When You Should (and Shouldn't) Replace Your Deadbolt With a Smart Lock

Installing either a high-quality deadbolt or a smart lock can make your front door more secure. The mechanisms inside of each are actually pretty similar (as long as your smart version has a deadbolt). The difference is largely in how you unlock the door: with a physical key versus a code, biometrics, or an app.

Ultimately, any lock can be picked or hacked if someone wants to break into your home badly enough. It’s more a matter of how difficult it is and how much time it will take for them to do so. Here’s what to consider when choosing between a smart lock and an analog deadbolt.

When to switch to a smart lock

Perhaps the biggest advantage of a smart lock is flexibility: instead of keeping track of a key, you can unlock your door with a key code, a fingerprint, or an app on your smartphone. You can also lock or unlock the door remotely, enable specific codes to work at certain times, and change the codes as often as needed.

This is useful if you have guests coming and going or a dogwalker who needs access to your home while you’re out—situations where you’d otherwise have to manage spare keys. Even if it’s just you and others who live in your home, you don’t have to worry about carrying keys, losing them, or locking yourself out.

Some smart locks have additional security features, such as alarms that sound when tampered with or an automatic locking function if the device detects that you (and your phone) have left.

On the flip side, keypads can wear down, exposing the most-used numbers if your code doesn’t change often enough. Locks that are hard-wired without a backup battery or that rely on Wi-Fi can be unusable in the case of a power outage or network malfunction, so you’ll be out of luck if you don’t have a backup key. Plus, there’s always a security risk for connected devices, especially if you don’t stay on top of software updates.

When to stick with a traditional deadbolt

Regular deadbolts are simpler to smart locks. They’re often smaller, sleeker, and cheaper (think $50 versus $100–$250 or more for a smart lock), and you’ll have more styles to choose from if aesthetics matter to you. You also don’t have to worry about connection or power issues or the possibility of a keypad wearing out over time.

If you already have an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) grade 1 or 2 deadbolt and don’t need access other than a physical key, you probably don’t need to switch to a smart lock. Plus, if you rent, you may not even have the option to upgrade, either because apartment doors aren’t compatible with the devices or landlords won’t allow you to install them.

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