Envoy has built a fantastic product. What started as a visitor management system has now evolved into a complete platform for managing modern workspaces.
That being said, Envoy is also among the highest priced solutions other there, and with tons of companies offering similar software, it is reasonable to at least consider alternatives that might be a better fit.
Before we start...
Envoy is a multi-product solution. Instead of listing 50 different vendors, we try here to compare the best solutions in Envoy’s core product areas: visitor management and room and desk booking.
The data reported here has been thoroughly researched, is updated to 2024 and is accurate to the best of our knowledge.
Visitor Management
There are lots of visitor management systems out there. Pretty much all of them cover basic features like visitor registrations, forms and questionnaires, visitor logs and analytics. Beyond that, two things are important to consider: pricing and integrations.
Integrations are crucial to ensure your visitor management solution works with your current tools, whether it’s identity, calendar apps, communication apps or access control.
Pricing… well, we don’t really need to explain why that matters!
While Envoy offers a great visitor management solution, there are alternatives out there offerings similar features at a much lower price point. As you can see below, we are one of them.
Visitor Management: Archie vs Envoy
When you compare Archie’s plan with Envoy’s, you end up with similar features at less than half the price. Envoy’s Enterprise plan requires custom pricing, and it includes both features offered by Archie in the normal plan, as well as some that Archie doesn’t offer.
If you are a large enterprise with custom requirements, a pricing comparison like the one above doesn’t make much sense, but for more companies in the 100 to 1,000 employees range, then it’s a good indicator.
Some of the features offered by both Archie and Envoy
- Badge assignment and printing
- Visitor photos
- Check-in & check out tracking
- Customizable sign-in forms
- Document e-signature
- Host notifications
- Customized branding
- Visitor analytics
- Access control integrations
- SSO and directory integrations
- Registrations in advance
- Kiosk app
- Frequent visitors setting
- Post-visit surveys
- Visitor directions
Desk Booking
There are a lot of solutions enabling hybrid workspace models, usually offering desk and room booking along with some additional features.
Companies like Tactic, Eden and Archie price their plans based on resources (desk, conference rooms, etc.), while others like Envoy and Robin price them based on users (employees or other people requiring access).
The difference can be pretty big, with Envoy’s plans being 5 or 6 times more expensive than Archie’s.
In the example above, 100 desks used by 300 employees would cost $324/month with Archie compared to $1,500/month with Envoy (or $2,100/month for companies that need emergency notifications and custom admin management features).
Pricing isn’t everything, a solution needs to work for your specific needs, that’s why we encourage you to take a deeper look at the capabilities of our desk booking software, from interactive floor plans to employee search functions.
Some of the features offered by both Archie and Envoy
- Interactive floor plans
- Colleagues lookup
- Desk usage analytics
- Check-in at workstation
- Recurring bookings
- Seat assignment
- Mobile app
- Google & Office 365 Calendar Sync
- SSO & SCIM
- Open API
Meeting Room Scheduling
Just like for desk booking, meeting room booking solutions can be priced based on number of rooms or number of users, which leads to very large differences in price.
In the example above with 25 meeting rooms and 500 employees, the difference between Archie and Envoy is quite staggering, with Envoy being between 10 and 22 times more expensive. The same applies to companies like Tactic or Skedda, whose pricing, just like Archie is based on resources instead of users.
Once again, you might think that the price difference comes at the expense of features, but while this might be true for very unique use cases (for example, companies above 5,000+ employees with tons of custom requirements), in a lot of cases you’ll see that the value offered is quite similar, and sometimes even exceeds Envoy’s, for example when it comes to product UI or integrations.
The Best Alternatives to Envoy in 2024
It is important to keep in mind that alternative solutions might offer only room/desk booking or visitor management, and not both. However we included here solutions like Archie that excel in both areas, as well as others that might be more product specific.
1. Archie
- Overview: Excels as an all-in-one platform, offering a smooth blend of visitor management and resource booking features. It stands out with its modern UI and a straightforward pricing structure.
- Unique Features: Provides extensive analytics, built-in desk/room booking, and a fully customizable, white-label mobile app.
- Best For: Organizations seeking a complete, user-friendly system for both visitor management and workspace management.
2. iLobby
- Overview: Specializes in sophisticated visitor and delivery management, making it an ideal choice for organizations focusing on security and efficiency.
- Unique Features: It offers advanced features like facial recognition, real-time alerts, and automated delivery tracking.
- Best For: Businesses prioritizing high-security standards and efficient handling of visitors and deliveries.
3. Eptura
- Overview: Eptura is focused on room booking and space utilization, offering tools for efficient management of meeting spaces and workstations.
- Unique Features: Features include real-time room availability, integration with calendar systems, and usage analytics.
- Best For: Companies looking for dedicated solutions for optimizing room and desk utilization.
4. Skedda
- Overview: Offers a straightforward and user-friendly platform primarily for booking meeting rooms and shared spaces.
- Unique Features: Known for its simplicity and ease of use, allows for unchallenging scheduling and managing of shared spaces.
- Best For: Small to medium-sized businesses or coworking spaces that require a no-frills, easy-to-implement room booking system.
5. OfficeSpace
- Overview: Provides tools for overall workplace optimization, including visitor management, but with a strong emphasis on employee experience and office layout planning.
- Unique Features: It includes features like visual directory, move management, and resource allocation.
- Best For: Larger enterprises or rapidly growing companies needing a solution for workplace planning and optimization.
Pricing Overview
When comparing the pricing models of Envoy and Archie, especially in their visitor management offerings, the contrast is significant, particularly in terms of value for money and the range of features included in their respective plans.
Envoy’s Pricing Overview:
- Visitor management: $109/location/month for basic plan (no custom branding, no analytics, no photos, and so on) or $329/location/month for a more complete solution. There is also a free plan available, which is stripped down to the core but can be a good way to get your hands on the product to test it.
- Room and desk booking: $3 to $7 per user per month. Note that the $3/user plan does not include desk booking, so you’re looking at either $5 or $7 per user per month if that functionality is required.
- Enterprise Plans: Custom pricing; complex security, safety, and compliance needs.
Archie’s Pricing Overview:
- Hybrid Offices: Starts at $159/month; includes 25 resources (desks, rooms, offices) with additional resources at an extra cost of $2.2/resources.
- White label app: Starting at $99/month; a fully customizable, white-label app for iOS and Android.
Comparative Analysis:
- Inclusivity of Features: Archie’s plans are almost all-encompassing, with most features included in the base price. This contrasts sharply with Envoy’s model, where the starter plans offer limited functionalities, and essential features like desk booking are missing in the standard plan.
- Cost Efficiency: Archie offers a more economical solution for businesses, especially those looking for a complete suite of features without the high costs associated with tiered plans in Envoy.
- Customization: Archie’s white-label app, an option not available with Envoy, adds significant value for businesses wanting to increase their brand presence and visibility through their visitor management system.
- Target Audience: While Envoy is a broad market with its scalable plans, Archie’s pricing model suggests a focus on businesses that require a more flexible and customizable solution, especially those operating in hybrid or coworking environments.
In addition, while Envoy offers a flexible pricing model suitable for a range of businesses, Archie positions itself as a more resource-focused solution, particularly appealing to hybrid offices and coworking spaces with its customizable app options. Envoy’s free plan for visitor management is advantageous for certain business scenarios, it does not cover the broader workspace management features, such as desk and room booking. Businesses seeking a more all-one solution, particularly those with hybrid or coworking space needs, may find Archie’s resource-focused offerings and customizable app options to be more aligned with their workspace management requirements.
Envoy Product Overview
At its core, Envoy serves as a multi-faceted space management software solution. It’s designed to simplify complex office operations like visitor management, delivery logistics, and space reservation. With its user-friendly interface and a complete set of features, Envoy has become the go-to choice for businesses aiming to optimize their workplace. The software’s latest features, which include personalization options such as ‘Favorites’ and ‘Photo Profiles’, as well as ‘Recurring Schedules’ and ‘Desk Amenities’, are indicative of Envoy’s commitment to providing a tailored user experience.
Envoy is a workplace platform designed for office operations and enhance the workplace experience for employees and visitors alike. Its core product, Envoy Desks, facilitates easy desk reservations for employees on approved office days. Key features include:
- Interactive Floor Plans: Offers an interactive map to visualize office capacity and tailor desk assignments (assigned, flexible, etc.), ensuring optimal space utilization.
- Reservation System: A user-friendly system to manage desk bookings, allowing for efficient check-in and check-out procedures.
- Workflow Automation: The platform can automate notifications for cleaning, scheduling, and other essential communications.
- Administrator Controls: Admins can set booking parameters, including restrictions by team or booking quotas, to maintain order and efficiency.
- Space Customization: Allows the addition of attributes to workspace listings, such as location and equipment details.
- API Integration: The system integrates with enterprise applications like Office365 for a seamless workflow.
- Health and Safety Features: Contact tracing capabilities and social distancing protocols can be enforced through the system.
- Multi-Device Booking: Employees can book spaces via mobile, tablet, desktop, or kiosk, offering complete booking flexibility.
- Badging and Sensor Integration: Integrations with badging and sensor systems for occupancy tracking and environmental management are also supported.
These features aim to support workplace teams and admins by providing tools for better space management, ensuring health and safety compliance, and improving the overall efficiency of office operations.
Envoy as a Hybrid Workplace Platform
Envoy has adapted to the shifting work paradigm by offering a platform conducive to the hybrid workplace—a model blending remote work with in-office presence. The platform’s unified management dashboard and extensive mobile app functionalities ensure that whether employees are in the office or working from another location, they remain connected and productive. This integration of on-site and off-site work capabilities underscores Envoy’s understanding of the modern workspace’s requirements.
Envoy has redefined the hybrid workplace by addressing the flexibility needs of modern businesses. It simplifies the complex landscape of workplace management with an easy-to-use platform that empowers employees and admins alike. The unified management dashboard is central to its offering, providing a comprehensive view of office space utilization and employee interactions with the workspace. The mobile app further administrative tasks, enabling desk bookings, visitor notifications, and other essential functions on the go, reducing tool fatigue and enhancing productivity.
Cost efficiency is another critical aspect, with Envoy’s integrated solutions reducing the need for multiple software subscriptions and the associated financial and time investments. Security is not an afterthought; with features for tracking who is in the building and when, coupled with access control integrations, Envoy ensures a secure environment for both people and data.
The platform’s data analytics enable informed decisions about workplace resources, helping businesses adapt to the fluctuating demands of hybrid operations. IT support as the connected nature of the platform reduces the complexity of managing support tickets and technology issues. Ultimately, Envoy’s workplace platform is tailored to enhance organizational productivity by providing tools that support the diverse work modes of today’s workforce.
Key Features of Envoy
Envoy serves as a complete visitor management and hybrid workplace solution.
The platform’s key features and benefits include:
- Visitor Management: Simplifies hosting visitors by automating the sign-in process, saving teams time and reducing manual tasks like handwriting name badges or tracking agreements.
- Safety Protocols: It allows for the setting of entry criteria, streamlines evacuations with emergency notifications, and helps maintain compliance with health standards by verifying the health status of visitors and employees.
- Room and desk booking: Employees and contractors can book a space to work from in seconds with Envoy’s mobile app.
- Capacity Management: The platform aids in managing workplace capacity, preventing overcrowding and enhancing the candidate experience with detailed pre-visit instructions and instant arrival notifications for recruiters.
- Time Tracking: Assists in accurately tracking the time in and out for contractors and employees, which helps reduce payroll errors.
- Compliance: It ensures that all necessary visitor information is captured and securely stored to keep the workplace compliant with regulations.
- Customization: Offers customizable sign-in flows and the ability to automatically notify employees upon guest arrival.
- Reporting: Provides analytics and reporting features for insights into visitor volume and host activity, with easy data export for auditing purposes.
- Photo Capture and Badging: Visitors can have their photo captured upon arrival for identification, and the system can automatically print custom badges.
These features collectively contribute to a secure, efficient, and welcoming environment for all workplace visitors.
On top of those, there is also Envoy Connect, which is a visitor management system designed for property owners. As it’s a more unique use cases (and one that is not covered by many of the alternative solutions listed here) we will not focus on this.
Product Review
User reviews of Envoy’s interface and feature set highlight both its advantages and drawbacks:
Advantages:
- Ease of Use: Users appreciate the simplicity and ease of learning the Envoy system, which streamlines visitor management effectively.
- Automated Workflow: The system automates visitor registration, saving time and reducing the need for receptionist roles.
- Customizable Interface: The iPad interface is user-friendly and customizable, enhancing the guest experience.
- Efficient Notifications: Provides instant notifications through various channels like email, SMS, and Slack, keeping all relevant parties informed.
- Data Analytics and Reporting: The built-in dashboard offers visual analytics and easy data extraction, aiding in decision-making.
Drawbacks:
- Integration Challenges: Some users report difficulties with integration and setup, indicating a need for improvement in user interface aspects related to integration.
- Learning Curve: Administrators mention a learning curve and the need for more comprehensive training materials or support.
- Customer Service Issues: Post-purchase customer support and communication have room for improvement, as indicated by some users facing challenges in resolving issues.
- Limited Functionality: Users have suggested that Envoy could be expanded beyond visitor and guest management to utilize its capabilities more fully.
- Notification Delivery Issues: There are reports of notification emails being filtered into spam, causing communication gaps.
As of 2024, at the time of writing only 6% of G2 reviewers rated Envoy Workplace as not satisfactory (1 to 3 stars) while 30% rated it positively (4 stars). This means slightly more than half of Envoy’s reviewers are fully satisfied with the solution (5 star rating).
Overall, while Envoy is praised for its user-friendly design and effective visitor management features, and while it has tons of positive reviews on G2, some of the feedback suggests the need for better integration support, expanded functionalities, and improved customer service.
Final Thoughts
Envoy is great, but you wouldn’t be reading this if you weren’t interested in exploring alternatives. At times where efficiency is key, cutting the bill by more than 50% while getting pretty much the same features and a modern UI can be very attractive.
We would love to show you what Archie is all about, and if you are a current Envoy user, we’ll happily walk you through a comparison of the two platforms.
You can learn more about Archie Desks and Archie Visitors, or book a demo here.
