Kwikset Smart Lock Review & Pricing in 2025
With nearly 80 years in the business, Kwikset makes high-quality smart locks starting at $150 with some unique features.
What We Like
- Locks come in many different styles and finishes
- Patented features like simple re-keying capability
- Some models integrate with thousands of smart home devices
What We Don't Like
- Some models may require a third-party smart home hub
- Batteries only last up to a year
- Fingerprint scanning locks are inconsistent
Bottom Line
Kwikset predates smart lock technology and has been in the business of making locks for around 80 years. Has that long history allowed them to create the best smart locks? Or, would you be better off going with a company that specializes in smart locks, such as August?
We set out to answer those questions by buying and testing Kwikset smart locks ourselves. We even tested models that pair and work with some of the best security systems. The long and short of our experience with Kwikset is that they make reliable, affordable, and nice looking smart locks, but you need to pick the right model to make the most bang for your buck. Let’s dig in.
>> Read More: Smart Locks Buying Guide
Kwikset Smart Lock Pricing & Options
Kwikset smart locks are available through a number of retailers and even as part of home security systems. It doesn’t sell directly to consumers, and unfortunately, that means there’s no standard pricing.
We looked at several online retailers for Kwikset smart locks and averaged the price for each model. Here’s how much Kwikset’s smart locks cost:
Smart Lock Models and Pricing | Kwikset Home Connect 620 | Kwikset Halo Touch | Kwikset Aura | Kwikset Halo Keypad | Kwikset SmartCode 916 | Kwikset Halo Touchscreen | Kwikset Halo Select |
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Keyless Authentication Type | Keypad | Fingerprint | Keypad | Keypad | Keypad | Touchscreen | Touchscreen |
Connectivity | Smart Home (Zigbee or Z-Wave) | Wi-Fi | Bluetooth | Wi-Fi | Smart Home (Zigbee or Z-Wave) | Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi |
Remote Locking and Unlocking | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Auto-Unlock | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
User Access Codes | 250 | 100 | 250 | 250 | 30 | 250 | 250 |
Smart Home Technology | Google Home, Alexa, ZigBee or Z-Wave | Alexa, Google Home, Brilliant | None, only Bluetooth connectivity | Alexa, Google Home, Brilliant | Alexa, Samsung SmartThings, ZigBee or Z-Wave | Alexa, Google Home, Brilliant | Alexa, Google Home, Samsung SmartThings, Apple HomeKit, Matter |
Price | $149 | $165 | $177 | $179 | $179 | $215 | $275 |
Pro Tip: When buying a Kwikset smart lock, always take the time to shop around between a few different retailers. Most retailers we scouted varied in price by $15 to $45 between retailers.
Kwikset Aura
The Aura series is simple and straightforward smart locks. They use Bluetooth instead of Wi-Fi for communication, unlike the other Kwikset smart locks. That Bluetooth connectivity makes it a great choice for Airbnbs or rentals as your guests will be able to connect to the smart lock without any internet connection. Unfortunately, though, Bluetooth connectivity means you can only customize it (i.e. set access codes) when you’re within range.
>> Check Out: Best Airbnb & Vacation Home Security Systems of 2025
Kwikset Home Connect & SmartCode Series
Our tester holding a Kwikset SmartCode series smart lock
When you’re looking for robust smart locks that can integrate with your existing smart home devices, Kwikset’s Home Connect and SmartCode series will fit your needs. We were able to integrate one – the Home Connect 620 – with Vivint when we tested a Vivint home security system. We even bought it straight from Vivint, which means a technician installed it for us.
If you plan to buy from these lineups, you need to choose whether you want the lock to pair with third-party ZigBee or Z-Wave products. Each smart lock can only work with one or the other, and a smart home hub is needed as those lineups don’t work with Kwikset’s app. In our case, we used the Vivint Smart Hub and controlled the lock using the Vivint app, alongside our security system.
Did You Know: ZigBee and Z-Wave are two communication standards used by smart home products. They both support over 4,000 products and there’s a lot of overlap with a few products only supporting one or the other. Check out our Z-Wave vs. ZigBee guide for a complete breakdown.
Kwikset Halo Series
The Halo series has four different models, but they all have Wi-Fi connectivity, smart home integrations, and auto-unlocking through geofencing. That Wi-Fi connectivity lets you use the lock from anywhere which is why we recommend this lineup if you have a problem with forgetting to lock the door on the way out.
That said, while we didn’t test the cheapest of the four models – the Halo Touch – we’ve seen user complaints online claiming that the fingerprint scanner is inaccurate. It also lacks other unlocking options. It’s either you use a key or your fingerprint. That’s why we don’t recommend buying the Halo Touch.
On the other hand, we do recommend the Kwikset Halo Touchscreen. It doesn’t have a fingerprint reader, but the keypad is a touch screen and the lock itself has a contemporary design. We got to test it at a friend’s house, and its features worked great, including geofencing.
>> Learn More: A 2025 Guide to Smart Homes
Installing Kwikset Smart Locks
All of Kwikset’s smart locks are designed to replace the existing deadbolt on your door. That means all we needed to install ours was a screwdriver. Here’s the overall process we followed to install our Kwikset smart lock:
- Remove Your Existing Deadbolt: Start by removing everything from the bolt to the external and internal faceplates.
- Install the Latch Bolt: This is pretty simple; extend the latch bolt, slide it into the door, and secure it in place. Then, make sure it’s lined up with the strike plate that goes on the door frame and screw in that one, too.
- Attach the Exterior Assembly: Next, assemble and set up the parts that go on the outside of your door, including the external faceplate and the keypad, touch screen, or fingerprint scanner. Note that there will be a small cable attached to the assembly; make sure the other end goes through the door and is accessible from inside your house.
- Install the Interior Assembly: Finally, move to the other side of the door and install the interior assembly. Before you screw it in, though, connect the wire from the exterior assembly. Once screwed in place, install the battery pack.
The entire process took us about an hour. It was mostly a one-person job, but we suggest getting an extra pair of hands when you get to steps 3 and 4. You’ll need someone to hold the exterior assembly in place while you set up the interior parts. Or the alternative, grab an easy-peel tape and use it to hold the exterior faceplate.
Extra Help!: Didn’t end up going with a Kwikset smart lock? Don’t worry, the process for installing most smart locks is fairly similar. Head over to our guide on installing smart locks for a step-by-step process that works for any model.
Our Experience Using Kwikset Smart Locks
Compared to a standard deadbolt, any Kwikset lock will be a huge upgrade. They all let you either punch in a code or swipe your finger to unlock them and then they automatically lock back up after a set amount of time. You’ll never forget to lock the door again, a key step to securing your home. That’s one of our favorite benefits of a smart lock. But, it’s far from all they can do.
>> Learn About: House Keys: Where To Keep Them, Where To Hide Them
Smart Home Capabilities
Almost every Kwikset smart lock offers some amount of smart home capabilities, aside from the Kwikset Aura. All the others at least integrate with Google Home and Alexa. That integration alone allowed us to just say “Alexa, unlock the front door” when a guest came over for dinner and we were in the middle of cooking.
The Home Connect and SmartCode models can integrate with Z-Wave or ZigBee devices as well. Each of those smart home communication protocols supports the best smart home devices. And if you’re using a good smart home hub, you’d be able to automate a lot of stuff. Think lights that turn on when you enter the house or smart thermostats that turn down when you leave.
For all of Kwikset’s smart home capabilities, you’d need the Kwikset Halo Select. It supports every major smart home system and uses Matter for home automation.
The More You Know: Matter is an independent home automation system that integrates disparate solutions so that they can all work together. For instance, Matter lets you automatically turn down the temperature and turn off all your lights in your house when you leave for work in the morning based on the lock unlocking.
Security Features
Kwikset offers some unique features that helped keep our home safe during our tests; one of the most unique is the self-rekeying feature. If you’ve lost a key, you’ll want to change your lock’s keyholes to prevent anyone from using the lost keys. Usually, rekeying means calling a locksmith, but with some of Kwikset’s smart locks, you can do it yourself in minutes. We suggest always keeping an extra self-rekeying kit just in case.
For a more practical feature, some locks in the Halo series include a sensor that goes into the strike plate. This sensor can tell you when the door is opened or closed, and could either alert you or automatically lock the door. We set a time-based rule that if we ever leave the door unlocked for more than 2 minutes, we’d get an alert and the lock would automatically latch.
User Codes
Kwikset smart locks make it easier to manage access to your house as a whole, whether it’s giving our dog sitter a temporary code when we go on vacation or providing our cleaner with a code that only works during their scheduled shift. We’d just pop into the app and add a code with our set criteria.
Most Kwikset models support up to 250 unique user access codes. That’s way more than any household would need. They support so many primarily for businesses that want a unique code for each employee and contractor.
FYI: If you assign everyone unique access codes instead of using a master code to hand out, you can know who unlocked the door throughout the day. This also makes it easier if you notice suspicious activity or someone’s code gets compromised, you’ll only need to change their code instead of the master code.
Mobile App
Almost every aspect of Kwikset’s Halo and Aura smart locks is managed through their mobile app. Thankfully, it’s a good one. It has a sleek and intuitive interface with easy access to every feature we used.
We particularly like the geofencing feature. When we walk up a few feet from our door, it automatically unlocks for us, and then locks itself back up once we’re inside. It relies on GPS though, which isn’t super accurate inside the house, so we still recommend locking the door yourself as best practice.
The app also provided us with all the information we could possibly need about our Kwikset smart lock. It could tell us whether the door was open or closed, if the door was locked, and a history of when the door locked and unlocked. That gave us peace of mind when we were on vacation as we could pull up the app and get a full history of the day.
>> Read About: How To Protect Your Home From Invasion
Keep in Mind: The Home Connect and SmartCode series don’t work with the Kwikset app. You’d need to set up smart locks from those lineups with a smart home hub (or a hub from one of the best smart home security systems that work with Kwikset) and use the hub’s companion app. This means features may vary.
Kwikset Smart Lock Options vs. The Competition
Kwikset stands out for its budget-friendly prices. It’s not for everyone, though, and its competitors offer better options depending on what you prioritize.
Yale stands out for its customizability and sleek aesthetic. We got to fully customize the lock’s connectivity, locking options, and interface before ordering it. That said, all that customizability comes with a price tag that’s higher than any Kwikset lock.
When we tested Schlage, on the other hand, we found they offer premium build quality. They’re so confident in the build quality of their locks that they feature lifetime warranties on mechanical failures. All of their smart locks also integrate with Airbnb making them ideal for rental properties.
FYI: The ADT system we reviewed came with a Yale smart lock. It integrated flawlessly into the ADT security system, enabling fancy automation capabilities like Trusted Neighbor that uses facial recognition cameras to detect and let in people you trust.
Final Thoughts: Is a Kwikset Smart Lock Right For You?
We find Kwikset’s smart locks offer good value at middling prices. They’re easy to install and use with plenty of features to conveniently manage access to your home. That said, we recommend each series for specific use cases as follows:
- Aura: For rental properties, Aura smart locks are a great option. They are also great for people looking for a smart lock then can control conveniently from an app, although the lock of Wi-Fi connectivity means you need to be within the Bluetooth range to manage it.
- Halo: If you’re looking for a standalone smart lock with plenty of features and a solid build quality, we recommend the Halo lineup. It’s mostly similar to Aura but has Wi-Fi connectivity for remote access and management.
- Home Connect: If you’re a smart home power user, you’ll want to go with the Home Connect or SmartCode series. They’re the only ones with Z-Wave or ZigBee support which allows them to integrate with thousands of smart home products and some home security systems.
So, who should opt for a different smart lock brand? If you’re deep in the Google ecosystem, Yale made a smart lock with Google Nest so it integrates seamlessly with other Google devices. Also, for more premium smart lock options, head over to our Schlage review.
FAQs About Kwikset Smart Locks
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Is Kwikset the oldest smart lock company?
No, Kwikset is not the oldest smart lock company. It is old, but Yale is the oldest, having been founded in 1840. Of course, they didn’t make smart locks back then. They made standard locks. It’s still the oldest company in the smart lock industry today, though.
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Can I integrate my Kwikset smart lock with my home security system?
That depends on the specific Kwikset smart lock you bought and the home security system in your house. Only Kwikset’s Home Connect and SmartCode locks can integrate with home security systems. However, we recommend getting a smart lock through your home security provider for full compatibility.
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Do I need a drill to install a Kwikset smart lock?
As long as you have a deadbolt in your door, you will not need any more tools than a screwdriver to remove your existing deadbolt and install your new Kwikset smart lock. If you don’t already have a deadbolt, we recommend hiring a professional to handle the installation.
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Are all Kwikset locks smart locks?
No, Kwikset still sells standard deadbolts and electric locks as well. They also sell door handles and knobs with locks.
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What’s the best Kwikset smart lock?
The most feature-rich Kwikset smart lock is the Kwikset Halo Select. It offers advanced automation capabilities through Matter. For the best value, we recommend the Halo Keypad. It offers most of the capabilities in the Halo Select except for about $100 less.