12 Best Smart Deadbolts for Rental Properties (October 2026) Guide

For a rental property, the best smart deadbolts are ones you can re-key between tenants without a locksmith visit, that still open with a physical key when the batteries die, and that carry a real ANSI/BHMA security grade. The Schlage Encode Smart WiFi Deadbolt takes the top spot in our 2026 roundup because it holds up to 100 access codes, has built-in Wi-Fi so no hub sits between you and the door, and carries the highest residential BHMA certification.

The operational problem is not really security. It is that every turnover costs a rekey trip or a set of keys handed over in person, and every maintenance call means someone standing at your door waiting. A smart deadbolt turns both of those into an app action that takes under a minute.

That does not mean every smart lock belongs on a rental door. Some need a bridge or hub that is harder to place than the lock itself, some leave you with no mechanical override, and a few battery hungry models will have you swapping cells every few weeks on a door you never walk past. We compared 12 smart deadbolts on the things that actually decide whether a lock survives a rental cycle: security grade, install type, unlock methods, code capacity, connectivity, physical key backup, and battery life.

Top 3 Smart Deadbolts for Rental Properties

All 12 Smart Deadbolts Compared in 2026

1. Schlage Encode Smart WiFi Deadbolt – Best Overall for Managed Units

This is the lock we keep coming back to for a portfolio of long-term rentals. The built-in Wi-Fi means there is no bridge to install, position, or troubleshoot, and remote unlock from the Schlage Home app takes a couple of seconds from anywhere with service. Reviewers report dependable app control and smooth integration with existing smart home setups.

The spec that matters most for a landlord is code capacity. One lock handles up to 100 access codes, so a small group of doors can run from a single account without recycling codes, and the lock history tells you which code opened which door and when. That single feature removes the two most common sources of turnover disputes.

Install is a screwdriver job on doors 1-3/8 inch to 1-3/4 inch thick with a 2-3/8 inch or 2-3/4 inch backset, and the Snap n Stay design keeps the unit on the door while you thread the screws. The interior is fairly chunky at 3.4 pounds, so plan the reveal on a narrow door frame before you commit to a full portfolio rollout.

Four AA batteries run it for up to six months with a low-battery indicator on the lock and in the app, and a single physical backup key covers total battery failure. Schlage backs it with a limited lifetime mechanical and finish warranty plus a three-year electronics warranty, which is the kind of support horizon a landlord wants on a door nobody sees between inspections.

The most common complaint is the fingerprint-resistant touchscreen staying dark until touched, which adds a beat of friction for a tenant carrying groceries or a contractor in gloves. One backup key also means one mechanical entry point, so we would hand a second key to anyone with a scattered portfolio.

What to check before you buy

Check the door thickness and backset first. The Encode fits 1-3/8 inch to 1-3/4 inch doors and both common backsets, but a thicker door or a mortise door will need an expansion kit or a different lock entirely.

Then check your Wi-Fi at the door, not the router. Schlage recommends a 2.4 GHz network, and a unit at the back of a long building with masonry walls can sit well outside reliable range.

Where it falls short for a rental

It is a full replacement lock rather than a retrofit, so you are changing the entire cylinder and faceplate rather than adding a keypad to an existing deadbolt. On a unit where the tenant has been handed a copy of the existing key, that is a feature.

The hidden keypad also slows down first-time guests, and the dark display is genuinely hard to read at night. If your unit turns over weekly, a lock with a lit tactile keypad is a calmer experience for people arriving in the dark.

2. ULTRALOQ Bolt SE WiFi Smart Lock – Best Value With Hub-Free Remote Access

The Bolt SE packs an unusually wide range of ways in, and it does it without asking you to place a hub. Fingerprint, passcode, app, web portal, shared eKey, voice, and two physical keys all work, which means a contractor, a cleaner, and a tenant can each use the method they remember best without you provisioning three separate things.

For property managers this is the flexibility win. Fifty fingerprints and fifty passcodes cover a large portfolio from one account, and the shared eKey path lets you hand a short-lived digital credential to a showing agent without ever writing a code down. The activity history and real-time notifications tell you when each credential was actually used.

Remote access works over built-in 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi with no hub at all, and the self-healing mesh network reroutes the connection if a device drops off. Reviewers consistently praise the breadth of unlock methods and the hub-free remote access, along with battery life that the manufacturer rates up to 18 months on the Thread mesh network.

Two backup keys are included, which gives more mechanical redundancy than most of the locks in this group offer. Installation is rated at about ten minutes with a screwdriver.

The catch is that Matter over Thread features need a compatible Thread Border Router on the property. If you are already running Thread gear, that is a genuine advantage, and our guide to the best Z-Wave smart hubs covers the hub side of that decision.

Also note the 2.4 GHz only limit and the recommendation to keep the router within about 70 feet of the door, plus the absence of an included door sensor, so you get lock status but not an alert when the door stands open. On a unit at the end of a long driveway with masonry construction, that range limit is the first thing to test.

What to check before you buy

Measure the distance from your router to the door, not just to the house. A metal or masonry exterior wall can cut your effective range well below the 70 foot recommendation, and this lock has no bridge option to fall back on.

Decide whether you need the door sensor. Without it, an open door looks identical to a closed one in the app, which matters if you are tracking a vacant unit between tenants.

Where it falls short for a rental

Supporting Matter means Thread gear, and Thread gear means another device to power, place, and replace eventually. For a single-unit landlord with no existing smart home stack, that is more complexity than the feature earns.

The Wi-Fi only reaching 2.4 GHz is a real constraint in a rural or converted-building property. And while the 18-month battery figure is Thread-based, a lock living on built-in Wi-Fi with heavy code traffic will not see that number.

3. eufy Security Smart Lock C220 – Best for Fingerprint Entry on a Budget

Biometric entry solves a specific rental problem: a tenant who will not remember a six-digit code but will happily use a thumb. The C220 reads a fingerprint in under a second, and the self-learning recognition gets more accurate the more it is used, so a tenant who registers on day one is not calling you in month two because their print got rejected.

Owners highlight fast fingerprint reads and a straightforward installation, plus the fit with the wider eufy Security ecosystem if you already run eufy cameras or video doorbells. It installs without drilling on most standard deadbolts, including bores under 54 mm once you remove the spacer, and the whole job is about 15 minutes with a screwdriver.

Built-in Wi-Fi means you can unlock remotely without a bridge, and the app handles access history, unusual-attempt alerts, and battery status. That is the whole remote-management story for a landlord, and it does not require you to stand up any additional hardware at the unit.

On the durability side it is BHMA Grade 3 certified, tested past 100000 lock and unlock cycles, rated IP53, and specified to operate from -22 degrees F to 158 degrees F. That temperature range matters for a first-floor or exposed entry unit in a climate with real winter or summer swings.

Battery life of roughly eight months on eight AA batteries is the honest weak point. For a unit you drive past regularly it is a non-issue, and for a scattered portfolio it is a calendar item to put in your inspection schedule rather than a surprise.

What to check before you buy

Check whether your doors have bores under 54 mm. The C220 fits most standard deadbolts, but very small bores need the spacer removed, and mortise or non-standard doors will not take this lock at all.

Decide honestly whether you need the fingerprint at all. If your tenants change every few months, re-enrolling new prints is work, and if you have long-term tenants it is the easiest unlock method they will ever use.

Where it falls short for a rental

It is not Matter compatible, so it will not join a mixed-brand smart home setup, and the app-based features lean on the eufy ecosystem. That is a real cost if you are trying to standardise across a portfolio of different brands.

Eight months of battery life is the shortest quoted in this group alongside the Wyze, and eight AA batteries is more to keep stocked than the four-cell designs. We would put this on a unit you visit regularly rather than a remote one.

4. ULTRALOQ Bolt Fingerprint with Door Sensor – Best for Apple Home Portfolios

The reason to pick this over the Bolt SE is the door sensor in the box. For a vacant unit between tenants, knowing the door is standing open is worth more than a fingerprint sensor, and this is the only lock in our group that includes one as standard.

It is also fully Apple Home certified, so iPhone and Apple Watch unlock work natively, and a HomePod or Apple TV adds automations, remote control, and Siri. For a landlord running an Apple-based property stack, that removes the workaround layer entirely.

Seven unlock methods cover up to 50 fingerprints, 50 passcodes, app, auto unlock, voice, web portal, and two backup keys, with geofence auto unlock on arrival and auto lock on a timer or on the close of the door. Lockout Mode is a nice touch for a unit you are not renting: it disables passcode and app entry while you are away so you still need the key.

Owners point to the included sensor, the breadth of ecosystem support, and Grade 2 certification at this tier. The body is zinc alloy with IP65 weather resistance, and eight AA batteries are rated up to a year. The mechanical warranty is lifetime with 18 months on the electronics, backed by lifetime phone support.

It weighs 16 ounces, so it is a lighter install than the Schlage, and the screwdriver-only install means no wiring and no professional installer. That matters when you are fitting a dozen doors over a weekend and would rather not pay a locksmith for each one.

Be realistic about the Apple requirement. Voice control through Apple Home needs a HomePod or Apple TV acting as the home hub, and if your stack is Google or Alexa oriented, you are paying for a certification you will not use. The 2.4 GHz only limit and 70 foot router recommendation apply here as they do to the Bolt SE.

What to check before you buy

Confirm what your smart home actually runs on. This lock is at its best inside Apple Home and perfectly usable everywhere else, so the hub requirement is the deciding factor rather than a detail.

Check the door sensor placement and whether the door swing allows the sensor to read the magnet. On a door that does not close squarely, the alert will be wrong and you will learn to ignore it.

Where it falls short for a rental

Eight AA batteries and a higher power draw than simpler models means more frequent swaps than a four-cell design, and the whole lock leans harder on firmware updates to stay stable.

If your portfolio is not Apple-based, the hub requirement cuts both ways: you get Apple Home certification you cannot use, and you still need the 2.4 GHz network to be in range at the door.

5. Philips Wi-Fi Smart Deadbolt – Best for Short-Term Rentals

Short-term rental hosts live and die by code flexibility, and this lock has the most generous one-time and scheduled code system here. Up to 100 permanent custom passcodes plus unlimited one-time or scheduled shared codes means a cleaner on Tuesdays, a contractor on Thursday, and a guest arriving Friday all get their own credential instead of sharing one.

Away Mode is the feature that will matter most to a landlord with a vacant unit. It disables every unlock method except the master code, so between tenants you can strip access at the keypad level rather than only in the app, and a former tenant walking up with a working code finds a dead keypad.

Reviewers like the hub-free built-in Wi-Fi and the flexible passcode management at this tier. The lock is a keypad with fingerprint as a second method, plus app, physical key, and Alexa or Google Assistant voice, and the anti-peeping password feature lets you enter decoy digits around your real code so a shoulder surfer sees nothing useful.

Access history and real-time open and lock alerts land in the app, which is how you confirm a cleaner actually came and went without driving to the unit. Installation is screwdriver-only on doors 1-3/8 inch to 2 inch thick, and it weighs 1.4 pounds, so it is one of the lighter fittings here.

One detail we appreciate for a rental context: the manufacturer runs US-based phone support on a stated weekday and weekend schedule plus 24/7 email. When a guest is standing at the door at 10 pm, that is a meaningful difference over a brand with no reachable support.

The honest limits are the 2.4 GHz only networking with a 65 foot router recommendation, batteries that are not included, and the absence of a door sensor. Expect to buy your own cells at install, and do not rely on this lock to tell you the door is still open.

What to check before you buy

Check that your door falls between 1-3/8 inch and 2 inch thick, which is a wider fit range than most locks here. Many rental doors sit at the thick end of the standard range and are the reason cheaper locks get returned.

Run a 2.4 GHz speed and signal test from the door position, not the office. With a 65 foot recommendation, a separate building on the same lot can be outside it even when the router is technically close.

Where it falls short for a rental

No fingerprint or biometric reader means a tenant with a suitcase and small children has no hands-free option, and no door sensor means the access log records codes rather than door state.

At roughly 1.4 pounds the interior is light, and voice control depends on an active Google or Amazon account plus a stable network. If your units sit on flaky internet, treat remote unlock as a convenience rather than a control method.

6. Tapo DL110 Smart Wi-Fi Deadbolt – Top Rated for Quiet Operation

The Tapo DL110 is the one lock here with a rechargeable battery pack instead of disposable cells, and that changes the maintenance story. You remove the pack, charge it over USB-C, and put it back, so a door nobody walks past never needs a spare-battery stash and never goes dead on a tenant.

Fingerprint recognition reads in about 0.42 seconds with capacity for up to 100 prints, alongside keypad passcodes, Wi-Fi remote access, close-range Bluetooth, a smart home assistant, and two included backup keys. Resident and guest profiles handle permanent, one-time, and scheduled codes, so the turnover workflow is built into the app rather than bolted on.

Owners consistently praise reliability, quiet operation, long rechargeable battery life, and accurate fingerprint reads. The quiet bolt matters more than it sounds: a deadbolt that wakes a sleeping family or a downstairs neighbour is a tenant complaint you did not need.

The keyway is Schlage SC1 compatible and rekeyable, which is the detail that makes this the most landlord-friendly lock in the group. You can have the cylinder rekeyed to match the other doors on the property, so your existing key control policy carries over instead of stopping at the smart door.

It is ANSI/BHMA Grade 2 certified, and the rubber gaskets on both sides reduce movement and protect the door finish, which addresses a real concern for anyone installing hardware repeatedly across a portfolio. Two backup keys are in the box alongside the rechargeable pack and a USB charger.

On the downside, keypad digits stay hidden until the touchscreen wakes, which is awkward for a guest using a code. The doorbell button sits where your hand naturally lands and sends false app notifications, and the lock offers no Matter support and no open API for third-party automation hubs, so it locks you into the Tapo app for anything beyond basic control.

What to check before you buy

Check the keyway question early. If your property already runs Schlage cylinders, a rekeyable SC1-compatible lock lets you extend your master key or key control system to the smart door rather than creating a second key ecosystem.

Confirm the battery pack is a product you can source replacement packs for. A proprietary pack is convenient until you need a spare, and you should know your fallback plan before a tenant is locked out.

Where it falls short for a rental

No Matter support and no open API mean you cannot fold this into a mixed-brand automation setup, and each lock has to be configured individually rather than provisioned in bulk.

It is also US-standard only and does not fit European doors, and the proprietary rechargeable pack has no widely available replacement. If the battery fails and you cannot source a pack quickly, the physical keys are your only way in.

7. Veise VE012W WiFi Fingerprint Smart Lock – Budget Pick for Basic Units

The Veise VE012W is the lowest-cost way to put fingerprint entry and remote access on a rental door, and it does both without a hub. Built-in 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi handles remote lock and unlock, and the app gives you real-time notifications and an entry log you can actually use to settle a deposit dispute.

Access options run to app, fingerprint, one-time codes, 100 custom PINs, two physical keys, and voice through Alexa or Google Assistant. That is six ways in, which makes it forgiving of a tenant who has lost the instruction sheet, and the anti-peeping entry helps when someone is standing over your guest’s shoulder at the keypad.

Buyers respond well to the 0.2 second fingerprint reader, the breadth of access methods, and the fact that all installation hardware is included. It fits doors 1-3/8 inch to 2 inch thick and works for either door hand, so a mixed portfolio with different door types is not a problem.

Security features are reasonable for a lock in this price class: BHMA and ANSI Grade 3, zinc alloy construction, IP55 waterproofing, and AES-128 encryption for data stored on the lock. Two backup keys are included, so you are not relying on batteries alone to get someone back into the unit.

The reservation I would flag is the review distribution, where one-star feedback runs at 11 percent, the highest share among the products we compared. Batteries are not included and the eight-cell design is bulkier than four-cell competitors, and the manufacturer requires you to fit the lock completely before inserting batteries, which catches out first-time installers.

What to check before you buy

Confirm the door thickness sits inside 1-3/8 inch to 2 inch, and measure the bore. This is a full replacement deadbolt rather than a retrofit, so an unusual backset or a mortise door is an immediate return.

Buy batteries before the install date, and plan for eight of them. That is a stocking detail, but it is the single most common reason a lock like this ends up dead in a unit nobody visits weekly.

Where it falls short for a rental

Grade 3 is the entry-level certification. It is fine for a standard interior or second-floor unit, but for a first-floor or secluded entry door you would rather step up to Grade 2 or use the IP65-rated Veise VE027.

The 11 percent one-star share reflects real outliers rather than a broken product, and there is only a one-year warranty plus a free extension if you register. For a landlord installing ten doors, that shorter support horizon is worth weighing.

8. TEEHO TE012W – Best for Code Security on a Shared Entry

The thing that separates the TEEHO from the Veise is the lockout behaviour. After 10 consecutive incorrect PIN attempts the system locks for three minutes, which takes a casual code-guessing attempt at a shared or semi-public entry from an annoyance into a non-event.

Add anti-peeping password entry and you have a lock that tolerates a high-traffic door far better than most keypad models. It handles up to 20 fingerprint users and 100 passcodes, plus app, two backup keys, and Alexa or Google Assistant voice, and it fits standard 1-3/8 inch to 2 inch doors with either common backset and both common bore sizes.

Reviewers report fast first-touch fingerprint recognition across multiple fingers, detailed per-profile unlock notifications, and easy self-install on standard doors with no drilling. The KK Home app provides per-user notifications and access history, which is what makes a code-per-person policy enforceable rather than aspirational.

BHMA Grade 3 certification and IP55 weather resistance cover a normal exterior door, and the two-year warranty is the longest in this group alongside lifetime after-sales support. Encryption is AES-128 local to the app, so credential data does not sit exposed in the cloud.

The recurring negative theme is battery consumption from the eight AA design, with some reviewers reporting swaps every month or two. There are also occasional abnormal state error messages after unlocking, and Alexa routines reportedly do not fire reliably even though plain voice unlock works.

What to check before you buy

Check the bore size before ordering. This lock accepts both 2-1/8 inch and 1-1/2 inch bores, which covers most rental doors, but the backset and thickness still need to fall inside the stated range.

Test the fingerprint reader with more than one finger per person and in a mix of temperatures. A reader that is fast in a showroom can be inconsistent on a wet or cold morning, and re-enrolling tenants mid-lease is your problem to solve.

Where it falls short for a rental

Battery life is the honest problem, and on a door you rarely pass this lock will ask for batteries far more often than a four-cell model. Budget for a routine swap or move it to a unit you visit regularly.

The interior housing feels more plastic than the exterior, and the KK Home app is large while some reviewers raised doubts about vendor support longevity. That last point matters for hardware you plan to keep for a decade.

9. Wyze Auto-Lock Bolt v2 – Best for Doorbell Integration

The Wyze Auto-Lock Bolt v2 averages 4.6 stars with 81 percent five-star feedback, and the reason is consistency rather than any single headline feature. Owners repeatedly describe the fingerprint scanner as fast and smooth, with an AI learning scanner that improves over time.

For a rental, the practical winner is the doorbell integration. If you run a Wyze Video Doorbell at the unit, you can watch the live feed and unlock from it, so a tenant who rings with a broken key is identified before you open the door to a stranger. That is a genuine security and convenience gain the app-only locks cannot match.

Remote lock and unlock, auto-lock delay, and battery status all work over built-in Wi-Fi with no hub, and setup is quick with fast Wi-Fi pairing. Eight AA batteries run about eight months, and there is a USB-C emergency power input so you can revive the lock from a power bank even if the cells are completely dead.

Physical backup keys are included, so battery failure does not mean a locksmith. On the certification side it is BHMA Grade 2 with an IP53 rating, which is a stronger starting grade than the Grade 3 locks further down this list.

The recurring criticisms are practical. The auto-lock timer can throw while the door is still open because there is no door sensor, and the keypad beeps are quiet with a touchpad that does not backlight on approach, which is a real barrier for a hard-of-hearing tenant or someone entering in the dark.

What to check before you buy

Decide whether the doorbell unlock matters enough to commit to the Wyze ecosystem. It is the strongest single feature here for a rental with a video doorbell, and it disappears if you are on another brand.

Look at the keypad in low light before you commit. The lack of backlighting is the most commonly reported usability complaint, and it hits exactly the moment you care about: a tenant arriving at night with no working flashlight.

Where it falls short for a rental

No door sensor means the auto-lock can fire on a timer while the door is open, and remote features depend on the Wyze app and backend servers staying available. If the service changes direction, the remote unlock goes with it.

Fingerprint recognition is occasionally inconsistent and can need re-enrollment, which is a smaller problem with long-term tenants than with weekly turnover. Our smart lighting guide covers the ecosystem questions if you already run Wyze gear.

10. Tapo DL100 – Best for Battery Life and Code Volume

If you want the fewest battery interventions per door, the DL100 wins. It runs on four AA cells for up to 200 days in Wi-Fi mode and up to 300 days in Bluetooth mode, and unlike most of the locks here, the batteries are actually in the box. That combination is the single biggest operational saving across a portfolio.

Code capacity is the other headline, at up to 200 customizable passcodes, which puts it behind only the Schlage Arrive in this group. With anti-peeping entry that lets a user type random digits around the real code, plus a PIN attempt limiter that locks the system after a set number of failed tries, it handles a busy building entry without much fuss.

The keypad is tactile with backlighting rather than a touchscreen, which is a genuine advantage in the dark and in cold weather when capacitive screens respond poorly to gloves. Buyers value the included batteries, the backlit keypad, the code capacity, and SmartThings compatibility.

It fits standard 2-1/8 inch and 1-1/2 inch bore holes with no drilling, works with Alexa, Google Home, and Samsung SmartThings, and has a USB-C port for emergency power. Real-time alerts, door status checks, and timestamped access history all sit in the Tapo app. It is BHMA Grade 3 certified and IP54 weatherproof.

The trade-off against the fingerprint models is obvious: there is no biometric reader at all. Voice control also requires you to speak a PIN aloud, which cuts most of the hands-free benefit and is worth knowing before you promise voice entry to a tenant.

What to check before you buy

Measure the bore before ordering. The DL100 fits the two common bore sizes, but the thickness and backset still have to be within the standard range, and a mortise or multipoint door will not work.

Think about Bluetooth mode as a fallback rather than a feature. If your units sit on weak Wi-Fi, having local Bluetooth access when the network drops is a real safety net for the door you cannot reach.

Where it falls short for a rental

No fingerprint means every entry is a code, which is slower and less secure than a biometric credential on a door where you expect repeat visitors from the same household. For a long-term tenant, a fingerprint is simply easier to live with.

Grade 3 certification is entry level. On a first-floor or secluded entry unit, step up to a Grade 2 model like the Tapo DL110, the ULTRALOQ Bolt, or the Wyze Auto-Lock Bolt v2.

11. Veise VE027 – Best for Exposed Entry Doors

The Veise VE027 packs the most access methods of any lock in this set, and for an exposed entry door the spec that sells it is IP65 weatherproofing, the highest rating among the twelve. A unit with no porch overhang, a side door, or a carport door gets a lock rated to be rained on rather than merely splashed.

Access is genuinely broad: app, fingerprint, PIN, voice, admin credential, two included IC cards, and a physical key. The IC card option is unusual here and useful for a property manager who wants a card credential for cleaners or maintenance staff who will not remember a code or use a fingerprint app.

Fingerprint reads take 0.2 seconds at 99.8 percent accuracy, and the AI self-learning chip improves with use. Reviewers respond well to that speed and to the overall feature density, and the lock supports 100 or more PIN codes across permanent, recurring, scheduled, and one-time types.

On the security side there is AES local encrypted storage, a three-minute lockout after ten wrong attempts, a backup Type-C power port, and a physical key for total power loss. The 4.5 average rating with 79 percent five-star feedback is the highest among the non-Wyze models here.

The compromises are physical. It takes eight batteries, they are not included, and the manufacturer requires the lock to be fully fitted before the batteries go in, which adds a step to every install. The warranty is one year plus a free extension if you register, shorter than the TEEHO’s two years.

What to check before you buy

Check the door thickness range of 1-3/8 inch to 1-3/4 inch and confirm the bore is 1-1/2 inch or 2-1/8 inch. It is a 15-minute screwdriver install on standard US deadbolts, but only if the door is actually standard.

Decide if IC cards solve a real problem for you. They are the reason to pick this lock over the cheaper Veise, and if nobody in your operation will carry a card, you are paying for an accessory you will not issue.

Where it falls short for a rental

Eight AA batteries with nothing in the box means every install starts with a hardware store stop, and the install-then-battery sequence catches out anyone following the quick-start out of order.

It is BHMA and ANSI Grade 3, so the weather rating is the strong suit rather than the security grade. For a genuinely exposed and secluded first-floor door, pair it with a long-strike-plate upgrade and consider a Grade 2 model instead.

12. Schlage Arrive Smart WiFi Deadbolt – Best for Code Capacity and Key Control

The Schlage Arrive is the code-capacity and key-control answer. It holds up to 250 access codes with lock history and customizable notifications in the Schlage Home app, and multiple locks run under one account, so a landlord with a larger portfolio never has to recycle a code or split across separate subscriptions of management.

It is also the only established legacy lock brand here, backed by a limited lifetime mechanical and finish warranty plus three years on the electronics. That support horizon is the difference that matters when you are planning to leave hardware on a door for a decade rather than a lease term.

Owners value the proven mechanical build, the BHMA top certification, and the straightforward feel compared with app-heavy competitors. The backlit all-weather silicone push-buttons are easier to hit in low light than a pure glass keypad, and installation is screwdriver-only with interactive digital instructions in the app.

It fits doors 1-3/8 inch to 1-3/4 inch thick with a 2-3/8 inch or 2-3/4 inch backset, runs on four AA batteries, and includes a backup physical key. It works with Alexa, Google Home, and Ring, which makes it an easy pairing with the video doorbell side of a rental entry.

There is no fingerprint or biometric reader, and it sits at the higher end of the cost range for a keypad-only lock. One detailed report describes repeated Wi-Fi setup failures that only resolved as a warranty claim, and the interior handle is light metal that reviewers describe as rattling.

What to check before you buy

Check the existing bore. Some older Schlage deadbolts need the bore enlarged with a special tool, which adds a step to an install the marketing otherwise calls screwdriver-only.

Count your doors and your likely concurrent credentials before paying for capacity. 250 codes per lock is generous, but you only need it if you are running a large number of units from one account.

Where it falls short for a rental

No biometrics means every entry is a code or a key, which is a step backwards for a long-term tenant who would happily register a fingerprint and never think about the code again.

At roughly 2.4 pounds the interior is among the heaviest here, and the light metal handle feels cheap in the hand on a door you will reach for a hundred times a year. For a modest number of doors, the Schlage Encode gives you the same brand and warranty at a lower tier.

How We Picked These Locks

We compared 12 smart deadbolts that could realistically go on a US rental entry door, using the manufacturer specifications and the pattern of issues that show up repeatedly in landlord discussions. The weighting favours operational reliability over feature count.

The four things that decided almost every ranking were mechanical key backup, physical security grade, whether a hub or bridge is required, and how often the batteries need attention. Feature density only broke ties after those four were equal, because a lock with more unlock methods is less useful to a landlord than a lock that still opens in five years.

We also weighted the review data on failure modes. Recurring complaints about a lock throwing while the door is open, or eating AA batteries every few weeks, mattered more in the final ordering than a missing voice assistant integration, since neither affects whether a tenant can get home.

How to Choose a Smart Deadbolt for a Rental Property

How are deadbolts rated?

Deadbolts are rated by the ANSI/BHMA standard on three separate measures: security, durability, and finish. Grade 1 is the highest and is intended for entry doors of multifamily housing and commercial buildings, Grade 2 is for residential and light commercial doors, and Grade 3 is basic residential security.

For a rental, Grade 2 is the sensible floor for any exterior entry door, and Grade 1 is worth it for a first-floor or secluded unit. Grade 3 locks in this roundup, including the eufy C220, the Tapo DL100, the TEEHO TE012W, and both Veise models, are reasonable for a standard door but not what we would choose for a ground-floor entry facing a street.

Retrofit or full replacement?

A retrofit lock mounts over your existing deadbolt and leaves the cylinder alone, so your existing keys and any master key system keep working. A full replacement swaps the entire lock, which means a new cylinder and a rekey opportunity. Every lock in this roundup is a full replacement, because retrofit smart locks that also give you an app-based audit trail are thin on the ground.

For a landlord this is usually the right trade. The moment you want remote revocation and a code you can pull, you want to control the cylinder, and rekeying a rental door between tenants is something you should be doing anyway. If you are fitting a lock on a building you do not own, the retrofit logic reverses completely.

Built-in Wi-Fi, bridge, or hub?

Built-in Wi-Fi means the lock joins your 2.4 GHz network directly and needs nothing else at the property, which is the simplest thing to manage across a portfolio. A bridge or hub adds a device that needs power, placement, and eventual replacement, but it usually extends range and avoids network distance limits.

Check router distance from the door before choosing. Most of the hub-free locks here recommend the router within 65 to 70 feet, which is a real constraint in a converted building, a basement entry, or a detached unit on a large lot. If you run a broader smart home, our guide to the best Z-Wave smart hubs covers the hub side of that architecture.

Every lock here works without a monthly subscription for its core functions, which is a change from some earlier access-control platforms where you paid to see lock history. That matters for a landlord with 15 doors, where a per-door monthly fee becomes a line item you have to justify every year.

How many codes do you actually need?

Code capacity varies a lot, from 50 on the ULTRALOQ models to 250 on the Schlage Arrive, with the Tapo DL100 sitting in between at 200. A reasonable rule is one permanent code per tenant, one scheduled code per contractor or cleaner visit, and one master code you never hand out and change at every turnover.

For a portfolio of 10 to 15 doors, any lock here has enough capacity. The bottleneck is not code count, it is your own policy discipline, and the honest answer is that unlimited one-time codes are a liability if you set one for a two-week stay and forget to delete it.

Key control and the master key problem

This is the issue most smart lock roundups skip. A smart lock often removes the physical master key entry a property manager relies on for emergencies, and a tenant with a standard restricted keyway can duplicate a key at any hardware store unless you control the cylinder.

The Tapo DL110 addresses this directly with a rekeyable Schlage SC1 compatible keyway, so a locksmith can match it to your existing cylinders and extend your key control policy to the smart door. The Tapo DL100 is also a conventional keyed deadbolt underneath the electronics, and the ULTRALOQ models come with two emergency keys each.

Whichever lock you choose, keep a documented physical override procedure. Know where the emergency keys are stored, who can reach them, and what the after-hours process is, because a lockout in a unit you do not live in is a different problem from a lockout in your own front door.

Battery planning for doors you do not visit

The battery figure of up to 200 days on Wi-Fi mode is the longest quoted in this group, and the Tapo DL110’s rechargeable pack removes the calendar item entirely.

Two forum themes came up repeatedly among landlords. One is putting battery checks into routine property inspections rather than waiting for a tenant complaint, and the other is adding a lease clause that makes battery maintenance the tenant’s responsibility. Both are cheap to adopt and remove most lockout calls.

Make sure you know which of your locks have a USB-C emergency power port and which do not, and keep a power bank in the maintenance kit for the ones that do. The Wyze Auto-Lock Bolt v2, the Tapo DL100, and the Tapo DL110 all take external power, and that single cable solves a dead battery in ninety seconds.

Tenant privacy and who owns the access log

Every lock here records an access history tied to a credential, and in most cases the lock owner controls that data through a cloud account. When you provision the lock, the practical question is whether the tenant gets their own app login or whether they are a code inside your account, because that determines who can see the log after move-out.

Tenants object to this in landlord forums, and the objection is reasonable. The defensible position is transparency: tell tenants in the lease what is logged, how long you keep it, and that it is shared only for security and maintenance. Keep the retention short, and delete departed tenants’ credentials rather than leaving them dormant in your account.

Avoid fingerprint or facial recognition unless you are prepared to defend it. Forum reports of tenants issued a fingerprint credential with no other way in are a genuine access-rights problem, because if the reader fails there is no fallback for that person. Pair any biometric lock with a code and a physical key.

Lease and code compliance

Check your local rules before putting a deadbolt on any door. Fire-rated doors and doors on required egress routes have their own hardware requirements, and adding a surface-mounted keypad or a retrofit body to a rated assembly can break the listing.

Also be aware that most smart deadbolts, including all 12 in this roundup, are single-cylinder, which means the key is used from the inside only when the lock is engaged. On a door with a glass sidelight or a fixed adjacent panel, a double-cylinder setup is often the safer choice, and some of these locks are not offered with an inside key cylinder at all.

Add a clause to your lease covering the lock itself: who replaces batteries, what happens if a tenant disables the auto-lock, and how access is handled at move-out. The battery clause alone prevents the majority of the lockout calls we see discussed.

Long-term versus short-term rentals

Long-term rentals reward code capacity, a physical key override, and low maintenance. The Schlage Encode and the Schlage Arrive fit that profile, as does the Tapo DL100 if a code-only entry is acceptable for your tenants.

Short-term rentals reward scheduled and one-time codes, fast remote turnaround, and away mode. The Philips Wi-Fi Smart Deadbolt is built for that, with unlimited one-time and scheduled shared codes and an Away Mode that kills every entry method except the master code on a vacant unit.

Our guides to smart kitchen ranges and smart home appliances cover the other automation decisions in a rental unit if you are building out a full smart property rather than a single door.

Tenant Turnover Code Revocation Checklist

This is the routine that decides whether a smart lock pays for itself. Run it in order at every move-out, and the whole job takes a few minutes from wherever you happen to be.

1. Delete every credential attached to the departing tenant, including their fingerprint records and any shared app access, not just the primary code.
2. Revoke and delete all one-time and scheduled codes issued for that tenancy, including cleaner codes, showing codes, and delivery codes you may have forgotten.
3. Change the master code, and change it every time rather than only at turnover.
4. Remove the tenant from your lock account entirely, and confirm you can still see the door in your own list without them.
5. Check the access history for the final days of the tenancy so you have a record if the tenant disputes damage costs later.
6. Test the new code and the backup key from outside the door before you hand over keys or send a welcome message.
7. Confirm the batteries and the low-battery indicator are healthy, and note the date so the next inspection has a baseline.
8. Sign off in writing that codes have been revoked, and give the tenant a plain-language notice of what data you retain and for how long.

Two details catch people out. A tenant who shared the code with a roommate or a friend is not removed when you delete the code, so any shared credential needs to be retired on the same day. And a lock that stays in the app but loses its admin login becomes a future locksmith visit, so keep your own admin account credentials somewhere other than the lock’s own app.

Frequently Asked Questions

Bottom Line on the Best Smart Deadbolts for Rental Properties

The Schlage Encode Smart WiFi Deadbolt is our pick for the best smart deadbolts for rental properties in 2026. Built-in Wi-Fi with no hub, up to 100 access codes, the highest residential BHMA certification, and a physical backup key make it the safest default for a managed unit you visit every month or not at all.

Pick the ULTRALOQ Bolt SE if you want the widest range of credential types and a lower outlay per door, the Tapo DL100 if battery intervals are your biggest cost, and the Philips Wi-Fi Smart Deadbolt for short-term rentals where one-time codes run the show. Whichever you fit, run the revocation checklist at every move-out and keep a documented key override for the day the batteries die.