Comparison

Access Control vs Joya Home Link

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side β€” with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Access Control

Monitor your home's entrance remotely. Receive video calls from your doorbell, see visitors, and converse with them. Unlock your door and even peek outside at any time, all from your smartphone.

Highlights
  • Receive video calls from external unit
  • See and converse with visitors
  • Unlock electronic door locks remotely
  • Peek outside functionality
  • Easy QR-code setup
  • Share with family members
Features
Read full description

This app allows you to receive calls from your Niko access control external video unit, to see who is ringing the doorbell and to have a conversation with your visitor wherever you are. With the peek outside functionality you can see the visitor before unlocking the door. What do you need? Please make sure your access control system and smartphone are both connected to the internet. With this app you can immediately receive calls after completing the installation process. Niko Access Control is available in several European languages. Features: β€’ Easy setup by scanning the QR-code on the external video unit β€’ Receive video calls from your external video unit, wherever you are β€’ Unlock your electronic doorlock by using the app, wherever you are β€’ Peek outside at any time β€’ Share the app with family members β€’ Personalize the name of your external/internal video unit β€’ Select ring tones and adjust volume By downloading the app for Niko Access Control, you accept the terms and conditions that you can find on https://www.niko.eu/enus/legal/privacy.

About

Joya Home Link

Features
Read full description

Joya Home Link is installed on the child's phone. It works with Joya Home, the parent app: the parent creates the home and gives a code (or a QR code) to join it. No email and no password for the child. The idea behind Joya Home: screen time is earned by playing, as a family. WHAT'S INSIDE β€’ Live battles against a parent: rock paper scissors, Connect 4, Snake, quiz, mental math, blitz chess and the knowledge duel. The winner walks away with screen minutes… or the loser with a forfeit. β€’ The weekly math test, times tables, dictation, vocabulary, general knowledge and logic: the score turns into minutes, and weak spots come back until they are mastered. Badges and progress. β€’ The time bank: earned minutes are kept for later. β€’ Photo missions and time requests. β€’ Full-screen calls from home ("Dinner!") with a "Coming!" button. β€’ Sweet notes from parents, and the bell where everything is kept. β€’ The app's style, to choose: girl, boy or neutral. Drawings, big numbers, hardly any text. ALWAYS OPEN Even during a break: calls, emergency numbers, the alarm clock, and the "Alert my parents" button (hold for 2 seconds: the alert reaches the parents with the phone's location). THE HOME RULES Breaks (dinner, homework, bedtime, family break, the basket by the door), the daily limit, per-app limits, blocking of in-app purchases and new app installs, and the adult website filter are applied by Apple's Screen Time. This permission is given by the parent, on the child's phone, with their Apple Account. WHAT PARENTS SEE, AND THE CHILD KNOWS IT In the "My home" tab, the "Your parents can see" list follows the actual settings: battery, location only if the parent has turned it on, battles, missions, requests and scores. Never all conversations, never photos (only the photo sent for a mission goes to the parents). LOCATION Off by default. If the parent turns it on, Joya Home Link shows them where the phone is, even when the app is closed, and lets them know about arrivals and departures at family places (home, school). It is always visible in the app. PRIVACY No ads, no tracking, no data selling, nothing to buy in Joya Home Link. Trips, alerts and messages are erased after 30 days. Data hosted in Europe. Joya Home Link is free. Any subscription is taken in Joya Home, the parent app.

Screenshots

Access Control2 screens
Joya Home Link4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Joya Home Link at every 4 days against Access Control's every 9 months. Access Control's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.4). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Access Control ships an update every 9 months, Joya Home Link every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences Β· 6 level
Access Control versus Joya Home Link: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAccess ControlJoya Home Link
PriceFreeFree
Positive reviews21.2% of reviewsβ€”
Update frequencyEvery 9 monthsEvery 4 days β€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeβ€”
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod β€” betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS12.0 β€” better16.4
Further details β€” not scored
Size75 MB42 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNiko n.v.BENJAMIN TAIEB

In-app purchases

None

Access Control

No in-app purchases

None

Joya Home Link

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Access Control free?
Access Control is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Joya Home Link free?
Joya Home Link is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Access Control or Joya Home Link have ads?
Neither Access Control nor Joya Home Link shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Access Control or Joya Home Link?
Access Control ships an update every 9 months, and Joya Home Link every 4 days. Most recently, Access Control was updated on October 9, 2026 and Joya Home Link on October 24, 2026.

Other comparisons