A smart lock is an easy solution to some common problems. Locked yourself out? Need to let a friend in to water the plants? Your latchkey kid lost their key? Hands are full, and it’s raining cats and dogs? A smart lock solves all of these problems and more.

One of the best smart home upgrades you can make, a smart lock gives you remote control over access to your house from anywhere, plus easy, key-free ways to unlock and lock your door. Smart locks also remember everything that happened, so they can tell you when your door was unlocked, and sometimes who did it.

For most people, control and convenience are big enough selling points. However, smart locks also work nicely with other smart home devices, including video doorbells and smart lighting. My favorite way to integrate locks in my home is with an evening smart home routine, which locks the doors, dims the lights, and sets my thermostat to sleep mode. We have four exterior doors, so it saves me from walking around the house at night checking everything is secure.

Having a connected lock on your door is as secure as a standard lock, and sometimes more. Most smart locks have the same security ratings as their non-smart counterparts (see FAQ for more details), and it’s harder to physically pick a lock without a keyway. Plus, any smart lock is more secure than leaving a spare key under a flowerpot.

I’ve been testing smart door locks for six years and have installed more than 30 for this guide alone. Here are my top picks for your front door. Whether you want the best of the best, don’t want to replace your existing lock, are on a budget, or want a smart lock that doesn’t look like a smart lock, there are great options for every need.

Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Thread / Access options: Key, app, voice / Auto-unlock: Yes / Battery type: Four AA batteries / Battery life: Six to 12 months / Guest codes: Yes / Security rating: ANSI Grade AAA / Works with: Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Matter (including Apple Home, Samsung SmartThings)

The Kwikset Halo Select ($279.99) is a good-looking, reliable smart lock with top-notch security ratings, broad smart home compatibility, and the best auto-unlock I’ve tested to date.

I strongly believe a smart lock should look good on your door, and the Halo Select does exactly that, plus it can blend in with both traditional and contemporary door sets. (But I could do without the prominent Kwikset branding.)

Of the four entry methods — a keyway (which is re-keyable), a touchscreen keypad, app/smart home control, and auto-unlock by location — I liked the last one the best. It worked so well that I didn’t mind that it lacks a fingerprint reader or Apple Home Key.

My experience with automatic unlocking on other locks has been generally frustrating, but on the Halo Select, it’s been flawless. It unlocks just as I approach my porch, making coming home and opening the door a virtually hands-free experience.

The Select can also auto-lock based on your location, not just after a set amount of time. I also like the Halo Select’s LED lock indicator on the touchscreen, which tells you at a glance if the door is locked or unlocked.

The Halo Select has built-in Wi-Fi and a Thread radio, but you have to pick one.

If you set it up with Wi-Fi, you can use the Kwikset app and connect to Amazon Alexa and Google via the cloud. With Matter, you can connect to those platforms locally and also to Apple Home and others, but you won’t be able to use the Kwikset app after setup and you lose the auto-unlock feature, among others.

Matter-over-Thread does promise better battery life (I’ll need to test it for longer to determine this) and the ability to easily share the lock with other ecosystems. I set it up in Apple Home, Google Home, and Samsung SmartThings via Matter with no issues and could control it with all three via routines, automations, and voice commands.

It’s a shame to have to choose between using Matter and some of this lock’s best features, but this is a problem across Matter, not specific to Kwikset. Kwikset’s solution allows you to use its advanced features today while still having the future-proofing potential of Matter for tomorrow.

Best budget smart(ish) lock

Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0 / Access options: Fingerprint, keypad, app / Auto-unlock: No / Battery type: Four AA batteries / Battery life: One year / Security Grade: ANSI/BHMA Grade 3 / Guest codes: Yes / Works with: N/A

The Wyze Lock Bolt is a good choice if you want something inexpensive and useful and don’t care about smart home integration — or prefer a lock without it. It’s not sleek or stylish; it’s just a big hunk of black plastic (there’s also a satin nickel version). Out of the box, it doesn’t connect to Wi-Fi or integrate with any smart home systems, but it does have an easy-to-use backlit keypad and a lightning-fast fingerprint reader. It’ll auto-lock if you want, and it’s half the price of most smart locks in this list.

In addition to the fingerprint reader and keypad, the Wyze Lock Bolt can be controlled over Bluetooth, and its range is very good. I could lock the door from my bedroom at the other end of the house using the Wyze app. That’s important, as there’s no way to lock the door on a schedule (although you can enable auto-lock).

The Bolt doesn’t integrate with smart home platforms, but if you don’t need to control your lock with your voice or plan to add it to any smart home routines, you won’t miss those features. It also delivers up to a year of battery life on four AAs — I tested it for three months and it only lost 15 percent.

But without Wi-Fi, I couldn’t check on it or control it when I was away from home, so turning on the auto-lock option is a must. If I wanted to let someone in while I was gone, I couldn’t unlock the door remotely, but I could generate an offline code in the Wyze app and share that. This uses similar technology to two-factor authentication codes and worked perfectly in my testing.

Since I tested the lock, Wyze has introduced an integration with its Wyze Video Doorbell Pro that lets you unlock the Bolt remotely when paired with the doorbell — but it doesn’t let you lock it remotely, which is odd. Of course, if you enable auto-lock, this is less of an issue.

Connectivity: Wi-Fi / Access options: Existing key, app, voice, keypad (sold separately) / Auto-unlock: Yes / Battery type: Two CR123 batteries / Battery life: Up to three months / Guest codes: Yes / Works with: Apple Home, Amazon Alexa, Google Home

The August Wi-Fi Smart Lock is an elegant retrofit door lock that replaces just the thumb turn. This is a better option than a full replacement lock if you prefer to keep your existing deadbolt, key cylinder, and lock exterior.

It’s expensive for a retrofit lock, but it feels premium thanks to its all-metal design. Its compact size means it doesn’t stick out too much on the inside of your door, and it’s attractive enough not to be an eyesore. In contrast to many models I’ve tested, it’s also very quiet when it operates.

The August has Wi-Fi built in, so there’s no need for an extra bridge. It has an auto-unlock feature that uses your phone to determine when you are arriving home and unlocks as you approach your door. This wasn’t 100 percent reliable in my testing, and I had to whip out my phone a couple of times to unlock it since there’s no built-in keypad. (I stopped carrying keys years ago — but you can unlock it with a key).

The lock does work with a Yale keypad sold separately to add keycode access, and there’s the option of a fingerprint version. (Yale and August are sister companies, now owned by Fortune Brands.) It’s large and black, so it stands out on a door frame, negating the whole “my entryway still looks the same” reason for buying this lock. However, the keypad has good Bluetooth range, so you could tuck it off to the side if you prefer. I tested the keypad with the Yale Approach lock, and you can read more about it below.

The biggest disadvantage of the August Wi-Fi is battery life. Most Wi-Fi locks use four AA batteries that last around six months. To achieve its small form factor, the August Wi-Fi uses two small CR123 batteries, which cost $20 to 30 for a six-pack and need to be replaced every two to three months, based on my testing.

Best smart lock for renters

Connectivity: Bluetooth and Wi-Fi (with plug-in module) / Access options: Key, app, voice, keypad and fingerprint reader sold separately / Auto-unlock: Yes / Battery type: Four AA alkaline batteries / Battery life: 12 months / Guest codes: Yes / Works with: Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Samsung SmartThings

Starting at $130, the Yale Approach is a more affordable alternative to the August. It’s super easy to install, looks fine, and has all the same features (it uses the same app) — auto-lock, auto-unlock, app, and voice control. Add the Bluetooth keypad to get one-touch locking, key code, and fingerprint access.

As with August, the Approach replaces your thumb turn, so you can still use your current lock and key — making it a great option if you are renting and don’t want to annoy your landlord. While not as small as August, it has a nice, slim profile and blends in better than the rear housing of most smart locks.

It comes in black or silver and took me less than five minutes to install. It uses four AA batteries and promises 12 months of battery life — a lot longer than the August. This is because there is no built-in Wi-Fi; instead, it uses an included plug-in bridge.

The bridge adds out-of-home control and connection to smart home platforms, including Alexa and Google Home (unlike August, there’s no Apple Home support). This allows for voice control and adding it to smart home routines. Yale told me there’s an onboard Thread radio that will be activated to support Matter, but didn’t say when this would arrive.

The optional Bluetooth keypad lets you control the lock from the outside without using an app or key, and it worked promptly and reliably. There’s the option of a fingerprint version, and that was similarly a good experience — just touch and open. The keypad also allows you to lock the door when you leave by pressing the Yale logo button.

The keys are a bit sensitive; I frequently get double inputs when pressing. But I liked the LED indicator that notifies you with green if your code was accepted or red if there’s an issue. This made it easy to know if the input worked, as the lock is very quiet — it’s hard to hear it locking or unlocking.

My biggest disappointment is the look of the keypad. It’s big, wide, and black, with prominent white numbers that don’t disappear when not in use — it looks a bit like a toy keypad on your door.

Best fingerprint smart lock

Connectivity: Bluetooth (can add Wi-Fi, Z-Wave) / Access options: Key, keypad, fingerprint reader, app, voice / Auto-unlock: Yes / Battery type: Four AA batteries / Battery life: Six months to a year / Guest codes: Yes / Security rating: ANSI/BHMA Grade 2 / Works with: Apple Home, Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Samsung SmartThings

The Yale Assure 2 line — previously my top pick — has something for everyone. There’s an option with or without a keyway, with a touchscreen keypad or a physical keypad, or with Apple Home Key, but my favorite model is the Yale Assure Lock 2 Touch with a built-in fingerprint reader. It costs $209.99, and the built-in fingerprint reader is fast and efficient. I tested the touchscreen version, but Yale recently released a keypad version. Unless you really value the clean look of the touchscreen (which is blank when off), go with the keypad — it’s much easier to use.

The Yale Assure 2 is a good-looking lock that works with every smart home platform with its swappable modules. Its slimline design (both front and back), wide smart home compatibility, easy-to-use app, and good selection of unlocking options — including fingerprint unlock — make it a great option for your front door.

The lock supports Bluetooth out of the box and works with the Yale Access app and Apple Home app (which adds remote unlocking if you have an Apple Home hub). Along with a keycode, fingerprint reader, or key, you can also choose to use auto-unlocking. Auto-unlock is a decent alternative to fingerprint unlock, but I found I often had to wait at the door for a second or two before it worked. Still, it’s faster than fumbling through a purse for keys when your hands are full.

Support for other platforms and remote unlocking comes through Yale’s ingenious swappable networking modules, which cost around $80 each. There’s a Wi-Fi module to add Alexa and Google Home integration and a Z-Wave module for compatibility with (some) SmartThings hubs, Ring Alarm, and other Z-Wave hubs. Yale promised support for Matter via a Matter-over-Thread module back in 2022, but this still hasn’t materialized. They have announced a different lock that uses Thread, but it doesn’t have a fingerprint reader. I plan to test this soon.

I tested the Wi-Fi module in the Assure 2 Touch, which worked well with Amazon Alexa and Google Home. It allowed me to add the lock to Alexa Routines, lock and unlock it with my voice, and control it away from home. The downside is that control over Wi-Fi is considerably slower than over Bluetooth and drains the battery more quickly. Yale estimates up to a year on Bluetooth only, compared to six months over Wi-Fi; I got about four months.

Best smart lock that works with Apple Home Key

Connectivity: Wi-Fi or Thread / Access options: Key, keypad, app, voice, Apple Home Key / Auto-unlock: No / Battery type: Four AA batteries / Battery life: Up to six months / Security Grade: ANSI Grade 1 / Guest codes: Yes / Works with: Apple Home (Home Key), Amazon Alexa, Ring, and Google Home

Apple Home Key lets you use your iPhone or Apple Watch to tap to unlock your door in much the same way as you tap to pay. It uses an NFC chip in the lock, and is fast, efficient, and secure. There are no apps to open, no buttons to press, and no need to unlock your phone (although you can add that step as an extra security layer). However, it does require an Apple device; it won’t work on Android.

Home Key took a while to gain adoption, but there are now several options (and should soon be more as Apple has made it part of Matter). The Schlage Encode Plus is still the best — if most expensive — option.

The Schlage is the best Home Key-compatible lock with a built-in keypad. This is largely down to connectivity: while it won’t be updated to support Matter, the Thread radio adds better battery life and more stable connection to Apple Home than Bluetooth. I have had numerous connectivity issues in HomeKit with Bluetooth-only locks.

To use Home Key, you need to have an Apple Home Hub, such as an Apple TV or HomePod. Adding the lock to the Home app automatically adds the Home Key card to your Wallet, as well as that of anyone else you have added to your app. That’s much easier than getting household members to download a whole new app for the door lock. I should know — I try regularly.

To allow someone not in your household to control the lock, you’ll have to give them a standard PIN, which you can do in the Apple Home app or the Schlage Encode app. If you like, you can set this lock up entirely in the Home app and never have to use the manufacturer’s app.

Best smart lock that doesn’t look like a smart lock

Connectivity: Bluetooth, Thread, Wi-Fi with bridge / Access options: Key, app, voice, keypad (sold separately), Apple Home Key / Auto-unlock: Yes / Battery type: One CR2 battery / Battery life: One year / Guest codes: Yes / Security Grade: ANSI/BHMA: Grade 1 / Works with: Matter, Apple Home, Ring

Want a smart lock that doesn’t look like a smart lock? Level packs all the technology inside the deadbolt — including the single CR2 battery that gets up to a year of battery life.

The Level Lock Plus works with Apple’s Home Key and recently started supporting Matter over Thread. You can also control it with a key, auto-unlock, touch-to-unlock, the app, and smart home integrations. If you don’t use an iPhone or have family members who don’t, you’ll want to get the Bluetooth keypad (from $79) to give you another option for access. The lock also comes with two NFC cards you can hand out.

The Level Lock Plus replaces the whole lock, deadbolt and all, but still looks like a traditional door lock — both in front and behind the door. There is no branding at all — this is the only smart lock I’ve tested that isn’t a tiny advertisement on my front door. There’s also the option of the Level Bolt, which only replaces the deadbolt of your existing lock. This has all the same features, bar Home Key and touch-to-unlock, and it costs significantly less.

Level locks work over Bluetooth out of the box and can connect to an Apple Home hub for out-of-home control. If you don’t have a HomePod or Apple TV, get the Level Lock Plus with Wi-Fi, which comes with a Connect Wi-Fi bridge. Or you can connect it to Matter for smart home and out-of-home control. You’ll need a Matter controller, which can be a HomePod or Amazon Echo smart speaker, among other options (See FAQ).

The Level lock also has auto-unlocking and touch-to-unlock, though with some quirks: it’s one or the other, not both. And neither works unless you leave the geofence area and come back. So if you leave the house, lock the door, get in your car, remember you forgot something, and go back to your door, it won’t unlock automatically. This is why I prefer Home Key or a keypad for unlocking.

Based on my testing of the lock on three different doors, it is worth noting that the full replacement Level locks don’t work well with older doors. I would only consider installing this if your door lines up perfectly with the strike plate.

Level locks are very expensive; the Plus costs $329 ($349 for the Wi-Fi version). But it’s the way to go for an invisible smart lock that works well.

Connectivity: Thread / Access options: Key, app, voice, keypad, NFC tag, Apple Home Key / Auto-unlock: No / Battery type: Four AA batteries / Battery life: 10 months / Guest codes: Yes / Works with: Matter, Apple Home, Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Samsung SmartThings

The Aqara U300 is a lever-style smart lock; it replaces a knob or lever lock on a door with a single borehole rather than a door with a deadbolt lock with two holes. This type of lock is traditionally found on interior doors, pedestrian doors into garages, or side doors.

There are options for smart lever locks from Yale, Schlage, and Lockly, but the U300 is the only one with Home Key compatibility and a built-in fingerprint reader. It also works over Thread and supports Matter.

I installed it on my garage door, and it works like a charm. The fingerprint reader is right where you put your thumb to open the door, so I barely notice it unlocking as I walk in. It also has a keypad, and I can use my iPhone or Apple Watch for Home Key. It’s set to auto-lock by default, but you can enable passage mode directly on the lock if you don’t want it to stay locked all the time.

It paired to Matter easily — I set it up in Apple Home and could add a code and Home Key all without even opening the Aqara app. Because it uses Thread, there’s no need for an Aqara hub. Thread also enables up to 10 months of battery life, according to Aqara.

I love the idea of using smart locks on other doors in my home. I could see this working on a basement door, a home office, or any other room you like to keep people out of. However, I would like to see a way to permanently enable passage mode. Currently, you have to do it on the device, and it reverts to auto-lock after an undetermined period. This makes it somewhat useless for interior doors. It’s also very large and only comes in black or silver, so it likely wouldn’t blend in with your interior decor. A slimmer option, in more colorways, designed for inside use would be nice to see.

The U300 is expensive at $230, but it’s similar to other outdoor-rated options (it’s IPX4-rated). The addition of Thread — a protocol that works over a mesh network — makes it easier to extend connectivity further to places like a shed or garage.

Best smart lock that’s also a video doorbell

Connectivity: Wi-Fi or Eufy HomeBase / Access options: Key, palm unlock, keypad, app, voice / Auto-unlock: No / Battery type: Removable, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, AAA backup / Battery life: Five months / Guest codes: Yes / Security rating: ANSI Grade 1 / Works with: Matter (including Apple Home), Amazon Alexa, and Google Home

Eufy’s new FamiLock S3 Max combines a smart lock and video doorbell in one device and features a digital peephole and a wave-to-unlock function. It also has a keyway and keypad and supports Matter-over-Wi-Fi, so can work with all the major smart home platforms.

My favorite of all these feature is the video screen on the inside part of the lock, which shows a live feed of who is on the other side of the door. If you have a peephole or a window in your door, this might not be much use to you — and you can opt to get the lock without the screen for $50 less. But as a quick way to confirm who is at your door before opening it, it’s super handy.

The lock has another fairly unique feature: palm vein technology. This lets you wave your hand over it to unlock it and is an alternative form of biometric access to the fingerprint reader.

Palm unlocking isn’t any faster or easier than using your fingerprint, though, and I found it harder to get used to. But once I got the hang of it, it worked reliably. Both my kids also picked it up quickly, and my husband, who has trouble with fingerprint locks in general, really liked it.

The video doorbell aspect here is the main reason to buy this lock. The FamiLock’s 2K camera provides clear, crisp video during daylight hours and decent night vision, although my protruding door frame reflected the LEDs, causing the footage to blow out a tad.

The 180-degree diagonal field of view meant I could see top to bottom and all of one side (not the other side, though, to the aforementioned door frame). But packages and people were clearly visible, which is most of what you want to see with a doorbell.

There’s no fee for viewing recorded footage of visitors in the Eufy app, and videos are stored locally on the device. Live view and recording pulled up promptly in the app, and the doorbell can alert you when it sees a person. For more advanced smart alerts, like packages and facial recognition, you need to connect it to a Eufy HomeBase.

However, connecting to the HomeBase means you can’t use the Matter integration, so you would lose Apple Home support. Bear in mind, Matter only controls the lock, as cameras aren’t supported by the standard yet, so the benefits of using Matter are fairly limited so far. (If you’re looking for a biometric Matter lock, Eufy’s E30 is a good fingerprint lock that uses Matter-over-Thread.)

A video doorbell to a lock puts a lot of strain on the battery. While you can adjust several settings to help save power, Eufy only claims about five months of battery life from the lock’s giant 15,000mAh removable battery. There are also four AAA backup batteries tucked into the top of the very large lock to keep it functioning while you’re recharging the battery (which takes a while). I’ve been testing it for a week so far, and the battery indicator hasn’t budged yet.

At $400, this is a very expensive lock, but it works well and provides dual functionality of a doorbell and door lock.

Best facial recognition smart lock

Connectivity: Wi-Fi (2.4gHz) / Access options: Fingerprint, facial recognition, app, voice, keypad, Home Key, key / Auto-unlock: No / Battery type: 10,000mAh rechargeable / Battery life: Eight months / Guest codes: Yes / Security rating: ANSI Grade 1 / Works with: Apple Home, Amazon Alexa, Google Home

I was very impressed with the Lockly Visage. The first facial recognition residential smart lock on the market, it also features a fingerprint reader, a keypad, a keyway, and Apple Home Key — that’s a lot of high-tech ways to unlock your door. And while it’s probably too much lock for most people, if you are a super smart home user or a major gadget nerd, you’ll love this lock.

I was skeptical about the facial unlocking at first, but it worked really well, opening a second or two before I put my hand on the handle. The only caveat is that I had to be approaching face-on, which in most cases I was, but the couple of times I approached from a slightly odd angle, it failed to unlock. In those cases, though, I had the option of using my fingerprint or Home Key.

There’s also a touchscreen keypad, which is mainly useful for handing out codes to guests and visitors whose faces and fingers you don’t want to scan into your lock. The keypad is probably my least favorite part of the lock; it’s very small, which is good for the overall look, but fiddly to access. It’s also hard to see bright light. But with all the other ways to unlock, this isn’t a deal-breaker.

Note that the Visage doesn’t take video or still images; its infrared camera is only used for facial recognition, data for which is stored on the device. Lockly does have a video doorbell version for $429, though that doesn’t have facial recognition.

Surprisingly, despite all the tech packed into it, the lock is compact and stylish-looking and works with the redesigned Lockly Home app, which is now more straightforward and very easy to use. The lock works over Wi-Fi and supports Apple Home, Google Home, and Alexa, but there’s no support for Matter.

Lockly claims eight months of battery life with its included rechargeable 10,000mAh battery. Uniquely, it comes with two batteries, so you can swap one and keep the lock online while charging the other.

At $350, the Lockly Visage is very expensive, but considering the tech packed into this lock, plus the two batteries, it’s not outrageous. Its solid build, broad smart home compatibility, and multiple very cool ways to control it make this a great lock.

Other smart locks to consider

Other smart locks I tested

Photography by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge

Update, June 6th: Added several new picks, removed some older ones, added an “other smart locks to consider” section, added details on UWB unlocking, and made minor updates throughout.