10 Best Smart Locks of 2026, Lab-Tested and Reviewed

The Yale Assure Lock 2 performs well in our tests, holding up against kick-ins and attacks from a cordless drill. It’s also very easy to set up, connect to WiFi, and control remotely when you’re not home.

Out of the box, this lock works with Apple Home and offers Bluetooth connectivity. But it also comes with the Yale WiFi Smart Module and DoorSense door open/close sensor, worth $90, for no extra charge. The module looks like a memory card or game cartridge and plugs into a slot in the back of the lock. It adds WiFi connectivity along with several additional features, including remote control via the Yale Access app and integrations with voice assistants and smart home apps (Amazon Alexa, Google Home/Assistant, and Samsung SmartThings). You can also receive alerts if the door is unlocked or left ajar. The app provides an access log that shows who comes and goes, and it lets you create and share electronic keys and PINs. Also see my hands-on review of the Yale Assure Lock 2.

One of the best locks with built-in WiFi in our ratings is the Eufy Smart Lock Touch & WiFi S230, which used to be called the Eufy Smart Lock Touch & WiFi T8520J11. The lock receives strong scores in our brute-force tests for kick-ins and lock-picking and manages a decent score for drilling despite not being a keyless model. It also does well in our tests for remote monitoring and ease of setup. Its features include a fingerprint scanner for one-touch unlocking, a touchscreen keypad for PINs, auto locking, an access log, and voice control via Amazon Alexa and Google Home. See my hands-on review for more information.

The Kwikset Halo Touch is another top-performing WiFi smart lock that doesn’t require an additional hub or bridge to connect to the internet. In our tests, the Halo Touch withstands kick-ins and lock-picking well, but it’s very susceptible to attacks using a cordless drill.

This Kwikset receives strong scores for its remote access and remote monitoring features, as well as for ease of setup. The lock has a fingerprint scanner for one-touch locking and unlocking, an access log to keep tabs on who comes and goes, an auto-unlock feature, and voice control via Amazon Alexa and Google Home.

If you like the features of the Halo Touch but would prefer a model with a touchscreen for PINs over a fingerprint scanner, check out the CR-tested Kwikset Halo 939WiFiTSCR. For a smart lock with a physical keypad, see the Kwikset Halo 938WiFiKYPD.

The Schlage Encode Plus is a new version of the Schlage Encode WiFi smart lock that adds support for Apple Home Key, which lets you unlock your door with a tap from an Apple Watch or iPhone (similar to Apple Pay). If you’re worried about someone stealing your device and using it to break in, don’t fret. You can add an additional layer of security with Apple’s Face ID and Touch ID verification features.

The Encode Plus performs well in our brute-force tests for kick-ins and drilling, but it’s somewhat susceptible to lock-picking. It also offers a wealth of convenient features and is easy to control remotely, but it’s not the easiest lock to set up. Features include an access log, auto-locking, electronic keys, a tamper alarm, and compatibility with voice assistants and smart home apps, including Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, and Google Home.

The Yale Assure Lock 2 Plus is a variation of the Yale Assure Lock 2 that adds support for Apple Home Key, allowing you to unlock your door by tapping your Apple Watch or iPhone on the keypad. While the locks are very similar in appearance, the Plus lock performs somewhat differently in our tests. While it holds up well against kick-ins and can’t be picked due to its keyless design, it receives a poor score in our drilling tests compared with its sibling’s excellent score. Our testers note that the Plus lock has a different internal hardware design, which makes it more vulnerable to this type of attack. That said, the Plus lock is very easy to set up and control remotely via the Yale Access app.

It works with Apple Home via Bluetooth and requires an Apple Home hub (either an Apple HomePod or Apple TV streaming box) for remote control. This particular version of the 2 Plus lock does not include the Yale WiFi Smart Module, $90, but you can purchase the lock with the module or buy the module separately down the road. You will need it if you want to use the lock with additional smart home systems, such as Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and Samsung SmartThings. The lock does come with the DoorSense open/close sensor and features auto-locking, auto-unlocking, an access log of who comes and goes, and the ability to create and share PIN codes.

The Kwikset Halo Select Plus is the company’s latest top-of-the-line smart lock. In our tests, it holds up well against kick-ins and lock picking but is highly susceptible to a cordless drill. It also receives top scores for remote control and monitoring, and ease of setup. It features both WiFi and Matter over Thread (more on that in a minute). With WiFi, you can connect the lock to the Kwikset app to create and share PIN codes, as well as use features like remote control, auto-unlock, and the lock’s door open/close sensor.

Matter is a smart home standard that allows devices to work with any major platform, including Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, and Samsung SmartThings. Thread is a new type of low-power wireless network designed for the smart home, and Thread Border Routers (the equivalent of a WiFi router) are built into many Matter smart home hubs, including Amazon Echo speakers, Apple HomePods and Apple TVs, Google smart speakers and displays, and Samsung TVs and refrigerators. By using Matter via Thread, the lock should have longer battery life and can be managed alongside other smart home devices from the same app. When connected to Apple Home via Matter, this lock also supports Apple Home Key.

For a somewhat cheaper smart lock that supports Matter over Thread but lacks Apple Home Key, check out the Kwikset Halo Select 998000-005.

The Level Lock Pro looks like a regular old deadbolt, but it’s one of the most high-tech (and expensive) smart locks you can buy because it manages to cram all of its smarts inside the bore and latch holes of your front door. It performs well in our kick-in tests and decently in our lock picking and drilling tests. It’s also easy to set up and control remotely, and it offers many security features. It features auto-locking, auto-unlocking, and access logs to track who comes and goes.

This smart lock connects via either Bluetooth or Matter over Thread. The former allows you to easily control the lock from the Level app on your smartphone, but you won’t be able to control it remotely. The latter allows you to control the lock remotely alongside other smart home devices within the same app (Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, Samsung SmartThings, etc.), but it requires a Matter smart home hub and Thread Border Router. If you want to use the lock only with the Level app but need remote control, you can also purchase the Level Connect WiFi Bridge, $79, to connect the lock to your home WiFi network. When connected to Apple Home, the Level Lock Pro also supports Apple Home Key.

You may not be familiar with Abode, but the company was started by a former ADT executive and has been around for over a decade, making smart home security systems. The Abode Lock works with those systems, but it can also be used on its own. This is a retrofit WiFi smart lock that receives high scores for ease of setup, remote control, and remote monitoring. It features an access log, auto-locking, auto-unlocking, and voice and app control via Amazon Alexa and Google Home. It comes with a wireless keypad for PIN codes that also doubles as a fingerprint scanner.

The August WiFi Smart Lock AUG-SL05-M01-G01 connects directly to WiFi without an adapter. In our tests, it receives high scores for remote access, remote monitoring, and ease of setup, as well as a very good score in our security add-on test. Its features include auto-locking and unlocking, an access log, electronic keys, app and voice control (via Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, and Samsung SmartThings), and a door open/close sensor.

For another highly rated retrofit smart lock, consider this model from August’s sister brand, the Yale Approach Lock with WiFi.

Nuki is a European smart lock brand that launched in the U.S. in 2025. The Nuki Home Set NFC 221261 performs well in our tests, with top marks for remote access, remote monitoring, and ease of setup. It features an access log, auto-locking, and auto-unlocking. This retrofit smart lock includes the Nuki Keypad 2 NFC, $179, which supports PIN codes, fingerprints, Apple Home Key, and Samsung Digital Home Key (the equivalent of Apple Home Key for Samsung Galaxy devices) for unlocking methods.

The lock connects either via WiFi or Matter over Thread. The former allows you to remotely control the lock via the Nuki smartphone app. The latter allows you to control the lock remotely alongside other smart home devices within the same app (Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, Samsung SmartThings, etc.), but it requires a Matter smart home hub and Thread Border Router. When connected to Apple Home and Samsung SmartThings, the Nuki smart lock supports Apple Home Key and Samsung Digital Home Key, respectively.