Key takeaways:
- Enterkey is a hardware-free option for phone-dialing buzzers, but setup still depends on property management changing the unit directory number.
- Enterkey Pro costs $9.99 per month or $69.99 per year after a 14-day trial, and its former free tier ended in July 2026.
- Timed keys, schedules, PINs, and household sharing simplify guest access, but Enterkey is limited to iOS and does not offer video verification.
Disclaimer: ButterflyMX provides these blog posts to help our customers and potential customers make the right business decisions. Our blog posts are based on the information available to us at the time of writing.
This Enterkey review covers an iOS app that turns a compatible apartment buzzer into a more flexible visitor-access tool. It gives an existing phone-dialing buzzer a virtual number, then forwards calls to residents or follows configured entry rules.
Before considering the features, answer three questions: Can your buzzer dial a phone number? Does everyone who needs app access use an iPhone? And will property management change the unit directory number? This review explains Enterkey’s compatibility, pricing, features, limits, customer feedback, alternatives, and how it compares with an intercom system with video from ButterflyMX.
This guide will answer:
- What is Enterkey?
- How does Enterkey work?
- Enterkey features and access options
- How much does Enterkey cost?
- Enterkey review: pros and cons
- Enterkey alternatives
- Enterkey vs. ButterflyMX
- Frequently asked questions
- Is Enterkey worth it?
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What is Enterkey?
Enterkey is an iOS apartment buzzer app that assigns a virtual number to an existing phone-dialing buzzer. When a visitor buzzes, Enterkey can forward the call to household members or apply an access rule without adding equipment at the entrance.
Operated by Black Peak Creative Inc. in British Columbia, Canada, Enterkey works through the property’s existing telephone-entry equipment. It is meant to make one apartment buzzer more useful, not replace every door, gate, camera, or access workflow in a building.
The consumer Enterkey Pro account supports one building. Enterkey for Business adds a web dashboard for managing multiple properties, residents, keys, and activity under one login.
Who is Enterkey best for?
Enterkey is best for iPhone-based households with a compatible buzzer that want simpler access for guests, deliveries, roommates, cleaners, caregivers, or short-term rental visitors.
A strong fit usually includes all of the following:
- The building buzzer can call a regular phone number.
- Property management can update the unit directory number.
- People who need independent app access use iPhones.
- The household wants forwarding and automated entry without door hardware.
- Audio access is enough, so video verification is not required.
Enterkey is not a strong fit for Android-only or mixed-platform households because there is no Android app. It also serves a different need than ButterflyMX, a property access and security platform that includes video intercoms, access control, mobile access, and visitor access.
How does Enterkey work?
Enterkey gives the resident a local virtual phone number. The building buzzer calls that number, and Enterkey either forwards the call to household members or responds automatically when a timed key, schedule, or valid PIN applies.
The service uses standard telephone calling rather than customer-installed entrance hardware, Ethernet, or Wi-Fi. Residents still need normal cellular or data service to use the iOS app.
Will Enterkey work with your buzzer?
Enterkey works only when the building buzzer can dial a phone number. A system hardwired solely to an in-unit landline handset cannot call the Enterkey virtual number, so it is not compatible.
Enterkey’s compatibility guidance covers Mircom, Enterphone, TekTone, Linear, DoorKing, Viking, dial-out Aiphone, and generic call boxes. That guidance is helpful, but buyers should still confirm that their specific panel can dial an outside number.
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The Enterkey App Store listing specifies iOS 15.0 or later and a 54.4 MB app size. For mixed-platform households, iOS availability is a purchase gate, not a minor detail.
What does Enterkey installation require?
Enterkey requires no professional installation, wiring, power work, or customer-purchased door hardware. But hardware-free does not mean coordination-free.
- The resident creates an account and receives an Enterkey virtual number.
- The resident asks property management to replace the unit directory number with that number.
- The resident tests buzzer calls, forwarding, and the configured unlock command.
Enterkey describes the directory update as the main setup step and says it is typically completed in about a day. In practice, timing depends on how quickly the property manager responds and whether staff can edit the buzzer directory.
That dependency matters for renters. A buzzer may be technically compatible, yet Enterkey will not work until someone with building access completes the change.
Enterkey features and access options
Enterkey combines forwarded buzzer calls with timed auto-unlock keys, recurring schedules, permanent PIN-protected access, and spoken or typed guest PINs. These options give Enterkey more automation than a basic call-forwarding service.
Main Enterkey access methods
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Timed keys use presets from 5 minutes to 12 hours, including 5-, 15-, 30-, and 45-minute windows and 1-, 2-, 4-, 8-, and 12-hour windows. That range can cover a quick courier visit or a longer guest-access period.
Enterkey supports PINs that visitors can type or speak. Spoken entry can help when a visitor is carrying packages or facing a worn keypad. Permanent keys require a PIN because they do not expire.
Household sharing and activity logs
Household members can join through an invite link, receive buzzer calls, and unlock under one subscription. That can be useful for roommates because access is not tied to one resident’s phone.
Enterkey’s activity log records entries, denied attempts, forwarded calls, timestamps, and the key or schedule used. It gives residents a basic record of buzzer activity, but Enterkey remains audio-only and does not provide camera or video verification.
How useful is Enterkey for deliveries and recurring visitors?
Enterkey can reduce the need to answer every expected buzz. Residents can arm a short key before a food delivery or set a weekly schedule for a cleaner, caregiver, or dog walker.
Enterkey says 59% of buzzer calls in a 90-day server-log window were answered automatically by an armed key. This is a company-reported figure, not an independent benchmark, but it indicates that automated entry accounts for a meaningful share of calls in that period.
Residents still need to set the right key or schedule. Enterkey does not list smart-lock, property-management-system, or calendar integrations in its documented compatibility options. A 2026 category comparison also distinguishes Enterkey from services that offer automatic delivery-detection workflows.
That narrower scope may be enough for a resident who only needs buzzer automation. Properties seeking connected package rooms, smart lock integrations, visitor access, and access control may need a broader platform such as ButterflyMX.
How much does Enterkey cost?
Enterkey Pro costs $9.99 per month or $69.99 per year. The annual plan equals about $5.83 per month, and new consumer members receive a one-time 14-day trial.
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The Business plan uses the same price points as the consumer plan, but charges apply to each property. It also adds centralized administration, resident and admin invitations, activity visibility, and prorated billing when properties are added.
An optional custom welcome message costs $4.99 as a one-time purchase. It applies to the household, and users can change the recording without buying the add-on again.
Is there a free Enterkey plan?
No. Enterkey ended its former free tier in July 2026, so older reviews or comparison pages that describe a free-forever option are outdated. The current consumer offer is a paid plan after the 14-day trial.
Some older third-party material also describes Enterkey pricing as undisclosed. Current official pricing is public, so buyers should use the latest pricing page rather than an older roundup.
What happens when you cancel Enterkey?
Auto-unlock stops immediately after cancellation. Call forwarding continues for 14 days, and Enterkey holds the virtual number for 30 days.
This gives residents time to restore a personal phone number in the building directory instead of creating an immediate dead end for buzzer calls. It does not extend automated entry during the grace period.
Enterkey review: pros and cons
Enterkey is a focused upgrade for a compatible apartment buzzer. Its main benefits are hardware-free setup, useful entry automation, household sharing, and clear pricing. Its main tradeoffs are iOS-only access, audio-only entry, buzzer compatibility, and property-manager coordination.
Enterkey pros
- No new door hardware: Enterkey uses an existing phone-dialing buzzer, so it does not require professional hardware installation.
- More than call forwarding: Timed keys, recurring schedules, and PINs can admit expected visitors without a resident answering live.
- Household sharing: Invited members can receive calls and unlock under one subscription instead of paying per phone.
- Simple public pricing: Enterkey offers one consumer plan with monthly and annual billing plus a 14-day trial.
- Useful compatibility guidance: Documentation covers several common legacy call-box brands and unlock digits for some systems.
- Cancellation buffer: Fourteen days of continued forwarding gives residents time to change the building directory number.
Enterkey cons
- iOS only: Android users cannot independently answer buzzes or manage keys in the Enterkey app.
- No video verification: Residents can hear or admit a visitor, but cannot see that person through Enterkey.
- Strict buzzer requirement: Enterkey cannot work with a system limited to an in-unit wired handset.
- Property-manager dependency: A renter needs management to update the directory before setup is complete.
- Limited published software integrations: Buyers seeking smart-lock, property-management, calendar, or connected package workflows may need a different product scope.
- One building per consumer account: Individual users managing more than one property need the Business product.
- Small review sample: The available rating is positive, but too limited to show performance at scale.
What do Enterkey customers say?
The Enterkey App Store listing shows a 4.2 out of 5 rating from 19 ratings. Positive comments focus on convenience for deliveries, guests, and shared household access.
The sample is small, so it should not be treated as conclusive evidence of long-term reliability. One reviewer also reported unwanted follow-up calls after downloading the app and raised a data-retention concern. That is one reported experience, not proof of a wider pattern.
Enterkey alternatives
The best Enterkey alternative depends on why Enterkey does not fit. Android support, a lower entry price, hosting workflows, a free starting point, or broader building access needs each lead to a different shortlist.
- Lowkey Buzzer: Lowkey supports iOS and Android, which may suit mixed-platform households. Its listed consumer tiers range from $11.50 to $19.87 per month, so its lowest tier costs more than Enterkey.
- Ringo: A 2026 category comparison lists Ringo plans from $3.99 to $18.99 per month. It may appeal to buyers who prioritize a lower starting price, though they should compare plan features carefully.
- FreshBuzzer: The same comparison describes FreshBuzzer as a $4-per-month web-based option with PIN forwarding and iCal sync, which may appeal to some short-term rental hosts.
- Protobuzz: Protobuzz is presented as a cross-platform option with a free tier for buyers who want iOS and Android access without an initial subscription cost.
- ButterflyMX: ButterflyMX belongs on the shortlist when a property is considering video intercoms and a broader access and security platform instead of a renter-level forwarding app.
Ringo, FreshBuzzer, and Protobuzz details above come from a competitor-published category comparison, so buyers should check current vendor terms before choosing a plan. Enterkey and Lowkey pricing are available directly from their respective websites.
Enterkey vs. ButterflyMX
Enterkey and ButterflyMX both address visitor entry, but they solve different scopes of the problem. Enterkey is an audio-based app for an existing phone-dialing buzzer, while ButterflyMX is a property access and security platform with video intercoms, access control, mobile access, visitor access, and other connected products.
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Enterkey may be the more relevant category for a renter who wants to improve one compatible buzzer without changing building hardware. ButterflyMX is the more relevant comparison for owners and operators considering visual visitor access and a coordinated property access system.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Enterkey cost?
Enterkey Pro costs $9.99 per month or $69.99 per year and includes a 14-day trial for new members. Enterkey for Business uses the same prices per property and does not include a trial.
Is Enterkey free?
No. Enterkey ended its previous free tier in July 2026, although older reviews and comparison pages may still mention it.
Will Enterkey work with my apartment buzzer?
Enterkey can work if the buzzer dials a phone number. It will not work with a system hardwired only to an in-unit landline handset.
Does Enterkey support Android?
No. Enterkey is available only for iOS and requires iOS 15.0 or later.
Does Enterkey require Wi-Fi or a landline?
Enterkey does not require customer-installed Wi-Fi or a landline because the buzzer calls a virtual number. The resident still needs normal cellular or data service on the iPhone.
Can roommates share one Enterkey subscription?
Yes. Household members can join through an invite link, receive buzzer calls, and unlock under one subscription.
Does Enterkey support video?
No. Enterkey is audio-only and does not add a camera or video verification to the existing buzzer.
What happens if I cancel Enterkey?
Auto-unlock stops immediately, call forwarding continues for 14 days, and Enterkey holds the virtual number for 30 days.
Can Enterkey manage multiple properties?
The consumer account supports one building. Enterkey for Business provides a web dashboard for multiple properties and charges per property.
Is Enterkey worth it?
Enterkey is worth considering if your building has a phone-dialing buzzer, everyone who needs the app uses an iPhone, and property management will update the directory number. For that buyer, $9.99 per month or $69.99 per year provides practical automation for guests, deliveries, and recurring visitors without new entrance hardware.
The biggest tradeoffs are the lack of Android support and video verification. Buyers who need smart-lock integrations, broader access control, or coordinated entry across doors, elevators, vehicles, and package areas should compare products in a wider property access category.
ButterflyMX is one option for properties that want video intercoms, mobile and visitor access, access control, and other access and security products in one platform. Compare buzzer compatibility, household devices, visitor workflows, property scope, and video needs before deciding which approach belongs on your shortlist.
Explore ButterflyMX to evaluate a broader property access and security platform for your building.
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