Buying guide · Updated 2026

The Best Z-Wave Door Locks

A Z-Wave lock talks to a dedicated low-power radio hub instead of your Wi-Fi router - that's the whole point. It means the lock keeps working locally during an internet or Wi-Fi outage, it doesn't compete with your router for airtime, and it tends to get more months out of a set of batteries than a Wi-Fi lock does. The trade-off is that you need a hub: a Ring Alarm base station, a Samsung SmartThings hub, a Hubitat, or a security panel like Alarm.com that already speaks Z-Wave. If you have one, or you're building a system around one, a Z-Wave deadbolt is the more reliable way to add a smart lock to it. For most Ring Alarm or SmartThings households, the Schlage BE469ZP Connect ($239-$300) is the safest pick - it's the longest-running Z-Wave deadbolt on the market and it's on Ring's own certified-locks list. Want to drop the key entirely? The Yale Assure Lock 2 Key-Free Touchscreen ($190-$210) is fully keyless. Prices and stock verified August 2026.

Why choose Z-Wave over Wi-Fi

A Wi-Fi smart lock connects straight to your router, which is convenient until your internet goes down or your router is on the far side of the house from the front door - then the lock's remote features go with it. Z-Wave locks don't touch your Wi-Fi at all. They run on a separate, dedicated low-power radio (908.42 MHz in the US) that talks only to a hub, and every powered Z-Wave device on the network can repeat the signal for the next one, building a mesh that reaches further than a single Wi-Fi router would. Because the hub - not the cloud - does the talking, the lock keeps responding to its keypad, its key, and hub-based automations even when your internet connection is out; only remote access from outside the house needs the internet back. The lower-power radio is also the reason Z-Wave locks tend to post longer battery-life numbers than Wi-Fi locks: Schlage states up to a year on 4 AA batteries for the BE469ZP Connect and Kwikset states 12 months for the Home Connect 620, against roughly 6-8 months on comparable Wi-Fi locks like the Schlage Encode Plus or Wyze Auto-Lock Bolt v2.

The trade-off: you need a hub

None of the locks on this page will talk to your phone on their own. Z-Wave is a closed radio protocol - the lock pairs with a hub, and the hub's app is what gives you remote lock/unlock, activity logs, and integration with cameras or an alarm system. That hub is most often one you already have or already want: a Ring Alarm base station, a Samsung SmartThings hub, a Hubitat Elevation, or a professionally monitored security panel like Alarm.com. If you don't have any of those and don't plan to get one, a Z-Wave lock is the wrong tool - a Wi-Fi lock connects directly and skips the extra hardware. See our broader roundup of the best smart locks if you're choosing your first one and haven't settled on a hub yet.

How to choose

• Start from the hub you already have. Ring Alarm officially supports more than 35 Z-Wave locks, and its certified "Works With Ring" list names exactly three brands: Schlage, Kwikset, and Yale - which covers the first three picks below. The Ultraloq Bolt Z-Wave makes no Ring claim at all; Ultraloq positions it for Alarm.com, Home Assistant, and SmartThings households instead. If Ring Alarm is your hub, pick from the first three.
• Keyed vs. keyless: the Schlage BE469ZP, Kwikset Home Connect 620, and Ultraloq Bolt Z-Wave all keep a physical key as a fallback if the battery dies or the electronics fail. The Yale Assure Lock 2 Key-Free Touchscreen has no key cylinder at all - simpler if you never want to carry a key again, but there's no mechanical backup if the keypad stops responding.
• Want fingerprint entry? Z-Wave is currently the wrong protocol for it. Ultraloq's fingerprint U-Bolt Pro Z-Wave reads "Currently unavailable" on Amazon as of August 2026, and the company's new Bolt Pro flagship moved to Matter-over-Thread rather than Z-Wave - so there's no fingerprint Z-Wave lock we can verify as in stock. If biometric entry matters more than hub integration, see our best fingerprint door locks roundup (those are Wi-Fi locks).
• Radio generation: the Ultraloq Bolt Z-Wave runs the newest 800-series Z-Wave Long Range chip (Silicon Labs ZG28) and Kwikset sells a 700-series Long Range version of the Home Connect 620 - both reach further than classic Z-Wave Plus, which matters for a detached garage or a big house. The Schlage and Yale picks are standard Z-Wave Plus.
• Budget: the Kwikset Home Connect 620 is $30-90 cheaper than the other three at $149-168. It gets there by skipping the touchscreen (physical keypad instead) and by being Kwikset's older Z-Wave line rather than its current Matter-focused flagship - still actively sold and supported, just not the newest technology in Kwikset's catalog.

The picks

Image: Schlage

Best overall

1. Schlage BE469ZP Connect Smart Deadbolt (Camelot, Z-Wave Plus)

$239-300

The longest-running Z-Wave deadbolt on the market, and the safest bet if you already run Ring Alarm or SmartThings: it's on Ring's own list of Works-With-Ring certified locks, and it carries an ANSI/BHMA A156.40 Grade AAA residential rating. Schlage states up to a year of battery life on 4 AA batteries. It's keyed - a physical key cylinder still opens the door if the battery dies - and it includes a built-in alarm that can flag tampering or forced entry. Home Depot prices the Camelot Satin Nickel trim at $257.39, with other trims and finishes running up to $300.

Pros

• + On Ring's own certified Works-With-Ring locks list
• + Up to 1 year of battery life on 4 AA batteries (Schlage's own figure)
• + ANSI/BHMA Grade AAA residential rating
• + Keyed - physical key cylinder as backup
• + Built-in tamper/forced-entry alarm

Cons

• – Needs a Z-Wave hub for any remote or app access - no built-in Wi-Fi
• – Priciest of the four picks by finish/trim
• – Touchscreen keypad, not fingerprint

Check price on Amazon →

Best keyless entry

2. Yale Assure Lock 2 Key-Free Touchscreen with Z-Wave

$229.99 as of Oct 12, 2026 09:00 UTC

This is the Key-Free configuration of Yale's Assure Lock 2 - there is no key cylinder anywhere on it, so entry is by touchscreen code or through a paired Z-Wave hub's app. Yale states it works with Ring Alarm, Samsung SmartThings, and dozens of other Z-Wave systems, and DoorSense reports whether the actual door is open or closed, not just the bolt position. It's a distinct SKU (and a distinct catalog entry here) from the Wi-Fi version of the Assure Lock 2 - the radio module, not just the software, is different. Yale's own store prices its Z-Wave touchscreen models $189.99-$209.99 by finish, and a Z-Wave upgrade module for existing Assure Lock 2 owners is $99.99 separately.

Pros

• + Fully keyless - no key cylinder to lose track of or pick
• + Yale states Ring Alarm and SmartThings compatibility, among "dozens" of Z-Wave systems
• + DoorSense reports actual door position, not just bolt state
• + Cheaper than the Schlage BE469ZP Connect

Cons

• – No mechanical key backup - a dead battery or stuck keypad has no bypass but the app/hub
• – Runs on 4 AA batteries with no independently stated battery-life figure as clean as Schlage's
• – Needs a Z-Wave hub for remote access, same as every lock on this page

Check price on Amazon →

Best value

3. Kwikset Home Connect 620 Keypad Smart Lock (Z-Wave)

$117.00 as of Oct 12, 2026 09:00 UTC

The cheapest lock here, and still a current, actively sold Kwikset product - it's just not Kwikset's newest technology. Kwikset's current flagship push is toward Matter (Halo Select); Home Connect 620 is the model the company keeps selling specifically for Z-Wave/hub households, and it's explicitly labeled compatible with Ring Alarm and Samsung SmartThings on its own retail listings. It includes a physical backup key with SmartKey re-key technology and states 12 months of battery life. Home Depot lists the Z-Wave Long Range Satin Nickel Traditional at $149.00, with other finishes up to about $167.88.

Pros

• + Lowest price of the four by $30-90
• + 12-month battery life claim
• + Keyed with SmartKey re-key backup
• + Explicitly labeled Ring Alarm and SmartThings compatible on Kwikset's own listings

Cons

• – Older Z-Wave line - Kwikset's current smart-lock focus is now Matter, not Z-Wave
• – Physical keypad, not a touchscreen
• – No independently confirmed ANSI/BHMA grade found for this specific model

Check price on Amazon →

Image: Ultraloq

Newest Z-Wave radio

4. Ultraloq Bolt Z-Wave

$180

The most modern Z-Wave hardware in this list: it runs 800-series Z-Wave Long Range on the Silicon Labs ZG28 chip, which Ultraloq aims at large homes, detached garages, and rentals where classic Z-Wave range gets flaky. Entry is by keypad code, app (through your hub), auto lock/unlock, or a physical backup key, and the body is BHMA Grade 1 certified zinc alloy with an IP65 weather rating. Ultraloq positions it for Alarm.com, Home Assistant, and SmartThings households - it makes no Ring Alarm claim, so Ring users should pick from the other three. Ultraloq's own store lists it at $179.99.

Pros

• + Newest radio here - 800-series Z-Wave Long Range (Silicon Labs ZG28)
• + BHMA Grade 1 certification and IP65 weather resistance
• + Keyed - physical backup key included, plus auto lock/unlock
• + SmartStart setup; ~10-minute screwdriver install per Ultraloq

Cons

• – No Ring Alarm support claimed - Alarm.com / Home Assistant / SmartThings are the stated platforms
• – Physical keypad, no touchscreen and no fingerprint (Ultraloq's fingerprint Z-Wave model is currently unavailable)
• – Newer listing with a shorter track record than the Schlage or Kwikset

Check price on Amazon →