Akuvox vs 2N vs Aiphone — Brand Comparison
The three brands that dominate Australian apartment intercom — Akuvox, 2N, Aiphone — each suit different building types, budgets, and committee preferences. There's no universal winner. Here's how they compare for body corporate decision-making.
Quick comparison
| Factor | Akuvox | 2N | Aiphone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per-unit cost | $$ | $$$ | $$$ |
| 2-wire retrofit | ✓ Strong | Limited | ✓ GT Series |
| App integration | SmartPlus | MyMobile | IX Mobile |
| BMS/lift integration | Good | Excellent | Good |
| Build quality | Solid | Premium | Premium |
| Best for | Value retrofits | Premium new-build | Conservative committees |
Why we install Akuvox
We evaluated all three brands at scale before standardising on Akuvox for our build. The decision came down to four factors:
- 2-wire retrofit capability — Akuvox R20A-2 is the strongest 2-wire IP retrofit option in the market. Most apartment buildings retain existing risers, which means lower install cost for body corporates.
- SmartPlus app maturity — Akuvox's resident smartphone app is now production-grade with reliable iOS and Android delivery, multi-device per unit, and visitor code generation.
- Per-unit value — At equivalent feature level, Akuvox lands $200-400/unit cheaper than 2N or Aiphone IX. That's $20,000-40,000 saved on a 100-unit building, with no compromise on functionality.
- Specialist depth beats brand breadth — Single-brand specialism means deeper certifications, faster install times, lower stock holding, predictable parts supply, and better post-install support. Specialist installers spread thin.
2N is excellent for tender-driven premium new builds with deep BMS integration requirements. Aiphone is the conservative-committee default and Australia's most-installed brand. Both are legitimate choices — but for the buildings we serve (body corporate, strata-managed, mid-to-high rise across Brisbane and the Gold Coast), Akuvox consistently delivers the best outcome.
We install Akuvox — and only Akuvox.
After evaluating the major apartment intercom brands at scale, we standardised on Akuvox. Single-brand specialism = deeper certifications, faster installs, better post-install support.