ButterflyMX vs Latch vs Swiftlane
All three put a video intercom at the front door and let residents open it from a phone. ButterflyMX publishes its prices, integrates with the longest list of property management systems, and says it’s in more than 20,000 buildings. Latch, which now calls itself DOOR, pairs its intercom with its own smart locks, but it has been shrinking, and its intercom showed as sold out on its store in September 2026. Swiftlane leads with face recognition, which in Illinois brings obligations under the Biometric Information Privacy Act. We’re a ButterflyMX dealer. Every fact below links to its source so you can check it.
How the three compare
| ButterflyMX | Latch (DOOR) | Swiftlane | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry panels | 8-inch and 12-inch, surface or recessed; up to 1080p video, 156° view, IP65 | Latch Intercom with a 7-inch screen; camera sold separately | Swiftvision 5-inch, Pro 7-inch, SwiftReader X 8-inch, Max 10-inch |
| Answering visitors | App, or a regular phone call; press 9 to open | DOOR app (audio or video), or any phone; press 9 to open | A regular phone call by default, press 9; app video calls optional |
| Ways in | App, 6-digit PIN, fob or key card, QR visitor passes, virtual keys, phone wallet pass | App by Bluetooth, 7-digit door code, key card, NFC on Android | Face recognition (optional), app, PIN, fob or NFC, QR, voice |
| Deliveries | Single-use Delivery Pass code with a photo; optional package room | Couriers reach a virtual doorman, with Concierge Pro | Single-use or scheduled delivery PINs with a photo log; Amazon Key for Business |
| Property systems | Yardi, RealPage, Entrata, AppFolio, BuildingLink, MRI, ResMan, Buildium, Rent Manager, Condo Control, FirstService Residential, Vantaca, and more | Yardi, RealPage, Entrata, AppFolio, MRI | AppFolio, Entrata, RealPage, Yardi, Buildium; BuildingLink not listed |
| Hardware price | $3,995 to $6,495 per panel, published | Intercom $3,999, camera $499; both marked sold out Sept. 25, 2026 | Not published |
| Software price | $30 to $42 per unit per year, published | Not published | Not published |
| Power and network | 24V DC, no PoE; a battery backup (UPS) is required for the warranty; wired network recommended | 12V or 24V DC, or PoE++; built-in cellular backup that DOOR says may be turned off | 12 to 24V DC or PoE+; wired Ethernet required; optional cellular router |
| Company | Private, New York; FTV Capital growth investment in January 2025 | Latch, Inc., renamed DOOR in August 2025; trades over the counter | Private |
From each company’s product pages, support articles, stores, and filings, checked September 25, 2026. r:home is a ButterflyMX dealer.
Three questions to settle before you choose
Will the company be around?
An intercom should last a decade. ButterflyMX took a growth equity investment from FTV Capital in 2025. Nasdaq suspended trading in Latch shares in August 2023 after it missed filings, and Latch finished restating its financials in December 2024. It reported a $53.7 million net loss for 2025 and cut about 32 percent of its staff in August 2026. Swiftlane is private and doesn’t publish financials.
Face recognition in Illinois
Swiftlane’s face recognition is optional. If a building turns it on, Illinois’s Biometric Information Privacy Act requires a written release from each person and a public retention policy, with statutory damages for violations. Swiftlane’s face recognition FAQ doesn’t mention the Illinois law. ButterflyMX’s entry methods don’t include face recognition.
When the internet goes down
All three depend on the internet. ButterflyMX added Bluetooth Fallback in August 2026, so the app can open compatible doors during an outage, and it requires battery backup power. DOOR’s intercom carries a cellular backup it says may be turned off. Swiftlane sells an optional cellular router.
Why we install ButterflyMX
- Prices you can check. Hardware and software are published, so a board can budget before anyone visits.
- It fits the building’s software. The integration list covers widely used property and condo systems, including BuildingLink, Yardi, and Condo Control.
- Nobody gets left out. Residents without smartphones answer on a landline and press 9, or use a fob or PIN.
- Certified installation. ButterflyMX requires installers to be certified for dealer pricing and to keep the warranty.
It has limits too. Video to the resident is one-way by default, the panel needs wired power with a battery backup rather than PoE, and resident lists sync with property software once a day. We plan around each on the site walk.
Comparing building intercoms
Is Latch still in business?
Yes, as of September 2026. Latch, Inc. operates under the name DOOR, which it adopted in August 2025. It reported $15.6 million in second-quarter 2026 revenue, down 18 percent from a year earlier, cut about a third of its staff in August 2026, and its intercom and camera were marked sold out on its online store on September 25, 2026. Ask any vendor how long it will support the hardware you buy.
Which one costs the least?
Only ButterflyMX publishes both hardware and software prices: $3,995 to $6,495 per panel and $30 to $42 per unit per year. DOOR lists its intercom at $3,999 but doesn’t publish software fees, and Swiftlane quotes each project. Installation, door hardware, power, and network are extra with all three.
Can an Illinois building use face recognition at the front door?
It can, but Illinois’s Biometric Information Privacy Act applies. Before collecting a scan of face geometry, the building needs a written release from each person and a public retention policy, and the law sets damages of $1,000 per negligent violation and $5,000 per intentional or reckless one. Talk to your association’s attorney before turning it on. This isn’t legal advice.
Can residents without smartphones use these intercoms?
Yes. All three can ring a regular phone, including a landline, and the resident presses 9 to open the door.
Can we switch from Latch to ButterflyMX?
Yes. The entry panel is replaced, and the door strike and wiring can often stay if they’re in good shape. Latch smart locks aren’t on ButterflyMX’s published list of lock integrations, so plan to either run them separately or replace them.
Tell us about the building
We’ll walk the entries with you, look at the doors and what’s in the walls today, and send a written proposal with the panel, door hardware, and a price. There’s no charge for the walk.
- ButterflyMX: Video intercoms
- ButterflyMX: Cost and pricing
- ButterflyMX: Features for residents
- ButterflyMX: Phone call experience (updated July 24, 2026)
- ButterflyMX: Bluetooth Fallback (Aug. 18, 2026)
- ButterflyMX Help Center: What is Delivery Pass
- ButterflyMX: Integrations
- ButterflyMX: 8-inch and 12-inch video intercom installation guide v1.1
- FTV Capital: ButterflyMX growth equity investment (Jan. 14, 2025)
- DOOR (Latch): Shop, all products
- DOOR (Latch): Latch Intercom
- DOOR support: Intercom calls
- DOOR support: Unlock methods
- DOOR: Property management integrations
- Latch support: Intercom power and network requirements
- Latch support: Intercom cellular backup
- Latch, Inc. 10-K for 2025 (filed March 31, 2026), via StockTitan
- Latch, Inc. (DOOR) second-quarter 2026 results, via StockTitan
- Latch, Inc. SEC exhibit on August 2026 workforce reduction
- Business Wire: Latch receives Nasdaq notice (Aug. 9, 2023)
- SecurityInfoWatch: Latch rebrands as DOOR (Aug. 2025)
- Swiftlane: Video intercom
- Swiftlane support: Intercom calls to residents
- Swiftlane: Visitor PIN access
- Swiftlane support: Integrations
- Swiftlane: SwiftReader X installation manual
- Swiftlane: Apartment video intercom buyer’s guide
- Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act, 740 ILCS 14
Manufacturer specifications and prices are as published in September 2026 and can change. We confirm current figures when we quote.