How KEYVOX differs from other lockers
"Can it be managed in the cloud?" is no longer enough to choose on. Every domestic vendor now has cloud and APIs. We've lined up both the items KEYVOX wins and the ones it loses.
- 15 items
- Compared openly
- 4 items
- We recommend a competitor
- 5 items
- KEYVOX leads
- 6 items
- Even / depends on needs
The premises of this comparison
- "Other vendors" refers not to a single company but to the general locker products in circulation in Japan. Check each vendor's site for their specific product specs.
- Cloud management and API integration are now table stakes for every vendor. The largest coin-locker maker offers products with centralized cloud management, and the largest delivery-box maker supports API integration with corporate systems. "Cloud-capable or not" is no longer the deciding factor.
- The locker market splits into five lineages: coin-locker specialists, delivery boxes / residential equipment, handover lockers, made-to-order sheet-metal, and cloud-native. It's not about which is best, but which fits your requirements.
- This table also lists items where KEYVOX loses. On lead time, on-device payment, and price transparency, other vendors are sometimes the better fit.
- Other vendors' specs are updated continuously. This page is a summary based on public information as of August 2026; confirm the latest comparison directly with each vendor.
First, decide which lineage to choose from
"Smart locker" covers five lineages with different origins. KEYVOX sits at the intersection of "made-to-order commercial enclosure × open API."
Coin-locker specialists
The lineage that has long built the coin lockers in stations and commercial facilities. The largest maker produced Japan's first coin locker in 1964 and has a deep track record in enclosures and installation networks. They already offer products with centralized cloud management and contactless handover.
Best for: Short-term storage for the general public involving cash or cashless charging
Delivery boxes / residential equipment
The lineage that grew out of residential delivery boxes. Some vendors hold a 60% share in newly built condominiums, with 24-hour remote management and installation numbers as their strength. There are also products that prevent idle occupancy at the hardware level, and double-sided types that separate recipient and courier with a wall.
Best for: New condominiums and bulk adoption as residential equipment
Handover lockers (offices & stores)
Use an employee IC card directly as the key, load from the back and receive from the front, or put credit-card payment on the unit itself. This lineage specializes in handover operations for offices and stores, and it's the most crowded field right now.
Best for: Equipment lending, document handover, in-store pickup
Made-to-order sheet-metal
The lineage that draws size, color, and door shape from a blueprint. It handles production from a single unit, with short lead times of about a month of actual work. Electronic locks and cloud management are generally out of scope.
Best for: Cases that prioritize dimensions and don't need electronic locks or cloud management
Cloud-native smart lockers
The lineage designed around apps, APIs, and cashless from the start. Some vendors have demonstrated hands-free unlocking with facial recognition. KEYVOX belongs here too, but differs in that the enclosure can be made to order.
Best for: Cases where you want to embed and run it in an existing app or system
Compared item by item
| Item | KEYVOX | Other lockers |
|---|---|---|
| Integration with smart locksBecause KEYVOX owns both the smart lock and the locker in-house, you can build everything from entrance unlocking to locker unlocking in a single implementation. Note that for residences, some vendors let you use a common key for the door, entrance, and delivery box on properties that adopt their own smart lock. The difference is that KEYVOX is commercial-grade and accessible from an open API. | The same QR / PIN, an API with the same interface | Locker and lock are separate systems |
| Enclosure customizationCompared with cloud-native smart lockers. Made-to-order sheet-metal vendors also handle single units, but they don't deal in electronic locks or cloud management. | Order size and color from a single unit (50 colors) | Mostly standard sizes; custom on request |
| Delivery of drawings & quote | 2 business days from your interior/exterior dimensions | Quote on request |
| Lead time for custom unitsBecause the configuration includes electronic locks and a controller, the lead time is longer than a sheet-metal-only order locker. If dimensions are your only requirement, a sheet-metal order goes in faster. | About 3 months | Sheet-metal orders take about a month of actual work |
| Knowing the price in advanceSome large vendors with a standard office lineup publish suggested retail prices, such as about ¥1.11 million for an 11-box configuration. Because KEYVOX is quoted per configuration, a rough comparison in the early evaluation stage takes an extra step. | Everything is individually quoted | Some products publish a suggested retail price |
| DisplayAs far as we could confirm as of August 2026, residential units were 5.7–8.4 inches and the largest coin-locker maker was 15 inches. We could not confirm 17 inches on other vendors' sites. That said, it's not a difference to choose on screen size alone — a large screen matters at commercial facilities and stadiums, where the enclosure itself affects how the venue looks. | Choose 17-inch / 10-inch / monitor-less | 5.7–15 inches, or no monitor |
| Authentication methodsProducts that let you use an existing employee IC card as a key exist at other vendors too. The authentication method itself is no longer a point of differentiation. | QR code / IC card (Mifare, Felica) / PIN | QR, IC card, and PIN are all supported by every vendor |
| Facial recognitionKEYVOX's standard authentication is QR code, IC card, and PIN. We have implemented facial recognition as per-project custom work, so reach out if you have the requirement. If you need it available as a selectable standard feature, a vendor that builds facial recognition into the product will be faster to deploy. | Not supported as a standard feature; delivered on a per-project basis | Some vendors have demonstrated hands-free unlocking |
| On-device paymentIf you want to complete payment on the locker alone, a product with built-in payment is faster to build. KEYVOX is designed to lean on your existing payment infrastructure. | Integrates with external payment services via API | Some products have built-in credit-card payment |
| Open APIPublishing an API itself is progressing at every vendor. The difference shows in "whether you can handle locks and lockers in the same implementation." | Published; the same interface as the lock API | Publishing and integration are progressing at each vendor |
| Admin consoleRemote management has become an industry standard. What to look at is "how far you can reach from the API." | Remote unlock and usage history from the browser | Cloud management is supported by every vendor |
| During power / network outagesThe largest coin-locker maker's handover machine (STL series) states manual unlocking during outages and automatic recovery afterward. This is an area every vendor is coming to support. Confirm it product by product during selection. | Emergency-unlock area included; manual unlock with a physical key | Some products support manual unlocking during outages |
| Support setupKEYVOX includes first-year on-site maintenance in the price, and from the second year you can choose a maintenance plan to match your budget. Alongside it, we provide a 24-hour chat desk, ticket management, and an official community, and improvements are applied via remote update. The largest residential-equipment vendor has 24/7 maintenance and operations support and a long-standing installation network, so where uniform coverage nationwide matters, they are stronger — and if you're choosing on scale, the other side sometimes has the edge. | On-site maintenance included in year one. 24-hour chat + official community | 24/7 maintenance and operations support, a nationwide installation network |
| Billing structurePer-box metered pricing is cheaper for small configurations and adds up for large compartment counts. At some scales, a package around ¥10,000/month is more advantageous. | Box price × number of boxes + base price × number of controllers | Often a monthly package |
| Options | Acrylic doors, mail slots, custom logos | Limited, depending on the product |
Integration with smart locks
Because KEYVOX owns both the smart lock and the locker in-house, you can build everything from entrance unlocking to locker unlocking in a single implementation. Note that for residences, some vendors let you use a common key for the door, entrance, and delivery box on properties that adopt their own smart lock. The difference is that KEYVOX is commercial-grade and accessible from an open API.
KEYVOX
The same QR / PIN, an API with the same interface
Other lockers
Locker and lock are separate systems
Enclosure customization
Compared with cloud-native smart lockers. Made-to-order sheet-metal vendors also handle single units, but they don't deal in electronic locks or cloud management.
KEYVOX
Order size and color from a single unit (50 colors)
Other lockers
Mostly standard sizes; custom on request
Delivery of drawings & quote
KEYVOX
2 business days from your interior/exterior dimensions
Other lockers
Quote on request
Lead time for custom units
Because the configuration includes electronic locks and a controller, the lead time is longer than a sheet-metal-only order locker. If dimensions are your only requirement, a sheet-metal order goes in faster.
KEYVOX
About 3 months
Other lockers
Sheet-metal orders take about a month of actual work
Knowing the price in advance
Some large vendors with a standard office lineup publish suggested retail prices, such as about ¥1.11 million for an 11-box configuration. Because KEYVOX is quoted per configuration, a rough comparison in the early evaluation stage takes an extra step.
KEYVOX
Everything is individually quoted
Other lockers
Some products publish a suggested retail price
Display
As far as we could confirm as of August 2026, residential units were 5.7–8.4 inches and the largest coin-locker maker was 15 inches. We could not confirm 17 inches on other vendors' sites. That said, it's not a difference to choose on screen size alone — a large screen matters at commercial facilities and stadiums, where the enclosure itself affects how the venue looks.
KEYVOX
Choose 17-inch / 10-inch / monitor-less
Other lockers
5.7–15 inches, or no monitor
Authentication methods
Products that let you use an existing employee IC card as a key exist at other vendors too. The authentication method itself is no longer a point of differentiation.
KEYVOX
QR code / IC card (Mifare, Felica) / PIN
Other lockers
QR, IC card, and PIN are all supported by every vendor
Facial recognition
KEYVOX's standard authentication is QR code, IC card, and PIN. We have implemented facial recognition as per-project custom work, so reach out if you have the requirement. If you need it available as a selectable standard feature, a vendor that builds facial recognition into the product will be faster to deploy.
KEYVOX
Not supported as a standard feature; delivered on a per-project basis
Other lockers
Some vendors have demonstrated hands-free unlocking
On-device payment
If you want to complete payment on the locker alone, a product with built-in payment is faster to build. KEYVOX is designed to lean on your existing payment infrastructure.
KEYVOX
Integrates with external payment services via API
Other lockers
Some products have built-in credit-card payment
Open API
Publishing an API itself is progressing at every vendor. The difference shows in "whether you can handle locks and lockers in the same implementation."
KEYVOX
Published; the same interface as the lock API
Other lockers
Publishing and integration are progressing at each vendor
Admin console
Remote management has become an industry standard. What to look at is "how far you can reach from the API."
KEYVOX
Remote unlock and usage history from the browser
Other lockers
Cloud management is supported by every vendor
During power / network outages
The largest coin-locker maker's handover machine (STL series) states manual unlocking during outages and automatic recovery afterward. This is an area every vendor is coming to support. Confirm it product by product during selection.
KEYVOX
Emergency-unlock area included; manual unlock with a physical key
Other lockers
Some products support manual unlocking during outages
Support setup
KEYVOX includes first-year on-site maintenance in the price, and from the second year you can choose a maintenance plan to match your budget. Alongside it, we provide a 24-hour chat desk, ticket management, and an official community, and improvements are applied via remote update. The largest residential-equipment vendor has 24/7 maintenance and operations support and a long-standing installation network, so where uniform coverage nationwide matters, they are stronger — and if you're choosing on scale, the other side sometimes has the edge.
KEYVOX
On-site maintenance included in year one. 24-hour chat + official community
Other lockers
24/7 maintenance and operations support, a nationwide installation network
Billing structure
Per-box metered pricing is cheaper for small configurations and adds up for large compartment counts. At some scales, a package around ¥10,000/month is more advantageous.
KEYVOX
Box price × number of boxes + base price × number of controllers
Other lockers
Often a monthly package
Options
KEYVOX
Acrylic doors, mail slots, custom logos
Other lockers
Limited, depending on the product
Even in the same place, fit varies by operation
A locker isn't finished once installed — you choose it based on how the operation runs. For operations that come up often in comparisons, we line up the approach with a typical locker against the approach with KEYVOX. Based on each vendor's public information as of August 2026.
Office handover
How a typical locker does it
Vendors with a track record in residential delivery boxes offer handover lockers for offices. They bring 24/7 remote management, and their strength is being usable right after installation.
How KEYVOX does it
KEYVOX lets you use an employee IC card directly as the key, and integrate with internal directory services such as Outlook to manage permissions in step with onboarding, transfers, and offboarding. You can also build operations via API that issue unlock permission the moment a request workflow is approved.
See equipment & PC handoverHandover itself is something every vendor can do. The dividing line is "whether it rides on IT's existing setup, or adds a locker-specific operation."
Store & pharmacy pickup
How a typical locker does it
Pickup lockers for stores, and dedicated units for pharmacies, are available from various vendors. 24-hour unattended, contactless handover works out of the box if you pick the right product.
How KEYVOX does it
KEYVOX connects directly to your own order system or electronic medication records. It detects "ready" via the workflow API to issue unlock permission, and you can send pickup notifications in your own wording through your own channels.
See how to build your ownA dedicated unit deploys fast, but when requirements for notifications or identity checks grow, you end up waiting on the product side to support them.
Unattended lending at libraries & universities
How a typical locker does it
Pickup lockers for reserved materials, and dedicated lockers that lend out PCs, are available. Because the unattended-lending pattern is fixed, adoption is easy to move forward.
How KEYVOX does it
KEYVOX connects to your existing catalog system or lending management via API, so you can own the whole flow from reservation to pickup and return as your own operation. And you can design the enclosure from an interior that fits a laptop.
See sizes & configurationsHold periods and extension rules differ by organization. Whether you can own the rules yourself is the dividing line.
Valuables/luggage at hotels & museums
How a typical locker does it
Coin-locker specialists offer products by location — hotels, museums, stations, and airports. They accommodate custom builds to match interiors, and dial-based authentication is widely used.
How KEYVOX does it
KEYVOX lets you run the room key and the locker on the same QR code and PIN. Guests don't need to memorize a new number, and even after checkout they can put in and take out luggage with the same key for the rest of the day.
See luggage storageA dial requires no power or connectivity, but leaves no record of who opened it and when. The difference shows where a record of operation is required.
Member lockers at fitness & bathing facilities
How a typical locker does it
For pools, gymnasiums, fitness, and bathing facilities, options range widely from key-based to dial-based to IC-card-based. As key management that stays within the facility, it's a form that has been used for a long time.
How KEYVOX does it
KEYVOX integrates with your membership system so members can unlock with a membership card or app. You can also build operations such as varying which boxes are usable by membership tier, combined with UnlockOS membership management.
See changing-room lockersKey management that stays within the facility is light to adopt, but it's not suited to operations tied to membership data.
Unattended sales & retail
How a typical locker does it
Lockers used as unattended vending machines are in practical use, accepting e-money, transit IC, and cash payment on the unit. Adoption is progressing at stores, commercial facilities, stations, and airports.
How KEYVOX does it
KEYVOX has no payment mechanism on the unit and integrates with external payment services via API. You can use your existing e-commerce or payment infrastructure as-is.
If you want to accept cash or transit IC on the spot, a product with a built-in payment mechanism is more suitable. KEYVOX is designed to lean on existing payment infrastructure. Choose here based on your requirements.
Each vendor's specs are updated continuously. This page is a summary based on public information as of August 2026, so confirm directly with each vendor in your actual evaluation.
Locks and lockers in a single implementation
The same QR code opens the entrance and the locker
KEYVOX provides both the smart lock and the smart locker in-house. The key you hand a guest is just one, and the operational failure of "they got into the building but the locker won't open" doesn't happen. It's an experience a locker-only vendor structurally cannot provide.
You implement the API integration once
The KEYVOX API for locks and the locker API share the same interface. If you've already implemented smart-lock integration in your app, adding lockers is just adding endpoints. Bringing in another vendor's locker means carrying a separate authentication and SDK.
Extend the operation beyond the facility
For residences, there are products that let the door, entrance, and delivery box share a common key. KEYVOX's difference is that you can assemble that on commercial-grade sites — hotels, stadiums, offices, stores — and do it from your own app.
Discuss non-standard authentication case by case
The standard authentication is QR code, IC card, and PIN, but we have implemented things not in the standard feature set — such as facial recognition — as per-project custom work. Even when your requirements aren't yet firm, you can start by asking whether it's feasible.
Fit the enclosure to the site
Design from the wall dimensions
Whether you specify interior or exterior dimensions, drawings and a quote come out in two business days. We can build a "box that fits" into gaps between existing fixtures or places with ceiling-height constraints. Sites you'd otherwise have to give up on with standard-size products come back into play.
Made-to-order and cloud, together
Other sheet-metal makers handle single-unit size orders too, often with shorter lead times. But those are out of scope for electronic locks and cloud management. Conversely, cloud-native lockers are mostly standard sizes. When both are requirements, the options suddenly narrow.
Match the facility's brand color
Beyond the 50 standard colors, we support custom-mixed colors, woodgrain, military finishes, and custom logos. At commercial facilities and hotels, the locker not spoiling the venue's look is part of the specification.
Openings suited to the use
You can choose openings to match the operation — see-through acrylic doors, mail slots, and more. For mail centers and equipment lending, this one point changes how the site operates.
Openable when things stop
Emergency-unlock area for power outages
An emergency-unlock area for power outages is included. Cloud-first by design, yet it leaves an escape route so you can retrieve items inside even if power goes down.
Opens with a physical key during network outages
Even if connectivity is cut, manual unlocking with a physical key is possible. When choosing a cloud-native locker, always confirm this one point with every vendor. Time you can't retrieve items inside translates directly into lost business.
When you shouldn't choose KEYVOX
Dimensions are the only requirement, and you need it fast
If you don't need electronic locks or cloud management and just need a box that fits the site in a hurry, a made-to-order sheet-metal maker is a better fit. They produce in about a month of actual work. KEYVOX takes about 3 months because it includes electronic locks and a controller.
You want to complete payment on the locker itself
There are products with built-in credit-card payment. If you don't have existing payment infrastructure and want the locker alone to complete billing, that's faster to build. KEYVOX is designed to lean on existing payment via API.
You want to order a standard product by part number
There are large vendors with a standard lineup and published suggested retail prices. For a process where you want to lock in the amount first for competitive quotes or internal approval, that meshes better. KEYVOX is quoted per configuration.
The outlook once operation begins
Cost breakdown tied to the configuration
The monthly fee is "box price × number of boxes + base price × number of controllers." You can calculate from the configuration how much cost rises when you expand, which makes it easier to plan phased compartment growth.
Usage history stays in the cloud
Who opened which box and when is recorded in the cloud. It matters where, without a record, things become a he-said-she-said — accountability for equipment, catching long-term occupancy, and handling luggage trouble.
Questions we're often asked when comparing
In the end, why choose KEYVOX over other vendors?+
When both "you need an enclosure fitted to the site" and "you want to embed it into an existing app or system" apply. If only one applies, a made-to-order sheet-metal vendor or a cloud-native locker vendor may be the better fit. Tell us your requirements, and if another vendor fits better, we'll say so.
Don't other vendors also support cloud management and APIs?+
Yes. The largest coin-locker maker has products with centralized cloud management, and the largest delivery-box maker supports API integration with corporate systems' employee data and credentials. "Cloud-capable or not" is no longer the dividing line. KEYVOX's difference is that the smart-lock API and the locker API share the same interface, so you can handle entrance unlocking and locker unlocking in a single implementation.
Isn't a 3-month lead time slower than other vendors?+
It is slower. A sheet-metal-only order locker is produced in about a month of actual work, so if dimensions are your only requirement, that goes in faster. KEYVOX takes about 3 months because the configuration includes electronic locks, a controller, and cloud connectivity. If you have a fixed adoption date, work backward and talk to us.
Do you support facial recognition?+
Not as a standard feature. Authentication is normally by QR code, IC card (Mifare / Felica), or PIN. That said, we have implemented facial recognition as per-project custom work, so reach out if you have the requirement. If you need it usable as a standard feature right away, a vendor that builds facial recognition into the product will be faster to deploy.
Can I pay on the locker unit itself?+
The unit has no built-in payment feature. Through API integration, you combine it with the reservation system or payment service you already use. If you want to complete card payment on the unit, a product with a built-in payment feature is faster to build.
I'd like to know the price first — why isn't it published?+
Because size, color, compartment count, display, and authentication method all change with the configuration. Instead of listing a fixed price like a large vendor with a standard lineup, we deliver drawings and a quote within two business days once you specify interior or exterior dimensions. If you just want a rough figure first, let us know that too.
Can I use our existing employee badge (IC card) as the key?+
You can choose Mifare or Felica. Tell us the card standard you've already issued and we'll tell you whether it's supported. Note that products using existing IC cards as keys exist at other vendors too, so if that's your only requirement, you have plenty of options.
Can I start small and add more later?+
Yes. You can add about 10 sub units per controller. Because the monthly fee accrues per box, you can calculate the cost of expansion in advance. For very large compartment counts, a monthly-package product may be more advantageous in total.
I'm comparing options. Is it OK to show you another vendor's quote?+
No problem. Because different configurations often can't be compared directly, we'll explain after aligning them to the same conditions. If we judge that KEYVOX isn't a fit, we'll tell you why.
Lay out your requirements and we'll tell you if it fits
The installation dimensions, the compartments you need, and the systems you want to integrate. With those three, we'll tell you at the first meeting whether KEYVOX fits — and if we judge it doesn't, we'll tell you why.