6 Best Smart Locks for Airbnbs

As an Airbnb host, the check-in process can be your biggest challenge. A door with a traditional lock would mean you have to hand over the keys personally to your guest. Or you will need to hire someone to do it if you don’t stay close by. The best way to tackle this issue is to get a smart lock for your Airbnb.

A smart lock allows you to remotely set different PINs for each guest. In fact, you can even allow your guests to register their fingerprints on some locks to seamlessly enter your property. The best part is you get to control all the unlocking mechanisms, so if something goes wrong, you always have the master key. As such, if you want to modernize your Airbnb while making it more convenient for your guests to self-check in, here are the best easy-to-install deadbolts and smart locks you can buy. But before that –

There are a ton of smart locks across varied price ranges. However, we’ve picked five of the best smart locks that are best suited to be installed specifically at Airbnbs. Here are a few reasons why.

Most locks on this list are easy to install. Correspondingly, you won’t have to go through a lot of trouble to replace your existing lock. Apart from this, the locks mentioned below can be configured with multiple PINs for each guest. You can also time-limit these PINs so once the duration of your guests’ stay is over, the PINs will stop working.

Some locks are also accompanied by additional accessories like cameras or alarms that can add an additional layer of safety to your property.

Buy

Sifely’s smart lock has pretty much every unlocking method you would need. To that end, the lock gets a keypad for a PIN, a fingerprint scanner, a physical key, a smart keyfob, and an RFID card. What’s more, you can even use the smartphone app to unlock your door via Bluetooth.

The sheer number of options and features you get with the Sifely lock makes it a top recommendation for Airbnbs. You can choose to give your guests a temporary PIN or ask them to register their fingerprints on the lock. All while you have the physical key with yourself just in case something goes wrong.

Sifely also includes RFID cards, just like hotel rooms, that you can hand out to your guests. The best part is you can purchase as many RFID cards and program them to be used with the lock. So if you have an Airbnb with multiple guests, this is a good option.

Thanks to the auto-lock functionality onboard, the Sifely smart lock will automatically latch the door when closed, so you don’t have to worry about your guests forgetting to lock it before they leave. Despite having a ton of features, the Sifely lock is affordable and reliable. However, to access features like remote PIN generation and voice control, you will have to purchase a separate Wi-Fi gateway.

Buy

Yale smart locks are popular throughout the world for their reliability. With the aforementioned combo, you get Yale’s assured safety and quality along with the smarts of the Google Nest Secure Alarm System. If you want to protect your Airbnb from burglary, this is an excellent option.

While some smart locks can notify you when your door opens/closes, they cannot alert passers-by or neighbors in order for them to take relevant action. This Yale lock, coupled with Google’s alarm system, solves that issue. The lock by itself is pretty standard. You can unlock it via your phone or, more preferably, using a PIN.

Since the Yale lock is always connected to the internet (thanks to the Nest security module), you can lock/unlock your door remotely at all times using your phone. Moreover, you can trigger a security warning when a wrong PIN is entered more than five times.

If the door is unlocked and you think it’s not by someone you know, you can immediately send an emergency alert to registered contacts who are nearby. If your Airbnb is in an area infamous for break-ins, the Yale lock with the Nest security hub is a must-have.

Buy

Unlike the Yale lock that had a security alarm as an additional accessory, the Eufy smart lock switches it up for something that’s arguably more useful — a doorbell camera. The camera can be used to see who is outside your door, which is useful if you also stay on the same property and want to verify your guests’ identity.

Several people stay in large houses, so they rent out certain rooms in their property to Airbnb guests. If you’re one of them and you have a guest staying in the other room in your apartment, a smart lock with a camera makes a lot of sense. It’s also useful if you or your guests often receive packages since you can see if you have a delivery at your doorstep.

Apart from the camera, the Eufy smart lock has pretty much all the features you would expect from a sophisticated smart lock. To wit, the device gets a fingerprint scanner, a keypad, built-in Wi-Fi, and a physical doorbell with a chime. The Eufy smart lock is slightly more expensive, but it replaces two devices with smarter alternatives — your door lock and doorbell. And for what it offers, it’s worth the price.

Buy

The Lockly Secure Pro makes it to this list for two main reasons. Firstly, the keypad refreshes its layout so it doesn’t have static keys. So even if someone notices the pattern of entering the PIN, it can’t be replicated. Secondly, the lock can auto-generate a new PIN every time it’s unlocked.

If you want to tighten the security around your property further, the Lockly Secure Pro can reset its PIN every single time someone unlocks the door and locks it. For example, let’s say your guest entered the house with a certain PIN. When they leave next and return, the older PIN will not work. Instead, the lock generates a new PIN and sends it to the guests to unlock the door.

Lockly is also kind enough to include a Wi-Fi hub with the lock so you don’t have to purchase one additionally. Apart from this, the rest of the features of the lock are a pretty standard fare. There’s a fingerprint scanner and a physical key if there’s even a need to unlock the door without a PIN. Note that the Secure Pro is available both as a deadbolt and as a latch so pick the type depending on your door and preference.

Buy

Unlike all the other options mentioned above, the Level Lock+ looks rather plain and unassuming. As such, the lock doesn’t ship with a digital keypad or a fingerprint scanner. Instead, the lock supports Apple Home Keys, which is extremely convenient for guests who use an iPhone.

Apple Home Keys uses the NFC module on an iPhone or Apple Watch to register keys to your door securely. You can simply share your keys online with your guests, and all they have to do is tap their iPhone or Apple Watch on the door knob in order to enter the property. Now that’s both cool and convenient!

Additionally, you should note that the Home Keys feature doesn’t work unless the iPhone or Apple Watch is unlocked. So, on the off chance that your guests lose their phones, someone else won’t be able to unlock the door using their device.

When you want to unlock the door without an iPhone, you have the option of doing so via a physical key. Users say the Level Lock+ takes unlocking your door to the next level with its convenience. It also looks elegant since there are no large modules with keypads or scanners.

All the smart locks mentioned above allow you to generate unlock codes/keys remotely to be sent to your guests. Once you share the key with them, they can check into your property on their own.

Since a smart lock replaces your existing deadbolt/latch, it has the same level of tolerance, so you don’t have to be worried about that. In fact, in some cases, a smart lock may turn out to be safer since one can’t pick the lock if there’s no keyhole.

If you have some amount of experience dealing with woodwork, you should be able to install a smart lock without the help of a professional carpenter.

A smart lock for your Airbnb ensures your house remains safe. It also makes it convenient for both you and your guests to enter the property. Simply generate a PIN or any other unlock mechanism you want and send it over to your guests. This way, you won’t have to be worried about handing out physical keys to every single guest. You won’t be bogged down by your guests losing the keys either!

Last updated on 22 August, 2023

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Sumukh has been simplifying tech for the masses and helping consumers pick the right gadgets with his in-depth insights and reviews. He decided to hide his engineering degree in the closet to pursue his passion for writing. Over the past 5 years, he has contributed with guides, reviews, and detailed opinions to notable publications like TechPP and XDA-Developers. When not jamming his fingers on thoccy mechanical keyboards, Sumukh is busy convincing people how VR Gaming is the next best thing after sliced bread.