The global smart lock market is expected to grow by 15% through 2030. Already, some 60 million American households are enjoying the peace of mind through Lockly’s biometric fingerprint and PIN Genie access (among others) can deliver. But not all electronic door locks are equal. Thieves, porch pirates and squatters know to attack the systems that look the part on the outside but don’t offer resilience or resistance when put to the test.
Read on to distinguish the top electric door locks from the rest.
What to Consider When Buying a Smart Lock
Various factors are driving the rise of the smart lock market, and it’s not just a question of crime. In fact, residential burglaries are on a downward trend. The growing interest in smart locks that connect to the home network is a response to the evolution of:
- Smart cities where devices, homes and people are seamlessly connected
- Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) opening up fresh opportunities
- Expectations around HD video streaming
- The growth of the managed property market, ie. Airbnb
- Expanded options for self-identification and authentication (eg. biometrics, voice command)
In short, the keyed dead bolt is no longer the epitome of home security. We want a more intelligent, interactive method for controlling access to our homes, which is where the smart lock steps up to the challenge.
Key Features and Technologies
If you’re exploring the options for a smart lock system, look for these features in particular as minimum requirements:
- Biometric access (ie. fingerprint scanning). It’s as close to hack-proof as you can get and your profile data is encrypted during storage, so there’s no risk on the back end. Our award-winning 3D fingerprint sensor provides recognition in just 0.3 seconds.
- Smart keypad entry. Kwikset may be the #1 selling lock brand in the US, but their popular SmartCode Keyless Touchpad has a flaw that burglars love: the keypad is static. If the worn keys aren’t a giveaway, burglars can also peek a glimpse of the code as the homeowner types. That’s why our unique PIN Genie technology shuffles the digits so that there’s peek-proof access.
- Remote access. Can you hook up your smart lock to a smartphone app in order to enable remote access? That’s a dealbreaker. With Lockly, you can manage and monitor all your locks from a single dashboard through the Lockly app and LocklyOS platform.
- Smart home integration. We believe that smart home remodeling starts with smart locks, so if your lock can’t communicate with your lighting, alarm and even entertainment system, there’s room for improvement.
It’s not too early to add ‘Scan-to-Open’ to the must-have feature list. With the Lockly app, you can gain access to your home’s exterior or interior doors (or give/revoke guest access) simply by scanning the blue QR code on your lock. It’s just another way to enjoy key-free access with Lockly, but it’s a feature too far for many of our competitors.
Performance and Security
Forbe rated our Flex Touch Fingerprint Deadbolt as the best Fingerprint Smart Lock on the market, while CNN praised the ease of integration of our cutting-edge Vision Elite Video Doorbell, noting that the Lockly hub ensures that data is shared more securely over the home network.
Consistent battery power is another essential feature when it comes to reliability. Our Lockly Vision Elite Doorbell was rated as “phenomenal” by Digital Trends, who chose it as their Best Smart Lock for Airbnb hosts, praising the integrated solar panel as an ingenious solution for maintaining battery uptime.
What Is the ANSI rating?
You’ll see smart locks rated from Grade 3 (Good) to Grade 1 (Best) on the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) scale. This measurement refers to the quality of the deadbolt. The Grade 2 rating you’ll see for Lockly Smart Locks puts us in the same category as similar smart locks from Yale, Kwikset, Wyze and Schlage.
Strengths and Limitations
Other factors to consider are the ease of integration with other smart home devices, such as Alexa and Google Assistant, compatibility with Ring/Google Nest or other subscription-based systems, and the core quality of the HD camera, audio and motion sensors. You also need to calculate the ongoing cost of video storage for subscription services (such as Ring).
✅ Most Lockly locks (Vision and Secure Pro) are compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant and other smart assistants so you can use voice commands to manage your lock.
✅ The Lockly Vision Elite features a full HD, head-to-toe video camera with night vision capability.
✅ There is no monthly subscription fee associated with your Lockly smart lock.
Compatibility with Home Setup
The top locks on the market will offer Bluetooth- and Wi-Fi-enabled connectivity to your smart home automation system. That gives you remote access, 24/7 monitoring and the opportunity to integrate with other lighting/motion sensor and security systems. Not all smart locks perform equally. The Pro + Connect from August “can be buggy” when connected to Alexa, for example, whereas the budget Wyze lock has “limited hub compatibility”.
As mentioned above, Lockly’s Vision Elite and Secure Pro locks connect seamlessly to your Wi-Fi network using the Lockly Hub to keep your data secure. Lockly's R&D team is working on expanding our compatibility into more protocol including Z-wave and Matter.
Pricing and Value for Money
The average smart lock costs around $300. For most smart lock brands, you will also need to pay installation costs, data storage and upgrades. These can add up. With Lockly, though, there are no additional charges to factor in with a device. You can also save (and get free shipping) with a bundle deal if you’re buying multiple locks for your property or properties.
Lockly's Lineup: An Introduction
Lockly is not just a leader in the smart lock market. We’re something of a pioneer too, harnessing Silicon Valley tech experience with an innovative, visionary spirit. All our locks conform to the highest industry standards (ISO/IEC 27001:2013 certified), with secure AES 128-bit encryption and all data stored on AWS cloud servers. Our mission is to create a formidable obstacle for burglars, but a user-friendly, reliable experience for homeowners.
Lockly At a Glance
|
Model |
Key feature |
Price |
|
Full HD camera; night vision; motion sensor; solar panel; biometric fingerprint; PIN Genie keypad |
$499.99 |
|
|
Full HD camera; biometric fingerprint; PIN Genie keypad |
$399.99 |
|
|
3D fingerprint sensor, offline access code, PIN Genie keypad |
$299.99 |
|
|
Bluetooth smart lock; PIN Genie keypad; |
$169.99 |
|
|
Biometric fingerprint touch deadbolt; Wi-Fi smart lock with smartphone control |
$254.99 |
|
|
3D biometric fingerprint sensor; |
$179.99 |
Check out our Shop section to see some head-to-head comparisons between Lockly and other leading models on the market. Find out why you could be missing out on a full home security system if you pass on HD Video with the August Pro Connect, for example, or expose your keypad to prying eyes with the Next X Yale.
Remember that intruders only need to get lucky once, so make sure you’re on your guard and up to the challenge 24/7 with a smart electric door lock from Lockly.
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