Best Smart Locks 2026: Schlage Encode Plus vs August vs Yale

Which one is right for you?

Top pick: Schlage Encode Plus

The Schlage Encode Plus is the best smart lock for most people because it combines a genuinely secure deadbolt with built-in Wi-Fi and Apple Home Key support, with no hub required. Schlage's deadbolts carry the highest residential security ratings (ANSI/BHMA Grade AAA and a strong anti-pick, anti-bump cylinder), so unlike some app-first locks you are not trading physical security for convenience. The built-in Wi-Fi means you control and monitor it from anywhere directly, without buying a separate bridge.

Its headline feature is Apple Home Key: you add the lock to your iPhone or Apple Watch wallet and unlock simply by tapping your phone to the lock — no app to open, no code to type, and it works even if your phone's battery is dead (Home Key reserves power for exactly this). It also has a fingerprint-free backlit keypad for codes, works with Siri, Alexa, and Google, and you can hand out time-limited codes to guests, cleaners, and trades.

The honest caveats: it's a full deadbolt replacement (you remove your existing one), so it's less suited to renters who can't modify the door, and the premium build commands a premium price. It's strongest for Apple households thanks to Home Key, though it works across all the major assistants. For a secure, hub-free, tap-to-unlock lock you own outright, the Encode Plus is the default.

Best for renters: August Wi-Fi Smart Lock

The August Wi-Fi Smart Lock is the pick for renters and anyone who wants to keep their existing keys, because it's a retrofit lock: it replaces only the interior thumb-turn of your existing deadbolt and leaves the exterior — and your keyway — completely untouched. Your old keys still work, the outside of your door looks unchanged (important for landlords and HOAs), and installation takes about ten minutes with a screwdriver and no drilling. It's the least invasive smart lock here by a wide margin.

Despite the simple install, it's fully featured: built-in Wi-Fi (no separate bridge needed in the current generation), auto-lock and auto-unlock as you arrive, remote control and guest access from the app, and DoorSense to tell you whether the door is actually closed, not just locked. It works with Alexa, Google, and Siri, and because the exterior is unchanged, you keep a physical key as a universally reliable backup.

The trade-offs: because it sits on the inside of an existing deadbolt, it's bulkier on the interior than a sleek purpose-built lock, and it has no exterior keypad of its own — entry is by app, key, or auto-unlock, so guests without the app need a physical key unless you add August's separate keypad accessory. But for keeping your keyway, satisfying a landlord, and a renter-friendly ten-minute install, nothing beats the August.

Keypad and design picks: Yale Assure Lock 2 and Level Lock+

The Yale Assure Lock 2 is the most configurable mainstream lock and a keypad standout. It comes in key-free and keyed versions and in multiple styles, and crucially it uses swappable smart modules — you can buy the Wi-Fi version now, or start with Bluetooth/Matter and add connectivity later by changing a small module rather than the whole lock. Its sleek touchscreen keypad is one of the best for code entry, it supports Matter (so it plugs cleanly into Apple Home, Google, Alexa, and SmartThings), and the key-free models give a clean, modern look.

The Level Lock+ is the design and stealth pick, and the other strong Apple Home Key option. Its trick is that all the electronics are hidden inside the deadbolt itself — from the outside and inside it looks like an ordinary premium deadbolt, with no bulky keypad or interior box. It supports Apple Home Key tap-to-unlock, works with a physical key and the app, and is the choice for anyone who wants smart-lock convenience without their door announcing that it's 'smart.' It's expensive and leans heavily Apple, but nothing else is this invisible.

Choose between them by what you value. The Yale Assure Lock 2 wins on a great keypad, format choice, and Matter-based future-proofing via swappable modules. The Level Lock+ wins on invisible design and Apple Home Key in a package that looks like a normal deadbolt. Both are full replacements rather than retrofits, so neither suits a renter who can't change the exterior.

How to choose: retrofit vs replacement, connectivity, keypads, and backup

Decide retrofit versus full replacement first, because it eliminates options. A retrofit lock (August) replaces only the interior thumb-turn, keeps your existing keyway and keys, and is the only renter- and HOA-safe choice since the door's exterior is untouched. A full replacement (Schlage, Yale, Level) swaps the entire deadbolt for a purpose-built unit — sleeker and often more featured, but it changes your keyway and isn't appropriate if you can't modify the door. If you rent or share a building's keying, retrofit is effectively mandatory.

Match connectivity to how you'll use it. Built-in Wi-Fi (Schlage Encode Plus, August, Yale's Wi-Fi module) lets you lock, unlock, and check status from anywhere with no extra hardware — essential for remote guest access. Bluetooth-only locks are cheaper and have longer battery life but only work within range of your phone unless you add a bridge. Apple Home Key (Schlage Encode Plus, Level Lock+) adds tap-to-unlock with your iPhone or Watch and is the slickest daily experience if you're in the Apple ecosystem; Matter support (Yale) future-proofs you across all platforms.

Weigh keypads and plan for dead batteries. A built-in keypad (Schlage, Yale) lets guests, kids, and trades enter with a code and no phone or app — the most universally convenient access method, and worth prioritising if you hand out access often. The August and Level rely on app, key, or auto-unlock unless you add an accessory keypad. Finally, check the battery story: every lock here warns you well before the batteries die, keeps a physical key or external power-jump option as backup, and Apple Home Key reserves enough phone power to unlock even when your iPhone shows empty — but always keep a backup entry method so a dead battery never locks you out.