow advantage.
Mobile credential	Yes. iOS and Android app with Bluetooth and NFC unlock. Touch-to-unlock and hands-free walk-up modes. Apple Watch and Apple Home support are frequently cited as differentiators for tech-office environments.	Yes. iOS and Android app with Bluetooth, NFC, and hands-free unlock. Triple-tap and wave-to-unlock gesture modes. Video intercom call-to-unlock is a differentiator for multi-tenant properties.
NDAA Section 889	Compliant. Kisi is US-headquartered (New York, NY) and publishes NDAA 889 documentation.	Compliant. Avigilon Alta (formerly Openpath) is US-headquartered (Culver City, CA) and publishes NDAA 889 documentation under Motorola Solutions.
API and integrations	Open REST API with strong developer documentation. Pre-built integrations include Okta, Azure AD, Google Workspace, Slack, BambooHR, Rippling, and over 1,000 apps via Zapier. A frequent reason tech companies pick Kisi over alternatives.	REST API available. Pre-built integrations with HR systems, identity providers, and Avigilon video. API depth is solid for enterprise workflows, though the catalog of plug-and-play connectors is narrower than Kisi.
Hardware ecosystem	Kisi Pro and Kisi Controller hardware. Reader, controller, and intercom in the lineup. Wiegand-compatible readers allow replacing readers on existing Wiegand controller installations, though full cloud features require Kisi controllers.	Avigilon Alta readers, wall stations, and PoE panels. Retrofit kits exist for some legacy door hardware. Avigilon door stations double as video intercoms, which matters in multi-tenant and lobby-heavy deployments.
Multi-site management	Multi-location management in the Kisi dashboard. Works well for distributed coworking operators, franchise offices, and tech companies with regional offices. The UI lands well with non-security-specialist operators.	Multi-site management via Avigilon Alta cloud dashboard. Native unification with Avigilon cameras makes multi-site security review (video + door events together) simpler than Kisi for teams that run Avigilon video.
Lock-in	Moderate. Kisi hardware is proprietary but Wiegand compatibility softens it at the reader level. The open API reduces integration lock-in. Switching costs are primarily hardware replacement.	Moderate. Alta hardware is proprietary. The lock deepens if you also run Avigilon video, since the native integration creates workflow dependency. Switching both access and video simultaneously is more disruptive.

§02 Where Kisi wins

Pick Kisi when these matter most.

Transparent starting pricing

Kisi publishes its starting price tiers publicly, rare for commercial access control. Facilities teams can baseline a budget without a sales conversation. This matters for smaller deployments and coworking operators who need budget certainty early.

HR and identity integrations

Pre-built connectors to Okta, Azure AD, Google Workspace, Rippling, BambooHR, and Slack ship out of the box. Offboard an employee in the HR system and their access badge auto-revokes. This is the most-cited reason tech-forward offices choose Kisi.

Apple ecosystem depth plus open API

Apple Watch unlock, Apple Home, and NFC tap are polished on Kisi, which Apple-heavy tech offices notice. The well-documented REST API also lets IT automate visitor provisioning, trigger door actions from a ticketing system, or build a custom occupancy dashboard without middleware.

Coworking fit and non-specialist usability

Member management, per-space access tiers, and visitor workflows are tuned for coworking and flex-office. Facilities directors and office managers run Kisi day to day; the learning curve is shorter than most enterprise access systems, which saves time for lean teams without a dedicated security operator.

§02 Where Openpath wins

Pick Openpath when these matter most.

Native video plus access

With Avigilon cameras alongside Alta access, door events (forced open, access denied, door held open) link directly to camera footage in one timeline. Investigating a tailgating incident or after-hours entry is one click, not a tab-switch and manual timestamp cross-reference. Teams that run Avigilon video feel this daily.

Video intercom for lobbies

Avigilon Alta door stations function as video intercoms. A visitor rings from the lobby, the front desk or mobile app answers with live video and unlocks remotely. For multi-tenant buildings and unmanned lobbies, and for retrofits replacing a legacy call box, this removes a separate intercom system.

Motorola Solutions ecosystem

If your organization runs Motorola Solutions radios, CommandCentral dispatch, or Avigilon Unity cameras, Alta fits that stack without an integration project. Large enterprise and public-venue operators with Motorola in place weigh this heavily.

Enterprise multi-site scale

Alta's architecture and licensing are built for large multi-site deployments. For a company with 50+ locations or thousands of doors, the enterprise support tier, SLA guarantees, and identity-provider integration depth are more mature than Kisi's comparable tier.

§03 Pricing reality

What each vendor actually charges.

Kisi is one of the few cloud access vendors that publishes starting price points. Hardware is one-time (reader and controller); the software subscription recurs per door, monthly or annually. Published tier breakdowns make early budgeting possible without a sales call, a real differentiator for smaller and mid-market deployments where budget approval happens before a vendor is engaged. Because the subscription recurs, model the 5-year total, not the Day 1 sticker.

Avigilon Alta is quote-based through certified resellers, priced per door and negotiated on door count, contract length, and whether Avigilon video is bundled. In the quotes we benchmark, standalone Alta lands in a similar per-door range as Kisi at the mid-market. Bundled video-plus-access pricing often lowers the effective per-door rate, but the tradeoff is deeper lock-in to the Avigilon ecosystem. The access-only vs unified-platform decision affects the 5-year number more than any per-door rate difference between the two standalone.

→ Kisi: published starting tiers; one-time reader hardware; per-door software subscription, billed monthly or annually.
→ Avigilon Alta: reseller-negotiated; per-door cloud subscription; hardware one-time; video bundle may lower effective per-door cost but increases lock-in.
→ Both charge extra for premium support tiers; large-enterprise and government deployments negotiate custom SLAs.
→ Hardware replacement is the dominant switching cost for either vendor; no server to replace, but all readers and controllers are proprietary.

§04 Feature depth

Where each vendor goes deeper.

Kisi's lead is API surface and identity integrations. Okta and Azure AD sync in minutes with no code, and the Zapier catalog opens Kisi to workflow automations a facilities team can set up without IT. Apple Watch unlock and Apple Home support are polished beyond most access vendors. For tech-office operators where developers and IT admins decide, this matters.

Avigilon Alta's lead is the unified security platform. When door events and camera footage live in one timeline, an investigation that takes 10 minutes across two systems takes 60 seconds. The video intercom door station is a real differentiator for properties with lobbies or multi-tenant buildings. And the Motorola Solutions tie-in gives operators with existing Motorola infrastructure a path that does not require replacing adjacent systems.

→ Kisi: Okta, Azure AD, Google Workspace, Rippling auto-provisioning; Apple Watch + Apple Home; Zapier; strong REST API documentation.
→ Avigilon Alta: native Avigilon video timeline integration; video intercom door stations; Motorola Solutions radio and dispatch tie-in.
→ Both support mobile credentials on iOS and Android; both have hands-free unlock modes.

Questions buyers ask us

FAQ

Is Kisi or Openpath (Avigilon Alta) cheaper?: On a standalone per-door basis, both land in similar ranges in the quotes we benchmark, but Kisi publishes its starting tiers and Alta does not, so Kisi makes early budgeting easier. Alta can come in lower when bundled with Avigilon video, though that bundle deepens the platform commitment. Get quotes for your specific door count and compare directly. Tec-Tel models both side by side during the free consultation.
Are Kisi and Avigilon Alta both NDAA Section 889 compliant?: Yes. Both vendors publish NDAA Section 889 compliance documentation and are approved for federal-touching deployments. Kisi is headquartered in New York, NY. Avigilon Alta (formerly Openpath) is headquartered in Culver City, CA, and falls under Motorola Solutions' compliance framework. Tec-Tel installs both vendors and requires NDAA compliance across its installation portfolio.
What happened to Openpath? Is it still sold as Openpath?: Openpath was acquired by Motorola Solutions and rebranded as Avigilon Alta. Same hardware and software, new branding. The product line still ships and sells through resellers including Tec-Tel. When you see 'Openpath' in older comparisons or RFP language, it refers to what is now Avigilon Alta.
Which has better integrations with HR systems?: Kisi. It ships pre-built connectors to Okta, Azure AD, Google Workspace, Rippling, and BambooHR that configure in minutes without code, and access auto-revokes when an HR record is deactivated. Avigilon Alta integrates with major identity providers too, but its catalog of plug-and-play connectors is narrower. For tech-forward offices managing identity centrally via Okta or Azure AD, Kisi's integration depth is frequently the decision factor.
Does Kisi work with my existing cameras?: Yes, via integration. Kisi does not make cameras. It integrates with third-party VMS platforms (Genetec, Milestone, Verkada, and others) via API so door events can be linked to camera footage in your existing VMS. The experience depends on the VMS and the integration depth. If you want native door-event-to-camera-footage linking without any integration setup, Avigilon Alta plus Avigilon cameras gives you that out of the box. If you have a mixed camera environment and want to keep it, Kisi with API-based VMS integration is the more camera-agnostic path.
Which system should I choose if I am not sure?: Book the free consultation with our team. You walk through your door count, site layout, existing camera and video system, IT model, and what you are actually trying to fix. You leave with a written recommendation that covers Kisi and Avigilon Alta side by side for your specific deployment, a 5-year cost bracket for each, and a note on whether your camera situation opens a third path.

Get a straight comparison

One call picks the right access platform for your doors.

Tec-Tel installs both Kisi and Avigilon Alta, so there's no incentive to push one. Bring your door count, site list, and existing cameras. We'll model both systems side by side, and walk the video-unification path when it fits. Based in Morganville, NJ. Call 855-577-0400.

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