Imagine designing a bright, open seating office area by the windows. You assume it will turn into the most popular spot on the floor. Instead, your team bypasses it entirely to cluster in the quiet pods near the back.
Occupancy sensing captures exactly how people use your buildings. It replaces layout guesswork with hard data, giving you the facts you need to optimize HVAC schedules, direct cleaning routes, and build spaces your team actually enjoys. Workplace leaders, commercial real estate teams, and smart building pros all rely on this data to make smart space decisions.
Now, the challenge is picking the right tool. When you choose an occupancy sensor platform, you're not just buying hardware. You're choosing the data layer that drives your real estate strategy. Occuspace and Density both solve this problem, and they both prioritize privacy. But they take different roads to get there. They use different sensing methods, rely on different technology, and fit different buyers.
This article lines them up head-to-head. We cover their sensing technology, deployment steps, analytics, and integrations. By the end, you'll know exactly which system makes the most sense for your portfolio.
Density provides people counts using radar technology. Their product lineup includes:
Density isn't a turnkey option. You'll need to integrate specific hardware and software. Building out this system takes dedicated time and effort to get everything running smoothly.
Occuspace is an occupancy intelligence platform. It uses Macro sensors to track wide area Wi-Fi and BLE signal activity, alongside Micro mmWave sensors for smaller areas. You track live and historical occupancy, traffic, dwell time, availability, and busyness data. You can view all this information clearly in your dashboards, a customer portal, an API, digital signage, and Waitz public space tools. Occuspace can also integrate with existing Wi-Fi infrastructure, using it as an additional sensing layer to support occupancy insights.
Need big-picture trends and also granular room-level analytics? Occuspace is often the go-to. Want radar-led hardware with live wayfinding and seed-level analytics? Density is definitely worth a look.
Both platforms exist to help you see and act on how spaces get used. But their architectures shape what data you get, how you deploy, and how you hook in other tools.
Occuspace isn’t just a sensor company. It’s an intelligence platform. It combines AI sensors and advanced algorithms to turn anonymous signal data into clear actions. Density builds a hardware-software suite around radar-based people counting - an actual sensor product lineup with names and clear dashboards.
Occuspace is a privacy-first intelligence platform using AI-driven sensors and machine learning to turn anonymous signals into live and historical insights - occupancy, traffic, dwell, availability, and busyness - available via portal, API, signage, and Waitz-style public workflows.
Density is a workplace analytics company with sensors like Waffle, Open Area, and Entry, software like Atlas, live wayfinding, API, and Advisory services, all focused on radar-based anonymous people counts and live room availability.
The real difference isn't about which room sensor boasts the highest accuracy. It's about finding the sensing model that fits your spaces and reporting needs perfectly. Large open areas, lobbies, and lounges demand a different approach than small meeting rooms and phone booths.
Occuspace Macro sensors plug directly into the wall to cover large areas instantly. They scan Bluetooth and Wi-Fi signals from smartphones, laptops, and wearables. The sensors never connect to your devices or capture personal information. Instead, they analyze these signals using machine learning and deliver fresh occupancy data minute by minute.
Macro sensors shine in open offices, lobbies, cafeterias, and large shared spaces. Each sensor covers a massive 2,000 to 3,000 square feet. You capture highly granular data with a small fraction of the hardware.
Density’s Open Area sensors cover just over 1,000 square feet and work well for high ceilings. Density also offers Entry sensors that track people at doors using infrared lasers and machine learning.
The standout difference is the hardware footprint and the budget. Density Open Area is extremely expensive to install and maintain over time, and can end up costing up to 10 times more. Occuspace Macro handles significantly higher square footage per sensor and pulls incredibly granular data. You get a better picture of your space without the heavy installation costs.
Occuspace Micro sensors and the Density Waffle rely on the exact same underlying technology: millimeter-wave (mmWave) radar. They read small spaces by measuring reflected waves. Neither sensor captures images or personal data.
However, Occuspace Micro brings significantly more capability to your spaces. Here is how they compare:
While Density Waffle offers a simple stick-on installation for a single desk or small phone booth, Occuspace Micro handles larger groups, skips the Wi-Fi setup, and delivers more robust data for your meeting rooms and huddle spaces.
Your space mix really matters. One sensor rarely does it all. Here’s how each platform stacks up across real workplace and building types:
Bigger shared spaces? Occuspace Macro is strong. It reads Wi-Fi and BLE signals to show occupancy, traffic, dwell time, and busy peaks - across the whole floor or neighborhood. No connection to devices.
Density Open Area works for big spaces too, and Waffle fits in some open areas. Your call: go wide with signal-based trends (Occuspace Macro), or specific people counts at a few points (Density hardware). Zone-level trend need? Occuspace Macro. Need seed-level? Density.
Both platforms do this well. Occuspace Micro is great for small rooms - mmWave tech gives you simple occupancy counts. Density Waffle also hits this use case with solid reporting and super-fast setup.
It really boils down to this: prefer one mixed platform (Occuspace) that covers all space types? Or want a radar-led room workflow (Density)?
Density Waffle is a natural fit - it’s made for desks and phone booths. Occuspace Micro also works in small shared spaces. If desk-level data is your top ask, ask both vendors how they do it - details depend on space layout and sensor placement.
Density Entry shines for entry and floor counting - entrances, lobbies, throughput.
Occuspace Macro works best for wider lobby and cafeteria trends, dwell times, and live busyness - especially if you want real-time digital signage. Perfect for showing people if a space is busy. You’ll get clear live data on screens, apps, or the web.
Privacy is huge. Both vendors lead with privacy-first, but the details differ. What matters: measure spaces, not people. Trust is mission-critical for any workplace rollout. Sensors must deliver on privacy at the source.
Macro sensors scan Bluetooth and Wi-Fi signals, never connect, never capture personal info. MAC addresses are hashed (irreversible, rotating daily), never stored. Micro sensors use mmWave to detect occupancy, not identity. No PII, fully GDPR and CCPA compliant. Data is always anonymous, always by space - not by individual.
Density uses radar, not cameras. No images, no identifying data, no monitoring of personal devices. The system works even where cameras aren’t welcome. If you want radar-based people counting with privacy built in, Density is purpose-made for that.
Deployment matters. Rolling out sensors across rooms, floors, buildings - it’s a big job. Battery swaps or complex installs add up, fast. Both platforms have simplified this.
Near-instant installs. You can go from scoping to install and go-live in days. Early data appears minutes after plug-in. Macro sensors use standard outlets or PoE, no wiring. Micro sensors need a USB port, draw under a watt, no Wi-Fi needed. Installs happen in seconds - no contractors, no ladders.
Occuspace is also able to connect directly into the existing Wi-Fi infrastructure to use it as an additional sensing layer.
You can self-install, no batteries, no cables, no ceiling mounts. Teams can finish a full room suite in a day and see analytics right away.
Density Waffle is plug-and-play. You can mount it anywhere. Walls, TVs, and desks all work perfectly. You skip the ladders and battery hassles entirely. The installation is simple and fast. Density pitches a simple setup for small spaces.
Density Open Area expands coverage for your larger rooms. This deployment requires ceiling-mounted sensors and physical cables. You'll see higher costs for both implementation and ongoing maintenance due to these hardware needs.
Both Micro and Waffle skip battery headaches. Both are self-install. Density: streamlined radar devices for small spaces. Occuspace: one platform handles wide-area Macro and room-level Micro - no need to juggle two separate platforms.
You’re really buying a smart building data engine. It should help you make better calls, faster. Here’s what each delivers:
Occuspace gives you four core metrics: Occupancy, Traffic, Dwell Time, and Availability. You see live counts, capacity, percent occupied, and busyness on dashboards, API, signage, and Waitz.
You get deep reporting - average and peak occupancy/utilization, daily/hourly views, weekday patterns, neighborhood-level analysis broken down by department, group, or floor. Compare multiple spaces side by side, or measure changes over time.
Density delivers live people counts, room/desk availability, Atlas analytics, live wayfinding, and open APIs. Waffle supports fast real-time/historical API calls, sub-second updates. The Atlas platform shows which spaces get picked and which need a rethink.
Occuspace supports real-time busyness, digital signage, Waitz, and public space visibility. Helpful for guiding people to quieter areas, whether on lobby screens, mobile, or web. Live data pipes into the portal, API, signage, or Waitz.
Density Live Wayfinding is a top draw - it maps open spaces, shows rooms in use, helps users find available spots fast. If interactive wayfinding is high priority, check Density first.
Occupancy data needs to connect to your existing systems. Both platforms offer APIs, with different styles and depth.
Occuspace offers a simple REST API - get both real-time and historical data, filter by date, interval, or space. Push live counts to IWMS, BMS, dashboards, or signage. The platform triggers notifications on thresholds, which is perfect for cleaning, food service, or energy use.
Occuspace works natively with HPE Aruba Networking. If you already use Aruba, central setup and sensor placement get easier, with de-duplication and smarter analytics baked in.
Density’s API supports live WebSockets, fast data, and custom integrations. The full suite - Atlas, Wayfinding, API - works tightly together. If you want a productized hardware/software suite with open developer tools, Density does that well.
Occuspace’s traffic and dwell data plug straight into demand-based cleaning or service timing. Clients have seen custodial cuts of 20–30% and energy savings up to $0.50 per square foot per year. Not promises - just real outcomes others have reported with Occuspace.
Density’s people counts and analytics back up planning, room setup, and cleaning. Its Adaptive Cleaning ties occupancy data directly to cleaning schedules.
Leaders need confidence for planning, hybrid work, seat ratios, consolidation, and service models. The right platform shapes which questions you can answer, and how fast.
Occuspace is right when you want one system handling open areas, shared zones, meeting rooms, visitor spaces, and operational workflows. Choose Occuspace if you need:
In CRE case studies, Occuspace has helped cut footprints by 32% and freed up 14,000 sq. ft. of space. That’s the kind of actionable insight the platform exists to deliver.
Density is right if you want a clear radar-based suite with ironed-out hardware and software. Pick Density if you need:
This is a fit for orgs focused on live room or desk availability, productized hardware, and strong user-facing wayfinding.
Work these through with your team:
Occuspace runs a mixed model: Macro sensors scan Wi-Fi/BLE for big areas, Micro sensors use mmWave for small rooms. One connected system. Density brings radar-based people counters (Waffle, Open Area, Entry), plus Atlas analytics and live wayfinding tools.
Depends on your needs. Occuspace often fits best if you want area trends, room detail, traffic, dwell, live busyness, and historical insights - all from one place. Density is strong for headcount, live room/desk status, instant availability, and wayfinding. If you need to cover open floors plus small rooms in one platform, Occuspace usually wins out.
Both are privacy-first, but in different ways. Occuspace only looks at anonymous Wi-Fi/BLE (big spaces), mmWave for rooms - no personal data, device connect, or PII, and it’s fully GDPR/CCPA compliant. Density uses radar, ignores devices, and doesn’t record identity.
Deploying? Both Micro and Waffle are fast, battery-free, and easy to self-install. Occuspace mixes Macro and Micro in one platform. Integrations? Occuspace brings REST API, signage, Waitz, Aruba plug-in. Density brings WebSockets, Atlas, Live Wayfinding. Both connect to IWMS/BMS workflows.
Occuspace and Density both help you unlock space insights. They just take different approaches. Density is for teams that want a radar-based suite - clearly packaged hardware, live wayfinding, and strong workflow-driven analytics.
If you need broad plus room-level analytics, privacy by design, live and historical insight, visitor-friendly displays, and API-first workflows at a portfolio level, Occuspace is the more complete solution.
If you're curious about occupancy sensors for your workplace or real estate, see how Occuspace works or schedule a demo to find out how it supports your strategy - from open floors to meeting rooms, from signage to analytics.
