Smart Locks

Discover the best smart locks for your smart home.

The future of home security has never been easier with the advent of smart locks. Upgrading traditional locks enhances security and convenience, allowing homeowners to monitor and control property access from anywhere using a smartphone app or smart home platform like Homey.

Smart Locks offer various features and functionalities, such as remote locking and unlocking, access control, activity logs, temporary access codes for guests, and biometric authentication methods like fingerprint scanning.

In this comprehensive Best Buy Guide, we explore the world of smart locks to provide expert insights and recommendations. Whether you’re a tech enthusiast seeking the latest innovations or a homeowner looking to bolster your security, this guide will help you navigate the myriad options available, ensuring you find the perfect smart lock for your needs.

Things to consider when choosing a Smart Lock

Several factors should be considered when choosing a smart lock. Some features are essential, while others can be considered obsolete in certain use cases. For example, you might not need an activity log, but you will always want a lock that uses a secure communication method. Consider the following factors highlighted in our Best Buy Guide for smart locks.

Lock type

Smart locks come in various shapes, sizes, and types. They can generally be divided into two groups: retrofit and replacement. Retrofit locks can be installed on your existing door lock, while replacement locks replace your current lock setup.

Installation involvement

Some locks, regardless of the type, can be installed very easily. In contrast, others require more skill, patience, or hiring a locksmith.

Access methods

Some locks can only be opened with your phone, while others can be paired with a keypad or rely on physical keys as a fallback access method. Choose the one most suitable for your use case.

Power source

Check the lock’s power source to see whether it uses batteries, requires wiring, or combines both. Consider the battery life and whether the lock provides low battery alerts or backup power options to ensure continuous operation and minimum downtime.

Price and value

Consider the cost of the smart lock against its features, functionality, and security benefits highlighted in our list to determine its overall value. Always prioritize security over cost to ensure your home remains protected and secure.

Brand	Model	Protocol	Lock Type	Price
Aqara	U200 Smart Lock	Thread	Retrofit	€249.99
Bold	Smart Cylinder	Bluetooth	Replacement	€199.99
Danalock	Smart Lock V3	Z-Wave	Retrofit	€199.99
Klink	Smart One Pro	Wi-Fi	Retrofit	€299.99
Nimly	Touch Pro	Zigbee	Replacement	€334.90
Nuki	Smart Lock Pro (4th Gen)	Thread	Retrofit	€289.99
Secuyou	Patio Smart Lock	Bluetooth	Replacement	€190.95
SwitchBot	Lock Pro	Bluetooth	Retrofit	€139.99
Tedee	Smart Lock Pro	Bluetooth	Retrofit	€399.99
Yale	Linus Lock L2	Bluetooth	Retrofit	€229.99

The Aqara U200 Door Lock is the company’s latest security product. It utilizes the robust Thread protocol for a secure integration with your Homey Pro.

The U200 has an extremely accurate and ultra-fast fingerprint sensor that activates in under 0.5 seconds. The lock can record up to 50 fingerprints, making it highly suitable for offices and businesses with numerous employees.

In addition to fingerprint authentication, the lock offers keypad entry with options for permanent or one-time access codes and compatibility with NFC cards or keys. For added convenience, you can also utilize your phone as an NFC key for easy access.

The Aqara U200 is designed as a retrofit solution, ensuring easy installation onto your existing lock without significant hassle. It operates on a USB-C rechargeable battery, providing up to 6 months of juice, while the keypad is powered by 4 standard AAA batteries. The keypad is also IPX5 rated, capable of withstanding rain, high moisture, and dust particles, making it easy to install unprotected outdoors.

If the lock runs out of battery, you can simply use your physical key to enter and recharge it. You never have to worry about getting locked out with the Aqara U200!

The Bold Smart Cylinder Lock is a replacement smart lock designed to be installed in place of your current deadbolt. It comes with all the necessary components for installation, including the cylinder. You just need to make sure it fits your door.

This Bluetooth-enabled cylinder smart lock can be easily paired to your Homey, providing you with an activity lock for access monitoring. It can be unlocked with your phone and even set to automatically unlock when you approach your home or lock it when you leave it.

The Bold Smart Cylinder’s emergency PIN unlocking feature is really interesting. You teach it a rotating pattern (left/right) and use it to unlock the door without your phone — like opening a safe!

The Bold Smart Lock can operate for up to two years on a set of CR123A batteries. It is built to endure harsh weather conditions, with an IP54 rating that allows it to withstand temperatures as low as -20°C.

With a diameter of 70mm, it’s not the smallest cylinder lock on our list, but it looks very good when installed.

The Danalock V3 is a durable and reliable smart lock that integrates with your Homey Bridge or Homey Pro over Z-Wave. The same identical model is also available as a Zigbee variant if you prefer deploying Zigbee devices instead.

As a retrofit lock, the Danalock V3 is easy to install on your existing deadbolt. Its diameter is 59mm, making it look good and unobtrusive. The case is made of anodized aluminum and can withstand temperatures up to 50°C.

You can pair Danalocks with their separately sold keypad, called Danapad, to add pin codes as an access method for family members, friends, and home service providers. The Danapad V3 is also weatherproof with an IP54 rating, capable of withstanding extreme weather conditions.

If you choose both the Danapad and the Danalock, the cost can add up, resulting in a significant investment considering the features and access methods it provides.

It’s worth noting that Danalocks integrates really well with Homey. You can calibrate and set up the V3 without using the Danalock app.

The Klink Smart One Pro is a newly released, advanced smart lock designed for interior and exterior doors. It’s constructed from robust stainless steel and features a sleek design in black and silver steel finishes.

The Klink Smart One Pro offers multiple access methods, including fingerprint recognition, personal codes, RFID tags, smartphone control, and smartwatches, ensuring versatile and convenient entry options. Klink also provides their own branded smart tags as an additional access method.

It uses Wi-Fi to communicate and pair with Homey, enabling remote lock and unlock controls and monitoring the lock's status. It’s powered by a rechargeable Lithium-ion battery, which needs recharging a couple of times a year via the USB-C port.

Though it resembles a replacement door lock, the Klink Smart One Pro is designed to control only the door latch, not the locking cylinder. It’s available in PC 72 and PC 92, fitting all modern door and lock sizes.

It’s worth noting that installing the Klink Smart One Pro is a bit more challenging and involved than other locks on our list. As a fun fact, Klink is based in Enschede, the same Dutch city where Athom was founded.

Nimly is a Scandinavian brand from Norway that specializes in producing digital locks. The Touch Pro is a replacement lock that completely replaces both the indoor and outdoor lock/handle setup.

This model can be controlled through Homey via Zigbee. However, you do need to get Nimly’s Zigbee Module and install it on the lock. The Touch Pro can record up to 199 fingerprints, 999 unique access codes, or 999 NFC key tags, making it suitable for organizations and companies.

The outdoor unit is water and dustproof (IP68) and can withstand extreme temperatures ranging from -35°C to +45°C. Both the indoor and outdoor units are equipped with a key touchpad for controlling the lock from either side of the door.

The lock runs on 3xAA batteries, which can endure one year of active usage. Your physical key can still be used as a fallback in emergencies. If you are searching for a top-quality smart lock that has it all, then Nimly is for you.

Being a leading innovator in the smart lock industry, Nuki never ceases to push the limits of smart access control. Their latest Nuki Smart Lock Pro relies on the cutting-edge Thread communication protocol to integrate with your Homey Pro. Alternatively, you can integrate the lock directly into your Homey via Wi-Fi.

The Nuki Smart Lock Pro is very easy to retrofit on your door and is smaller than other locks of similar shape. It can be set to automatically lock/unlock when you are near or toggled manually from your Homey.

To add additional access methods, you need to pair the Nuki lock with one of their keypads, which will enable you to use pin codes or up to 20 different fingerprints. Since both are sold separately, costs can quickly rise above your budget, especially if you go for the pro models.

The base Nuki Smart Lock model runs on four standard AA batteries. In contrast, the Pro model uses a rechargeable power pack for up to ten months of battery life. The Nuki Smart Lock Pro is made from high-quality stainless steel and is available in black or white.

The next smart lock on our Best Buy Guide is a specialized lock for tilted doors and windows, which is common in European homes. The Secuyou Patio Smart Lock is of Danish origin and seamlessly integrates with your door or window frame, mirroring the appearance of your current handle for a sleek and discreet design.

The Secuyou Smart Lock can be remotely controlled with Homey or set to automatically lock/unlock based on your phone’s proximity. An activity log tracks individual entrances, exits, and the lock’s current state.

This lock uses Bluetooth to connect to your Homey and runs on two AAA batteries. These batteries can last for two years, which is impressive considering their size.

What’s great about the Secuyou Patio Smart Lock is that the company is releasing a Matter update soon, converting the lock to Thread for a more secure communication method.

The SwitchBot Lock Pro is a new and improved version of their well-known first-generation model, simply called the SwitchBot Lock. It is a multi-point smart lock designed to fit US, EU, UK, and Swiss Oval cylinders.

This model is a highly versatile smart lock with an optional keypad for code and fingerprint access. Without the keypad, you can use your Homey for remote control, your phone or smartwatch as an access key, or your physical key as a fail-safe option.

The SwitchBot Lock Pro features an interesting click-to-unlock feature called Quick Key. Instead of a thumb turn to lock and unlock your door, the Lock Pro has a button you press to engage the device. You can press the button for two seconds to stop automatic locking on the fly.

If you own one of SwitchBot’s hubs, you can add the Lock Pro to Homey with Matter support. The device runs on four AA batteries and has a maximum life of nine months. If you also get the rechargeable SwitchBot Dual Power Pack, this can be extended to a full year.

The SwitchBot Lock Pro is a very affordable smart lock. It currently retails for €139.99 without the keypad, but it jumps to €219.99 with it, which still offers the best price-to-features ratio on our list.

The Teedee Smart Lock Pro is an excellent pick if you are looking for the smallest and least noticeable smart knob on the market. Being a retrofit door lock, the Tedee installs on your existing cylinder, latching your key to be turned on demand.

This is the easiest lock type to install on your own without sacrificing any features or security. Paired to your Homey Bridge or Homey Pro over Bluetooth, it’s easy to control remotely and keep tabs on an activity log. You can add PIN unlocking with the Tedee Keypad, an outdoor-mounted unit that can store up to 100 different codes for unique user access.

The Tedee Pro is powered for 10 months by a 3000mAh rechargeable battery, which can be juiced with the magnetic Micro USB cable included in the package. Its outer case is made from solid aluminum and can withstand temperatures up to 40°C.

Its high-quality build comes as a premium, as the Tedee Smart Lock PRO is the most expensive smart knob on our list. The Tedee GO is a more budget-friendly version made out of ABS plastic with a larger footprint but offers the same features.

The Yale Linus Smart Lock L2 is the latest advancement in the company’s digital lock portfolio. It is quieter, more durable, and twice as fast as the previous generation of Linus Smart Locks.

Paired to Homey through the Yale Home app, you can remotely lock/unlock your lock, monitor entry and exit logs, and know when your door is open or closed. You must also get Yale’s separately sold keypad to enable PIN code access.

The Linus L2 runs on a set of Li-ion 18650 rechargeable batteries, which have an average battery life of 6 months. Using USB-C and an adapter, you can completely recharge the lock in under 2 hours, keeping downtime to a minimum.

This lock is offered in silver and matte finishes, part of the company’s initiative to complement a wider range of door colors for homeowners.

Final thoughts

Whether you’re opting for a retrofit add-on or a complete replacement, smart locks are not devices you can allow yourself to skimp on when it comes to cost. A malfunctioning motion sensor may result in minor inconveniences like lights failing to turn on. Still, a failure in your smart lock could compromise your entire home’s security.

Investing in a reliable and high-quality smart lock ensures protection and peace of mind for your household. Our Best Buy Guide aims to clarify things, highlight the most wanted features, and ultimately help you choose the best smart lock for your Homey-powered smart home.