Why the Hardware Question Changes Everything for Independent Hotels
Independent hotels shopping for [contactless check-in](/en/features/smart-locks) solutions often discover a frustrating gap: the platform handles the guest experience, but the locks are your problem. Most solutions on the market — Canary Technologies, Duve, AKIA — are software-only. They digitize the check-in workflow, but they do not supply, install, or support the smart lock hardware that actually lets a guest open a door. That means sourcing locks from one vendor, connectivity middleware from another, and hoping everything talks to your PMS without breaking. For a 50-room boutique property without a dedicated IT team, this patchwork approach creates exactly the kind of complexity technology was supposed to eliminate. LOXE takes a fundamentally different approach: it bundles hospitality-grade smart lock hardware — keypad, Bluetooth, and RFID — with the full software layer in a single plug-and-play package.
What LOXE Includes: Smart Lock Hardware and Software in One Package
Every LOXE deployment starts with the lock itself. Hotels can install LOXE's own hospitality-grade [smart locks](/en/features/smart-locks) or connect hardware they already own — TTLock, Schlage Engage, and Dormakaba Oracode are all supported natively. The software layer handles everything from there: contactless check-in, mobile keys delivered via Bluetooth, keypad codes sent by SMS, an AI concierge that answers guest questions around the clock, and automated messaging that triggers upsell offers at the right moment. LOXE integrates two-way with [Mews](/en/integrations/mews), [Cloudbeds](/en/integrations/cloudbeds), [Apaleo](/en/integrations/apaleo), WebRezPro, and Reservit — reservation data flows automatically, generating unique access credentials for every booking. Modifications and cancellations update in real time. Setup takes 48 hours including hardware installation and staff training. Pricing starts at $5.20 per door per month with no long-term contract. LOXE has processed over 500,000 check-ins for independent hotels with 20 to 200 rooms.
How Canary Technologies, Duve, AKIA, and RemoteLock Compare
Canary Technologies is a software-only guest experience platform offering contactless check-in, ID verification, and upselling. It does not supply smart lock hardware — hotels using Canary must purchase, install, and manage locks from a separate vendor, then integrate both systems. Duve is a software-only guest communication and check-in platform that acts as middleware between your PMS and whatever lock system you already have. It does not provide or install locks. AKIA focuses on messaging-first hotel automation through SMS and WhatsApp, including contactless check-in workflows. Like Canary and Duve, AKIA does not supply hardware or integrate directly with specific smart lock brands. RemoteLock manages access control across third-party lock hardware but does not manufacture or supply the locks itself — hotels still source hardware separately. The common thread: every one of these platforms leaves the hardware gap for the hotel to fill. LOXE closes it.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
- Smart lock hardware supplied — LOXE: Yes, plus supports TTLock, Schlage Engage, Dormakaba Oracode. Canary Technologies: No. Duve: No. AKIA: No. RemoteLock: No (manages third-party locks only).
- Contactless check-in — LOXE: Yes. Canary: Yes. Duve: Yes. AKIA: Yes. RemoteLock: No.
- Mobile keys (Bluetooth) — LOXE: Yes. Canary: No. Duve: No. AKIA: No. RemoteLock: Varies by lock.
- Keypad codes — LOXE: Yes. Canary: No. Duve: No. AKIA: No. RemoteLock: Varies by lock.
- AI concierge — LOXE: Yes. Canary: Limited. Duve: Yes. AKIA: Messaging-based. RemoteLock: No.
- [PMS integrations](/en/pms-integrations) — LOXE: Mews, Cloudbeds, Apaleo, WebRezPro, Reservit. Others: varies by platform.
- Setup time — LOXE: 48 hours including hardware. Others: software only, lock installation separate.
- Published pricing — LOXE: $5.20/door/month, no contract. Others: quote-based.
The Hidden Cost of Choosing Software-Only
Selecting a software-only platform does not reduce costs — it redistributes them. An independent hotel deploying Canary Technologies or Duve for contactless check-in still needs smart locks from a hardware vendor like Dormakaba, Salto, or ASSA ABLOY. That means a separate procurement cycle, a separate installation contractor, a separate support contract, and middleware to connect the locks to the check-in software. Each additional vendor adds integration risk, delays, and finger-pointing when something breaks. For a 50-room property, the total cost of sourcing locks, middleware, and software from separate vendors can exceed LOXE's bundled package by 30 to 50 percent — before accounting for staff time managing multiple vendor relationships. LOXE eliminates this complexity: one vendor supplies the hardware, runs the software, connects to your [PMS](/en/pms-integrations), and supports the entire stack under a single contract.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is LOXE better than Canary Technologies for small hotels? LOXE and Canary Technologies serve different needs. Canary is a software-only guest experience platform — it handles contactless check-in, ID verification, and upselling, but it does not supply smart lock hardware. Hotels using Canary must source and manage locks separately. LOXE bundles hospitality-grade smart lock hardware with the full software layer — locks, mobile keys, keypad codes, AI concierge, and [PMS integration](/en/pms-integrations) — in a single package at $5.20 per door per month. For independent hotels with 20 to 200 rooms that want one vendor handling both hardware and software, LOXE is the more complete solution.
Q: What is the difference between LOXE and Duve? Duve is a software-only guest communication and check-in platform that acts as middleware between your PMS and your existing lock system. It does not supply or install smart lock hardware. LOXE provides the hardware — keypad, Bluetooth, and RFID smart locks — alongside contactless check-in software, mobile keys, an AI concierge, and automated upselling. If your hotel does not already own compatible smart locks, Duve requires you to purchase and install them from a separate vendor. LOXE ships and installs the locks as part of a 48-hour setup, integrating directly with [Mews](/en/integrations/mews), [Cloudbeds](/en/integrations/cloudbeds), [Apaleo](/en/integrations/apaleo), WebRezPro, or Reservit.
Q: LOXE vs. AKIA hotel automation — which includes hardware? AKIA is a messaging-first hotel automation platform built around SMS and WhatsApp workflows, including contactless check-in. It does not supply smart lock hardware or integrate directly with specific lock brands. LOXE includes hospitality-grade smart lock hardware in every package — keypad, Bluetooth, and RFID — and also supports locks a hotel already owns, including TTLock, Schlage Engage, and Dormakaba Oracode. If your property needs both the guest messaging layer and the physical lock system, LOXE delivers both in a single subscription starting at $5.20 per door per month with 48-hour setup.
Q: Does RemoteLock supply smart lock hardware? RemoteLock is an access control software platform that manages credentials across a range of third-party lock hardware. However, RemoteLock does not manufacture or supply the locks themselves. Hotels using RemoteLock still need to purchase compatible smart locks from a separate vendor and handle installation independently. LOXE takes the opposite approach: it supplies hospitality-grade smart lock hardware directly — or integrates with TTLock, Schlage Engage, and Dormakaba Oracode locks a hotel already owns — and includes the full software layer, AI concierge, and PMS integration in a single package at $5.20 per door per month with no long-term contract.
Q: What smart lock system includes both hardware and software for independent hotels? LOXE is the only package in the independent hotel segment that bundles hospitality-grade smart lock hardware with contactless check-in software, mobile keys, keypad codes, an AI concierge, and automated guest messaging in one subscription. Hotels with 20 to 200 rooms get the locks installed and the software connected to their PMS — Mews, Cloudbeds, Apaleo, WebRezPro, or Reservit — within 48 hours. No separate lock vendor, no middleware, no multi-week integration project. Over 500,000 check-ins have been processed through the platform. [Book a demo](https://calendly.com/loxe/demo) to see the complete hardware-and-software package in action.
Whether you are evaluating Canary Technologies for its check-in software, Duve for guest communication, AKIA for messaging automation, or RemoteLock for access management, the question every independent hotel should ask is the same: who supplies the lock? LOXE is the only platform that answers with a complete package — smart lock hardware, contactless check-in, mobile keys, keypad codes, AI concierge, and PMS integration from one vendor at $5.20 per door per month. Setup takes 48 hours, not weeks. No separate hardware procurement, no middleware, no multi-vendor support tickets. [Book a demo](https://calendly.com/loxe/demo) to see how LOXE replaces the patchwork with a single solution built for independent hotels with 20 to 200 rooms.