The pick for both renters and landlords is the August Wi-Fi Smart Lock (4th generation), $229.99 listed late 2025: it mounts over the existing deadbolt on the inside, leaves the outside key untouched, and documents remote locking, guest codes and auto-unlock. The catch: it eats batteries (documented roughly every three months), and its best features want the optional Connect or built-in Wi-Fi always online. For renters whose leases forbid hardware changes, the alternate is a keypad deadbolt replacement you reinstall-original at move-out — or skip smart locks entirely; lease terms outrank gadgets.
Blog Daily publishes information, not locksmith advice — lock compatibility (deadbolt brand and backset) per maker documentation, and security claims are the manufacturers' plus independent testing disclosures, not our own testing.
Why retrofit locks fit rentals?
Retrofit locks (August, SwitchBot Lock) attach to the interior thumbturn — the door's exterior looks unchanged, and removal restores the original state. Full-replacement smart locks (Yale, Schlage Encode) replace the entire deadbolt: cleaner integration, better keypads, documented higher security ratings on some models — but they're permanent hardware, which makes them the documented landlord choice rather than the renter one.
Strengths and the catch, per documentation
- August Wi-Fi (4th gen), $229.99: retrofit, works with the existing key, Apple Home/Google/Alexa documented — catch: battery appetite, and auto-unlock's documented trade between convenience and the phone's location always reporting.
- Schlage Encode Plus ($249.99): full replacement, built-in Wi-Fi, keypad, BHMA-grade deadbolt documented — catch: permanent install; no retrofit path.
- Yale Approach/Keypad (from ~$180): Matter support and passkey-style entry documented — catch: ecosystem extras (fingerprint, auto-unlock) cost more on top.
- SwitchBot Lock (~$92 plus hub): cheapest retrofit, documented tiny motor turning the thumbturn — catch: hub needed for remote features; plastic feel of budget.
What should landlords check?
- Remote code management: August and Schlage document issuing expiring codes from anywhere — the core landlord feature.
- Access logs: who entered when, documented across all four brands.
- Fail-safe behavior: what happens on dead batteries — each maker documents a physical key override or 9V terminal; know it before guests do.
- Rental-property terms of service: some platforms restrict use on rental properties; documented terms differ by brand.
The honest security question
Consumer Reports' published smart-lock testing grades both physical security and data privacy — worth a look per model before buying. Documented reality: most documented lock failures are convenience failures (offline, dead batteries), not break-ins; your deadbolt grade matters as much as the electronics. And any lock with remote features should have 2FA on its account — documented and non-negotiable.
The verdict
August Wi-Fi 4th gen for retrofit flexibility renters and many landlords share; Schlage Encode Plus for permanent installs where keypad durability matters; SwitchBot for budgets that accept a hub. What the sources did not establish: any smart lock making a door physically stronger — the electronics manage access; the deadbolt does the security.
FAQ
For more context, read What Matter Actually Does for Your Smart Home, Explained.
For more context, read smart home device offline fix.
For more context, read How to Set Up Matter and Thread in Your Home, Step by Step.