Schlage Encode Plus Review: Apple's Lock
Published: July 8, 2026
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Editor's Note: Tested for a month on an Apple Watch and iPhone, plus a keypad-only Android setup.
The Schlage Encode Plus is the smart lock I recommend to Apple households without hesitating. It has Wi-Fi and Thread built in, with no hub to buy, and it supports Apple Home Key, so you unlock by tapping your iPhone or Apple Watch to the door like it's Apple Pay. Underneath the software it's a proper ANSI Grade 1 Schlage deadbolt. The one big question is which phone you carry.
Is Apple Home Key worth it?
For an iPhone owner, genuinely yes. You add the lock to Apple Wallet, then a tap of your watch or phone throws the bolt. No app to open, no code to type, and it still works when your phone's battery is dead. After a month I stopped carrying keys entirely. It's the single feature that justifies picking the Encode Plus over a cheaper Wi-Fi lock, and it's the reason Android users should look elsewhere.
How reliable is it day to day?
Rock solid, which is the whole point of a lock. Because Wi-Fi and Thread are built in, there's no separate hub to drop offline and no Bluetooth range roulette when you're trying to let someone in remotely. It takes up to 100 access codes for guests and cleaners, the touchscreen shrugs off fingerprints, and Schlage's hardware is burglar-tough in a way a lot of gadget-first locks aren't. The housing is chunky outside, and that's my only real gripe.
Specs, Pros & the Bottom Line
Schlage Encode Plus
The one to buy if you're in Apple Home
- Our Rating: 4.6 / 5.0
- Price: $259
- Install: Deadbolt replacement
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi + Thread (no hub)
- Apple Home Key: Yes
- Battery life: ~6 months (4 AA)
- Entry methods: Home Key, keypad, app, key
- Matter: Yes (1.3)
Pros
- Apple Home Key: tap your iPhone or Watch and you're in
- Wi-Fi and Thread built in, so there's no separate hub to buy
- Up to 100 access codes for guests, cleaners and dog walkers
- ANSI Grade 1 deadbolt that's genuinely burglar-tough, not just smart
- Touchscreen shrugs off fingerprints and stays readable at night
Cons
- The keypad-and-motor housing is chunky on the outside
- At $259 it's priced like the premium pick it is
If you're not an Apple household, some of the shine comes off. Home Key is the reason to pick this over a cheaper Wi-Fi lock, and it's an iPhone or Apple Watch feature. For everyone in Apple Home, though, the Encode Plus is the lock I'd buy with my own money. Tapping my watch to the door and hearing the bolt thunk back never got old across a month of testing, and because Wi-Fi and Thread are built in, there's no hub tax and no Bluetooth range roulette. It's ANSI Grade 1 hardware underneath the smarts, too. Buy it if you want the most reliable, most future-proof deadbolt for an Apple home. Android-first? The Aqara U200 gets you fingerprint unlock for less.
What to buy instead
Not on an iPhone? The Home Key magic is wasted on you, so get the Aqara U200, which adds fingerprint unlock for less. Renting, or want to keep your existing keyed entry? The retrofit August Wi-Fi Smart Lock leaves the outside of your door untouched.
The verdict
For anyone living in Apple Home, the Encode Plus is the easy answer: the most reliable, most future-proof smart deadbolt you can buy, with the tap-to-unlock trick that makes people fall in love with smart locks. It's priced like a premium product and it earns it. Android-first buyers should spend their money on a lock built around fingerprints instead.