Every Smart Lock Compared: Compatibility, Batteries, and the Catch (2026)
Smart locks are the mirror image of video doorbells: there, the catch is a monthly fee; here, every lock in our library is subscription-free: the sticker price is the whole price. What sorts this category instead is fit: whether the lock works with your ecosystem, whether it can go on a rental door, and how often you’ll feed it batteries. Every cell below renders live from the same verified records behind our compatibility checker. Facts and catches, no rankings.
| Product | ~Price* | Amazon Alexa | Google Home | Apple Home | SmartThings | Home Assistant | Connection | Hub needed | Works offline | Subscription | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aqara Smart Lock U200✓ fully verified | $169.99 | worksAmazon Alexa: works | worksGoogle Home: works | worksApple Home: works | worksSmartThings: works | worksHome Assistant: works | Thread · Matter · Bluetooth | Yes | Partly | — | |
Aqara Smart Lock U200 — the catch, per ecosystem ~$169.99 at time of research — never treated as a live price
Connection: Thread · Matter · Bluetooth · Hub for full use: Yes (Needs a Thread border router in whichever ecosystem you choose. The lock has no Wi-Fi radio; everything runs over Thread. A HomePod, HomePod mini or Apple TV 4K, a Thread-capable Echo or eero, a Nest Hub (2nd gen) or Nest Wifi Pro, or a Thread-capable SmartThings hub all qualify.) · Works offline: Partly — some of it keeps working without the internet and some of it does not | |||||||||||
| August WiFi Smart Lock (4th gen)✓ fully verified | $199.99 | worksAmazon Alexa: works | worksGoogle Home: works | worksApple Home: works | worksSmartThings: works | worksHome Assistant: works | Wi-Fi · Bluetooth | Yes | Partly | — | |
August WiFi Smart Lock (4th gen) — the catch, per ecosystem ~$199.99 at time of research — never treated as a live price
Connection: Wi-Fi · Bluetooth · Hub for full use: Yes (No bridge, and that is the 4th generation's whole point — the radio moved into the lock. August states it plainly: 'the August Wi-Fi Smart Lock requires no additional bridge to connect. Wi-Fi capability is built right into the smart lock.' Home Assistant's own documentation agrees from the other side, listing the Gen 4 among the devices that do not require a Connect Bridge or Doorbell. Worth knowing if you are comparing against the older Smart Lock + Connect, which does need one. The lock's Wi-Fi is unusually flexible for this category: 802.11 b/g/n on 2.4GHz OR 5GHz, where most smart locks are 2.4GHz-only.) · Works offline: Partly — some of it keeps working without the internet and some of it does not | |||||||||||
| ULTRALOQ Bolt Fingerprint (Apple Home + Wi-Fi) | $199.99 | worksAmazon Alexa: works | worksGoogle Home: works | worksApple Home: works | worksSmartThings: works | inconclusiveHome Assistant: we researched this and the evidence does not settle it — the profile has the sources | Wi-Fi · Bluetooth | No | ? | — | |
ULTRALOQ Bolt Fingerprint (Apple Home + Wi-Fi) — the catch, per ecosystem ~$199.99 ultraloq.com listed the Bolt Fingerprint at $199.99 on 2026-08-14, read from the storefront's structured product endpoint; both Apple Home + Wi-Fi variants (satin nickel and black) carry that price with no compare-at figure, identical to the Matter-over-Thread variant. Price at time of research.
Connection: Wi-Fi · Bluetooth · Hub for full use: No — verified that none is needed · Works offline: Not checked — we have not established whether this keeps working without the internet Full sourced profile for ULTRALOQ Bolt Fingerprint (Apple Home + Wi-Fi) → | |||||||||||
| ULTRALOQ Bolt Fingerprint (Matter over Thread)✓ fully verified | $199.99 | worksAmazon Alexa: works | worksGoogle Home: works | worksApple Home: works | worksSmartThings: works | worksHome Assistant: works | Thread · Matter · Bluetooth | Yes | Partly | — | |
ULTRALOQ Bolt Fingerprint (Matter over Thread) — the catch, per ecosystem ~$199.99 ultraloq.com listed the Bolt Fingerprint at $199.99 on 2026-08-14, read from the storefront's structured product endpoint; the Matter-over-Thread variant (SKU BOLT-F-MATTER) carries the same price as the Wi-Fi/Apple Home variants and no compare-at figure. Price at time of research.
Connection: Thread · Matter · Bluetooth · Hub for full use: Yes (Needs a Thread border router — ULTRALOQ states it plainly for this variant ('Requires a Matter Over Thread hub controller (Thread border router)'), and the Matter certificate lists Thread as the ONLY transport. There is no Wi-Fi radio in this version to fall back on.) · Works offline: Partly — some of it keeps working without the internet and some of it does not Full sourced profile for ULTRALOQ Bolt Fingerprint (Matter over Thread) → | |||||||||||
| Aqara Smart Lock U400 | $269.99 | inconclusiveAmazon Alexa: we researched this and the evidence does not settle it — the profile has the sources | inconclusiveGoogle Home: we researched this and the evidence does not settle it — the profile has the sources | worksApple Home: works | inconclusiveSmartThings: we researched this and the evidence does not settle it — the profile has the sources | inconclusiveHome Assistant: we researched this and the evidence does not settle it — the profile has the sources | Thread · Matter · Bluetooth +1 | Yes | ? | — | |
Aqara Smart Lock U400 — the catch, per ecosystem ~$269.99 at time of research — $269.99 read from Aqara's own storefront structured data (SKUs DTC-US-EN-U400-BLACK and DTC-US-EN-U400-SLIVER, both in stock at the same price) rather than the rendered page, per this vendor's standing method rule. ⚠ Budget beyond the lock if UWB hands-free unlocking is why you want it: Aqara requires 'a Thread-enabled Apple Home hub' for that feature, which is a HomePod or Apple TV you may not already own. Never treated as a live price.
Connection: Thread · Matter · Bluetooth · NFC · Hub for full use: Yes (Not for the lock's basic operation — fingerprint, passcode, NFC card and physical key all work at the door with nothing else in the house. But two of the features Aqara sells it on DO require hardware you buy separately, and Aqara names them precisely: UWB hands-free unlocking needs 'a Thread-enabled Apple Home hub', and tap-to-unlock needs 'an Apple Thread-enabled Matter controller'. In practice that means a HomePod, a HomePod mini or a Thread-capable Apple TV 4K; the Wi-Fi-only Apple TV 4K has no Thread radio and does not qualify. Anything Thread-based also needs a Thread border router to reach your phone remotely, which is the same box. If the hands-free trick is the reason you are buying this lock, price that hub alongside it.) · Works offline: Not checked — we have not established whether this keeps working without the internet | |||||||||||
| SwitchBot Lock Ultra Vision Pro Combo✓ fully verified | $279.99 | worksAmazon Alexa: works | worksGoogle Home: works | partialApple Home: partial support — see the catch | partialSmartThings: partial support — see the catch | worksHome Assistant: works | Matter · Wi-Fi · Bluetooth | Yes | ? | — | |
SwitchBot Lock Ultra Vision Pro Combo — the catch, per ecosystem ~$279.99 $279.99 for the full combo (Lock Ultra + Hub Mini Matter + Keypad Vision Pro), read from SwitchBot's own store on 2026-08-08 — price at time of research, never a live price. The lock alone is $139.99, and SwitchBot sells five other configurations in between
Connection: Matter · Wi-Fi · Bluetooth · Hub for full use: Yes (Included in this combo — the Hub Mini Matter that unlocks Wi-Fi remote access, Matter, Apple Home and SmartThings ships in the box) · Works offline: Not checked — we have not established whether this keeps working without the internet Full sourced profile for SwitchBot Lock Ultra Vision Pro Combo → | |||||||||||
| Kwikset Halo Select Plus Touchscreen Smart Lock✓ fully verified | $309 | worksAmazon Alexa: works | worksGoogle Home: works | worksApple Home: works | worksSmartThings: works | worksHome Assistant: works | Thread · Matter · Wi-Fi | No | Partly | — | |
Kwikset Halo Select Plus Touchscreen Smart Lock — the catch, per ecosystem ~$309 Kwikset's own product page listed the Satin Nickel Halo Select Plus at $309.00 on 2026-08-14. Price at time of research, not a live price; Kwikset shows no compare-at figure on this listing.
Connection: Thread · Matter · Wi-Fi · Hub for full use: No — verified that none is needed · Works offline: Partly — some of it keeps working without the internet and some of it does not Full sourced profile for Kwikset Halo Select Plus Touchscreen Smart Lock → | |||||||||||
| Yale Assure Lock 2 Plus✓ fully verified | $309.99 | worksAmazon Alexa: works | worksGoogle Home: works | worksApple Home: works | worksSmartThings: works | partialHome Assistant: partial support — see the catch | Wi-Fi · Bluetooth · NFC | No | ? | — | |
Yale Assure Lock 2 Plus — the catch, per ecosystem ~$309.99 $309.99 for the Wi-Fi configuration this record describes (YRD450-N-WF1, 'Assure Lock 2 Plus with Wi-Fi and Apple Home Keys'), read from Yale's own store structured offer data on 2026-08-08. ⚠ THE NAME COVERS THREE CONFIGURATIONS AT TWO PRICES: the Bluetooth-only 'with Apple Home Keys' (YRD450-N-BLE) is $219.99, and a 'Wi-Fi Connect for Vacation Rental Hosts' variant (YRD450-N-CB1) is also $309.99. A bare price under this product name means nothing without the configuration attached. Never treated as a live price.
Connection: Wi-Fi · Bluetooth · NFC · Hub for full use: No — verified that none is needed · Works offline: Not checked — we have not established whether this keeps working without the internet | |||||||||||
| Schlage Encode Plus✓ fully verified | $329 | worksAmazon Alexa: works | worksGoogle Home: works | worksApple Home: works | doesn't workSmartThings: verified: does not work | worksHome Assistant: works | Thread · Wi-Fi · Bluetooth | ? | ? | — | |
Schlage Encode Plus — the catch, per ecosystem ~$329 $329 MSRP on schlage.com on 2026-08-10. The 2026-08-08 note that Schlage published no price anywhere on its own site is no longer true: the encode-plus page now carries a product-comparison widget stating '$329 MSRP' against the Schlage Encode Plus Smart WiFi Deadbolt by name. At time of research — never treated as a live price.
Connection: Thread · Wi-Fi · Bluetooth · Hub for full use: Not checked — we have not established whether this needs a hub · Works offline: Not checked — we have not established whether this keeps working without the internet | |||||||||||
| Level Lock Pro✓ fully verified | $349 | worksAmazon Alexa: works | worksGoogle Home: works | worksApple Home: works | worksSmartThings: works | worksHome Assistant: works | Thread · Matter · Bluetooth | Yes | Partly | — | |
Level Lock Pro — the catch, per ecosystem ~$349 at time of research — never treated as a live price. Re-verified unchanged 2026-08-08 at Level's own store.
Connection: Thread · Matter · Bluetooth · Hub for full use: Yes (Thread border router (HomePod, the Wi-Fi + Ethernet Apple TV 4K, newer Echo/Nest hubs) for Matter/remote — or the $79 Level Connect WiFi bridge (1 bridge per lock)) · Works offline: Partly — some of it keeps working without the internet and some of it does not | |||||||||||
| Lockly Visage Zeno Series Facial Recognition Deadbolt | $349 | worksAmazon Alexa: works | worksGoogle Home: works | partialApple Home: partial support — see the catch | doesn't workSmartThings: verified: does not work | inconclusiveHome Assistant: we researched this and the evidence does not settle it — the profile has the sources | Wi-Fi · Bluetooth | No | ? | Optional* | |
Lockly Visage Zeno Series Facial Recognition Deadbolt — the catch, per ecosystem ~$349 Lockly listed the Visage Zeno Series deadbolt at $349.00 on 2026-08-14, read from its own storefront data; both finishes carry that price, and no crossed-out original price is recorded even though the page presents it as a 'Sale price'. Price at the time we researched it.
Connection: Wi-Fi · Bluetooth · Hub for full use: No — verified that none is needed · Works offline: Not checked — we have not established whether this keeps working without the internet Full sourced profile for Lockly Visage Zeno Series Facial Recognition Deadbolt → | |||||||||||
| Schlage Sense Pro✓ fully verified | $399 | worksAmazon Alexa: works | worksGoogle Home: works | worksApple Home: works | worksSmartThings: works | worksHome Assistant: works | Thread · Matter · Wi-Fi +1 | Yes | ? | — | |
Schlage Sense Pro — the catch, per ecosystem ~$399 at time of research — never treated as a live price. Re-verified unchanged 2026-08-08 against Schlage's own launch announcement.
Connection: Thread · Matter · Wi-Fi · UWB · Hub for full use: Yes (Needs a Thread border router in whichever ecosystem you choose — HomePod/Apple TV 4K, a Thread-capable Echo or eero, Nest Hub (2nd gen)/Nest Wifi Pro, or a Thread-capable SmartThings hub. Its WiFi radio serves only the Schlage Home app; Matter runs over Thread alone.) · Works offline: Not checked — we have not established whether this keeps working without the internet | |||||||||||
| eufy FamiLock S3 Max✓ fully verified | $399.99 | worksAmazon Alexa: works | worksGoogle Home: works | partialApple Home: partial support — see the catch | partialSmartThings: partial support — see the catch | partialHome Assistant: partial support — see the catch | Matter · Wi-Fi | No | ? | — | |
eufy FamiLock S3 Max — the catch, per ecosystem ~$399.99 at time of research, eufy's own product page structured data — $399.99 against SKU E85V0JY1, availability InStock. Never treated as a live price. ⚠ CORRECTED from $330, a $69.99 UNDERSTATEMENT, which is the direction that costs a reader more: someone budgeting from our page would have arrived $70 short. Read from the product's own schema.org Product block rather than the rendered page, because that page also prints $349.99, $299.99 and $599.98 for other eufy locks and bundles in its cross-sell.
Connection: Matter · Wi-Fi · Hub for full use: No — verified that none is needed · Works offline: Not checked — we have not established whether this keeps working without the internet | |||||||||||
| No products in this category work with that ecosystem in our records yet. A Setup Check can research options outside our library. | |||||||||||
Sorted by price, low to high — an objective order, not a ranking or a verdict. Tap any row’s + (or a phone card) to read every catch. ✓ works · ◐ partial · ✗ doesn’t work (verified) · ? not checked yet · ? inconclusive — we researched it and the evidence doesn’t settle it. In the decision columns, ? means the same thing — we have not established it, which is never the same as “no.” *Prices at time of research — never live prices. Data last verified 2026-08-20; every fact links to its sourced profile.
Which of these works with your home?
Check smart locks against your setup →
Don’t see the exact model you own? Two options, and they’re different:tell us and we’ll add it to the research queue (free), or get aSetup Check — a personalized, human-checked report that researches your whole list, including products we haven’t profiled yet.
The first split: retrofit or full replacement
- Retrofit (renter-safe). The August WiFi lock ($199.99) and the SwitchBot Lock Ultra (sold bare, or as the $279.99 Vision Pro combo that adds the biometric keypad and the hub) replace only the inside thumbturn; the exterior keyway, and your landlord’s key, stay exactly as they are. The Aqara U200 ($169.99) plays the same trick with Matter and Apple Home Key added; its record’s catch is that fit depends on your existing deadbolt’s geometry, so measure before buying. Our renters guide covers the whole no-drilling stack.
- Full replacement (owner-grade). The Schlage Encode Plus and Sense Pro, the Yale Assure Lock 2 Plus, and the eufy FamiLock S3 Max swap the entire deadbolt for new hardware. In Schlage’s case that hardware is built to the highest grade in the door-hardware standard (BHMA Grade 1). Note the Yale and the Sense Pro are key-free: no keyway at all, so their only physical fallback is an emergency-power port (covered below).
- The odd one out: the Level Lock Pro ($349) is a full replacement that looks like nothing happened: the entire mechanism lives inside the door. The trade, per its record: no keypad on the lock itself, and remote access needs a Thread border router or Level’s $79 bridge.
The second split: how you actually unlock
Every lock here does phone-app unlock; the differences are at the door. Keypad codes: both Schlages, Yale, eufy. Fingerprint: Aqara, SwitchBot. Face/palm recognition: the SwitchBot (the only tri-biometric: face + palm + fingerprint) and eufy’s 0.6-second palm-vein reader. Apple Home Key tap-to-unlock: five of the eight; the full breakdown is our Home Key guide. UWB hands-free (the door unlocks as you approach, phone still in your pocket): the 2026 frontier, on the Sense Pro only.
The third split: ecosystem reach
Locks adopted Matter faster than any camera brand, so the ecosystem columns above are greener than the doorbell table’s, but the catches matter:
- Apple households are spoiled here: five Home Key locks, and the Sense Pro adds UWB on top. The one caveat is that the Yale’s Apple support rides its Wi-Fi cloud rather than Matter/Thread: the tap is local, the rest isn’t. The eufy FamiLock is the weakest fit: Matter over Wi-Fi gets lock control into the Home app, but there’s no Home Key and the doorbell-cam half stays in eufy’s app.
- Alexa/Google households: everything works; the SwitchBot routes through its required hub (that’s its catch: remote, Matter, and voice all need the extra box), and the Yale needs its built-in-Wi-Fi model rather than the Bluetooth-only one.
- Home Assistant: the Matter locks pair locally. The August, the Yale, and the Encode Plus all ride official Home Assistant integrations — cloud-based for August and Schlage, with a local Bluetooth option on the Yale that needs its offline key extracted first. August’s record still adds the deeper caveat: it’s the most cloud-dependent lock of the set.
Batteries are the category’s real recurring cost, from 3 months (August) to ~18 months (the Yale). What happens when they die ranges from “use your existing key” (the retrofits) to “hold a 9V battery to the Yale’s terminal” or “touch a USB-C power bank to the Sense Pro.” That’s covered model-by-model in what happens when your smart lock battery dies. To match a lock to your actual setup, run it through the checker or start from the quiz.
Frequently asked questions
Do smart locks require a subscription?
Almost never — and that makes locks the opposite of cameras. All 13 locks in our library work fully without any monthly fee. The recurring cost in this category isn't money, it's maintenance: every smart lock runs on batteries you'll replace or recharge every 3–12 months depending on the model.
Can renters install a smart lock?
Yes — that's what retrofit locks are for. The August WiFi lock and SwitchBot Lock Ultra replace only the inside thumbturn, so the exterior of the door (and your landlord's key) stays untouched. The Aqara U200 is also retrofit-style, though it depends on your existing deadbolt's geometry — measure first.
Which smart locks support Matter?
Five of our eight: the Schlage Sense Pro, Aqara U200, Level Lock Pro, SwitchBot Lock Ultra (via its hub), and the eufy FamiLock S3 Max (Matter over Wi-Fi, basic controls). The notable exception is the Yale Assure Lock 2 Plus — it does Apple Home Key over Wi-Fi, not Matter. Matter carries lock/unlock and status, but each brand's signature features (biometrics, guest schedules) still live in its own app.
What's the difference between the two Schlage locks?
The Encode Plus ($329) is the established pick: hardware built to the highest grade in the door-hardware standard (BHMA Grade 1), Apple Home Key via Thread, but no Matter. The Sense Pro ($399, June 2026) adds Matter and UWB hands-free unlock — with early-adopter firmware risk its record flags plainly. Same brand, different maturity.
How long do smart lock batteries actually last?
From our verified records: 3 months (August — the category's short pole and its #1 owner complaint) up to about 18 months (the Yale Assure Lock 2 Plus's 4×AA — the longest-lived here). Most land at 6–12 months. What happens when they die is its own question — see our battery guide.
Sources for this guide
Product facts in this guide come from our provenance-tracked research records — every claim traces to a named source with the date we verified it. Dates matter: ratings, prices, certifications, and compatibility can change after we check them, so read anything time-sensitive as true as of the date shown, not guaranteed current. Spot something stale? Tell us and we'll fix it.
- Yale Assure Lock 2 Plus — record last verified 2026-08-20 · 11 sources, cited in full on its profile
- Schlage Encode Plus — record last verified 2026-08-08 · 16 sources, cited in full on its profile
- Schlage Sense Pro — record last verified 2026-08-08 · 14 sources, cited in full on its profile
- Aqara Smart Lock U200 — record last verified 2026-08-11 · 22 sources, cited in full on its profile
- Level Lock Pro — record last verified 2026-08-08 · 15 sources, cited in full on its profile
- SwitchBot Lock Ultra Vision Pro Combo — record last verified 2026-08-08 · 12 sources, cited in full on its profile
- August WiFi Smart Lock (4th gen) — record last verified 2026-08-07 · 16 sources, cited in full on its profile
- eufy FamiLock S3 Max — record last verified 2026-08-09 · 19 sources, cited in full on its profile