The Best Smart Locks for 2026: Keyless Entry Without the Lock-in

A smart lock replaces the single most-used object on your house. We compared reliability records, battery reality and entry methods across four locks, including the one that keeps your existing keys.

By the BYB Editorial Team

Published July 28, 2026Prices checked August 25, 2026

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Affiliate disclosure

420+ prices tracked corrections logged publicly how we verify

The short version

Get the Schlage Encode at $220–280. It’s built on a deadbolt that would earn its grade with the electronics stripped off. A lock is one piece of a larger setup — see the best smart home devices worth the upgrade for the rest.

Renting? The August Smart Lock at $150–230 mounts behind the existing deadbolt and leaves the key working. Measure your door’s backset before ordering anything.

Best overall

Schlage Encode

A century-old lockmaker’s deadbolt with Wi-Fi built in, no hub, no bridge.

Get it if security grade leads your list and you want zero extra boxes.

EntryKeypad, app, key
Price rangearound $220–280

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Most entry options

ULTRALOQ U-Bolt Pro

Fingerprint, code, app, key: six ways in at a mid price.

Get it if you want fingerprint entry everyone in the house can use, for less than the Schlage costs.

EntryFingerprint + 5 more
Price rangearound $150–200

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Best for renters

August Smart Lock

Attaches to your existing deadbolt inside. Outside looks untouched, keys still work.

Get it if you rent, or want smart entry without changing hardware.

InstallInside-only retrofit
Price rangearound $150–230

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How we chose: We compiled reliability and battery testing, locksmith commentary on mechanical quality, and long-term owner reviews. Prices are always moving, so every button and link pulls the live listing.

How we rankPublished specifications, verified owner reviews, and independent safety or standards data where it applies — weighted the same for every pick, never sponsored placement.

Compare the locks

Swipe the table sideways for the rest of the columns →

Product	Best for	Entry methods	Install	Standout	Price range
Schlage EncodeJump to Schlage Encode in this guide Check price	Best overall	Keypad + app + key	Full deadbolt swap	Built-in Wi-Fi, Grade-1 hardware	~$220–280
ULTRALOQ U-Bolt ProJump to ULTRALOQ U-Bolt Pro in this guide Check price	Most entry options	Fingerprint + keypad + app + key	Full deadbolt swap	6-in-1 entry, fingerprint speed	~$150–200
August Smart LockJump to August Smart Lock in this guide Check price	Best for renters	App + auto-unlock (+ your old keys)	Inside retrofit, 10 min	Landlord-invisible, keys unchanged	~$150–230
Yale Assure Lock 2Jump to Yale Assure Lock 2 in this guide Check price	Best design	Touchscreen + app (key optional)	Full deadbolt swap	Slimmest design, modular radios	~$160–260
eufy C220Jump to eufy C220 in this guide Check price	Best under $150	Fingerprint, keypad, app, key, Apple Watch	Swaps your deadbolt, no drilling	Built-in Wi-Fi, no bridge	~$95–110

1Top pick

Schlage Encode

Best overall

The lock-first smart lock

~$220–280

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The Schlage Encode leads because Schlage got the order of operations right: it’s a top-security-grade deadbolt first and a gadget second: ANSI Grade 1, the residential maximum, with hardware a locksmith respects before the electronics even boot.

Wi-Fi lives inside the lock, so there’s no hub to buy or bridge to babysit: codes for everyone (up to a hundred), app control from anywhere, and Alexa or Google voice control out of the box. Owner reviews consistently praise the keypad’s reliability years in. The metric that matters.

Battery life runs shorter than hub-based rivals, the price of built-in Wi-Fi, and the design is handsome-traditional rather than sleek. At $220–280 on Amazon, it’s the buy-once security-first answer this category needed.

Strengths

ANSI Grade 1, maximum residential security
No hub or bridge required
100 schedulable codes
Locksmith-grade hardware pedigree

Tradeoffs

Built-in Wi-Fi taxes batteries
Chunkier traditional styling
Premium price

Verdict

Get it if: security grade leads your list and you want zero extra boxes.Skip it if: you rent. The August below leaves the door untouched.

Price position in this guide~$220–280Premium

$95 · least expensive$280 · most expensive

ULTRALOQ U-Bolt Pro

Most entry options

The everything-entry value pick

~$150–200

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The U-Bolt Pro’s fingerprint reader is the feature that converts skeptics: a half-second thumb press beats codes, phones, and keys alike: and kids adore it. Groceries in both arms stops being a puzzle.

Six total entry methods (fingerprint, keypad, app, key, auto-unlock, even knock-to-open via phone) mean there is always a way in, and the enthusiast community has made it the perennial value favorite. Build quality lands solidly mid-premium.

The aesthetic is function-forward rather than elegant, and full remote features want the Wi-Fi bridge add-on on some configurations. At $150–200 on Amazon with regular coupons, it delivers the most entry flexibility per dollar in the category.

Strengths

Half-second fingerprint entry
Six ways in. Never locked out
Enthusiast value favorite
Frequent coupon pricing

Tradeoffs

Utilitarian looks
Bridge needed for some remote features
Fingerprints challenge wet hands

Verdict

Get it if: you want fingerprint entry everyone in the house can use, for less than the Schlage costs.Skip it if: curb-appeal hardware matters, see the Yale.

Price position in this guide~$150–200Mid-range

$95 · least expensive$280 · most expensive

August Smart Lock

Best for renters

The renter’s retrofit

~$150–230

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August solved the renter problem elegantly: the August Smart Lock replaces only the inside thumb-turn of your existing deadbolt, the outside face and your landlord’s keys stay exactly as they were. Move out, unscrew it, take it along.

The daily magic is auto-unlock: arrive home and the door greets you unlocked; leave and it locks behind you. Guest access by app or code, a clean activity log, and Wi-Fi in the current generation without the old bridge dongle.

Because it keeps your existing deadbolt, its security is your deadbolt’s security, pair accordingly, and the motor asks for a well-aligned door. At $150–230 on Amazon, it remains the definitive renter and light-touch answer.

Strengths

Landlord-invisible retrofit
Auto-unlock arrival magic
Takes ten minutes to install
Leaves with you when you move

Tradeoffs

Inherits your deadbolt’s security
Misaligned doors tax the motor
No keypad without add-on

Verdict

Get it if: you rent, or want smart entry without changing hardware.Skip it if: you want a hardware upgrade too. Go Schlage or Yale.

Price position in this guide~$150–230Mid-range

$95 · least expensive$280 · most expensive

Yale Assure Lock 2

Best design

The sleek keypad classic

~$160–260

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The Yale Assure Lock 2 is the design pick: the slimmest, cleanest hardware in the category, from a lockmaker with 180 years of pedigree. If door hardware is jewelry to you, this is the one that earns compliments.

The key-free version removes the cylinder entirely (nothing to pick, nothing to bump), a bold and defensible security posture. Swappable modules add Wi-Fi, Z-Wave, or Matter as your smart home evolves, future-proofing the purchase.

The touchscreen invites smudge-pattern paranoia (Yale scrambles digits to counter it), and modules add cost to the sticker. At $160–260 on Amazon depending on configuration, it’s the pick where aesthetics and adaptability share top billing.

Strengths

Slimmest, cleanest hardware here
Key-free option: nothing to pick
Swappable connectivity modules
Yale’s 180-year pedigree

Tradeoffs

Modules inflate final price
Touchscreen loves fingerprints
Fewer codes than Schlage

Verdict

Get it if: design and future-proof modularity lead your list.Skip it if: max security grade per dollar decides. Encode wins.

Price position in this guide~$160–260Mid-range

$95 · least expensive$280 · most expensive

5Budget pick

eufy Security Smart Lock C220

Best under $150

Keyless entry on a real deadbolt without the $200 ask

~$95–110

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Every other lock in this guide costs meaningfully more, so the list had no entry-level pick. The C220 is it. This is a full deadbolt replacement rather than a retrofit, with a fingerprint reader on the front and Wi-Fi built into the lock body. It handles what most people actually want: keyless entry, plus a way to check the deadbolt from anywhere.

eufy rates it BHMA Grade 3 and IP53, and the keypad stores up to 50 fingerprints and 100 passcodes. Eight AA batteries carry it roughly eight months, and there is an emergency power port on the front for a portable charger. The Wi-Fi radio sits inside the lock, so nothing extra plugs into a wall. Warranty is 18 months. List is $169.99, but it sells near $100.

Grade 3 is the bottom of the three numbered lock grades. PCWorld puts that at 100,000 cycles and two hammer blows, against 250,000 and ten for Grade 1. Voice control is Alexa and Google Assistant; eufy’s spec sheet lists no Apple Home or Matter. If the front door is your whole security plan, the AAA certified Schlage Encode above is worth the extra.

Strengths

Full deadbolt replacement with fingerprint entry for around $100
Wi-Fi sits inside the lock, so there is no bridge to buy or keep powered
Stores up to 50 fingerprints and 100 passcodes
Emergency power port on the keypad if the batteries run flat
eufy covers it for 18 months

Tradeoffs

BHMA Grade 3, the lowest of the numbered lock grades
No Apple Home and no Matter, so it stays outside the Home app
IP53 covers spray, not a door that takes driving rain head-on
Eight AA batteries to change roughly every eight months
Owner reports mention the fingerprint reader struggling with wet or dirty hands

Verdict

Get it if: You want keyless entry on a standard front door and do not want to spend $200 to get it.Skip it if: You run your house through Apple Home, or the front door is the only thing standing between the street and your living room.

Price position in this guide~$95–110Budget

$95 · least expensive$280 · most expensive

A lock is the one gadget where a dead battery or a bad fit actually locks you out, so measure twice before you buy. These are the things that trip people up.

Retrofit or full replacement: a retrofit like August keeps your existing deadbolt and key and mounts on the inside, while a full replacement swaps the whole lock. Retrofits are simplest for renters; replacements give you keypads and fingerprints.
How it connects: some locks have Wi-Fi built in, others use Bluetooth only or need a separate bridge or hub for remote access. If you want to check the lock from work, confirm it does Wi-Fi or comes with the bridge.
Entry methods and HomeKit: decide whether you want a keypad, a fingerprint reader, or Apple Home Key tap-to-unlock. Apple fans should note that many “HomeKit” locks still need a home hub for remote control.
The common mistake: not measuring your door. Check the thickness, the backset, and that your deadbolt is standard before ordering, and plan on swapping batteries a couple of times a year.

Smart lock FAQs

Are smart locks actually secure?

The good ones are as secure as the deadbolts they replace. Look for ANSI Grade 1 or 2 hardware (Schlage, Yale) and two-factor on the app account. Most burglaries bypass locks entirely (windows, force), and features like auto-lock cut the actual #1 failure, doors left unlocked, though a dead battery or a mis-latched door can still beat it.

What happens when the battery dies?

Every lock here warns for weeks first, and each has a fallback: physical key (Schlage, August, ULTRALOQ), external battery-contact terminals, or early-warning low-power modes. Battery life runs 3–12 months depending on Wi-Fi usage. The lock never just strands you.

Can I install a smart lock myself?

Yes, every pick here installs with a screwdriver in 15–30 minutes, and the August retrofit is the easiest of all. If your door’s existing deadbolt sticks or misaligns, fix that first; smart motors amplify mechanical problems, not solve them.

Will a smart lock fit my door?

Almost certainly, with one measurement. Standard US deadbolt cutouts (2-1/8″ hole, 2-3/8″ or 2-3/4″ backset) fit every full-replacement pick here, and the August rides on your existing deadbolt entirely. The genuine exceptions: mortise locks on older doors, thin-profile European multipoint doors, and doors where the deadbolt binds: fix a misaligned strike plate before installing, because motors amplify friction problems that keys muscle through.

Do smart locks work if the Wi-Fi goes down?

The lock itself keeps working. Codes, fingerprints, and keys are all processed at the door, not in the cloud. What you lose during an outage is remote control and notifications. That’s the architecture to prefer: local-first entry with connectivity as a bonus. Every pick here passes that test; be warier of locks that lean on a phone connection for daily entry.

Should I share codes or use the app for guests?

Codes, for almost everyone. Per-person codes take ten seconds to create, work without the guest installing anything, can be scheduled (cleaner: Tuesdays 9–12) and deleted the moment they shouldn’t work anymore. App-based guest access shines for the tech-comfortable inner circle; codes win for everyone else. The audit log (who came in, when) is quietly the feature parents and hosts use most.