Most gyms in Saudi Arabia with a few hundred members don't need a turnstile on day one, whether they are in Riyadh, Jeddah or a smaller city like Arar or Abha. What they need is to know who came in, to stop expired or frozen members from training for free, and to do it without a receptionist checking every name by hand. This guide compares three setups that work for clubs under 500 members, with the exact devices, prices in Saudi riyals and where to buy them.
How check-in works with GymCompasor
- Every member gets a member number, shown as a QR code in the member app.
- At the front desk, the attendance screen reads that QR code with a desktop scanner or a tablet camera and records the visit.
- At the door, a ZKTeco device receives each member automatically, reads their face or QR code, and sends every entry back to GymCompasor over the internet.
- When a membership expires or is frozen, access is refused automatically, and it comes back the moment the member renews.
Check-in without physical control
These two options record every visit and refuse expired or frozen members on screen, but nothing physically stops someone from walking in. Your front desk stays in charge of that. If this is all you need, we recommend option 1: it reads codes instantly and starts from about 140 SAR.
1. Desktop QR scanner at the front desk
Open the attendance screen on the reception computer and plug in a hands-free desktop QR scanner by USB. Members hold their phone over it and the code is read instantly, even in bright light. A valid member sees a welcome with their name and expiry date; an expired or frozen member sees why they are refused, and the refusal is logged on their profile.
| Device | Price | Where to buy |
|---|---|---|
| NETUM hands-free desktop QR scanner | 139.90 SAR | noon |
| Or NetumScan hands-free desktop QR scanner | 211 SAR | Amazon.sa |
| Zebra DS9308 hands-free presentation scanner (known brand) | 473 – 751 SAR | Microless · Amazon.sa · noon |
| Zebra DS2208 with stand, scans automatically in the stand (known brand) | 320 – 506 SAR | Microless · Amazon.sa · noon |
| Datalogic QuickScan QD2430 with autosense stand (known brand) | 494 SAR | Amazon.sa |
Total: about 140 to 210 SAR for NETUM, or about 320 to 750 SAR for a known brand such as Zebra or Datalogic, built for heavier daily use and backed by a manufacturer warranty. Make sure any scanner you buy is a 2D imager: older 1D laser models, such as the Honeywell MK7580, can't read QR codes. With Zebra, pick a model whose name starts with DS. Best for: a front desk that already has a computer.
2. Tablet camera at the front desk
The same screen on a tablet on a stand, with no scanner: members point the QR code in their app at the front camera. Reading is a little slower than a scanner, but the member sees the welcome or the refusal themselves, and the reception computer stays free. Cost: nothing if you have a tablet, otherwise about 600 to 1,000 SAR for a tablet and a stand. Best for: starting today, with no installation.
Physical access control
3. Face reader + QR reader + magnetic lock
A ZKTeco SpeedFace-V5L by the door, a ZKTeco QR600 reader wired to it, a 280 kg magnetic lock, a 12 V power supply and a touch-free exit button inside. Members walk in with their face, or with the QR code in their app on day one before their face is enrolled. Expired or frozen members simply can't open the door, and no one has to stand at the entrance.
| Device | Price | Where to buy |
|---|---|---|
| ZKTeco SpeedFace-V5L (face, palm, fingerprint) | 1,202 SAR | Y-Tech, Riyadh |
| ZKTeco QR600 QR reader | 399 SAR | noon |
| 280 kg magnetic lock | 86 SAR | Amazon.sa |
| 12 V power supply | 76 SAR | Amazon.sa |
| Touch-free exit button | 42 SAR | Amazon.sa |
| Installation by a local technician | 200 – 400 SAR | Any CCTV or electrical technician |
Total: about 2,000 to 2,200 SAR. Best for: clubs that want the door itself to stop expired members.
No network cable at the door? Ask for the Wi-Fi version of the SpeedFace, or add a TP-Link TL-WA850RE Wi-Fi extender (about 65 to 109 SAR on noon) next to it. The device and lock still need power.
Comparison at a glance
| Option | Approx. cost | Refuses expired or frozen | Physical control | Can't be shared |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Desktop QR scanner | 140 – 750 SAR | On screen | No | No |
| 2. Tablet camera | 0 – 1,000 SAR | On screen | No | No |
| 3. Face + QR + lock | 2,000 – 2,200 SAR | Door stays shut | Yes | Yes |
Prices are from the linked Saudi stores in November 2026, including VAT, and may change.
How to choose
- Is recording visits and refusing on screen enough? We recommend option 1, the desktop QR scanner on the reception computer. Choose option 2 only if there is no computer at the front desk and you have a tablet.
- Do you need the door itself to stop expired members, or are members sharing QR screenshots? Go to option 3. A face can't be forwarded on WhatsApp.
A simple path: start today with option 1 from about 140 SAR, then move to option 3 when you want real access control.
Buying and installation tips
- Ask the seller to confirm the SpeedFace supports ADMS (Cloud Server). That is how it connects to GymCompasor without any router configuration.
- All the stores above deliver across the Kingdom. Ask for at least a one-year warranty on the SpeedFace.
- Any local CCTV or electrical technician can mount the device and wire the lock. You don't need a specialist from Riyadh: we connect the device to GymCompasor remotely.
- Keep the device out of direct sunlight, and remember that a magnetic lock releases during a power cut, which is a fire-safety requirement.
What Compasor does for you
We turn on the attendance screen and member QR codes, connect your ZKTeco devices to GymCompasor remotely, and test the whole flow with you, with an active, an expired and a frozen member, before your members use it. Book a demo and tell us how many members you have and how your entrance looks; we'll recommend the setup that fits.