How to Choose a Smart Lock? | Fit, Features & Cost

Buying a smart lock gets expensive fast when it doesn’t fit your door or doesn’t work with your phone. The good news is that the right pick comes down to a few measurable details. Start by measuring your door, then match the lock’s connectivity to your smart-home setup. That approach filters out most bad purchases before you spend a dollar.

Door Measurements That Decide Fit

Every smart lock has specific size requirements, and most installation headaches trace back to skipping this step. Measure three things before you buy: door thickness, backset, and bore diameter.

August’s retrofit lock is more forgiving on existing deadbolts—it mounts over your current thumb turn—but the door and lock still need to meet standard dimensions. A quick measurement with a tape and ruler beats a return shipping label every time.

How Connectivity Shapes Your Choice

The biggest feature split is whether the lock needs a hub or carries its own radio. That decision changes both cost and reliability.

Built-in Wi-Fi is the simplest route. The Schlage Encode Plus includes Wi-Fi and connects through the Schlage Home app for remote access from anywhere, with no separate hub to buy. August’s Wi-Fi Smart Lock similarly handles remote access over your home network at 2.4 GHz, though older Smart Lock + Connect bundles required the separately sold Connect bridge.

Matter and Thread support future-proofs a lock for cross-platform smart homes. Schlage lists both on its Encode Plus, which lets it join growing Matter networks as they mature. If you already use Apple Home, note that the Encode Plus also supports Apple Home Key—tap your iPhone or Apple Watch to unlock. August’s Wi-Fi Smart Lock offers app-based remote control, but its current spec sheet does not list Home Key support.

Power, Battery Life, and Real-World Use

Smart locks run on batteries, and nobody wants a dead bolt mid-winter. Here’s how the two compare on daily use:

August leans on its compact retrofit design and strong app experience, making it the easier install for renters or anyone who wants to keep their existing exterior hardware.

Which Lock Wins for Your Home?

Start with your door measurements and your phone ecosystem, then let price decide.

For Apple households, the Schlage Encode Plus is the pick—the Home Key integration alone justifies the higher price if you live on iPhones and Apple Watches. Its $329 entry price buys Wi-Fi, Matter, Thread, and the alarm all in one unit. More important, it’s a true deadbolt replacement for a standard single-bore door.

For everyone else on a budget, August’s Wi-Fi Smart Lock at $149.99 is the value play. It’s cheaper, installs over your existing deadbolt in about ten minutes, and covers the core needs: keyless entry, app control, and remote locks and unlocks. Just confirm your lock is compatible with August’s retrofit mount before ordering.

The choice really comes down to whether Apple Home Key is worth roughly $180 to you. For a hands-on comparison of tested models, see our roundup of the best digital front door locks we’ve installed and reviewed.