EVVA
Vienna lock maker whose AirKey sends phone keys over the internet and whose Xesar runs locally or in the cloud
Quick Overview
| Company | EVVA Sicherheitstechnologie GmbH |
|---|---|
| Category | Access Control Systems |
| Headquarters | Vienna, Austria |
| Founded | Not stated |
| EU Presence | Yes - Austria (EU) |
| Data Location | Not stated on the pages checked |
| Open Source | No |
| GDPR Compliant | Yes |
| Self-Hosting | Yes - Xesar can run in a locally installed network |
| Main Features | AirKey online administration, keys by SMS, AirKey app, cloud interface API, multi-administration, Xesar user roles, Xesar Mobile Service, multi-tenancy in Xesar 3.4 |
| Pricing | AirKey changes use KeyCredits (packs of 10, 50, 100 or Unlimited), prices not on the page checked; Xesar prices not on the pages checked |
| Best For | Shared offices, housing and service businesses moving from master keys |
| Replaces | Brivo |
Detailed Review
EVVA is a locking specialist registered at the commercial court of Vienna, so both of its electronic systems grew out of mechanical key management. AirKey needs an AirKey cylinder, a smartphone and internet access, and keys can be sent by text message.
Xesar targets larger systems such as residential developments, educational buildings and offices, with a choice between local operation and the cloud.
AirKey
The online administration is described as free of charge, with an app for iPhone and Android that turns a phone into one or more keys. Each creation or change of an access authorisation costs one KeyCredit, sold in packs or as KeyCredit Unlimited.
Multi-administration lets several admins and sub-admins with limited rights manage separate company locations, and an AirKey cloud interface exposes functions to your own software.
Xesar
Xesar supports multi-user operation with user roles and several payment models. The cloud-based Xesar Mobile Service lets on-premise installations use smartphones, while the system itself does not have to be in the cloud.
The vendor news page lists Xesar 3.4 features including multi-tenancy.
Hardware
AirKey supports cylinders, wall readers, padlocks and cam locks, and works with key tags, cards or combi keys when no smartphone is at hand.
Limitations to Consider
AirKey runs on a KeyCredit model, so cost depends on how often you change rights, and the credit prices were not on the page we read. Xesar has no public price list on the pages we read. The system is built on EVVA components, and the pages checked do not say where the AirKey cloud is hosted.
Who Should Use EVVA
Operators replacing master-key plans in rental buildings, shared offices and field-service fleets. Sites needing turnstiles and camera linking should look at Axis Communications instead.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Online administration free of charge
- Keys sent by text message
- Xesar can stay on a local network
- API for AirKey
- Multi-administration for several locations
Cons
- KeyCredit model adds running cost
- Prices not shown on checked pages
- Tied to EVVA components
- Hosting location unstated
Alternatives to EVVA
Other European access control systems worth comparing before you decide:
Tapkey
Austria · Phone-as-key access with a free plan for five people
Paxton
United Kingdom · Installer-sold door entry with licence-free Net2 and Paxton10 software
iLOQ
Finland · Battery-free digital locks managed from one cloud platform
SALTO
Spain · Salto KS cloud access control next to on-premise Salto Space
See all European access control systems or compare them directly against Brivo on our alternatives page.
Frequently Asked Questions
EVVA states that one KeyCredit is required to create and change access authorisations in AirKey. They come in packs of 10, 50 or 100, or as KeyCredit Unlimited.
Yes. The vendor says you decide whether to manage the system in a locally installed network or via the cloud, and the Xesar system itself does not have to be in the cloud.
AirKey has a cloud interface with public API documentation and a demo tool, so third-party software can send keys.