Index vs Photon Access
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side โ with what reviewers say about each.
Index
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Close all those open tabs without the fear of forgetting them. Just click, Index and search later. Find a recipe you want to try? A restaurant? That smoothy blender youโve been waiting to buy... Index it, and search for โfoodโ later to find it all. Happy Indexing!
Photon Access
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Photon Access turns your phone into the key for your building. Open the gate and the lift with a tap โ or turn on touchless and let the door open as you walk up, without taking your phone out. EVERY DOOR YOU'RE ALLOWED, IN ONE PLACE Your buildings, and the doors you've been granted in each, on a single screen. Tap to open. If you're out of range, the app tells you plainly instead of leaving you guessing. WALK UP AND IT OPENS Turn on touchless and Photon Access notices when you arrive at your own doors and opens them for you. It stays off until you switch it on, it only ever watches for your own doors, and you can turn it off at any time. LET A VISITOR OR A COURIER IN Send one link. It opens your doors for a single visit and then expires, and it works even if they have never installed the app. Afterwards your history shows what actually happened at the door, so you know whether they got in. JOIN YOUR BUILDING IN SECONDS Invited by your building manager? Your access appears on its own. Invited by phone number? Enter the code you were sent. FOR BUILDING MANAGERS Set up access controllers, add and remove residents, issue and revoke cards, and manage units across every building you look after โ from the same app. ENGLISH AND ARABIC Fully localised, including right-to-left layout. PRIVACY Photon Access uses Bluetooth to reach the controller at your door, and location only if you turn touchless on. Your location is never sold, shared, or used for advertising, and the app contains no tracking or advertising SDK. You can delete your account from Settings at any time. Photon Access works with Photon Smart access controllers installed in your building. If you are not sure whether yours are supported, ask your building manager.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Photon Access at every 5 weeks against Index's every 15 months. Index's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Index ships an update every 15 months, Photon Access every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Index | Photon Access |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 15 months | Every 5 weeks โ better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod โ better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 โ better | 18.0 |
| Further details โ not scored | ||
| Size | 1 MB | 41 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Joseph Thom | Mark Ragaee |
In-app purchases
Index
No in-app purchases
Photon Access
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Index free?
Is Photon Access free?
Do Index or Photon Access have ads?
Which is updated more often, Index or Photon Access?
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