Adding a smart lock to your home is an easy, effective way to get smart security features and remote control. But not everyone is a fan of paying over $200 for one, and many of my top recommendations are pricey. So I decided to make a second list.
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- Best Cheap Smart Locks for 2025: These Locks Don't Disappoint
- What is the best cheap smart lock?
- Best cheap smart locks
- Best overall cheap smart lock
- Best cheap smart lock for durability
- Best cheap smart lock for Apple users
- Best retrofit cheap smart lock
- Best cheap smart lock with physical key slot
- Best cheap smart locks compared
- Factors to consider when buying a cheap smart lock
After reviewing dozens of models with over a 100 hours of testing, I'm ready to make recommendations for cheap smart locks that are still strong, feature-rich and enable useful app controls. Let's see how you can save.
What is the best cheap smart lock?
Tapo's lock is a great mix of affordability and features.
TapoAfter testing dozens of locks, the most well-rounded, affordable smart lock I’ve found is the Tapo DL110. With prices below $150 and BHMA Grade 2 lock durability, it’s a reliable choice to guard your home. In addition to app controls, it offers fingerprint and keypad access in a compact package. Finding such as a combination is rare.
I've also chosen cheap smart locks for those who want extra durability, Apple HomeKit compatibility and other important features. Take a look at our full guide to learn more and make your best choice.
Best cheap smart locks
Pros
- Affordable
- Durability rating for residential use
- Multiple access options including fingerprint
- Built-in Wi-Fi
Cons
- Rechargeable battery is a little awkward
The Tapo DL110 is filled with useful smart features and regular sales bring it well below $150, a combination of budget and user-friendly. The BHMA Grade 2 (home and light commercial level) durability rating makes it suitable for worry-free residential uses, while the access options allow for everything from creating guest access profiles with scheduled codes to programming up to 100 fingerprints. It’s a very complete package at a low price.
The lock also has important features like built-in Wi-Fi and auto-locking settings. However, note that unlike many locks the battery is a built-in, rechargeable version, so you’ll need to recharge it by USB-C every year or so.
Pros
- High durability rating
- Built-in Wi-Fi
- Unique fingerprint-focused design
- Google and Alexa support
Cons
- A little pricey for a budget pick
While pricier than our other picks, Ultraloq’s unique, compact design makes the lock particularly easy to use as a quick fingerprint sensor. The inner component is much larger, but also houses built-in Wi-Fi and enables support for features like eKeys, auto locking and unlocking and support for Alexa as well as Google Assistant.
But it’s the durability that really made this lock an easy pick for us. With a Grade 1 BHMA rating, the lock offers top protection for residential purposes and some commercial locks as well.
Pros
- Easy Apple Home support
- Auto-locking
- Quiet mode
Cons
- Requires a hub for Wi-Fi
- Battery life not as great as our other picks
The U50 is the budget cousin to the U100 lock that we liked in our review. It keeps many of the good features at a lower price, including Matter and Apple HomeKit support. With a BHMA Level 3 rating, it’s not as strong as some of our picks but it should be able to handle average home safety. Access options include a keypad, Apple Home Keys and auto-locking, but there’s no Wi-Fi support on this lock unless you also buy an Aqara Zigbee hub.
Pros
- Cheap
- Very easy installation
- Fits over most standard deadbolts
- Easy to use
Cons
- No smart home support without adding a hub
- Short battery life
SwitchBot offers one of the cheapest, most compact and easy-to-use options we’ve found for users who want to keep things simple. You can set it up with several minutes of work and no tools thanks to the adhesive mounting, which makes it great for rentals and similar situations.
The lock supports timers, auto-locking, home sharing and other abilities right out of the box, but for smart home support, you will need an add-on like a SwitchBot Hub Mini for voice assistants with a Hub 2nd-gen for Matter support. You can also add an outdoor keypad if you’re feeling like more upgrades.
Pros
- Built-in support for Wi-Fi, Apple Home and other smart home platforms
- Sturdy design
- Retains standard physical lock, too
Cons
- Kind of bulky with extra battery requirements
Eufy’s lock, while a bit pricier than most of our picks, goes on frequent sales so you have a good chance of finding it under $150. Also, it comes with built-in support for not only Apple Home but Google Home, Alexa and Samsung SmartThings too, making it well-suited for existing smart homes. Access options include a keypad, fingerprint scanner and physical key lock for those who prefer traditional methods.
Best cheap smart locks compared
| $150 | $180 | $150 | $100 | $170 |
| Deadbolt replacement | Deadbolt replacement | Deadbolt replacement | Deadbolt retrofit | Deadbolt replacement |
| App, fingerprint, keypad, Bluetooth | App, fingerprint, keypad, Bluetooth, eKeys | App, keypad, Bluetooth, Home Key/Apple Watch | App, Home Sharing, Bluetooth | App, fingerprint, keypad, physical key |
| Built-in lithium ion | 4 AA | 4 AA | Built-in Lithium Manganese Dioxide | 8 AA |
| Amazon Alexa, Google Assistants, Samsung SmartThings | Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Samsung SmartThings, IFTTT | Apple Home/Siri, Google Home/Assistant, Amazon Alexa | Only with hub add-on | Apple Home/Siri, Google Home/Assistant, Amazon Alexa, SmartThings |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Smart locks like the Vision Prestige are adopting a new trick: video doorbell-like cameras with embedded displays.
LocklyWhen you’re looking for a lock well under $200 (or lower), it’s important to find one that will still last for years in the toughest conditions. Here’s what to think about.
Design quality and size
Look for smart locks that are very durable and won’t give into any forced entry. Ratings like the BHMA grade can help here, although not all locks have them. Look for at least a BHMA grade 2 lock. When possible, seek out reviews like ours where reviews got to experiment with a lock in person to see how sturdy it was.
Retrofits or replacement
If you want to keep your existing deadbolt, look for a retrofit like SwitchBot’s that fits over the existing lock and adds smart features to it. This is an easy way to save money, although designs tend to be more awkward. However, they’re a better option for renters who get permission to install their own smart lock.
Access options
Every smart lock has a series of options for gaining access. At minimum, there’s app control. Many have keypads and fingerprint sensors have become quite common too. Others sport everything from digital passes and Home Keys you can send to friends’ phones to palm reading and Bluetooth sensing technologies. Choose a lock that has the access options you want to use and manage.
Wi-Fi connectivity
Some locks have built-in Wi-Fi while others only support Wi-Fi over an extra hub you’ll have to purchase, raising the costs. Wi-Fi requires a secure network with a strong password to use safely, but it adds a very important feature: the ability to remotely lock and unlock the door wherever you are. That’s often a must-have for busy homeowners.
Batteries
A long battery life is a plus but we’re more interested in how easy batteries are to use and replace -- and how bulky they make the smart lock. Slim AAA batteries are one of the best options, but many cheap smart locks stick with AA. Rechargeable batteries are rare.
Smart home compatibility
Smart locks should work with existing smart platforms and home security systems when possible. That includes apps you like to use like Google Home or Apple Home, as well as voice assistants like Siri, Alexa and Google Assistant.
Palm recognition technology could be a friendlier alternative for front door smart locks.
Philips
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