Quick answer: the August WiFi Smart Lock (4th Gen) is our top overall pick (First lock I'd install); the Schlage Encode Plus (Keypad pick for Apple households) and the Kwikset Halo Touchscreen (Value pick that doesn't feel cheap) are the standout alternatives.
Our Top Picks at a Glance
August WiFi Smart Lock (4th Gen)
Keeps your existing exterior hardware and key since it mounts on the interior side. Built-in WiFi for remote access, auto-lock, auto-unlock, and it plays nice with Alexa, Google, and HomeKit. The easiest upgrade for most front doors.
Check price on Amazon →
Schlage Encode Plus
WiFi keypad deadbolt with Apple Home Key support. Tap your iPhone or Apple Watch to unlock, no app needed. Schlage's commercial-grade build in a residential smart lock.
See it on Amazon →
Kwikset Halo Touchscreen
WiFi smart lock with a touchscreen keypad at the most affordable price in this lineup. Works with Alexa and Google Assistant. Kwikset's SmartKey tech lets you re-key the lock yourself in seconds.
Check price on Amazon →Full Comparison Table
Click any column header to sort. Green highlights indicate the best value in that category.
| Lock | Type | Connectivity | Auto-Lock | Ecosystem | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| August WiFi Smart Lock (4th Gen) | Retrofit (interior only) | WiFi + Bluetooth | Yes | Alexa, Google, HomeKit | $$$ | View |
| Yale Assure Lock 2 | Keypad + deadbolt | WiFi + Bluetooth | Yes | Alexa, Google, HomeKit, Matter | $$$ | View |
| Schlage Encode Plus | Keypad + deadbolt | WiFi + Bluetooth | Yes | HomeKit, Apple Home Key | $$$$ | View |
| Kwikset Halo Touchscreen | Touchscreen + deadbolt | WiFi + Bluetooth | Yes | Alexa, Google | $$ | View |
| Level Lock+ | Invisible (inside deadbolt) | Bluetooth + Wi-Fi | Yes | HomeKit (Apple Home Key), Alexa, Google | $$$ | View |
| Yale Assure Lock SL | Touchscreen + deadbolt | Bluetooth (WiFi w/ module) | Yes | Alexa, Google | $$$ | View |
Price tiers are approximate. $ = under $50, $$ = $50 to 150, $$$ = $150 to 300, $$$$ = over $300. Tap any link for the current Amazon price.
What Owners Actually Report
Smart lock reviews split hard between five-star fans and one-star lockouts, and the reason is almost always connectivity or battery drain. Here's what top-helpful verified reviewers flag for each pick, straight from their own words.
August WiFi Smart Lock (4th Gen) 4.0 stars from verified buyers
The top five-star reviewer admits the lock took almost a year to settle in: "been living with it sorta connecting and auto locking or unlocking one time" before things finally clicked after a hardware adapter change. A top one-star warns bluntly: "I am not someone who often leaves reviews, but I decided I had to protect other people." Expect to fiddle with the deadbolt alignment on day one.
Schlage Encode Plus 4.1 stars from verified buyers
A verified owner writes: "I've read many, many articles, reviews and viewed twice as many videos searching for the best Apple HomeKit compatible smart lock." Another long-term user notes batteries lasting three months and counting versus the Kwikset it replaced. The 4-star caveat is that Apple Home Key pairing can be "buggy" on initial setup, so budget extra time for the HomeKit dance.
Yale Assure Lock 2 4.0 stars from verified buyers
The most-helpful five-star review comes from a HomeKit household that bought two and praised the Yale Access app. The most-helpful one-star is the one to read first: "device errors and overheats" with batteries "maybe 1 months tops before needing replacement." Overheating complaints are rare but worth knowing about if the lock sits in direct afternoon sun.
Kwikset Halo Touchscreen 3.8 stars from verified buyers
A 2026 five-star reviewer says the install "went quick and the instructions are straightforward" and that "remote locking and unlocking works great." The loudest one-star complaint is about the touchscreen itself: "you have to tap it a hundred times just to get it to light up," and repeated WiFi disconnects that force factory resets. If the touchscreen is finicky, that's the lock talking, not you.
Level Lock+ 3.9-star verified-buyer average
Fans love the invisible profile. One verified owner calls it "discreet" with a "high quality, secure" feel, and another is on their sixth unit. The one-star to read before buying: "the Bluetooth, WiFi, and HomeKit integration are so terrible that there was an error every time I tried to connect." Plan a return window in case you draw a dud.
Jacob’s read on this category
A smart lock is a mechanical part first and a gadget second, which is why the cycle ratings in the security section deserve more attention than the app screenshots. A front door takes thousands of actuations a year, so the gap between a Grade 1 deadbolt rated for 800,000 cycles and a Grade 2 rated for half that is a genuine longevity difference, not spec trivia. Retrofit designs like August carry different fine print: they inherit whatever security grade your existing deadbolt already has. Match the grade to your busiest door, and treat the connectivity features as the tiebreaker rather than the headline.
How Smart Locks Work
A smart lock replaces or augments your deadbolt so you can lock and unlock with a phone app, voice command, or keypad code instead of a physical key. Two approaches dominate the category, and the right one for you depends on your door and your habits.
Retrofit locks install on the interior side of your existing deadbolt. You keep the current exterior hardware and your physical keys still work. The August WiFi Smart Lock (4th Gen) uses this approach. Installation takes about 10 minutes and nothing changes from the outside. Good for renters, or for anyone who likes their current exterior hardware. The trade-off: no keypad, so you still need your phone or a key from outside.
Full-replacement locks swap out the entire deadbolt. Models like the Schlage Encode Plus, Yale Assure Lock 2, and Kwikset Halo replace both the interior and exterior hardware, which is how they get a built-in keypad or touchscreen on the outside of the door. You punch in a code and you're in. Installation takes 15 to 30 minutes and requires pulling out your old deadbolt completely.
Then there's the invisible approach. The Level Lock+ fits entirely inside the deadbolt bore, so your door looks traditional from both sides. It's the smallest smart lock on the market and works with standard deadbolt hardware. No keypad, no visual sign that you have a smart lock at all. Which is the whole point.
Connectivity: WiFi vs Bluetooth vs Z-Wave vs Thread
WiFi locks connect directly to your home network and give you remote access out of the box. You can lock or unlock from anywhere with an internet connection. The August 4th Gen, Schlage Encode Plus, Yale Assure Lock 2, and Kwikset Halo all have built-in WiFi. The downside is battery life. WiFi locks typically want fresh batteries every 6 to 10 months.
Bluetooth gives you roughly 30 feet of range between the lock and your phone. It sips power compared to WiFi, so batteries last longer, but you lose remote control unless you add a WiFi bridge or hub. The Yale Assure Lock SL is Bluetooth by default and needs an optional WiFi module for remote access.
Z-Wave is a low-power mesh protocol used in home automation. Z-Wave locks talk to SmartThings, Hubitat, and other Z-Wave hubs. Pick this one if you already run a Z-Wave smart home.
Thread is the newest of the bunch, built for low-power, low-latency mesh networking. Thread devices act as mesh nodes for each other, so range grows throughout your home without a dedicated hub. None of the locks in this lineup use Thread today; most rely on built-in WiFi or Bluetooth instead.
Security Features Compared
The whole point of a smart lock is convenience without giving up security. Here's how the locks in this comparison stack up on the things that actually matter for protecting your home.
Encryption
Every lock in this comparison uses AES 128-bit encryption at minimum between the lock and your phone or hub. The Schlage Encode Plus and Yale Assure Lock 2 use AES 256-bit. In practice, both are plenty. AES 128-bit has never been publicly broken, and the gap between 128 and 256 bit is academic for residential use. What matters more is keeping firmware updated, since manufacturers patch vulnerabilities through software updates.
Auto-Lock
All six locks support auto-lock, which throws the deadbolt after a set delay (typically 30 seconds to 5 minutes). It's one of the most underrated security features on this list. Forgetting to lock the front door is one of the most common security lapses, and auto-lock kills that problem. The August WiFi Smart Lock (4th Gen) also supports auto-unlock, which uses your phone's GPS to detect when you're walking up to the house and pops the deadbolt before you reach the door.
Tamper Alerts
The Schlage Encode Plus, Yale Assure Lock 2, and Kwikset Halo all include built-in tamper alarms that fire if someone tries to force the lock or pry off the exterior escutcheon. The lock itself emits a loud beep and fires a push notification to your phone. The August WiFi Smart Lock catches lock manipulation through its DoorSense sensor, which tracks whether the door is open or closed and alerts you if it opens unexpectedly.
Guest Access and Access Codes
The keypad locks (Schlage Encode Plus, Yale Assure Lock 2, Yale Assure Lock SL, Kwikset Halo) let you create unique access codes for family, house cleaners, dog walkers, or Airbnb guests. Codes can be scoped to specific days or time windows, and you can revoke them instantly from the app. The Schlage supports up to 100 codes. Yale and Kwikset both support up to 250.
The August WiFi Smart Lock (4th Gen) handles guest access differently. Since there's no keypad, you share access through the August app by inviting someone as a guest user. They have to download the app and make an account, which is more friction than simply handing out a door code.
Physical Security Grade
The Schlage Encode Plus carries an ANSI/BHMA Grade 1 rating, the highest residential security grade. It's been tested for 800,000 cycles and significant forced-entry attempts. The Kwikset Halo carries a BHMA Grade AAA rating, the top residential grade on the BHMA scale. The Yale Assure Lock 2 is ANSI Grade 2, rated for 400,000 cycles and still fine for residential use. The August WiFi Smart Lock inherits whatever grade your existing deadbolt has, which is a plus if you already have a high-quality deadbolt installed.
Ecosystem Compatibility
Your voice assistant and smart home platform should heavily influence the lock you buy. Ecosystem support decides whether you can say "Hey Siri, lock the front door," or build an automation that throws the deadbolt when your security system arms at night.
Alexa
Four of the six locks here work with Alexa: August WiFi Smart Lock (4th Gen), Yale Assure Lock 2, Kwikset Halo, and Yale Assure Lock SL. You can use voice commands to lock the door (Alexa requires a PIN confirmation to unlock for security reasons) and drop the lock into Alexa routines. If your household runs on Echo devices, any of the four will fit right in.
Google Home
The same four locks that support Alexa also work with Google Home. You can lock and unlock with Google Assistant voice commands through Nest speakers and displays. Google also requires voice PIN verification for unlocking, which matches Alexa's approach.
Apple HomeKit and Home Key
HomeKit support is more limited. The August WiFi Smart Lock (4th Gen), Schlage Encode Plus, Yale Assure Lock 2, and Level Lock+ all work with HomeKit. But only the Schlage Encode Plus and Level Lock+ support Apple Home Key, the feature that lets you tap your iPhone or Apple Watch to the lock like an Apple Pay terminal. Home Key is genuinely convenient, and you don't need to open an app. If you're deep in the Apple ecosystem, buy the Schlage Encode Plus.
Matter
Matter is the emerging universal smart home standard backed by Apple, Google, Amazon, and Samsung. The Yale Assure Lock 2 already supports it, so it works across all the major platforms today and should gain functionality as the Matter standard matures. If you're building a future-proof smart home, or just want the option to switch ecosystems later, Matter support is a meaningful advantage.
Installation: Can You Do It Yourself?
One of the best things about smart locks is that almost anyone can install one. You don't need an electrician or a locksmith. Every lock in this comparison is designed for DIY installation, and in most cases the only tool you need is a Phillips-head screwdriver.
Retrofit Locks (August): 10 Minutes
The August WiFi Smart Lock (4th Gen) is the easiest to install. Remove your existing interior thumb turn (the thing you twist to lock the deadbolt from inside), attach the August mounting plate over the existing deadbolt, and snap the August lock body on. Your exterior hardware and key stay exactly as they are. About 10 minutes, start to finish, for a first-timer. August includes an adapter kit to fit different deadbolt styles.
Full Replacement Locks (Schlage, Yale, Kwikset): 15-30 Minutes
The Schlage Encode Plus, Yale Assure Lock 2, Yale Assure Lock SL, and Kwikset Halo all require pulling your existing deadbolt out and dropping the new one in its place. It's still straightforward. Remove four screws from the current deadbolt, pull it out, and install the new lock in the same bore holes. All four manufacturers include detailed instructions and video tutorials. Budget 15 to 30 minutes depending on your familiarity with basic home hardware.
The one thing to verify before buying is that your door has a standard deadbolt preparation: a 2-1/8 inch bore hole on the face of the door and a 1-inch bore on the edge. Almost every residential door in the United States uses this standard. If your home has a mortise lock (common in older apartments and pre-1960s homes), you'll need a mortise-specific smart lock or a pro installer.
Invisible Lock (Level): 15 Minutes
The Level Lock+ replaces the interior of your deadbolt mechanism while keeping the exterior hardware in place. Installation is similar to a full replacement, but the finished result looks identical to a traditional deadbolt from both sides. Level includes several adapter kits to fit different door preparations.
Which Smart Lock Should You Get?
How We Research
Smart lock reviews lie more than most product categories. Battery life claims are almost always optimistic, and connectivity "just works" means "works until your WiFi blinks." We pulled every lock's current specs, verified the connection protocol against manufacturer docs (not marketing pages), and read the top-helpful verified reviews to find out which locks drop offline and how often. Prices and stock status were re-checked against the live Amazon listings on 2026-05-12.
We don't accept payment from any manufacturer. Rankings come from product specifications and aggregate owner feedback, with heavy weight on the 1-star and 2-star reviews where real installation pain tends to surface. Spot an error? Let us know.