Best smart locks for rental apartments: how to choose
A smart lock saves you key handovers, but the wrong one creates new problems. Check these five points before you buy.
1. Fit your door first
Most smart locks replace only the inside part of a deadbolt, but European mortise and cylinder locks often need a different model. Measure the door thickness and note the lock type before comparing prices.
2. Temporary codes
For rentals, the key feature is giving each guest a code that expires at check-out. Confirm the lock supports scheduled codes and how many it can hold at once.
3. Connectivity
Codes that you set remotely need Wi-Fi or a bridge. Locks that work only over Bluetooth require you to be nearby to change them.
4. Batteries and a physical backup
Look for low-battery alerts and an emergency option, such as a key or an external power contact. Keep spare batteries in the property.
5. Building rules
In shared buildings, check with the owners’ association before changing a door lock.
| Your situation | What to prioritise |
|---|---|
| Frequent short stays | Scheduled codes, remote access |
| Long-term tenant | Simple keypad, reliable batteries |
| Older or non-standard door | Compatibility before features |
Our picks
We have not tested these locks ourselves. These picks are the locks that host-focused reviews recommend again and again. Models and prices change, so check the current price and your door’s compatibility before you buy.
Schlage Encode / Encode Plus: best all-round for most hosts
Reviews highlight built-in Wi-Fi with no hub, room for around 100 access codes, an activity log and a physical backup key. Several also mention its link with rental platforms for automatic codes. Some hosts report that batteries last only weeks to a few months in a busy rental, so check them often.
Yale Assure Lock 2: best for property-management software
A frequent top pick for vacation rentals. Reviews cite Wi-Fi without a separate bridge, support for many property-management systems and a large number of guest codes.
August Wi-Fi Smart Lock: best when you cannot change the door hardware
Reviewers recommend it for condos and rentals where you cannot swap the exterior hardware, because the outside of the door and your current keys stay as they are.
Igloohome Deadbolt Go: best for unreliable Wi-Fi
Singled out for remote or rural properties, because it does not depend on a constant internet connection to issue codes.
Wyze Lock Bolt: budget pick
Named as the budget option in one review we read. Check which features it lacks before you rely on it for guests.
Many of these are built for North American deadbolts. In the UK and much of Europe, doors often use cylinder or mortise locks, so check compatibility first (see point 1 above).