Quick answer: the Schlage Encode Plus is our top pick for Airbnb hosts (built-in keypad, no app required for guests); the Yale Assure Lock 2 (widest guest-code capacity) and the Kwikset Halo Touchscreen (lowest-price keypad lock here) are the standout alternatives.
Bottom Line
Schlage Encode Plus
A built-in exterior keypad means every guest gets in the same way: a numeric code you send by text, no app install, no account creation. Up to 100 codes cover a busy calendar of turnovers, and Apple Home Key is a nice bonus for the host's own daily use.
See Schlage Encode Plus →Yale Assure Lock 2
Holds up to 250 codes, which matters if you're running several units or a busy calendar with long guest lists. The modular design also means the radio inside can be swapped later without buying a whole new lock.
See Yale Assure Lock 2 →
Kwikset Halo Touchscreen
Same 250-code ceiling as the Yale, at a lower price, with a backlit touchscreen that wakes at a touch so guests fumbling with luggage can find the keypad in the dark.
See Kwikset Halo →Those three cover a property you own outright. If you're subletting, doing rental arbitrage, or your lease bans permanent lock changes, keep reading, because the fourth lock in this guide changes the calculus entirely.
Full Comparison Table
Every lock here connects over WiFi so you can manage codes remotely between check-ins, which our full smart lock roundup treats as close to non-negotiable for anyone who isn't on-site to buzz guests in.
| Lock | Install type | Guest code capacity | Keypad included | Ecosystem | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schlage Encode Plus | Full replacement | Up to 100 | Yes, built in | HomeKit, Apple Home Key | $$$$ |
| Yale Assure Lock 2 | Full replacement | Up to 250 | Yes, built in | Alexa, Google (HomeKit via a separate swap-in module, sold separately) | $$$ |
| Kwikset Halo Touchscreen | Full replacement | Up to 250 | Yes, built in | Alexa, Google | $$$ |
| August WiFi Smart Lock (4th Gen) | Retrofit, interior only | App-managed, no physical code pad | No, sold as a separate accessory | Alexa, Google, HomeKit | $$$ |
Price tiers are approximate. $ = under $50, $$ = $50 to 150, $$$ = $150 to 300, $$$$ = over $300. Tap any link for the current Amazon price.
The pattern that matters for hosting: three of these four locks put a physical keypad on the outside of the door, which is what lets a guest who has never used your app type four digits and walk in. The August is the odd one out, and that tradeoff is worth understanding before you buy it for this specific use case.
What Owners Actually Report
Hosting adds its own stress test to a smart lock: strangers using it multiple times a week, cleaners resetting codes between stays, and a lock that has to keep working when the host is three states away. Here's what verified buyers flag once the novelty wears off.
Schlage Encode Plus: 4.0-star average from verified buyers
Owners consistently report the keypad holding up to heavy daily use, with one long-term buyer noting batteries lasting three months and counting under regular traffic. The recurring caveat is that Apple Home Key pairing can feel buggy on first setup, worth doing before your first guest arrives rather than the morning of check-in.
Yale Assure Lock 2: 4.0-star average from verified buyers
Buyers managing multiple codes praise the Yale Access app for how cleanly it handles adding and removing guest access. The one-star complaints worth reading center on the lock overheating in direct sun and batteries draining unusually fast in that scenario, a real consideration for a south-facing rental door.
Kwikset Halo Touchscreen: 3.9-star average from verified buyers
Buyers say installation is quick and remote locking works as advertised, which matters when you're issuing a code from your phone while the guest stands on the porch. The most common gripe is a touchscreen that needs several taps to wake up, plus occasional WiFi drops that force a factory reset, both annoyances a host managing the lock remotely will want to budget time for.
August WiFi Smart Lock (4th Gen): 4.1-star average from verified buyers
Owners like that it preserves the original exterior lock and key, which several called out as the deciding factor for a rented unit. The most-cited frustration is initial WiFi pairing taking longer to settle than expected, with one buyer describing weeks of intermittent auto-lock behavior before a firmware update resolved it.
Jacob’s read on this category
The keypad is the entire product for a short-term rental. A lock with the best specs on paper is a liability if a jet-lagged guest at 11pm can't figure out how to get in, so weigh "does this need an app" more heavily than any ecosystem badge. Pick the exterior keypad first, then let Apple Home Key, Matter modules, and voice assistants settle the tie between whichever locks clear that bar.
Why Guest Code Capacity Actually Matters
A single-family homeowner rarely needs more than a handful of codes: family, a dog walker, maybe a cleaner. A host running back-to-back bookings burns through codes constantly, and a low ceiling forces you to reuse or overwrite codes mid-season, which gets messy fast if you're also trying to keep a clean audit trail for who unlocked the door and when.
The Yale Assure Lock 2 and Kwikset Halo Touchscreen both top out at 250 stored codes, comfortably enough for a full year of weekly turnovers with room to spare for cleaners and maintenance visits. The Schlage Encode Plus caps at 100, still plenty for most single-unit hosts, but worth tracking if you run a high-turnover calendar or manage more than one listing on the same lock brand's app ecosystem.
All three let you schedule a code to activate only during the guest's actual stay and expire automatically at checkout, so you're not manually deleting codes after every booking. That scheduling, not the raw code ceiling, is what actually saves a host time week to week.
Retrofit vs. Full Replacement: The Install Question
This is the genuinely useful distinction most buying guides skip. If you're subletting, running rental arbitrage on a leased unit, or your landlord's agreement forbids swapping the deadbolt, a full-replacement lock is off the table no matter how good its keypad is.
The August WiFi Smart Lock (4th Gen) mounts on the interior side of your existing deadbolt and keeps the original exterior cylinder and key in place. It comes off in minutes when the lease ends, leaving no trace. The catch, and it's a real one for hosting specifically: the August's exterior keypad is a separate accessory, sold on its own, not included with this lock. Out of the box, guest entry runs through the August app or a virtual key link you share by text, which works fine for a tech-comfortable guest but adds friction for anyone who would rather just be handed four digits.
For readers deciding between a full ecosystem switch instead of a single lock, our August vs Yale head-to-head goes deeper on how the two brands differ on install type and long-term flexibility.
If you own the property outright, skip the retrofit debate entirely and go straight to a full-replacement keypad lock. Anyone weighing Apple Home Key against Yale's swappable radio modules specifically should read our Schlage Encode vs Yale Assure comparison before deciding.
Which Lock Should You Buy?
Frequently Asked Questions
How We Research
We started from our existing verified lock lineup, cross-checked each model's current listing for code capacity, keypad hardware, and ecosystem support, and confirmed pricing tiers against live Amazon listings. We then walked the star-rating distribution on each ASIN to pull owner feedback specific to heavy, repeated use rather than a single homeowner's day-to-day. Stock and pricing were re-checked on 2026-07-21.
We do not take payment from Schlage, Yale, Kwikset, August, or any brand mentioned here. If you spot an error, please let us know.
Prices and availability reflect Amazon listings at time of writing. Confirm on the product page before purchase.