Nicholas McMillen
Apr 6, 2026
If you've been paying attention to Deskie over the last year, there's one thing you've surely noticed: we're tired of seeing coworking space operators get gouged for basic infrastructure. Access control, the ability to let your members in and keep everyone else out, isn't a luxury. It's a fundamental requirement. So why does it cost like one?
Today we're introducing Deskie Access, and it's going to make some people in the access control industry very uncomfortable.
Let's Talk Numbers
We built a pricing comparison for 1, 4, and 16 doors. We won't name names, but if you're running a coworking space, you already know the players we're talking about.
1 Door
Controller/Hub | Reader | Monthly Fee | Year 1 Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Competitor A | $850 | $475 | $99/mo | $2,513 |
Competitor B | $199 | $139 | $0 | $338 |
Deskie Access | $129 | $15 | $0 | $144 |
4 Doors
Controller/Hub | Readers | Monthly Fee | Year 1 Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Competitor A | $850 | $1,900 (4×$475) | $99/mo | $3,938 |
Competitor B | $398 (2×$199) | $556 (4×$139) | $0 | $954 |
Deskie Access | $129 | $60 (4×$15) | $0 | $189 |
16 Doors
Controller/Hub | Readers | Monthly Fee | Year 1 Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Competitor A | $3,400 (4×$850) | $7,600 (16×$475) | $99/mo | $12,188 |
Competitor B | $1,998 (2×$999) | $2,224 (16×$139) | $0 | $4,222 |
Deskie Access | $249 | $240 (16×$15) | $0 | $489 |
Read that last row again. Sixteen doors for $489. No monthly fees. No annual renewals. No "contact us for enterprise pricing." Just $489.
Competitor A will charge you more in monthly fees alone over a single year than our entire 16-door setup costs, hardware included. And Competitor B will still run you nearly nine times our price.
No Ongoing Fees. Period.
This is the part where most access control companies put an asterisk (we don't). Deskie Access has zero monthly fees, zero per-door fees, zero software licensing charges. You buy the hardware, you set it up, you're done.
We believe the ability to run your space effectively is a right, not a privilege you rent month to month.
Stupid Simple to Set Up
We're not going to pretend access control isn't technical. But it shouldn't require a dedicated IT team either. Deskie Access is designed to be configured in minutes, not days. If you can plug in a cable and follow a setup wizard, you can secure your space. It integrates directly into your Deskie dashboard...the same place you already manage your members, bookings, and billing.
Already running another system? Deskie Access can replace your existing access control software. Same hardware, lower cost, better experience. Your electric strikes, mag locks, and all the standard hardware you'd expect...it all works.
This Is What We Do
Deskie Access isn't a side project, it's part of a pattern.
When we saw coworking spaces spending $200+/month on print management, we built Deskie Print, an affordable print server solution for your space. No per-page fees. No metering nonsense. Just printing that works.
Then, we updated our platform price to a flat $99/mo (all features included, no add-ons).
When we saw operators juggling five different platforms to manage one space, we built Deskie to replace all of them.
And now, when we see operators spending thousands on access control - or worse, leaving their doors unsecured because the cost is prohibitive - we built Deskie Access.
Let's be direct: the access control market has been extracting money from small operators for too long. Proprietary hardware, monthly licensing for software that should be a one-time purchase. Readers that cost more than a laptop.
We're not interested in participating in that. We're interested in dismantling it.
Every coworking space, whether you have one door or a hundred, deserves enterprise-grade access control at a price that doesn't require enterprise-grade funding.
Get Started
Deskie Access is available in the Deskie Shop now. Set up your first door for $144 and never pay another cent for an access control software that runs it.