Comparison
Lockbox or digital access?
Prague apartments let guests in without a front desk in three ways. We compared them by what matters at 11 pm, when the guest is standing outside the building.
The three options side by side
| Criterion | Lockbox | Electronic key cabinet | Nestrio digital access |
|---|---|---|---|
| What the guest gets | A combination, and a key inside | A code for the cabinet, and a key in the compartment | A unique link for the reservation |
| Building front door | Another key or fob in the box | Depends on where the cabinet is. If it's elsewhere in the city, the guest collects the key first | One link opens the front door and the apartment |
| Late arrival | Yes | Yes if the cabinet is in the building; at a shared location, subject to opening hours | Yes, any time after the reservation is paid |
| Lost key | Replace the cylinder | Replace the cylinder | Nothing to lose; access ends on its own after checkout |
| Cleaning and maintenance | Shared combination or their own keys | Their own code for the compartment | Their own time window by role |
| Who came in and when | Unknown | You know when the key was taken | Every door opening is logged |
| Internet outage | No effect, it's mechanical | Needs a connection. New reservations don't sync during an outage and are handled manually | Designed so that a power or internet outage does not stop access |
| What gets installed | A box on a wall or railing | A cabinet with power and internet, or a rented compartment elsewhere | A lock on the apartment door (yours or rented) and a module on the building entrance |
| Noise, smoke, temperature | No | No | Yes, in the Core plan |
What suits your operation
When a lockbox is enough
You rent only occasionally and don't want to install anything. Or you need something for a few weeks while you decide. A lockbox is the cheapest start. Keep in mind the key can be copied and you won't know who has it.
When digital access pays off
You have one apartment or several, and you want to come across as professional. You don't want the risk of lost or copied keys. Guests arrive late, cleaning staff rotate and you want to know who was in the apartment and when. And you'd rather hear about a party at 10:40 pm than from a neighbour the next morning.
What it costs
Nestrio is billed monthly per unit, depending on the plan and modules you choose. See current prices on our pricing page.
Safer for everyone
A key in a lockbox on a railing is visible to anyone walking down the street. Florence banned lockboxes for short-term rentals in 2025 on public-safety grounds, and Spain's Valencia region has banned handing over keys through lockboxes on the street. Digital access is valid only for the stay and ends on its own. That's safer for guests, for you and for the neighbours.
We'll show you on your own apartment
In the demo we walk through a guest arrival, the building door and the sensors using a real scenario from your apartment.
Data collection and access logging are fully GDPR compliant.