What it is
Smart-lock management software coordinates access credentials across reservations, people and doors. It may create scheduled codes, show device status or connect to booking software, but those capabilities depend on the specific lock, account and integration. The lock manufacturer supplies hardware and its ecosystem; an access platform manages compatible devices; a PMS feature places access beside the reservation; an API gives developers building blocks for their own application. These are different purchases. A connected unit door also does not solve the building entrance, elevator or shared gate automatically. For a Colombian property, include door fit, local installation, connectivity and a supported fallback in the decision. This comparison concerns the operating software and integration, not a security certification or a universal recommendation of lock hardware.
Understand the market
Access in the operating platform
Sixto and Guesty Locks Manager place access beside hospitality work or reservations. Evaluate the connected provider, permissions and the handoff from a stay to a credential. Neither should be interpreted as a manufacturer of every supported lock.
Dedicated access and property platforms
RemoteLock, Operto and PointCentral provide different specialist approaches to access and connected properties. Compare the proposed software and hardware package, shared entrances, installation and support rather than assuming their entire device ecosystems are equivalent.
A manufacturer ecosystem
Nuki Smart Hosting centers on Nuki hardware and its hosting integrations. Evaluate it when standardizing suitable doors around one manufacturer. Confirm regional eligibility, accessories and the booking connection before treating the hardware and service as a complete guest-access solution.
Summary table
Scroll the table horizontally to compare all criteria. Each product links to its detailed assessment below.
| Product | Best fit | Product type and strength | Colombia and integration fit | What to verify | Official source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sixto | Operators connecting access with guest review and daily work | Hospitality operations with connected access | Colombia-focused workflow; hardware fit requires confirmation | Providers, permissions, device lifecycle and fees | Sixto |
| RemoteLock | Portfolios needing dedicated access control across doors | Specialist access-management SaaS | Colombian hardware and support require confirmation | Model support, common areas and package boundaries | RemoteLock |
| Operto | Hotels and rentals planning a broader connected-property setup | Hospitality access and device-management specialist | Colombian deployment requires confirmation | Hardware design, mobile-key journey and support | Operto |
| PointCentral | Rental managers considering access and property-device management | Smart-property platform with access management | Colombian service territory requires confirmation | Installation, connectivity and complete device package | PointCentral |
| Guesty Locks Manager | Operators already using the Guesty reservation ecosystem | PMS-linked smart-lock management | Provider and Colombian hardware fit require confirmation | Product plan, model exceptions and reservation changes | Guesty Locks Manager |
| Nuki Smart Hosting | Operators standardizing suitable doors on Nuki hardware | Manufacturer hardware and hosting ecosystem | Colombian product and service availability require confirmation | Door fit, regional eligibility and partner fees | Nuki Smart Hosting |
What matters in the comparison
- Exact hardware: list brand, model, firmware, bridge or hub, account region and existing installation. Compatibility must be confirmed for that combination, not just the brand name.
- Credential lifecycle: demonstrate creation, start time, date changes, cancellation, checkout and revocation on the device. A request accepted by software is not the same as a credential confirmed on the lock.
- Access boundaries: separate guest, staff, owner and vendor permissions. Test unit doors and common areas without granting access to unrelated properties.
- Failure behavior: test unavailable internet, an offline device, low battery and a failed code update. Establish who can physically help and how staff see unresolved actions.
- Reservation and review workflow: identify the system that decides access readiness and the one that sends instructions. Avoid conflicting automations across the PMS, access platform and manufacturer app.
- Colombian deployment and cost: verify local installation, replacement parts, support hours and account eligibility. Price hardware, software, integrations and device removal separately.
We reviewed official product pages and available help documentation. We did not conduct hands-on trials, measure reliability, obtain private quotes or certify legal compliance. A documented feature still requires confirmation for your plan, integration and property.
Sixto: access connected to guest operations
Best for: Operators connecting access with guest review and daily work
Sixto is a starting point for Colombian operators who want connected access in the same operational context as reservations, guest information and team work. It is hospitality software, not a lock manufacturer or a promise that every door can be connected. Its lock workflows use supported connected services, including Guesty Locks Manager, subject to the configured provider, linked account, selected devices and permissions. The useful demonstration begins with a stay and follows the team’s decision to prepare or release access. Evaluate that workflow against the locks you actually own.
Confirm device selection, account boundaries and the behavior of each access action rather than assuming a provider connection proves the whole lifecycle. Test changed dates, cancellation, offline status and removal of a device. Ask how software and provider charges stop when a lock is no longer used. Treat those as acceptance criteria for your setup. [1]
RemoteLock: an access layer across a portfolio
Best for: Portfolios needing dedicated access control across doors
RemoteLock is an access-management specialist to evaluate when a portfolio has multiple doors, users and compatible lock systems. Its vacation-rental offering describes guest, staff and vendor access, scheduled credentials and connections to booking software. Common doors and other access points are also part of the broader product discussion. That makes it relevant when access itself needs a dedicated operational workspace, even if the reservations remain in another system. Ask for a demonstration of your unit doors and building entrances together, with the exact hardware and package identified.
Verify supported models and which common-area or device functions are included in the proposed plan. Confirm the booking-system integration and who resolves failures across the two services. For Colombia, establish equipment sourcing, installation and support coverage before committing. The general portfolio proposition does not establish compatibility with every door or availability of every hardware service locally. [2] [3]
Operto: hospitality access and connected devices
Best for: Hotels and rentals planning a broader connected-property setup
Operto Access addresses hospitality entry through time-bound codes or mobile keys and describes lock monitoring and more complex shared-space scenarios. It is a relevant candidate when the operator wants to coordinate access with a broader connected-property project rather than simply generate a code for one apartment. Review the combination of software, lock technology and supporting devices proposed for your building. If mobile keys are part of the plan, inspect the complete guest journey, including the application or other credential method the guest must use.
Require a device-by-device scope and confirm which capabilities are available through the selected integration. Ask how shared spaces, intercoms or elevators would be implemented in your building rather than relying on general product language. Colombian installation, hardware availability and support terms require confirmation. Include an offline arrival and a staff-assisted recovery in the acceptance demonstration. [4]
PointCentral: access within smart-property management
Best for: Rental managers considering access and property-device management
PointCentral combines access with a wider smart-property offering for short-term rentals. Its official page describes locks alongside thermostats, water-management and other connected-device functions, with a central dashboard and installation options. It deserves consideration when the investment covers more than guest entry, for example managing access and monitoring property systems across a portfolio. The comparison should therefore cover the proposed device package and operational responsibilities. A buyer interested only in door codes should identify the exact access scope rather than assuming the entire smart-property package is necessary.
This is a deployment to qualify for Colombia, not an assumption of local availability. Confirm the supported hardware, connectivity requirements, installer arrangements and service territory in writing. Ask which alerts your staff must handle and how failed access is escalated. Evaluate only the devices and services you actually need, with separate pricing and a clear exit plan. [5]
Guesty Locks Manager: access inside the reservation platform
Best for: Operators already using the Guesty reservation ecosystem
Guesty Locks Manager is a natural comparison for an operator whose reservations already live in Guesty. It places compatible lock connections, reservation codes and lock information within the vacation-rental platform. Its documentation describes generation of codes for confirmed reservations, access monitoring and checkout deactivation. Evaluate it as a PMS-linked access feature rather than a standalone lock manufacturer. The practical benefit to examine is whether the staff member handling a reservation can understand and resolve its access status without switching between unrelated systems.
Use Guesty’s provider-specific connection documentation during the demo. A supported brand does not mean every model, protocol or manufacturer application is interchangeable. Confirm the correct Guesty product and subscription, shared-door behavior and any separate provider fees. In Colombia, verify local hardware fit and support. Test a moved booking and a failed update, not only initial code creation. [6] [7]
Nuki Smart Hosting: a manufacturer ecosystem
Best for: Operators standardizing suitable doors on Nuki hardware
Nuki Smart Hosting is different from a multi-brand access platform because it is centered on Nuki’s own hardware ecosystem and hosting service. Its support documentation lists direct and partner integrations and describes access changes following booking changes and expiry after checkout. This makes it relevant when an operator is standardizing compatible doors around Nuki rather than managing a mixed collection of lock systems. Review the specific hardware, keypad or other credential method and the integration route, including whether configuration belongs in Nuki Web or a partner application.
Confirm the exact lock and door compatibility, required accessories and regional service availability before purchasing hardware for Colombia. A launch announcement for another country is not evidence of local eligibility. Clarify the Smart Hosting subscription and any partner charges, then test changed dates, offline operation and checkout on the chosen installation. Do not generalize behavior across every Nuki model or integration. [8] [9]
Choose around the operation you actually run
These illustrative situations show how the shortlist changes with your existing systems and staffing. They are not customer case studies.
An aparthotel wants access tied to guest readiness
The operator needs staff to review arrivals before connected access becomes part of the stay.
Start with Sixto if the team wants access alongside reservations and guest work. If the property already runs on Guesty, compare its Locks Manager within that existing operation. In either case, demonstrate the exact configured release decision and the state shown when a required step is incomplete. Test the actual supported lock rather than a simulated screen alone. Confirm date changes and cancellation, and establish who can intervene on site. The buying criterion is a reliable, understandable handoff between the stay and the door, with clear responsibility for unresolved actions.
- Hold access for an incomplete arrival.
- Change the checkout time and inspect the device result.
- Resolve an offline or failed-code state.
A portfolio has mixed doors and shared entrances
Units use different compatible devices, and guests also need a building entrance or shared amenity.
Compare RemoteLock and Operto as dedicated access platforms, and PointCentral if the project also includes wider smart-property functions. Provide a door inventory before the demo and require a proposed design for unit and shared access. Ask which functions need additional hardware, subscriptions or installation. Confirm Colombian service coverage and a local recovery route. A successful test at the apartment door does not complete the building journey. Pilot a property with the difficult shared entrance first so the most important constraint is resolved before buying devices for the whole portfolio.
- Use one stay to test unit and common doors.
- Revoke one guest without affecting another stay.
- Confirm installation and emergency support locally.
An operator is standardizing new hardware
The operator wants a consistent lock setup across suitable doors and a supported booking connection.
Evaluate Nuki Smart Hosting when the preferred route is a manufacturer ecosystem with suitable hardware and a supported booking integration. Compare that with a dedicated access platform if different doors require different brands. Start with the physical door requirements, then confirm the guest credential method, regional service availability and support responsibilities. A custom API integration is a separate engineering project, so include ongoing development only if a team will own it. Whichever route you choose, prove device removal and the credential lifecycle, then reconcile the subscription after the pilot. Buy hardware after confirming compatibility.
- Confirm door fit, exact model and credential method.
- Add and remove a pilot device and reconcile billing.
- Identify who supports the hardware and booking integration.
A practical rollout plan
Survey doors and ownership
Inventory unit entrances, building doors, gates and shared spaces. Record exact devices, accounts, accessories and who owns them. Confirm permission to change the physical installation and arrange qualified local installation where required. Define the staff member responsible for emergency entry and preserve an appropriate existing fallback during the pilot.
Connect only the approved pilot
Choose representative doors and confirm the exact account and device selection. Set staff permissions, property mappings and reservation rules before creating guest access. Record which software controls the credential and which sends instructions. If several tools can automate the same lock, decide which is authoritative and disable conflicting workflows through their supported controls.
Test the whole credential lifecycle
Create scheduled access, change the stay, cancel it and confirm checkout behavior on the actual device. Test a disconnected lock and the approved recovery path. Check shared doors and staff permissions separately. Record unresolved actions and device confirmations. A screen saying that a request was sent is insufficient evidence that every door is ready.
Reconcile operation and ongoing costs
Review the pilot with reception, operations and whoever responds on site. Check device status and failed actions, train staff and document escalation. Test removal of a no-longer-used device and verify the relevant software and provider subscriptions. Expand only after the guest journey, support responsibilities and expected charges are understood for the chosen setup.
Compare the complete cost
Request a complete bill of materials and service proposal. Separate locks, keypads, bridges, controllers, installation, connectivity and replacement parts from software subscriptions. Ask whether fees apply per unit, per physical door, per connected device, per property or through a PMS add-on. Common entrances may add access points even when the number of rentable units stays the same.
Account connection, device selection and cancellation can affect more than one subscription. Ask which charges are billed by the operating platform, lock provider, access service or integration partner, and what action actually ends each charge. Include support, emergency callouts and engineering maintenance when relevant. Do not assume that hiding or unlinking a device in one screen cancels every underlying service.
Demo checklist
Questions
Will a supported brand work with every lock model?
No such assumption is safe. Model, protocol, bridge, firmware, account region and manufacturer application can affect the available features. Use the provider’s current compatibility documentation and test the exact installation. Ask separately about scheduled codes, remote unlock, battery information and access logs; support for one function does not prove support for all of them.
Is an access API a ready-to-use property-management system?
No. An access API provides developer building blocks for connecting supported devices and issuing credentials. It can power a finished hospitality application, but that application must implement reservation rules, the user experience and operational controls. Unless a technical team owns the integration, evaluate the completed platform and its support contract rather than comparing an API subscription with turnkey software.
Will the lock work if the internet goes down?
That depends on the hardware, credential type and what was successfully programmed before the outage. Ask the vendor to demonstrate the exact offline scenario, including an existing code and a new reservation made during the outage. Establish a supported fallback and local assistance. This guide does not make an offline guarantee for any listed product.
Can the same system handle a building gate and unit door?
Possibly, with supported hardware and the appropriate configuration. Shared entrances may use a different access system and may belong to the building rather than the rental operator. Demonstrate the complete arrival path and confirm authorization for the installation. Verify that revoking one stay does not interrupt another guest’s legitimate access to the common door.
Does guest verification happen inside lock software?
Not necessarily. Access software may manage credentials while another system handles guest information and review. Sixto is relevant when those steps belong in the broader operational workflow, but the exact configured dependency still needs demonstration. Identify which system decides readiness, which creates the credential and which sends it, including what happens when a required step fails.
Does disconnecting a lock stop all billing?
Do not assume that it does. The operator platform, access service and manufacturer may have separate subscriptions or device rules. Ask for the removal procedure and confirmation of the billing effect at each layer. Test it with a pilot device and reconcile the relevant account or invoice before expanding the rollout. Keep this responsibility explicit in the contract.
Official sources
Official product documentation and authority sources reviewed for this guide. Features, eligibility and commercial terms should be confirmed for your property.