Best Smart Locks

Home Key stores an encrypted door key in the Apple Wallet; you tap an iPhone or Apple Watch to the lock (NFC) to unlock, no app or Face ID needed, and it works even if the phone battery is dead (power reserve). It requires a lock with NFC + secure-element hardware (Aqara U200, Schlage Encode Plus, Yale Assure Lock 3 Ultra, Level Lock Pro on this list). Worth it for Apple households who want the fastest tap-to-enter; irrelevant if you're Android-only.

Wi-Fi locks (August, Schlage Encode) connect directly to your router but drain batteries faster. Matter-over-Thread (Aqara U200, Level Lock Pro, Schlage Encode Plus) uses a low-power mesh radio for long battery life and cross-ecosystem control, but needs a Thread border router (a HomePod, newer Echo, or Aqara/Apple hub). Z-Wave needs a dedicated hub and is fading in new 2026 flagships. For most buyers in 2026, Matter-over-Thread is the future-proof choice if you already own a hub.

Modern capacitive fingerprint readers (Aqara, Yale, Lockly, Eufy, Wyze) read in well under a second and store dozens of prints. Fingerprint wins for daily hands-full entry (groceries, kids) and for households that don't want to share a PIN. Keypads remain the better fallback in freezing weather (cold/wet fingers read poorly) and for one-time guest codes, which is why every lock here pairs fingerprint with a keypad.

Retrofit locks (August Wi-Fi, Aqara U200, Level) mount on the inside of the door over your existing deadbolt, so your keys and exterior hardware stay the same — ideal for renters and quick installs. Full-replacement locks (Schlage Encode/Encode Plus, Yale, Lockly, Eufy, Wyze) swap the entire deadbolt and give you a new exterior keypad/reader. Choose retrofit to keep existing keys; choose full-replacement for an integrated exterior keypad or fingerprint reader.

BHMA grades rate physical durability and security (Grade 1 is the highest residential grade, tested to higher cycle counts and force resistance). Grade 1 (Schlage Encode Plus here) can matter for insurance discounts, rental-compliance, or high-exposure doors; Grade 2 is perfectly adequate for most homes. Don't over-index on grade alone — a Grade 2 lock with a deadbolt fully thrown into a reinforced strike plate beats a Grade 1 lock installed poorly.

Expect roughly 20-40% off flagships during the July Prime Day window; August, Yale, Schlage, and Aqara all run Prime Day promos, and Wyze frequently dips its Lock Bolt V2 toward $40-50. If you're not in a hurry, buying during Prime Day (or Black Friday) typically beats list price by the widest margin of the year.