Can Lowkey and ButterflyMX run in the same building?

Yes, if the ButterflyMX panel is set to dial a phone number for a unit, Lowkey can answer that call like any other telephone-entry panel. Residents who want the video experience keep it, and units that just want reliable auto buzz-in can use Lowkey, without the building changing anything at the panel.

Who has to approve replacing an intercom panel versus changing a dial-out number?

Replacing a panel is a capital project, so it typically needs owner or HOA board approval, an installer, and a construction timeline. Changing the phone number a unit's buzzer dials is a directory edit that building staff or the panel vendor can do as routine maintenance, which is why software approaches can be adopted one unit or one building at a time.

What happens to a hardware intercom subscription if you sell or leave the building?

Hardware systems tie the subscription and the equipment to the building, so the investment stays behind. A software subscription tied to your account moves with you, and adding or removing a building is an account change rather than an uninstall.

Blog / ButterflyMX Alternatives Without Hardware Installation

ButterflyMX Alternatives Without Hardware Installation

By Ty · 2026-07-06

You looked at ButterflyMX for your building and hit the catch: it is a hardware video intercom, so getting it means buying a panel, paying an installer, and usually getting an owner or HOA board to approve a capital project. If you manage several buildings, multiply that by each address. Meanwhile the telephone-entry panel you already have still works, it just rings a phone nobody wants to be chained to.

Whether you are a resident who cannot authorize construction or a manager who does not want to rewire a portfolio, the real question is what gets you modern buzzer access with the least hardware. That decision mostly comes down to one fact: most existing panels already dial out to a phone number, and anything that can answer that call can control the door.

How to fix it

Option	Pros	Cons
Keep the panel ringing a personal phone	Free, works today	One person is the doorman for every arrival, no history, no passcodes
Google Voice on the buzzer line	Free, rings multiple phones	No auto buzz-in, no scheduled access, clunky for anyone but you
ButterflyMX	Video calls, delivery PINs, polished resident app	Hardware purchase, professional install, subscription, board approval
Other panel replacements (Latch, DoorKing, Linear)	Modern managed directory, some include cellular modules	Same capital project per building, multi-week timeline
Lowkey	Auto buzz-in, passcodes, scheduled access, and entry history on the buzzer you already have	Quick one-time setup with your building

If the building genuinely wants video at the door and ownership is ready to fund it, ButterflyMX is a good product and the hardware path is the right one. If the goal is automating entry, sharing access, and keeping an audit trail, the software path gets you there this week instead of next quarter.

Where Lowkey helps

Lowkey is the no-hardware option in that table done properly. Each unit or building gets a virtual phone number that the existing panel dials, and the app takes it from there: visitors buzz themselves in with 4-digit passcodes, recurring access windows cover cleaners and vendors, and every entry lands in an activity history. It works with any buzzer that dials out to a phone number, which covers most apartment and condo systems, and managers can run every building from one account with their team on as many devices as they need. There is nothing to mount, wire, or get a board to approve.