Stick & Signal.

Smart Locks

Best No-Drill Smart Locks

Retrofit and adhesive smart locks that go on your existing deadbolt with zero new holes — and the one that swaps the deadbolt, done right.

By Stephen V.Updated How we pick

“No-drill” is the whole game for a renter. A lock that needs new holes in the door is an alteration and a deposit risk; a lock that doesn’t is just a gadget you take with you. Every pick here installs without putting a single new hole in your door — the differences are in how they avoid it, and those differences matter more than they look.

There are three no-drill approaches, and we’ve ranked a pick for each. A retrofit lock reuses your existing deadbolt and its existing screw holes. An adhesive lock sticks to the inside of the door with no screws whatsoever. And a deadbolt-replacementlock swaps the whole deadbolt into the bore your door already has — no new holes, but a bit more to undo later. Below we explain which is right for you, then rank the four. Prices are live and dated.

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 retrofitLease-Safe: Excellent
$109.99 · View on Amazon

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

2
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 adhesive-mountLease-Safe: Excellent
$229.99 · View on Amazon

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

3
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 keypadLease-Safe: Excellent
$109.00 · 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.

Cheapest (swaps the deadbolt)Lease-Safe: Good
$79.00 · View on Amazon

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

The picks in full

#1Best retrofitLease-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 adhesive-mountLease-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.

#3Best with 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.

#4Cheapest (swaps the deadbolt)Lease-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.

Retrofit vs. adhesive vs. deadbolt-replacement

A retrofitlock — the August and Yale Approach — leaves your deadbolt exactly where it is and mounts a motor over the interior thumbturn using the baseplate’s existing screw points. Nothing new is drilled, your key still works, and it’s the most landlord-invisible option. An adhesivelock — the SwitchBot — goes one better: it sticks to the inside of the door over the thumbturn with strong tape and no screws at all, so even the interior stays untouched. It’s the most reversible design and, not coincidentally, the priciest. Both keep your existing exterior hardware and key, which is exactly what you want in a rental. For the background on how these work, our retrofit lock guide is the deeper read.

The Wyze swaps the deadbolt — keep the original

The odd one out is the Wyze fingerprint deadbolt, and we’re ranking it honestly: it is nota retrofit. It replaces your entire deadbolt with a keyless fingerprint unit. That’s still no-drill in the sense that it uses the standard bore and holes your door already has — you’re not making new ones — but you are removing the landlord’s lock. The rule is simple: keep your original deadboltin a drawer and reinstall it on move-out, and the whole thing is fully reversible. It’s the cheapest route to fingerprint entry, just with a small chore at each end. If you’d rather not remove anything, stick with the retrofit or adhesive picks above, or read best smart locks for renters for the fuller ranking.

Frequently asked questions

What does a no-drill smart lock actually mean?

It means installing the lock without making any new holes in your door. Retrofit and adhesive locks reuse or stick over your existing deadbolt, so nothing is drilled. Even a deadbolt-replacement lock like the Wyze counts, because it uses the bore your door already has — but it removes the original deadbolt, so you keep that to put back.

Is an adhesive smart lock strong enough?

For its job, yes. An adhesive lock like the SwitchBot only has to turn your existing thumbturn from the inside — it isn't holding the door shut against force, your deadbolt still does that. The adhesive holds best on a smooth, clean interior door surface, so wipe the spot down before mounting and give it time to set.

Do I have to keep my old deadbolt for the Wyze?

Yes. The Wyze replaces your whole deadbolt, so store the original somewhere safe and reinstall it when you move out. That single step keeps a deadbolt-replacement lock fully reversible and protects your deposit. The retrofit and adhesive picks don't require this because they never remove your deadbolt.

Which no-drill lock keeps my key working?

The August, Yale Approach and SwitchBot all do — they retrofit or stick over your existing deadbolt and leave the keyway untouched, so your physical key works exactly as before. The Wyze is keyless by design, so it has no key cylinder; you'd use a fingerprint or code instead.

Sources

Keep reading