Before you buy: check your door
Smart deadbolts replace or augment an existing deadbolt. Most are designed for standard 60mm or 70mm backsets on a single-cylinder deadbolt. If your door setup is different, your options narrow.
Check these four things:
1. Deadbolt type
Smart locks work with single-cylinder deadbolts (key on the outside, thumb-turn on the inside). Double-cylinder deadbolts (key required on both sides) don’t work with most smart locks.
2. Backset
The backset is the distance from the edge of the door to the centre of the keyhole. Standard US doors use a 44mm or 57mm backset. US-designed locks (Schlage, August) are built for 60mm/70mm. Check before ordering.
3. Door thickness
Standard interior doors: 35 – 45mm. Exterior doors: 44 – 54mm. Most smart locks cover this range, but chunky models have minimum thickness requirements – verify against your door.
4. Existing lock cylinder
US doors often use a multipoint lock system (three or more locking points controlled by a single lever), not a single deadbolt. If that’s your door, most standard smart deadbolts won’t work. You’d need a smart cylinder replacement instead (like the Ultion Nuki or Nuki Smart Lock 4.0 with its adapter kit).
Map your entry points before you buy
Use Planner5D’s floor plan tool to map your home’s entry points – front door, back door, garage, garden gate – before deciding which doors to fit with smart locks and which to leave with keys. Seeing your home’s access points on paper makes prioritisation obvious and prevents buying the wrong number of locks.
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Keyless entry options: how they work
Most smart locks offer several ways to unlock, often in combination:
PIN code: Enter a number on a keypad. Good for regular visitors (cleaners, family). You can set time-limited codes that expire automatically.
Fingerprint: Touch a biometric pad. Fast, convenient, works even when your hands are full. Less reliable in cold or wet conditions.
Bluetooth/phone tap: Your phone unlocks the door as you approach, or you tap an NFC tag. Hands-free unlocking when it works – occasionally temperamental with Bluetooth range.
App unlock: Tap a button in the app. Slower than the above options but gives remote access: unlock for a delivery driver while you’re at work.
Auto-unlock: The lock detects your phone’s GPS and unlocks as you approach. Very convenient; occasionally unlocks when you’re in the garden rather than approaching the door. Requires the app to always be running.
Traditional key: Most smart locks retain a physical key cylinder as a backup. Don’t throw your spare keys away.
The best smart door locks in 2025
Schlage Encode Smart WiFi Deadbolt – Best for North American doors
The Schlage Encode is the benchmark for WiFi-connected deadbolts in North America. It connects directly to your home WiFi – no hub, no bridge – and integrates with Alexa, Google Home, and Apple Home. The companion app lets you create, share, and expire PIN codes, check lock history, and lock/unlock from anywhere.
The Encode Plus adds a built-in Apple Home Key, letting you tap your iPhone or Apple Watch to unlock without opening an app. If you’re iPhone-forward and your door is compatible, the Encode Plus is a significant convenience upgrade.
Best for: North American doors with standard 60mm backset, Amazon or Apple ecosystem users.
Note for US buyers: Verify backset compatibility carefully. Schlage products are designed for North American door preparation standards.
Yale Assure Lock 2 – Best mainstream option
Yale is one of the few major lock brands with serious footing on both sides of the Atlantic. The Assure Lock 2 has a backlit touchscreen keypad, Bluetooth app control, and available modules for WiFi (for remote access) or Z-Wave/Zigbee (for hub-based smart home systems).
The modular design is clever: you buy the base lock, then add the connectivity module you need. Want to switch from WiFi to Z-Wave later? Swap the module. The lock itself stays fitted.
Best for: Flexibility; home assistant users who want Z-Wave or Zigbee integration.
August Smart Lock Pro – Best retrofit option
August’s approach is different from most smart locks: it fits over your existing interior thumb-turn, leaving your existing exterior keyhole completely unchanged. From outside, your door looks identical. From inside, the August module controls the deadbolt.
This makes August ideal for renters (you’re not modifying the exterior lock), for anyone whose door has a non-standard exterior, or for people who want smart functionality without disrupting an insurance-approved lock cylinder.
The August Smart Lock Pro includes a Z-Wave chip for hub integration and connects to the August Connect hub for remote WiFi access. The newer August Wi-Fi Smart Lock has WiFi built in, removing the need for the Connect hub.
Best for: Renters; anyone who wants smart access without changing the exterior lock.
Nuki Smart Lock 4.0 – Best for US multipoint doors
If your front door uses a multipoint system (very common on US exterior doors), Nuki is the most practical option. It attaches to the existing thumb-turn inside and motorises it – so your existing lock mechanics stay in place and your insurance approval remains valid.
The Nuki 4.0 has built-in WiFi (earlier versions required a separate bridge), Matter support, and works with Alexa, Google Home, and Apple Home. Battery life is genuinely good at about six months with typical use.
The weakness is that Nuki doesn’t add a keypad – it’s phone-first. You can add the Nuki Keypad separately if you want code-based access. Combined, it’s the most complete solution for US multipoint doors.
Best for: US exterior doors with multipoint locks.
Schlage Encode Plus – Best for Apple household
If everyone in your household uses iPhone or Apple Watch and your door is US-prep compatible, the Encode Plus is worth the premium. Apple Home Key is the smoothest door-opening experience available – tap the phone, door opens, no app needed. It also works with NFC-enabled Apple Watch.
It retains all standard Encode features: touchscreen keypad, remote access via WiFi, time-limited guest codes, lock history.
Best for: iPhone-centric households where hands-free convenience is the priority.
Access codes: the feature most people underuse
One of the genuinely useful things about keyless smart locks is granular access management. Here’s what you can typically do:
Guest codes: Create a PIN that works only between specific dates and times. A cleaner’s code that works Tuesdays 9am – 1pm. A short-term rental code for the week of a guest’s stay.
One-time codes: Some locks let you send a single-use code that expires after the door is opened once.
Access log: See exactly when the door was opened and by which code. Useful for confirming deliveries, checking when children got home, or auditing if something’s gone wrong.
Remote lock/unlock: Lock the door from your phone when you realise you left it unlocked. Let in a delivery driver without a spare key.
Most of this is free in the companion app. No subscription required for the basics – though some brands gate advanced history or remote access behind a monthly fee.
Battery life and what happens when they die
Smart locks run on AA or AAA batteries. Battery life ranges from 3 months (high-activity, WiFi locks) to 12+ months (Bluetooth-first locks with low-activity).
What to do:
– Check the battery indicator in the app regularly (most send a low-battery notification)
– Keep a spare set of batteries somewhere other than in a locked-up house
– All good smart locks have a 9V emergency battery terminal on the exterior – touch a standard 9V battery to the contacts and you get enough power to unlock and change the internal batteries
Some premium locks (Ultraloq UL3 BT) support USB-C emergency charging – a useful feature.
Common questions
Is a smart lock less secure than a traditional lock?
A good smart lock uses the same or better deadbolt mechanism as a quality traditional lock. The security question is about the cylinder (pick resistance, drill resistance) and the software (encryption, firmware updates). Look for locks with ANSI Grade 1 or Grade 2 ratings and brands with a track record of security updates. Avoid locks that have long gaps between firmware releases.
Will my insurance be affected?
Check your home contents and buildings insurance policy. Some insurers require Kitemarked or BS3621 standard locks. Adding a smart lock to the interior while leaving the exterior cylinder unchanged (the August approach, or Nuki) is generally less likely to affect your insurance than replacing the exterior cylinder.
What happens if the company closes?
This is a real and growing risk. Companies like Lockitron have shut down and left customers with unusable locks. Prioritise locks that retain full local keypad function (the door still opens with a code even if the servers are gone) and have Matter support, which enables local control via a Matter hub even if the cloud service disappears.
Can I have multiple entry codes for different people?
Yes – this is standard on virtually all smart locks. The number of codes you can store varies (usually 30 – 100). Codes can typically be set as permanent, time-limited, or scheduled.
Quick comparison
| Lock | Connection | Best ecosystem | Keypad | US doors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schlage Encode | WiFi | Alexa / Apple | Touchscreen | Check backset |
| Schlage Encode Plus | WiFi | Apple Home Key | Touchscreen | Check backset |
| Yale Assure Lock 2 | WiFi / Z-Wave | Universal | Touchscreen | Check backset |
| August Smart Lock Pro | BT + Z-Wave | Universal (retrofit) | No (add separately) | Yes (retrofit) |
| Nuki Smart Lock 4.0 | WiFi / BT | Universal | No (add separately) | Yes (multipoint) |
Bottom line
For US multipoint doors: Nuki Smart Lock 4.0. It’s the only major brand that reliably handles the most common US exterior door format.
For US-prep doors with an Apple household: Schlage Encode Plus. The Home Key experience is the best hands-free unlocking available.
For renters or anyone who can’t change the exterior: August Smart Lock – leave the outside untouched, add smart control to the inside.
Whatever you choose, set up the emergency battery terminal procedure before you need it, and never throw away your physical backup keys.
