Most people who end up with the wrong smart lock did not buy a bad one. They shopped by features instead of by the door it was going on. A smart lock should be one of the easier upgrades you make to your home, but there are a lot of models out there, the prices are all over the place, and the marketing almost always sells the app and the features rather than how well the lock secures the door.

After years of installing these, we will tell you the buyers who are happiest a year later are usually the ones who bought less lock than they thought they needed. These are the six things worth checking before you buy, whether it is your first smart lock or a replacement for one that let you down. If you want the full background on how these locks work, our complete guide to smart locks covers that. This is the buying side.

The Deadbolt Grade

The keypad, the fingerprint reader, the app, all of it controls one thing: the metal bolt that drops into the door frame. That bolt is what someone actually has to get past to break in, so how strong it is matters more than any feature printed on the box. The rating that tells you is the ANSI/BHMA grade, which runs from Grade 1 for the toughest down to Grade 3 for the lightest.

A cheap lock with a long feature list often has a lighter bolt behind it, and that is usually where the money was saved. Decide the level of security you want first, then compare the smart features. Our post on whether smart locks are safer than traditional locks breaks down what the grades mean. For any exterior door, look for Grade 1 or a strong Grade 2.

Whether It Fits Your Door

A lot of smart lock disappointments come down to fit rather than technology. The lock was never right for the door, so it sits awkwardly or never quite locks smoothly. Checking a few things about your door before you order saves you a return, and it tells you which type of lock you can even use in the first place.

One more thing if you rent: check your lease first, since many smart locks can be taken off later without permanently changing the door.

The Entry Methods It Offers

Newer smart locks open half a dozen different ways, and it is easy to pay for options nobody in the house will ever touch. Think about who actually uses that door every day. Kids coming home from school, grandparents who dislike apps, a dog walker, a cleaner, the occasional guest. Buy for them, not for the feature list.

Pick the one or two methods that fit the people at home, and skip paying for the rest.

A Backup for When the Batteries Die

Every smart lock is powered by batteries, usually a set of AAs that lasts somewhere between several months and a year. A good lock does not just quit on you either; it warns you first, with a light or a sound, well before the batteries are actually done. The thing to check before buying is what happens if you miss those warnings, because that is the gap between a two-minute battery change and standing outside your own door.

Even good locks act up now and then, and most of the time it is something small. Our guide to common electronic lock issues walks through the everyday ones.

The Connection Type and Battery Life

This is where smart locks differ the most, and where people most often overspend. The real question is simple: do you need to control the lock when you are not home? If you do, you need one that connects to the internet. If you do not, a simpler lock costs less and lasts far longer on a set of batteries.

One Texas note: an exterior lock takes sun, heat, and coastal humidity, so if the door is exposed, look for a weather-rated model and check the battery life rating before you buy.

The Brand and the Installation

A smart lock is as much software as hardware, so the company behind it counts for more than it would with a plain deadbolt. A brand that is still in business and still sending updates will keep the lock secure and working for years, while a bargain lock from a name you do not recognize often stops getting support quickly. A few things are worth a look before you commit.

If you are covering several doors at a business, one smart lock is usually not the right tool, and a full access control system is the better fit.

Getting the Right Smart Lock for Your Door

Go through those six and you avoid the two things we see go wrong most: paying for features that never get used, and putting a solid lock on a door that cannot hold it properly. We install and service smart locks across the state, including Dallas, San Antonio, and lock installation in Austin, among other areas.

Not Sure Which Smart Lock Fits Your Door?