Schlage Encode Plus.

The Gavler Review.

Schlage Encode Plus Review: The Grade 1 Deadbolt for Apple Home Key Households

The Schlage Encode Plus sits at number two on our Best Smart Locks list with a 9.3, and it earns that spot by being the one lock on the list that pairs Apple Home Key with a security grade you can actually verify. It's a full-replacement deadbolt with built-in Wi-Fi, native NFC Home Key, and Matter-over-Thread — BHMA/ANSI Grade 1 durability wrapped around the smart-home stack most Apple households actually want. Buy it if you value Schlage's build quality and the highest residential security rating over saving $70. If a retrofit install and a lower price matter more than the grade, the Aqara Smart Lock U200 at number one is the sharper value.

What it actually is

Smart locks have split into two camps: retrofit units that clip over your existing deadbolt cylinder, and full-replacement deadbolts that swap out the whole mechanism. The Encode Plus is firmly the second kind, and that's a deliberate trade. A full-replacement lock costs more to install and can't be undone in five minutes the way a retrofit can — but it also means the entire mechanism, not just an add-on motor, is built and rated as a unit.

That rating is the headline. The Encode Plus is BHMA/ANSI Grade 1, the highest residential grade for physical durability and forced-entry resistance, and Gavler's research turned up no other lock on this list with an independently confirmable Grade 1 rating. Layered on top of that hardware is a genuinely modern smart-home stack: native NFC Apple Home Key (tap your iPhone or Apple Watch to unlock, with Power Reserve fallback if the phone battery dies), native Matter-over-Thread for cross-ecosystem control, and built-in Wi-Fi that handles remote unlock and app control without requiring a separate hub. At around $299, it lists roughly $70 above the Aqara U200, the retrofit lock one rank above it on this same list.

In use

The built-in Wi-Fi is the detail that matters most for anyone who isn't already deep into a Thread-based smart home. Most Matter-over-Thread locks assume you already have a Thread border router — a HomePod mini, an Apple TV, or a newer Echo — sitting on your network to bridge Thread traffic to the internet. The Encode Plus doesn't need one for the basics: Wi-Fi handles remote unlock and the Schlage app directly, and Matter-over-Thread is there as an upgrade path once you do add a border router, not a prerequisite to get started.

The Home Key experience mirrors what Apple Home Key users already expect from other native implementations — a tap-to-unlock flow through the iPhone's NFC chip or an Apple Watch, with a Power Reserve mode that keeps Home Key functional for a stretch after the phone's battery dies. Reviewers frame the Encode Plus specifically around that Apple-first use case. Tom's Guide calls it "the best-for-Apple mainstream benchmark — Grade 1 plus native Home Key plus built-in Wi-Fi," and Bob Vila singles it out as "the one BHMA Grade 1 smart lock on the mainstream market with native Apple Home Key support — the right pick when grade matters." SafeWise goes further, describing the Encode Plus as "the smart-lock the security industry treats as the residential reference standard" — a reputation built well before this generation added Home Key, and one the Grade 1 rating keeps intact.

Where it shines

• Grade 1 durability you can point to. Among smart locks that also support Apple Home Key, an independently confirmable BHMA Grade 1 rating is rare. It's the reason to pick this over a retrofit unit if the door in question actually sees heavy use or forced-entry risk.
• No hub required for the basics. Built-in Wi-Fi means remote unlock and app control work immediately, without a Thread border router already running on your network — a real installation advantage over hub-first competitors.
• The full smart-home stack, not a subset. Native Apple Home Key, Matter-over-Thread, and Wi-Fi all live on one lock, plus support for Alexa, Google Home, and Ring — you're not choosing an ecosystem, you're covered across all of them.
• Schlage's service network. A Grade 1 lock is only as good as the company standing behind it long-term, and Schlage's after-sale support and parts availability is more mature than most smart-lock-first brands.

The trade-offs — who should skip it

This is the security-grade pick, not the value pick, and the honest reasons to look elsewhere are specific:

• You want a retrofit install. The Encode Plus replaces your entire deadbolt. If you'd rather keep your existing hardware and clip a smart module over it, the Aqara Smart Lock U200 does that for about $70 less.
• Grade 1 doesn't matter for your door. If you're not chasing an insurance discount, a rental-compliance requirement, or genuine forced-entry exposure, you're paying for a durability rating you won't use.
• You want the absolute cheapest Home Key lock. The community rating here (89) trails the expert score (92) by more than most locks on this list, and that gap is largely price-driven — buyers weighing the $70 premium against the Aqara's retrofit convenience.

How it compares

Against the Aqara Smart Lock U200 at number one, the decision comes down to grade versus form factor: the Aqara is cheaper and retrofit-friendly, the Schlage is a full-replacement Grade 1 deadbolt with built-in Wi-Fi. Both share the same native Home Key trick, so neither wins on the Apple experience alone. Further down the list, the Yale Assure Lock 2 Touch is worth a look if you want a different balance of touch-to-unlock convenience and price — it's a legitimate alternative for buyers who find both the Schlage and the Aqara priced above their comfort zone.

The Gavler verdict

A 9.3, reflecting a lock that does something none of its Home Key rivals on this list can independently claim: pair native Apple integration with a verifiable Grade 1 security rating. The Schlage Encode Plus isn't the cheapest way to get Home Key, and it isn't the easiest install — but for anyone who wants the reassurance of Schlage's build quality and the highest residential durability grade behind their front door, it's the clear buy. Everyone chasing the lowest price or the fastest retrofit should start one rank up, at the Aqara U200, instead.

Common Questions

Is the Schlage Encode Plus worth it in 2026?

Yes, if you want Apple Home Key on a lock built to the highest residential security grade. It ranks second on Gavler's Best Smart Locks list with a 9.3, and the case for it is straightforward: BHMA/ANSI Grade 1 durability, native NFC Home Key, Matter-over-Thread, and built-in Wi-Fi with no hub required. The trade-off is a roughly $70 premium over the Aqara U200 and a full deadbolt replacement instead of a retrofit install.

What does BHMA Grade 1 actually mean?

It's the highest residential rating from the Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association for cycle durability and forced-entry resistance — the standard insurers and property managers look for. The Encode Plus is the one independently confirmable Grade 1 pick on Gavler's smart lock list, which matters if you're replacing a lock on a rental, a high-exposure entry door, or anywhere insurance discounts hinge on lock grade.

Does the Schlage Encode Plus need a separate smart-home hub?

No. It has built-in Wi-Fi, so basic remote unlock and smart-app control work out of the box without a Thread border router. That's a real advantage over hub-dependent locks if your home doesn't already have a HomePod or a newer Echo acting as a Thread border router. Matter-over-Thread is also built in for cross-ecosystem control once you do have one.

Schlage Encode Plus or Aqara Smart Lock U200?

Buy the Aqara U200 if you want the cheaper retrofit option — it installs over your existing deadbolt hardware and undercuts the Schlage by about $70. Buy the Encode Plus if you want Grade 1 physical security, Schlage's after-sale service network, and built-in Wi-Fi without needing a separate Thread border router already on your network. Both share the same native Apple Home Key experience.