Best Schlage Smart Lock in 2026: Every Model Compared

The short answer

Schlage sells six smart lock families on schlage.com right now: Sense Pro, Encode Plus, Encode deadbolt, Encode lever, Arrive and Connect. They differ mainly in how they connect (Wi-Fi, Matter over Thread or Z-Wave Plus), whether your iPhone can open them, and how you enter a code (touchscreen or push buttons).

• Get the Encode Plus ($329) if you want one Wi-Fi deadbolt with no hub that works with Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple Home, plus tap to unlock with an iPhone or Apple Watch.
• Get the Sense Pro ($399) if you use an iPhone and want the door to unlock as you walk up, or if you want Matter over Thread.
• Get the Encode ($299) if nobody in your home needs Apple Home and you want the same Wi-Fi touchscreen deadbolt for $30 less.
• Get the Arrive ($199) for the cheapest Schlage Wi-Fi lock, with physical push buttons and 250 codes.
• Get the Encode lever ($309) for a garage, side or interior door that has a knob or lever and no deadbolt.
• Get the Connect ($241) if the lock will live on a Z-Wave hub or security system such as SmartThings or Ring Alarm.

All prices are Schlage's own MSRPs on schlage.com as of October 2026. Retailers often sell the same locks for less.

Schlage smart lock comparison table

Specifications come from Schlage's smart lock comparison chart and each model's product page on schlage.com. "Not listed" means we did not find the feature on Schlage's pages for that model. Every model carries Schlage's limited lifetime mechanical and finish warranty and limited 3-year electronics warranty.

Encode Plus

Who it's for: Most homeowners who want a full smart deadbolt that works with Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple Home without buying a hub.

Key facts

• $329 MSRP on schlage.com as of October 2026, in Century and Camelot trims.
• Built-in Wi-Fi. In the Schlage Home app you lock and unlock from anywhere, manage up to 100 access codes, view lock history and set notifications.
• Apple home keys: tap an iPhone or Apple Watch to lock or unlock. Schlage also lists it in Apple Home, where you can manage access codes and include the lock in scenes.
• Works with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant through the Schlage Home app, and Schlage lists Ring, Airbnb, Homey and OwnerRez integrations.
• Built-in alarm for door movement and forced entry attempts, auto-lock with time delay options, one-touch locking.
• Schlage says it carries the highest residential Security, Durability and Finish rating from BHMA (AAA).

Trade-offs: Schlage's chart does not list Matter, Thread or Apple hands-free unlock for it; those are Sense Pro features. It holds 100 codes, fewer than the Arrive or Sense Pro. Schlage rates the batteries for up to six months with typical use. Schlage's works-with page notes that home key requires a Thread-enabled home hub such as an Apple TV 4K, HomePod (2nd generation), HomePod mini or a compatible third-party Thread border router.

For specs and pros and cons in one place, see the Schlage Encode Plus device page.

Sense Pro

Who it's for: iPhone households that want the door to unlock as they arrive, and anyone who wants a Schlage lock on Matter.

Key facts

• $399 MSRP on schlage.com as of October 2026. Schlage also sells it bundled with a lever or knob ($449) or a handleset ($499).
• Apple hands-free unlock with home key. Schlage's Converge technology uses Ultra Wideband (UWB) to measure your speed, direction and motion, and unlocks as you reach the door rather than whenever you are nearby.
• Three hands-free modes in the Schlage Home app: Intuitive, Touch (you touch the lock to confirm) and Delay.
• Tap to unlock with an iPhone or Apple Watch, up to 250 access codes, one-touch locking and auto-lock.
• Matter over Thread, which Schlage calls its first Matter over Thread lock, plus built-in Wi-Fi for remote access through the Schlage Home app.
• Schlage says hands-free unlocking, Bluetooth app access and code entry still work during a power or Wi-Fi outage.
• 4 AA batteries plus a USB-C jumpstart port for temporary backup power. No keyway, so there is nothing to pick or bump.

Trade-offs: It needs a Thread home hub (Apple TV 4K, HomePod 2nd generation or HomePod mini) for iPhone and Apple Watch pairing, and Schlage's chart marks it as hub required. Hands-free unlock needs an iPhone 11 or later (not iPhone SE or 16e) on iOS 18.5 or later, or an Apple Watch Series 6 or later (not SE) on watchOS 11.5 or later. Schlage lists it as BHMA BAA and ANSI Grade 2, a lower grade than the AAA Encode models. With no keyway, a dead battery means using the USB-C jumpstart port rather than a key. Android users can manage it remotely in the Schlage Home app, but at launch hands-free unlock works only with Apple home keys.

Encode Plus vs Encode

This is the most common Schlage question, and the answer is short. Both are Wi-Fi touchscreen deadbolts with the same 100 access codes, built-in alarm, auto-lock, AAA rating, door fit (1-3/8 to 1-3/4 inches) and six-month battery rating. The Encode Plus ($329) adds Apple home keys tap to unlock and Apple Home support. The Encode ($299) works with Alexa and Google Assistant but is not in Schlage's Apple Home list.

If anyone in the house uses an iPhone, the $30 difference buys a real convenience. If your home runs on Alexa or Google and Android phones, the Encode gives you everything else for less. Schlage's Encode page also shows a Greenwich trim, while the Encode Plus page lists Century and Camelot.

Encode lever

Who it's for: Doors with a knob or lever and no deadbolt, such as garage entry, side or office doors.

Key facts

• $309 MSRP on schlage.com as of October 2026, in Latitude and Accent lever styles.
• Same Wi-Fi, Schlage Home app control and 100 access codes as the Encode deadbolt.
• Installs on single bore doors, and Schlage says the levers are reversible for right or left handed doors.
• Interior control buttons let you put it in an unlocked state for frequent use.

Trade-offs: It is a lever lock, not a deadbolt, so it suits secondary doors best. No Apple home keys and no Matter listed.

Arrive

Who it's for: Buyers who want Schlage Wi-Fi control at the lowest price, or who prefer real buttons to a touchscreen.

Key facts

• $199 MSRP on schlage.com as of October 2026, in Century, Remsen and Camelot trims.
• Built-in Wi-Fi with no hub, managed in the Schlage Home app.
• Up to 250 access codes, more than the Encode family.
• Backlit, all-weather silicone push buttons, one-touch locking and auto-lock.
• Works with Alexa and Google Home, and Schlage lists it with Ring.
• Fits doors 1-3/8 to 2 inches thick, the widest range in the lineup.

Trade-offs: Schlage's chart lists no built-in alarm and no Airbnb integration for it, and it has no Apple home keys.

Connect

Who it's for: Homes with a Z-Wave hub or security system.

Key facts

• $241 MSRP on schlage.com as of October 2026, in Camelot and Century trims.
• Z-Wave Plus with S2 security. Pair it with a Z-Wave system such as SmartThings or Ring Alarm to lock and unlock from anywhere.
• Up to 30 access codes, a backlit touchscreen and a built-in alarm.
• Schlage rates it ANSI/BHMA Grade 1 and AAA, and quotes up to one year of battery life with typical use.
• Alexa and Google Assistant work through a compatible hub. Schlage says Google voice unlock with a PIN is available on the Connect only.

Trade-offs: A hub or security system is required for remote access, sold separately. It is not one of the locks Schlage lists for the Schlage Home app, and 30 codes is the smallest count here.

How to choose

1. Start with your phone. iPhone households should look at the Encode Plus (tap to unlock) or the Sense Pro (tap and hands-free). Android and mixed homes get full remote control in the Schlage Home app on any Wi-Fi model.
2. Decide on Wi-Fi, Matter or Z-Wave. The Encode family and Arrive connect straight to Wi-Fi with no hub. The Sense Pro adds Matter over Thread and needs a Thread hub for Apple pairing. The Connect needs a Z-Wave hub.
3. Pick an entry method. Touchscreen (Encode Plus, Encode, Connect), push buttons (Arrive), a touch keypad with no key (Sense Pro).
4. Check the code count if you host guests. The Arrive and Sense Pro hold 250 codes, the Encode family 100 and the Connect 30. Schlage lists Airbnb integration for the Encode Plus, Encode and Encode lever.
5. Measure your door. Most models fit 1-3/8 to 1-3/4 inch doors. Only the Arrive is listed up to 2 inches.

If you are weighing a Schlage against a retrofit lock that keeps your existing deadbolt, our Schlage vs August comparison covers that choice. For every brand side by side, see the smart door locks compared page. Hosts can compare guest code features in our smart lock for Airbnb compared guide, and renters should read the best smart lock for renters first, since every Schlage model here replaces your existing lock. Shopping both big hardware brands? Our Kwikset smart lock guide compares every connected Kwikset model the same way.

Apps, batteries and setup

• Schlage Home app: Schlage lists it for the Sense Pro, Encode Plus, Encode deadbolt and lever, Arrive and the older Schlage Sense, on iOS and Android. It handles remote lock and unlock, scheduled or temporary codes, virtual keys, the history log and notifications, and can manage multiple homes.
• Installation: Schlage says each model installs with a screwdriver and no hardwiring, with interactive instructions in the Schlage Home app.
• Batteries: Every model runs on 4 AA batteries, included. Schlage quotes up to six months for the Encode family and Arrive and up to one year for the Connect, and does not publish a figure for the Sense Pro.
• Programming code: Schlage's support knowledge base shows a backup code card for Encode locks that lists a 6-digit programming code and user codes, and says you need these codes if you ever factory reset the lock. Keep that card somewhere safe.

What we don't know

• Sense Pro battery life. Schlage's pages describe a low-battery indicator and the USB-C jumpstart port but give no battery life figure.
• Aliro on the Sense Pro. Schlage says the Sense Pro is Aliro compatible and, once certified, is expected to support Aliro digital keys in Samsung Wallet and Google Wallet. The page gives no firm date.
• Matter platforms for the Sense Pro. Schlage says the Sense Pro works with Matter devices in your smart home, but its works-with page lists it only under Apple Home. We did not find a per-platform feature list.
• Matter on the Encode Plus. Some older pages, including parts of this site, describe the Encode Plus as Matter capable. Schlage's current comparison chart does not mark it Matter certified, so we follow the chart.
• Schlage Sense. The Schlage Home app page still names the older Schlage Sense, but it is not in Schlage's current smart lock lineup, so we left it out.

How this page was put together

HomeGearLab does not test products in a lab or at home. This page compares Schlage's own published information: its smart lock comparison chart, each model's product and specification page on schlage.com, its works-with and Schlage Home app pages, the Sense Pro technologies page and Schlage's support knowledge base. Prices are Schlage's MSRPs, and every fact was checked against the sources below on October 19, 2026. Prices and features change, so confirm on Schlage's site before you buy.