AC Key vs Planning Center
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
AC Key
This app allows you to unlock doors using your smartphone, eliminating the need for physical credentials. It offers an easy-to-use interface for quick access and enables temporary access for visitors.
- Unlock doors with smartphone
- Replace physical credentials
- Grant temporary visitor access
- Customizable access duration and usage
- Easy user registration
- Visitor credentials do not require app installation
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AC Key opens all the doors to your favorite places! Aiphone’s AC Key application eliminates the need to carry physical credentials and allows you to unlock doors swiftly and with ease, using your smartphone. KEY FEATURES - AC Key offers an easy to use and interactive interface that makes unlocking doors effortless. - User registration on the AC Key application is easy and takes only seconds. - Replace traditional credentials by using your smartphone. - Grant temporary access to visitors for a predetermined time frame and amount of uses. - Visitors are not required to have the AC Key application installed to use their visitor credentials. VISITOR ACCESS AC Key allows you to create, customize, and grant visitor access credentials directly in the application. Determine the time frame and amount of use for the credential then share this with the visitor. Visitors are not required to have the AC Key application installed to use their credentials. Administrators have the ability to allow or deny users from granting visitors access as well as revoking a visitor pass after it is issued. HOW IT WORKS -AC Key only works with the AC NIO software system. - Registration requires users to request credentials from their system administrator. If you’re interested in using AC Key in your company please visit www.aiphone.com to learn more about our access control system.
Planning Center
Manage ministry activities from check-ins to follow-ups with a unified dashboard. Receive notifications, create tasks, and collaborate with your team seamlessly. Access all ministry products from one central hub.
- Ministry-wide notifications
- Access all ministry products
- Home dashboard with action items
- Task creation and assignment
- Team collaboration
- Mobile gestures for quick actions
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Ministry work doesn’t just happen at your desk. With the Planning Center app, church admins get mobile access to every product they use, their task lists, and notifications all in one place. The Planning Center you know and love, now easily accessible from the church lobby, the youth building, or wherever your ministry work takes you. Key Features Access any product — Use People, Giving, Services, Check-Ins, or any other product, all from within the app All admin notifications — Facilities requests, workflow updates, form submissions, and more Your Home dashboard — A clear overview of stats, information, and items that need your attention Tasks — Keep collaborating with your team whether you're in a coffee shop or hustling on a Sunday morning Requirements Login requires an existing Planning Center account. Any action you take on web or mobile will be synced. Support Questions, issues, or want to request new features? Go to your profile page by tapping your avatar and use the "Contact Support" link to let us know. Typical reply time is ~1 business hour.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Planning Center at 4.6 against AC Key's 4.1. Planning Center also leads on update cadence (every 11 days vs every 14 months). AC Key's advantage is iOS requirement (13.4 vs 16.4). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Planning Center holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 16 and 37 respectively.
AC Key ships an update every 14 months, Planning Center every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | AC Key | Planning Center |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.1 (16 ratings) | 4.6 (37 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | — | 45.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 16 | 37 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 14 months | Every 11 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 13.4 — better | 16.4 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 24 MB | 58 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Aiphone Corporation | Ministry Centered Technologies |
In-app purchases
AC Key
No in-app purchases
Planning Center
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is AC Key free?
Is Planning Center free?
Which has better reviews, AC Key or Planning Center?
Do AC Key or Planning Center have ads?
Which is updated more often, AC Key or Planning Center?
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