Stick & Signal.

Smart Locks

Best Smart Locks for Renters

Retrofit locks that keep your key, install without drilling, and unscrew back to stock at move-out — ranked for renters.

By Stephen V.Updated How we pick

A smart lock earns its place faster in a rental than almost anywhere: keypad codes mean you never hand out a spare key, auto-lock means you stop wondering if you locked up, and phone unlock is a small daily luxury. The barrier has always been the door itself — it isn’t yours to modify, and a swapped lock is the kind of thing that costs you a deposit. Every lock below is chosen to get around that, not ignore it.

We ranked these five on reversibility first, features second. Four of the five are retrofit or adhesive designs that keep your existing deadbolt, your exterior hardware and your physical key untouched — they add a motor on the inside and nothing else. The fifth is a fingerprint deadbolt that replaces the lock but drops into the bore you already have, so it’s still renter-doable if you keep the original. Prices are pulled live and dated; we don’t quote a number we can’t verify today.

How this is funded:we earn a commission if you buy through our links, at no extra cost to you. It never changes which product we recommend, and we’ll tell you when we’d skip one. Full disclosure.

The picks at a glance

Ranked on renter fit, no-fee recording and how cleanly each one comes off the wall. Select a row to jump to the full write-up. We haven’t tested these — here is exactly what we do instead.

#ProductBest forLease-SafePrice
1
August Wi-Fi Smart Lock (4th Gen)

August Wi-Fi Smart Lock (4th Gen)

The renter lock. It retrofits onto the inside of your existing deadbolt, so the outside of the door and your physical key don't change at all — your landlord never knows, and it comes off in ten minutes at move-out. Wi-Fi is built in, and there's no subscription.

Best overallLease-Safe: Excellent
$109.99 · View on Amazon

Price as of July 25, 2026. #ad How we’re funded

2
Yale Approach Retrofit Lock with Keypad

Yale Approach Retrofit Lock with Keypad

August's sibling under the Yale name, bundled with a keypad. Same renter-friendly retrofit — keeps your exterior and key — with the addition of a peel-and-stick keypad outside so guests can use a code instead of a spare key.

Best with a keypadLease-Safe: Excellent
$109.00 · View on Amazon

Price as of July 25, 2026. #ad How we’re funded

3
SwitchBot Lock Vision Pro (Retrofit)

SwitchBot Lock Vision Pro (Retrofit)

The premium no-drill option. SwitchBot's lock sticks onto the inside of your existing deadbolt and turns the thumbturn for you — genuinely adhesive-mounted, no screws in the door. Expensive, but the most feature-rich retrofit here.

Best premium (adhesive)Lease-Safe: Excellent
$229.99 · View on Amazon

Price as of July 25, 2026. #ad How we’re funded

4
Wyze Auto-Lock Bolt v2 (Fingerprint Deadbolt)

Wyze Auto-Lock Bolt v2 (Fingerprint Deadbolt)

A cheap fingerprint deadbolt — but note it replaces your whole deadbolt rather than retrofitting over it. Keep your original deadbolt in a drawer to reinstall on move-out. Great value if you're comfortable swapping the lock cylinder.

Best budget fingerprintLease-Safe: Good
$79.00 · View on Amazon

Price as of July 25, 2026. #ad How we’re funded

5
SwitchBot Smart Keypad Touch

SwitchBot Smart Keypad Touch

The peel-and-stick accessory that gives a retrofit lock code (and fingerprint) entry outside — without touching the door. It mounts with adhesive next to the door, so guests get a code instead of a spare key and you keep a hole-free frame.

Best add-on keypadLease-Safe: Excellent
$36.99 · View on Amazon

$59.9938% off

Price as of July 25, 2026. #ad How we’re funded

The picks in full

#1Best overallLease-Safe: Excellent

August Wi-Fi Smart Lock (4th Gen)

The renter lock. It retrofits onto the inside of your existing deadbolt, so the outside of the door and your physical key don't change at all — your landlord never knows, and it comes off in ten minutes at move-out. Wi-Fi is built in, and there's no subscription.

What we like

  • Fits over your existing deadbolt — exterior and key unchanged
  • No drilling, fully reversible in minutes
  • Wi-Fi built in; no subscription for remote access

Trade-offs

  • Needs a compatible single-cylinder deadbolt (most, but check yours)
  • A keypad for code entry is a separate accessory
Installs byRetrofits over the interior of an existing single-cylinder deadbolt
PowerAA batteries
SubscriptionNot required
ConnectivityBluetooth + 2.4GHz Wi-Fi (built in)
InstallRetrofit (interior only)
Keeps your keyYes

Lease-Safe: Excellent. It replaces only the interior thumbturn of the deadbolt you already have — no new holes, the exterior and your key stay exactly as they were, and it unscrews back to stock in minutes. This is the gold standard for a rental.

Spec note. August publishes a retrofit design that mounts on the interior of an existing deadbolt and keeps the original exterior hardware and keyway. Confirm your deadbolt is on the compatibility list before buying.

Specs read from the product listing, on July 25, 2026. “Not published” means the brand does not state that figure.

#2Best with a keypadLease-Safe: Excellent

Yale Approach Retrofit Lock with Keypad

August's sibling under the Yale name, bundled with a keypad. Same renter-friendly retrofit — keeps your exterior and key — with the addition of a peel-and-stick keypad outside so guests can use a code instead of a spare key.

What we like

  • Retrofit install keeps your existing exterior and key
  • Includes an outdoor keypad for code entry
  • No drilling; reversible at move-out

Trade-offs

  • Full remote access via the app wants the Yale/August Wi-Fi bridge
  • Slightly bulkier interior unit than the plain August
Installs byRetrofits over an existing single-cylinder deadbolt; adhesive keypad
PowerAA batteries
SubscriptionNot required
ConnectivityBluetooth (Wi-Fi via bridge)
InstallRetrofit + adhesive keypad
KeypadIncluded

Lease-Safe: Excellent. Interior-only retrofit plus a peel-and-stick keypad — no holes on either side of the door, and everything comes off clean. The keypad mounts with adhesive, not screws.

Spec note. Yale publishes a retrofit deadbolt design with an included keypad. The exterior keypad is adhesive-mounted; the lock body reuses your existing deadbolt.

Specs read from the product listing, on July 25, 2026. “Not published” means the brand does not state that figure.

#3Best premium (adhesive)Lease-Safe: Excellent

SwitchBot Lock Vision Pro (Retrofit)

The premium no-drill option. SwitchBot's lock sticks onto the inside of your existing deadbolt and turns the thumbturn for you — genuinely adhesive-mounted, no screws in the door. Expensive, but the most feature-rich retrofit here.

What we like

  • Adhesive-mounts over the existing thumbturn — no drilling
  • Keeps your exterior hardware and key
  • Rich ecosystem: keypads, sensors, app automations

Trade-offs

  • The priciest lock here by a wide margin
  • Remote control and some features want the SwitchBot Hub
Installs byAdhesive-mounts on the interior over an existing deadbolt thumbturn
PowerRechargeable battery / AA (per model)
SubscriptionNot required
ConnectivityBluetooth (Wi-Fi via SwitchBot Hub)
InstallAdhesive (interior)
Keeps your keyYes

Lease-Safe: Excellent. It sticks to the inside of the door over your existing thumbturn — no screws, no exterior change, nothing your landlord would see. The adhesive base removes cleanly at move-out.

Spec note. SwitchBot publishes an adhesive interior-mount design that actuates the existing thumbturn. Confirm door thickness and thumbturn clearance against the listing.

Specs read from the product listing, on July 25, 2026. “Not published” means the brand does not state that figure.

#4Best budget fingerprintLease-Safe: Good

Wyze Auto-Lock Bolt v2 (Fingerprint Deadbolt)

A cheap fingerprint deadbolt — but note it replaces your whole deadbolt rather than retrofitting over it. Keep your original deadbolt in a drawer to reinstall on move-out. Great value if you're comfortable swapping the lock cylinder.

What we like

  • Fingerprint unlock, no app or key needed at the door
  • Very inexpensive for a keyless deadbolt
  • No wiring; battery powered

Trade-offs

  • Replaces the whole deadbolt — not a retrofit-over-existing design
  • You must keep and reinstall the original deadbolt at move-out
Installs byReplaces the existing deadbolt (standard door prep)
PowerAA batteries
SubscriptionNot required
ConnectivityBluetooth
InstallDeadbolt replacement
EntryFingerprint + keypad

Lease-Safe: Good. It fits a standard pre-drilled deadbolt bore, so no NEW holes are needed — but because it swaps the whole deadbolt, you must save the original and put it back at move-out. Reversible, just more involved than a retrofit.

Spec note. Wyze lists a full-deadbolt replacement with fingerprint entry that fits standard door prep. It is not a retrofit-over-existing design — plan to store and reinstall your original deadbolt.

Specs read from the product listing, on July 25, 2026. “Not published” means the brand does not state that figure.

#5Best add-on keypadLease-Safe: Excellent

SwitchBot Smart Keypad Touch

The peel-and-stick accessory that gives a retrofit lock code (and fingerprint) entry outside — without touching the door. It mounts with adhesive next to the door, so guests get a code instead of a spare key and you keep a hole-free frame.

What we like

  • Adhesive-mounts outside — no drilling
  • Fingerprint and PIN entry for guests
  • Weather-resistant for an exterior door

Trade-offs

  • Only useful paired with a SwitchBot Lock
  • Adhesive needs a smooth mounting surface beside the door
Installs byPeel-and-stick adhesive mount beside the door
PowerAAA batteries
SubscriptionNot required
ConnectivityBluetooth (paired to the SwitchBot Lock)
InstallAdhesive (exterior)
EntryPIN + fingerprint

Lease-Safe: Excellent. It's an adhesive pad you stick to the wall or frame beside the door — no holes, removes clean. Pure renter accessory.

Spec note. SwitchBot publishes an adhesive-mount keypad that pairs with its locks for PIN and fingerprint entry. Needs a smooth surface beside the door for the adhesive.

Specs read from the product listing, on July 25, 2026. “Not published” means the brand does not state that figure.

How to choose a lock for a rental

Answer three questions in order. First, does it keep your key?A retrofit lock — the August, the Yale Approach, the SwitchBot — mounts on the inside over your existing thumbturn, so the keyway, the exterior and your landlord’s master key all keep working. That’s the safest starting point. Second, how does it mount? The August and Yale use a couple of screws on the interior baseplate; the SwitchBot skips even those and holds on with adhesive, the most hole-free install here. Third, do you want a code or a fingerprint outside? The Yale bundles an adhesive keypad, the SwitchBot pairs with one, and the Wyze puts a fingerprint reader right on the deadbolt. Match the entry method to how you actually come and go. Our no-drill locks guide goes deeper on the mounting differences.

The one catch renters miss

Compatibility. A retrofit lock only works if your deadbolt is a standard single-cylinder type on its supported list — most are, but a few older or unusual thumbturns aren’t, so check yours before you buy. And a deadbolt-replacement lock like the Wyze means saving your original deadbolt to reinstall later; lose it and you’ve created the exact alteration you were trying to avoid. None of this is hard, it just rewards five minutes of checking. If you’re unsure whether your lease even allows an added lock, start with can I add a lock to my apartment.

Frequently asked questions

Which smart lock is best for renters?

For most renters it's the August Wi-Fi Smart Lock. It retrofits over your existing deadbolt, so your key and the outside of the door don't change, Wi-Fi is built in with no subscription, and it comes off in minutes at move-out. If you want a keypad included, the Yale Approach is the same design with one added; if you want an adhesive install with no screws at all, the SwitchBot is the premium choice.

Do these smart locks work with my existing key?

Yes — the retrofit picks (August, Yale, SwitchBot) leave your deadbolt and keyway in place and only add a motor on the inside, so your physical key still works. The exception is the Wyze, which replaces the deadbolt with a keyless fingerprint unit; there's no key cylinder, so plan to keep your original deadbolt to put back later.

Do smart locks need a subscription?

None of these do. The August, Yale and SwitchBot handle lock, unlock and auto-lock with no monthly fee, though remote control from anywhere may want a Wi-Fi bridge or hub for the Yale and SwitchBot. The Wyze stores fingerprints and codes on the lock itself. There's no recurring cost to unlock your own door.

Can I install a smart lock without drilling?

Yes. The August and Yale retrofit onto your existing deadbolt with a couple of interior screws and no new holes, and the SwitchBot mounts with adhesive so there are no screws at all. Even the Wyze deadbolt uses the holes your door already has. See our no-drill locks roundup for the mounting details.

Sources

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