Forget keys! The top smart locks we’ve tested are secure, easy to install, and provide several convenient ways to control who can access your home and when.
With the ability to enhance the convenience and security of your entryway, a smart lock is arguably the most crucial component of a connected home. There’s no shortage of options, from fully installed models that replace your deadbolt to renter-friendly retrofit solutions. Here at PCMag, we’ve been testing smart locks since they first hit the market. We evaluate the most popular models, installing and testing them in our homes to help you decide which one to buy. With an outstanding 4.5-star rating and an Editors‘ Choice award, the Ultraloq Bolt Fingerprint is the best smart lock overall, thanks to its reliability and versatility. If it isn’t the right fit for your home, we offer a range of excellent alternatives that have earned our stamp of approval through rigorous, firsthand testing. Why We Picked It
Sturdy construction, ease of use, and multiple lock and unlock options make the Ultraloq Bolt Fingerprint our top pick. Its zinc alloy exterior component contains a biometric fingerprint scanner, a keypad, and a traditional keyway. With a built-in Wi-Fi radio and support for nearly every smart home platform, you can lock and unlock it from anywhere using your phone or voice. It also features a sensor that indicates whether your door is open or closed. Who It’s For
Hub-averse smart home users: Because it has built-in Wi-Fi, the Ultraloq doesn’t require a hub, but can still be controlled remotely from anywhere your phone has an internet connection. Although it does not support Matter, it works with all major home automation platforms, including Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and Samsung SmartThings. It also works with IFTTT applets, allowing it to integrate with numerous third-party devices.Why We Picked It
The Lockly Visage Zeno Series is the first smart lock we’ve tested that supports facial recognition. Using two infrared cameras, it scans your face when you approach, offering a completely hands-free way to unlock your door. Additionally, it supports various other authentication methods, including Apple HomeKey, fingerprint scanning, and voice commands via Alexa, Google, and Siri. In our testing, facial recognition performed flawlessly under both dark and bright lighting conditions, and fingerprint scans, touchpad entries, and voice commands were processed immediately.Who It’s For
Facial recognition fans: The Lockly Visage Zeno Series offers more ways to lock and unlock your door than any other smart lock we’ve tested—including facial recognition—and works with most major smart home platforms for voice control and third-party device integrations.
iPhone and Apple Watch users: Apple fans will appreciate this lock’s integrated Home Key sensor, which allows you to unlock the door by tapping an iPhone or Apple Watch. Why We Picked It
August has released several outstanding smart locks over the years, but the Wi-Fi Smart Lock is the first one that has a built-in Wi-Fi radio. This retrofit solution replaces just your existing interior thumb turn mechanism and uses the rest of your existing lock hardware, including the keys. It’s stylish, easy to install, and performed well in testing. Its $249 price might seem high, but you get plenty of features, including a sensor that lets you know the door’s status, auto-lock and auto-unlock options, and multi-platform support.Who It’s For
Renters: As a retrofit lock that works with your existing deadbolt, the August Wi-Fi Smart Lock is a top renter-friendly option.
Automation enthusiasts: This lock’s broad support for third-party devices makes it an excellent addition to any smart home. It works with Alexa and Google voice commands and is a great fit for homes that use Apple HomeKit or other automation platforms from Honeywell, Logitech, SimpliSafe, or Samsung. Additionally, IFTTT support enables it to interact with numerous other smart devices. Why We Picked It
The Eufy FamiLock S3 Max is a feature-rich smart lock that also serves as a 2K video doorbell. It allows you to unlock your door using a palm scanner, a touch-screen keypad, a mobile app, voice control, and traditional keys. The camera captures motion and doorbell events, and provides free internal video storage and intelligent alerts. It also features an interior display that functions like a digital peephole, allowing you to see what’s going on outside without opening the door. Who It’s For
Commitment-phobic users: This is a top pick if you want to monitor your front porch without paying cloud storage fees for recorded video or intelligent motion alerts. It features 15.5GB of internal eMMC flash memory for storing event-triggered video, and if that isn’t enough, you can connect it to an Eufy HomeBase 3, which supports up to 16TB of storage.
Maintenance avoiders: Thanks to an innovative battery backup system, the Eufy FamiLock S3 Max can go about six months between charges. It’s powered by a rechargeable 15,000mAh lithium-ion battery pack rated to last up to five months, and it also holds four AA backup batteries as a backup that will power the lock for another month.Why We Picked It
The Lockin Veno Pro makes this list thanks to its versatility. As a lock, it works with every major smart home platform, including Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, Matter, and SmartThings. You can unlock it with an app, your voice, a key, or a keypad. Beyond the basics, the Veno Pro supports palm and fingerprint scanning for additional means of entry. It’s also more than just a lock. It doubles as a video doorbell with 2K resolution, free alerts, and free onboard video storage. Who It’s For
Solar-charging enthusiasts: The Veno Pro’s lithium-ion battery pack provides up to three months of power before requiring a charge.
