Fingerprint, NFC card or face recognition: which method for your school?
Each method has strengths. The right choice depends on your entrances, your budget and the level of fraud you need to prevent.
GIVEITAWAY Published 1 min read
The three most common methods can all work well. They differ on speed, cost and how hard they are to cheat.
Fingerprint
- Strengths: affordable, very hard to lend, well known by staff.
- Watch out for: dry or worn fingers; enrol two fingers per person.
- Best for: most schools, staff rooms, smaller entrances.
NFC or RFID card
- Strengths: the fastest, works for everyone, cheap cards.
- Watch out for: a card can be lent or lost; deactivate lost cards quickly.
- Best for: as a second method, or for staff who cannot use fingerprints.
Face recognition
- Strengths: contactless, fast, handles queues at busy gates.
- Watch out for: choose models with infrared live detection to refuse photos; lighting matters.
- Best for: main entrances, large schools and universities.
Combine for sensitive roles
Many terminals accept two methods at once, for example face plus card. It is a simple way to raise security where fraud has been an issue, without slowing everyone down.