Best Smart Lock for a Front Door in 2026
The best smart lock for most front doors in 2026 is the Schlage Encode Plus, because it pairs a built-in Wi-Fi radio with Apple Home key support and a keypad that keeps working during a power or internet outage. If you’re renting or don’t want to swap your exterior hardware, the August Wi-Fi Smart Lock (4th Gen) is the better fit since it mounts over your existing deadbolt in about 10 minutes.
Here’s the honest breakdown — what each lock actually costs, how they connect, and which one matches your door, your budget, and your app ecosystem.
What makes a smart lock good for a front door?
A front-door lock needs to survive weather, work without a hub, and still open the old-fashioned way if the battery dies. Front doors get more temperature swings, more traffic, and more strangers testing the handle than any other door in the house, so the bar is higher than it is for an interior or garage-entry lock.
Look for a deadbolt rated ANSI/BHMA Grade 1 or Grade 2 — the American National Standards Institute’s grading system that scores lock hardware on cycle testing and forced-entry resistance — plus a physical key override, at least four AA batteries (not a small coin cell), and a connection method that doesn’t depend on a single point of failure. A lock with built-in Wi-Fi talks to your router directly; a Bluetooth-only lock needs a separate bridge for remote access, which is one more thing that can lose power or fall offline.
Best smart locks for a front door in 2026
Four locks cover nearly every front-door situation: a full deadbolt swap, a no-drill retrofit, a Matter-native setup, and a budget fingerprint option. Here’s how they compare on price and connection type before the deeper breakdown below.
| Lock | Price | Connectivity | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Schlage Encode Plus | ~$300 | Built-in Wi-Fi, Apple Home key | Best all-around |
| August Wi-Fi Smart Lock (4th Gen) | ~$150 | Built-in Wi-Fi | Renters, retrofit installs |
| Yale Assure Lock 2 Touch | ~$280 with Wi-Fi module | Matter over Thread, Z-Wave, Wi-Fi module | Matter and Apple Home households |
| Kwikset Halo Touch | ~$180 | Built-in Wi-Fi, fingerprint reader | Budget fingerprint entry |
Schlage Encode Plus — best all-around
The Encode Plus replaces your whole deadbolt and needs no separate hub for remote access. It connects straight to your Wi-Fi, supports up to 100 access codes, and adds an Apple Home key you can store in the iPhone Wallet app and tap to unlock. The keypad and physical key both work if your internet goes down, since the lock logic runs locally on the hardware, not in the cloud. The trade-off is price and installation: at roughly $300 it’s the most expensive option here, and it’s a full deadbolt swap, not a retrofit.
August Wi-Fi Smart Lock (4th Gen) — best for renters
August’s lock mounts over your existing deadbolt, so the outside of your door and your physical keys don’t change at all. The motor turns the same bolt your key already turns; you keep the original exterior cylinder, which matters if a landlord requires it. Setup is a screwdriver and about 10 minutes. It supports Alexa, Google Home, and Apple Home, plus auto-unlock when your phone’s GPS detects you approaching the door. The compromise is bulk — the indoor-facing housing sits noticeably deeper than a built-in lock like the Encode Plus.
Yale Assure Lock 2 Touch — best for Matter and Apple Home
The Assure Lock 2 Touch is a fingerprint-and-keypad deadbolt that becomes a Matter device once you add Yale’s Wi-Fi or Thread module. That module purchase is separate from the lock body, which is worth knowing before you buy — the base unit alone is Bluetooth-only. Once connected over Matter — the smart-home standard maintained by the Connectivity Standards Alliance — it works natively with Apple Home, Google Home, Amazon Alexa, and Samsung SmartThings without a proprietary app bridging the gap, which is the main reason to pick it over the Encode Plus if you’re already committed to a Matter-first setup.
Kwikset Halo Touch — budget fingerprint pick
The Halo Touch drops the price to around $180 by skipping a full touchscreen keypad in favor of a fingerprint reader and a small code pad. It has built-in Wi-Fi, so no hub is required for remote locking and unlocking through the Kwikset app. Fingerprint recognition is fast in daily use, but it’s the one lock on this list without Apple Home or Matter support out of the box, so skip it if ecosystem compatibility matters more than price to you.
How much should you expect to pay?
Budget $150 to $300 for the lock itself, plus $0 to $80 more if you want a separate Wi-Fi bridge or hub-dependent module. Locks with Wi-Fi built directly into the deadbolt (Schlage, August, Kwikset) avoid that add-on cost. Locks that ship Bluetooth-only and sell connectivity as a separate module, like the base Yale Assure Lock 2, effectively cost more once you add remote access — check the listing carefully before comparing sticker prices.
Installation — DIY or pro?
Most of these locks are designed for a homeowner with a screwdriver and about 20 to 30 minutes, not a locksmith. A full deadbolt replacement, like the Encode Plus or Halo Touch, means removing the old lock and mounting a new one in the same bore holes — standard doors need no drilling. A retrofit lock like the August only touches the interior thumb-turn, which is why it’s the fastest install and the safest choice if you don’t own the door. If your door is out of standard alignment or the strike plate doesn’t sit flush, budget extra time for adjustment regardless of which lock you pick.
Frequently asked questions
Do smart locks work during a power outage?
Yes. Every lock on this list runs on AA batteries, not household power, so a blackout doesn’t lock you out. Wi-Fi-connected features like remote unlocking stop working if your router loses power, but the keypad, fingerprint reader, and physical key override still function normally.
Can I still use a regular key with a smart lock?
Most front-door smart locks, including the Schlage Encode Plus, Yale Assure Lock 2 Touch, and Kwikset Halo Touch, keep a standard key cylinder as a backup. The August Wi-Fi Smart Lock goes further and keeps your original exterior cylinder entirely, since it only replaces the interior thumb-turn.
Do I need a hub for a smart lock to work with Alexa or Google Home?
Not if the lock has built-in Wi-Fi, like the Schlage Encode Plus, August 4th Gen, or Kwikset Halo Touch — they connect straight to your router. Bluetooth-only locks, including the base Yale Assure Lock 2, need a bridge or hub for voice assistant and remote-access features.
Is a smart lock as secure as a traditional deadbolt?
A quality smart lock uses the same ANSI-graded deadbolt hardware as a traditional lock, so physical break-in resistance is comparable. The added risk is digital: use a unique, strong Wi-Fi password, keep the lock’s firmware updated, and avoid sharing permanent access codes you wouldn’t want active indefinitely.
How long do smart lock batteries last?
Typically six months to a year with four AA batteries under normal daily use, though frequent Wi-Fi communication and cold weather can shorten that. Most locks send a low-battery alert to your phone well before they die, and all four locks here keep a 9-volt terminal or USB backup option for emergency power.
Last updated: September 2026.
Next: if you’d rather add smart access without replacing your deadbolt, see how to set up a Wi-Fi smart lock without replacing your deadbolt, and pair your new lock with a budget video doorbell that doesn’t require a subscription for full entryway coverage.
