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Your front door is still running on 1950s technology
Every other system in a modern house got smarter — the thermostat, the doorbell, the lights. The front door, the one entry that actually matters, still opens with a piece of cut metal that can be copied at a kiosk for three dollars, lost on a trail, or left under a mat where every burglar on Earth knows to look.
A good smart lock fixes the real problems of new-homeowner life: the cleaner who needs a code that only works on Tuesdays, the kid who loses keys, the in-laws arriving while you’re still at the airport, the 11 p.m. “did I lock the door?” moment. But the category is noisy — fingerprint, keypad, retrofit, Wi-Fi, Z-Wave, Matter — and prices run from $80 to $450 for locks that all promise the same thing. We compared manufacturer specs, published lab and field testing, and verified owner feedback to pick five locks that each win a different job. The short answer: the Philips 4200 Series, a fingerprint deadbolt with built-in Wi-Fi for roughly a third of what the famous names charge. And if you already walk your doors every fall with our Fall Home Maintenance Checklist (Zone 3: windows and doors), a lock that locks itself belongs on that same pass.
How we chose: We researched manufacturer specifications, independent roundups and long-term tester reviews (Wirecutter, The Verge, CNET and specialist lock roundups), and patterns in verified owner reviews. We don’t claim hands-on testing we didn’t do — every pick is a currently shipping lock from a brand with a track record, spec-checked line by line. Prices move constantly in this category, so we quote street ranges checked in October 2026 instead of promising a number.
Watch the guide
The 5 picks at a glance
| Pick | Model | Access | Connectivity | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best fingerprint value | Philips 4200 Series (DDL242X-1HW) | Fingerprint, PIN, key, app | Built-in Wi-Fi | Most new homeowners |
| Best overall / Apple homes | Schlage Encode Plus | PIN, Apple Home Key, key, app | Built-in Wi-Fi | iPhone households |
| Best fingerprint, most flexible | Yale Assure Lock 2 Touch with Wi-Fi | Fingerprint, PIN, key, app | Bluetooth + Wi-Fi module | Radio-swapping flexibility |
| Best retrofit | August Wi-Fi Smart Lock (4th Gen) | App, auto-unlock, existing key | Built-in Wi-Fi | Renters, HOA doors, keeping your hardware |
| Best budget | Kwikset Halo Touchscreen Wi-Fi | PIN, SmartKey, app | Built-in Wi-Fi | Lowest price from a big brand |
Grab the free printable version: our Smart Lock Comparison Chart (PDF) puts every spec side by side.
1. Best fingerprint value: Philips 4200 Series Smart Deadbolt (DDL242X-1HW)
Philips is a name most Americans associate with light bulbs — which is why this lock is priced like it has something to prove. The 4200 Series is a full deadbolt replacement with the complete access stack: fingerprint entry for up to 50 prints (per the spec sheet), up to 100 user PINs plus unlimited one-time codes, a physical key (standard SC1 cylinder), the Philips Home Access app, and Alexa/Google voice control. The details outrun the price: a ~0.3-second fingerprint read, auto-lock adjustable from 10 to 180 seconds, an Away mode only the master code can open, and an anti-peeping PIN that hides your real code inside dummy digits.
The spec that matters most is invisible: built-in Wi-Fi. Much of the Philips range — and plenty of rivals — connects by Bluetooth and needs a separate bridge before you can lock up from the airport. The 4200 talks to your router directly, and its 8 AA batteries carry a claimed ~8–9 months, the longest in this guide. At a street price around $80–130, it undercuts the Schlage and Yale below by about $200 while giving up nothing on the everyday feature list.
Honest trade-off: no Apple Home or Matter support — this is an Alexa/Google lock, so Apple-first homes should look at pick #2. The app is functional rather than beautiful, and Philips is a newer name in US locks than the legacy brands below.
Check price at Philips Home Access
2. Best overall / Apple homes: Schlage Encode Plus
The Encode Plus is the lock the testing world keeps handing the crown to, for two reasons. First, certification: a BHMA AAA rating — the highest residential grade BHMA gives, top marks for security, durability and finish. This is a Grade 1-class deadbolt that happens to be smart, not a gadget that happens to lock.
Second, Apple Home Key: tap your iPhone or Apple Watch to the lock and it opens — no app, no code — and it even works from the watch’s power reserve after the phone dies. Around that: a touchscreen with up to 100 codes, built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, the Schlage Home app, and Alexa/Google alongside Apple Home. (Long-term testers also report a late-2025 firmware brought Matter over Wi-Fi — worth confirming at setup.) At roughly $285–330, it’s the priciest mainstream pick here, earning the premium if your household runs on Apple.
Honest trade-off: no fingerprint reader at any price — tap-to-unlock is its replacement. Direct Wi-Fi means the 4 AA batteries last about 3–6 months, and one long-term tester noted the touchscreen can need a second tap in deep cold.
3. Best fingerprint, most flexible: Yale Assure Lock 2 Touch with Wi-Fi
Yale has been making locks since before electricity, and the Assure Lock 2 Touch is its answer to the fingerprint era: the reader hides inside the Yale logo (up to 20 prints), alongside touchscreen PINs (up to 250 codes), a physical key, app control and auto-unlock as you approach. A DoorSense sensor in the box confirms the door is actually closed, not just locked.
Its party trick is mechanical: the radio is a swappable module. This version ships with Bluetooth built in plus a Wi-Fi module in the box; a Z-Wave module exists for the same lock body. Start on Wi-Fi, move to a hub ecosystem later, and you change a two-minute module instead of a $300 lock. It’s rated ANSI/BHMA Grade 2 and works with Apple Home (over Bluetooth/Wi-Fi), Alexa, Google Home and SmartThings — but there’s no Apple Home Key here; that’s the separate Assure Lock 2 Plus, which drops the fingerprint reader. You can’t have both. Street prices: roughly $270–300.
Honest trade-off: Wi-Fi is thirsty — Yale estimates about 6 months per set of 4 AAs, and some owners report as little as 2–3. The fingerprint reader is a small target, enrollment through the app can be fiddly, and the glossy touchscreen shows smudge patterns.
4. Best retrofit: August Wi-Fi Smart Lock (4th Gen)
Every other pick here replaces your deadbolt. The August replaces nothing you can see: it mounts on the inside of the door over your existing deadbolt and drives the thumb-turn with a motor, leaving your exterior hardware, your key, and your landlord or HOA undisturbed — while the app adds remote locking, auto-lock, and auto-unlock as you walk up with groceries. Guest access is by virtual key; DoorSense is included. Connectivity is built-in Wi-Fi plus Bluetooth, with Alexa, Google Assistant, SmartThings and Apple HomeKit (HomeKit, note, not Home Key — no tap-to-unlock). August rates the two CR123 batteries at 3–6 months; street prices run about $180–230.
One honest framing that matters more than any spec: a retrofit lock is only as strong as the deadbolt it drives, because your old cylinder is still the lock. If that deadbolt is a wobbly builder-grade original, rekeying or upgrading it is the companion project — the August adds convenience and smarts, not physical strength.
Honest trade-off: no keypad in the box (August’s is a $60–80 accessory), so guests without the app need a physical key. CR123s cost more than AAs, and you’re paying full-lock money for a motor and a radio.
5. Best budget: Kwikset Halo Touchscreen Wi-Fi
The Halo answers a simple question: what’s the least money that buys a real Wi-Fi keypad lock from a brand your hardware store stocks? The touchscreen takes up to 250 user codes, Wi-Fi is built in (no hub), and Alexa/Google are supported. The feature no rival at this price matches is SmartKey: a rekey-it-yourself cylinder that lets you rekey the lock to a new key in about 30 seconds — perfect for a new homeowner with no idea how many copies of the front-door key the previous owners handed out.
Like the Schlage, the Halo carries a BHMA AAA certification on its listing, at a street price around $150–200 (it has dipped to the $150s–170s on sale), with 4 AAs included. Want fingerprint at this tier? That’s the Halo Touch, about $249. For keypad entry and DIY rekeying, the Halo Touchscreen is this guide’s budget anchor.
Honest trade-off: owners praise the hardware and knock the app — software reviews are mixed. No fingerprint on this version, no Apple Home support, and Kwikset doesn’t headline a battery-life figure for it; budget for fresh AAs a couple of times a year, as with Wi-Fi keypad locks generally.
All 5 side by side
| Philips 4200 | Schlage Encode Plus | Yale Assure Lock 2 Touch | August Wi-Fi (4th Gen) | Kwikset Halo | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | ~$80–130 | ~$285–330 | ~$270–300 | ~$180–230 | ~$150–200 |
| Access | Fingerprint, PIN, key, app, voice | PIN, Apple Home Key, key, app, voice | Fingerprint, PIN, key, app, auto-unlock | App, auto-unlock, your existing key | PIN, key (SmartKey), app, voice |
| Connectivity | Built-in Wi-Fi + Bluetooth | Built-in Wi-Fi + Bluetooth | Bluetooth + Wi-Fi module (Z-Wave optional) | Built-in Wi-Fi + Bluetooth | Built-in Wi-Fi |
| Grade | ANSI/BHMA certified | BHMA AAA (Grade 1 class) | ANSI/BHMA Grade 2 | N/A (your deadbolt) | BHMA AAA |
| Battery | 8× AA, ~8–9 months claimed | 4× AA, ~3–6 months | 4× AA, ~6 months (Wi-Fi) | 2× CR123, ~3–6 months | 4× AA (included) |
| App | Philips Home Access | Schlage Home / Apple Home | Yale Access | August | Kwikset |
Every row of this table is in the free Smart Lock Comparison Chart (PDF) — one page, ready to print.
Before you buy: the 5-minute smart-lock class
Check your door first. Full-replacement picks (#1, #2, #3, #5) need a standard prepped door and a thickness in the usual range (the Philips 4200 spec sheet lists 1-3/8″ to 2″). Measure your backset — the distance from the door’s edge to the center of the deadbolt hole; 2-3/8″ and 2-3/4″ are the standards, and most smart locks adjust to both. Can’t change the hardware? That’s what pick #4 exists for. Installation is a screwdriver job by design: if you can run the drill/driver from our Essential Tools for New Homeowners kit, you can install any lock on this page in about 15 minutes.
Connectivity decides your battery life. Built-in Wi-Fi (#1, #2, #4, #5) means remote access out of the box — but Wi-Fi is the thirsty radio: roughly 3–6 months per battery set on the 4-AA locks. Bluetooth-only locks sip power but go deaf when you leave the house, which is why some lines (Philips’ Bluetooth SKUs included) sell a separate gateway for remote access. The Yale’s swappable module is the hedge. Matter and Thread are the standard to watch, but here they’re supporting actors, not the reason to buy. And treat headline battery claims as best-case: a dragging bolt makes the motor pay on every cycle, so alignment matters more than brand.
Grades are the spec nobody markets and everybody should read. BHMA’s residential scale tops out at AAA — Security, Durability, Finish, roughly the Grade 1 class; the Schlage and Kwikset carry it. ANSI/BHMA Grade 2 (the Yale) is the solid middle. No grade at all is the loudest spec on a listing — read it as the review. Whatever you buy, keep the physical key accessible: every lock here keeps one, and a dead battery at midnight is a when, not an if.
Watch the “plus” column. The headline price is rarely the whole price: keypads can be accessories (August’s is $60–80 extra), other SKUs in a line may need a bridge for remote access, and guest management — schedules, one-time codes, activity history — is where apps differ most. Confirm the features you’ll actually use live in the free app before the box arrives.
The verdict: which one is yours?
- Best for most new homeowners: Philips 4200 Series (#1). Fingerprint, codes, built-in Wi-Fi and the longest battery claim here, for about a hundred dollars. The value isn’t close.
- Apple household, buy the strongest door: Schlage Encode Plus (#2). BHMA AAA hardware plus Home Key tap-to-unlock.
- Fingerprint fan who may change ecosystems: Yale Assure Lock 2 Touch (#3). Fingerprint entry today, a different radio tomorrow.
- Can’t or won’t change the deadbolt: August Wi-Fi (#4). All the smarts, none of the visible hardware change.
- Tightest budget, big-brand safety net: Kwikset Halo (#5). Wi-Fi keypad entry plus rekey-it-yourself SmartKey for under $200.
Whichever you choose, do the unglamorous second step too: rekey or replace any lock the previous owner touched, and put a code audit on the same annual pass as the detector test in our Fall Home Maintenance Checklist.
FAQ
Do smart locks work during a power or internet outage? Yes, at the door: fingerprints, PINs and physical keys are all local, and every pick runs on batteries, not house power. What you lose is only the remote side — app control and voice assistants until the router comes back.
Can a smart lock be hacked? Anything connected can be attacked, which is why the boring specs matter: buy a graded lock (BHMA AAA or ANSI/BHMA Grade 2 in this guide), keep firmware updated, and use anti-peeping and auto-lock. In practice the realistic threat to a front door is still physical — and a certified deadbolt is a certified deadbolt.
What happens when the battery dies? All five picks keep a physical key cylinder (the August keeps yours), and low-battery alerts are standard across this list. The August is the one to plan around: with no keypad, your existing key is the entire backup plan.
Do I need a hub or a subscription to use these? No hub for any of the five as configured here — a deliberate choice in this guide; four have Wi-Fi in the lock and the Yale ships its Wi-Fi module in the box. Where ecosystems upsell is accessories and bridges for other SKUs, so confirm the exact model number before you buy.
Which lock is best for a rental or HOA-restricted door? The August (#4). It changes nothing visible, keeps the original key working for landlords and inspectors, and comes off in minutes when you move.
How hard is installation, really? For the four full replacements: two screws out, old deadbolt off, new one on, follow the app — about 15 minutes with a screwdriver or the drill/driver from a basic homeowner kit, per the manufacturers’ own guides. The August is faster still; it clamps over what’s already there.
What is Matter, and does my smart lock need it? Matter is a shared smart-home standard: devices that speak it are designed to work across Apple Home, Google Home, Alexa and SmartThings instead of tying you to one app, and Thread is the low-power radio many Matter devices pair it with. Honest answer for 2026: it’s future-proofing, not a requirement. Most of this guide is Wi-Fi-first — the Philips hero (#1) is built-in Wi-Fi with Alexa/Google and no Matter at all, and it still wins its category; Philips sells Matter in a separate 4000 Series model instead. The one Matter story here is the Schlage (#2), and even that arrived via a late-2025 firmware update reported by long-term testers — confirm at setup. Buy the lock that fits your door and your phone today, and treat Matter support as a tiebreaker.
How long do smart lock batteries actually last? Months, not weeks — but the radio decides. The Philips (#1) claims about 8–9 months from its 8 AAs, the longest figure in this guide. The 4-AA Wi-Fi locks run roughly 3–6 months: the Schlage quotes about 3–6, Yale estimates about 6 on Wi-Fi (some owners report as little as 2–3), and the August rates its two CR123s at 3–6. Wi-Fi is the thirsty radio, and a dragging, misaligned bolt makes the motor — and the batteries — pay for it on every cycle. Every pick here warns you before the battery dies, and every one keeps a physical key for the night it finally does.
Fingerprint or keypad — which is more secure? For a house, both are fine; the entry method is rarely the weak link. A fingerprint can’t be watched over your shoulder and can’t be shared — which is also its limit, because you can’t text one to the dog sitter. PIN codes can be shared on purpose: one per person, one-time codes for guests, revoked in the app when they’re done, and the Philips even hides your real code inside dummy digits (anti-peeping). What actually decides security sits underneath both: the hardware’s ANSI/BHMA grade, a properly installed deadbolt, and current firmware. Pick fingerprint for tap-and-go convenience, a keypad for flexible guest access — or a lock like the Philips or Yale that gives you both.
What’s the free comparison chart? A one-page PDF with all five picks’ specs side by side — price, access, connectivity, grade, battery and app — plus the verdict list above. Download the Smart Lock Comparison Chart (PDF)
Read next: Fall Home Maintenance Checklist · Essential Tools for New Homeowners