Wallet vs Plastic Card: Rethinking Access in the Digital Age

Access control hasn’t changed much in decades. Most buildings still hand out plastic cards or fobs — sometimes wrapped in lanyards, often lost in drawers, and frequently forgotten altogether. But, the rest of the world has moved on.

We tap our phones to pay for coffee, catch trains, and board flights. So why are we still using a chunk of plastic to enter a building?

It’s time to look at the real cost — and opportunity — of moving from physical cards to digital wallet credentials.

The True Cost of Plastic Access Cards

On paper, plastic cards seem simple. Print, hand out, done. But in practice, they’re expensive, wasteful, and fragile.

Here’s what a typical access card setup looks like:

• $20 USD per card
• 1–2 year lifespan, often shorter due to loss or damage
• 10–20% replacement rate per year
• Manual provisioning process (print, encode, deliver)
• Environmental impact from manufacturing and disposal

Even in a medium-sized building, the yearly spend on card management adds up — not just in dollars, but in staff time, risk, and operational drag.

Digital Wallet Credentials: A Smarter Alternative

Digital credentials — the kind you add to your Apple or Google Wallet — are secure, scalable, and designed for the way we already live.

Key benefits:

• ✅ Always with you – No extra thing to carry (or forget)
• ✅ Environmentally friendly – Zero plastic, zero landfill
• ✅ Instant delivery – Credentials can be issued via SMS or email
• ✅ Secure by design – Biometrics, secure enclaves, cryptographic signing
• ✅ Remote management – Issue, revoke, and update in real time

And the cost? Surprisingly low. Many wallet credentials cost less than $5 USD per user, per year — which undercuts physical cards in both cost and reliability.

Let’s Do the Math

Let’s say you manage a building with 200 users.

Plastic Cards:

• $20/card × 200 = $4,000 (every ~2 years)
• Factor in replacements and admin? Easily $5–6K/year

Wallet Credentials:

• ~$4.60 USD per user/year = ~$1,400/year
• No reprints. No delays. No landfill.

Even without automation, it’s clear which approach is more sustainable — operationally, financially, and environmentally.

So, Why Isn’t Everyone Doing This Already?

The short answer? It’s new. Not every building is wallet-ready, and not every access control system supports mobile credentials out of the box. That’s where solutions like ResiKEY come in. It bridges the gap between legacy systems and digital convenience, enabling buildings to securely issue and manage wallet-based access without a rip-and-replace upgrade.

For wallet-ready environments, ResiKey can be deployed quickly — with most of the cost front-loaded in year one (setup, integration, testing), followed by a significantly lower annual operating cost.

It’s not just a tech upgrade — it’s a strategic move.

Final Thought

The access card had its moment. But just like the fax machine or the DVD, its time is up.

Switching to wallet credentials isn’t just about cost — it’s about convenience, sustainability, and security. Whether you’re managing a residential building, office tower, or gallery space, the future is in your pocket.