Best Smart Locks of 2025: High-Tech Door Defenses

In our search for the best smart lock, these are some of the other products we've tried out.

Aqara Smart Lock U200: Aqara's lock has plenty that our testers liked, including full Matter and Thread support, and a compact keypad. However, our top pick for a separate keypad would be either the Level Plus or Yale Approach lock. Buyers who want full Matter smart home compatibility should still check out this lock, though.

Nest Yale Lock: Nest and Yale partnered up for a Google-centric smart lock with a touch keypad. This Nest app smart door lock has the good looks of Yale's earlier models, but it isn't quite as capable as other keyless locks for smart home integration.

Kwikset Halo Touch: The Halo Touch is a simple, straightforward fingerprint lock with built-in Wi-Fi and Alexa/Google compatibility. However, there's no Apple support and the price, currently at $200, is a bit high. Still, it could be a good deadbolt replacement if you catch it on a sale.

Wyze Smart Lock: We like how affordable the Wyze lock is. For about $30 more, the Ultraloq model offers a lot more, so it's currently our top budget pick. Also, Wyze has had a string of security issues that it hasn't been able to resolve at the level of other brands, like August, so we'd like to keep an eye on Wyze for a while.

Aqara U100: We were fans of this smart lock, but it's been a bit outclassed by the latest wave of smart locks, which are more compact and don't require an extra hub to enable important features.

Lockly Flex Touch: An understated fingerprint lock, the Flex Touch looks like a standard deadbolt on the outside, apart from the small fingerprint sensor that dangles underneath. That fingerprint sensor worked great when we tested it out, but the interior is made of faux-stainless-steel plastic, which felt a bit cheap. You'll need to buy an $80 plug-in Wi-Fi hub to control the lock via your phone from beyond Bluetooth range.

Schlage Sense Bluetooth Deadbolt: (discontinued) Schlage's Sense smart lock is affordable, but clunky and not as simple to set up as its Encode sibling. But you'll also needed a Schlage lock Wi-Fi adapter to connect with Google Assistant or Alexa, a design choice that has fallen out of favor in recent years.

The CNET team has spent years testing and reviewing smart locks. For our most recent batch of tests, we tried out several new models at our own homes, as well as on mock door displays to help save time. We like to give smart locks at least a few days of operation if possible.

Hands on with design

For starters, we took a critical eye on each lock's design, as well as the simplicity of the installation process. It's usually not a complicated process, and in many cases, you'll need only a Phillips head screwdriver, but it still might feel intimidating for some.

From there, the testing is largely experiential. We pay attention to important physical considerations like the size of the lock and how loud the motor gets when the deadbolt turns, as well as practical considerations like app features, ease of use and the range of compatibility with different smart home platforms and peripheral devices.

Testing access options

Some smart locks, particularly coded ones, are better for sharing access with guests. Others, including Bluetooth locks with auto-unlocking smarts whenever you draw near, are better for more convenience-minded customers. Whatever the lock's approach, the features must work well if it wants to earn our recommendation.

We also spend plenty of time on the app, making sure that it's intuitive, easy to use and has all the important settings that locks need. Geofencing, autolocking and code settings all get their time to shine. If the lock connects with another platform, we give that alternative control option time to shine, too.

Battery, performance and more

After spending time with the lock, we're able to accurately measure how smooth and reliable it is when it comes to autolocking, how quickly the battery wears down under frequent use, and how snappy biometrics and keypads are. Some issues become apparent only after a few days of use, so we like to give locks a bit of time before making our final calls.

This refers to a rating given to door locks by a combined initiative between two organizations, the American National Standards Institute and the Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association. It rates locks based on how durable they are and how difficult they are to break through.

The ANSI/BHMA grades come in three levels. Grade 1 is the strongest and suitable for residential and commercial applications. Grade 2 is suitable for most residential applications, possibly some basic commercial needs (most smart locks fall in this category). Grade 3 is the most basic security, suitable for inside doors but best avoided for your front and other exterior doors if possible (retrofits often fall in this category, but they aren’t the lock itself).

There is also a more in-depth BHMA grading system of three letters, like AAA, which denotes Security, Durability and Finish, but this is relatively new and isn’t as common yet.

Smart lock retrofits are very easy to install, since you aren't removing and replacing the deadbolt. You can easily handle this project yourself, and smart locks are good at including instructions, both video and diagrams, to help out. Most replacements will offer a cut out to help correctly measure the size of your deadbolt space and what screws or installation methods you may need to use.

Full deadbolt or handle replacements will take work, but you can still handle the installation yourself in almost every case. You'll need a tape measure, a durable screwdriver and preferably a handheld drill for the project. The key is aligning your new smart lock to properly fit in the strike plate and other components of your door. Some door spaces are more lenient here than others.

Retrofits are much easier to install, with a cap-like component that fits over the existing deadbolt. Some size requirements may be necessary, so check the details of the lock before you buy.

If you don't have a standard-sized residential door, smart locks get much more complicated and you should contact an expert.

Smart locks are a highly visible part of your home that you'll use just about every day, so it's important to find a reliable pick that meshes well with your smart home. Here are the factors you should be thinking about as you shop.

Full deadbolt or retrofit

Most smart locks will replace your existing lock, including the interior thumbturn, the exterior keyhole and the deadbolt in the middle. Locks like those will also come with their keys, replacing the ones you use now.

Others, like the August Smart Lock, and the Lockly fingerprint model, are designed instead to work with at least some of your existing lock hardware. With a retrofit lock like that, you probably won't need new keys and might not even need to swap out the deadbolt. Locks like those can sometimes be a better fit for apartments, where the building owners might not allow you to replace the entire lock.

Modes of access

Different smart locks will take different approaches to letting you in. On a basic level, most smart locks will let you lock and unlock the door wirelessly from your phone, using an app. Others add in keypads for coded entry, which can help you rely on your keys a little less while also making it easier to share access with others. Some lock add fingerprint or palm scanning to let you inside with biometrics. There are also keypad and NFC options, even face scanning in some cases.

Apple has also added a Home Key feature in iOS15 that lets you store a digital house key in your Apple Wallet, which lets you open compatible smart locks using the NFC radio in your iPhone or Apple Watch. Many other brands have followed suit with digital passes that guests can download on their phones with the right apps.

So, what's right for you? Going into an app for door access isn't ideal unless you are controlling it remotely. That's why we like Bluetooth and NFC passes that can work with a wave of your phone, as well as fingerprint sensors and similar options that are keyed to individuals and work at a touch at any time. But a keypad has its advantages as well, since it allows for temporary code handouts or limited-time access without someone needing their phone or a specific app to use.

Platform compatibility and Matter

If your household includes multiple types of smart home devices, then your best bet is to control them all from a single smart home platform. That way, you won't need to juggle multiple apps to keep everything automated. The most popular picks are Amazon Alexa, the Google Home app and the Google Assistant voice controls that come with it, and Apple HomeKit, which brings Siri into play. Samsung SmartThings is another option for a hub-centric smart home.

That brings us to Matter. Matter (and its tagalong communication protocol Thread) is an important smart home protocol designed in coordination with major brands, including Google, Amazon, Apple, and many others. It helps guarantee compatibility across different platforms and adds extra security and data transfer benefits, which buyers should definitely be watching for.

Currently, smart lock companies are still adopting the Matter standard. Our top pick uses it and is one of the best options we've found. Schlage has begun to adopt the standard for locks like its upcoming Schlage Sense Pro, but it hasn't made its way to our Schlage Smart Lever pick quite yet, and the same goes for Yale Assure. Brands like Aqara are now including built-in Matter support with their latest locks. August has also announced it's working to bring Matter to its smart locks, so in some cases, it just be a "matter" of waiting for the right firmware update.

Security and privacy

Smart locks aren't quite as data-sensitive as devices with built-in cameras and microphones, but you'll still want to make sure that you're keeping things secure. Most, if not all of your options will use some form of encryption to keep the wireless transmissions between your lock and your phone or home network secure. You should also look for locks that use two-factor authentication to keep your account safe from malicious logins. As with any connected device in your home, you'll want to be sure to keep your lock updated to the latest firmware and to set a strong password in the app.

As for lockpicking and other physical concerns, you can look for the lock's ANSI grade to get a sense of its durability, and how well it might stand up against a brute-force entry attack. ANSI grade 3 is the most basic rating, but a growing number of smart locks offer ANSI grade 2 or grade 1 ratings, which tell you that they're built with commercial-grade durability. If you're concerned about forced entries, a lock like that might be a good investment.

Design considerations

Your smart lock is going to sit right on the front of your home's exterior, so it's worth aiming for something you won't hate looking at. Some smart locks go out of their way to show off their gadgety features with light-up touchscreens, color-coded LED indicator lights and tech-minded designs. Others take the opposite approach, doing their best to blend in and look just like a standard lock, from the outside at least. Picking a preference between the two approaches will help you narrow your options.

You'll also want to consider how the lock stays powered. Most smart locks will run off four AA batteries, but some take a different approach. The minimalistic Level Lock +, for instance, runs off two AA batteries that sits inside of the deadbolt itself to keep things extra compact. Meanwhile, Eufy's touchscreen smart lock runs off of a rechargeable battery pack.

Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi support has now become common for smart locks, but it's important to look at the details. Some locks don't have built-in Wi-Fi, but only support it if you buy an additional hub.

The Yale Assure Lock 2 has taken the top spot after my tests with the lock in late 2024, and I added the Eufy lock for those interested in a video doorbell/lock combination. Competition for our best Apple lock is fierce, and while I'm happy with recommending the simplified version of Lockly's Visage lock for now, Aqara remains a strong choice and I'm considering other picks such as the Schlage Encode Plus. This fall I am replacing the Level Lock Plus with the Level Lock Pro, an even better version of the invisible lock.