The best smart locks in 2020
These are the best smart locks based on installation time, security, convenience features and smart home compatibility.
The best smart locks open up not just your house, but a world of options for you and your family. With these connected locks, you can create virtual keys that will only let certain people at the times and days you want. You'll also be notified any time the lock is opened, and you can connect it to other smart home devices, such as home security cameras and video doorbells. So, you'll be able to see who is at the door and let them in if you want to.
The best smart locks you can buy now
1. August Smart Lock Pro Connect
Our expert review:
Specifications
Reasons to buy
The August Smart Lock Pro Connect has it all. Our best smart lock overall, this device is compatible with all of the major smart-home platforms, so you can open the Smart Lock Pro Connect with Alexa, Google Assistant or Apple HomeKit; it also looks great, although the circular back of the lock may confuse some users.
The device is easy to install on most single-cylinder deadbolts. The app is easy to use and simply allows you to add additional users who can open the door without a key. For those who don’t have a phone, the optional August Smart Keypad provides another way to get in without a key.
The August Smart Lock Pro Connect is also the best smart lock for landlords and Airbnb hosts, as it offers a hassle-free way to let your guests in and know when they have left. The lock integrates directly with the Airbnb booking system, so you can give your guests a virtual key when they book, with the confidence that it will only work on those dates. When the visitors have checked out and left, the app will notify you, so that you can ready the unit for the next guest.
2. August Smart Lock
Our expert review:
Specifications
Reasons to buy
If you want to add some smarts to your home without spending too much, the August Smart Lock is the best smart lock for those on a budget.
There’s no need to replace the cylinder; it will continue to work with your existing keys, keeping your landlord happy. And, when you move out, you can quickly and easily remove the lock and replace it with the old one, keeping your deposit safe.
Note that you will also need the August Connect module if you want to control and monitor the lock remotely. That module can handle multiple locks, so it’s a great low-cost pick for adding remote control to several doors at once. The only thing missing is support for Apple HomeKit.
3. Schlage Encode
Our expert review:
Specifications
Reasons to buy
If someone tries you tamper with your lock, a loud alarm is a good deterrent. The Schlage Encode is our pick for the best smart lock with an alarm, as it will blare out an earsplitting siren in the attempt of a break-in.
As well as being a great combination of a manual, keycode and remote-controlled lock, the Schlage Encode supports the Amazon Key service, which allows an Amazon delivery person to open the door when they arrive and place your packages inside the house. That feature makes them less likely to be stolen.
Amazon Key does require a compatible security camera, which costs extra. The lock supports Alexa and Google Assistant, so you can integrate it with your Smart Home system easily, but there is no support for Apple's HomeKit.
4. Yale Real Living Assure SL
Our expert review:
Specifications
Reasons to buy
The support for multiple smart home standards makes the Yale Real Living Assure SL one of the best smart locks available. It works with Alexa, Google Home, HomeKit and SmartThings. That means you can control it from your iPhone, your Amazon Echo, your Android phone, or Google Home.
The Assure SL is an attractive, well-designed lock that is easy to install. There is no manual key option, though: it’s a keycode, app or nothing. If the battery runs out, you can give it a temporary boost by touching a 9v battery to two contacts underneath the keypad.
5. Lockly Secure Plus
Our expert review:
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Never worry about getting locked out if you forget your keys. The Lockly Secure Plus makes our list of the best smart locks because all you need to open it is your finger; one touch to the fingerprint reader on the right side of the lock body opens the lock. You can also open the door by entering a code, and cleverly, the touchscreen keypad shifts the numbers around, so thieves can’t guess your code by looking at finger smudges.
Another unusual feature is that the Secure Plus is a lever lock; most smart locks are deadbolts. However, Locky Secure Plus doesn’t support other smart home systems. For that, you'll need either a Wi-Fi adapter or to spring for the Lockly Secure Pro, a separate model with built-in Wi-Fi that lets it connect to Alexa and Google Home.
6. Nest X Yale
Our expert review:
Specifications
Reasons to buy
“Google, lock the front door.” If you are a Google household, you want a lock that speaks to the Google Assistant smart home system. The best smart lock that offers this feature is the Nest X Yale, a neatly designed lock that works very well with Google Assistant.
Locks from August and Schlage also support Google Assistant, but the Nest X Yale is the more elegant, all-in-one solution if you are invested in the Nest or Google Assistant systems. However, it lacks support for Alexa and HomeKit.
7. Kwikset Premis
Our expert review:
Specifications
Reasons to buy
The Premis is on our picks of the best smart locks because it's a simple lock for those who want to offer entry with keys, codes and a smartphone app. The low-profile keypad looks smart, but still offers a manual key option for the luddites in your house; Apple HomeKit support means that you can control it using Siri and link it to other smart home products.
The Premis app also allows you to create keycodes that provide limited access, such as allowing the dog walker in during the day but not at night. There is no support for Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, though.
8. Kwikset Obsidian
Our expert review:
Specifications
Reasons to buy
You’ll never forget your keys with this lock, because there aren’t any. The Kwikset Obsidian with Home Connect is a keycode, deadbolt lock with a smart, minimalist keypad that lights up on touch. Tap in a code (it can hold up to 30) and this best smart lock opens. Using the Obsidian is a simple way to control access to a basement or home office without worrying about keys.
A feature called SecureScreen prompts you to touch random digits before you enter your code, so others can’t guess your code by fingerprint smudges. However, in order to control or monitor the lock remotely, you’ll need a compatible Z-Wave hub, such as Samsung SmartThings. If the four AA batteries run out at the wrong moment, you can give the lock a boost by touching a 9V battery to the two terminals underneath the touch panel.
Keep it on Lock
After spending more than 30 hours evaluating and testing a dozen models, we found that the best smart lock overall is the August Smart Lock Pro, which is easy to install, easy to use, and supports all of the major smart home systems, such as Alexa and Google Assistant. The Pro looks attractive and doesn’t replace your old lock cylinder, so you don’t have to swap out your old keys.
For those on a budget, the best smart lock is the August Smart Lock. It’s significantly less expensive than the Pro version, but has most of the same features, with the only major omission being HomeKit support. However, you’ll also have to purchase the August Connect to link it to your Wi-Fi network, so that you can monitor and control the lock remotely and link it with other smart-home devices.
Sign up to get the BEST of Tom’s Guide direct to your inbox.
Upgrade your life with a daily dose of the biggest tech news, lifestyle hacks and our curated analysis. Be the first to know about cutting-edge gadgets and the hottest deals.
Michael A. Prospero is the U.S. Editor-in-Chief for Tom’s Guide. He oversees all evergreen content and oversees the Homes, Smart Home, and Fitness/Wearables categories for the site. In his spare time, he also tests out the latest drones, electric scooters, and smart home gadgets, such as video doorbells. Before his tenure at Tom's Guide, he was the Reviews Editor for Laptop Magazine, a reporter at Fast Company, the Times of Trenton, and, many eons back, an intern at George magazine. He received his undergraduate degree from Boston College, where he worked on the campus newspaper The Heights, and then attended the Columbia University school of Journalism. When he’s not testing out the latest running watch, electric scooter, or skiing or training for a marathon, he’s probably using the latest sous vide machine, smoker, or pizza oven, to the delight — or chagrin — of his family.