Budget
€0–€120
Published category bar
Smart locks (smart door locks for EU profile cylinders)
This is the exact versioned market bar used by the deterministic engine. It defines what is mandatory, typical and above-class for each European price class.
- Version
- 2026.07-4
- Status
- Active
- Price classes
- 4
European price classes
Mid-range
€120–€200
Upper mid-range
€200–€300
Premium
€300+
The lowest documented European price selects the class. Within ±10% of a boundary, both neighbouring classes are calculated and the better result counts.
Mandatory category features
Compatible with EU profile cylinders: retrofit unit on the existing cylinder or full replacement in EU profile cylinder format
CE marking incl. EU radio equipment compliance (RED) for Bluetooth/Wi-Fi/Thread
App available in the EU app stores and usable from the EU: registration without a foreign phone number, user interface in German or English
Documented emergency opening from outside when the battery is dead or the unit fails: mechanical key stays usable (cylinder with emergency function) and/or external emergency power contact (USB-C/9V)
Expected features by price class
Budget
- App control via Bluetooth with management of multiple users/permissions
- Motorised locking/unlocking with auto-lock (automatic locking after a delay)
- Drill-free mounting on the existing cylinder (adhesive/clamp), removable
Mid-range
- Remote access out of the box or via manufacturer solution (built-in Wi-Fi, Thread/Matter or bridge)
- Auto-unlock on arrival (geofencing + Bluetooth)
- Time-limited guest access and access log in the app
- Integration with at least one major smart home system (Matter, Apple Home, Alexa or Google)
- Battery life of approx. 6 months in typical use (manufacturer figure or measured in a review)
Upper mid-range
- Remote access usable without buying anything extra: built-in Wi-Fi or Matter over Thread, or bridge/hub included in the box
- Unlocking without a smartphone included in the set (keypad with code and/or fingerprint)
- Matter support for cross-vendor smart home integration
- Rechargeable battery (e.g. USB-C) or battery life of approx. 9–12 months
- Documented brisk unlocking: manufacturer figure for the unlocking time (e.g. approx. 2–3 seconds) or a measurement in an independent review
Premium
- Compact design with dimensions stated in the datasheet (indoor unit in the size range of a door knob) or fully integrated cylinder replacement
- Very fast motor: unlocking in approx. 2 seconds or less (manufacturer figure or independent measurement)
- Wi-Fi and Matter/Thread usable without extra purchases (built in or hub/bridge in the set) plus Bluetooth for local control
- Biometric access (fingerprint or face recognition) or premium keypad included in the set
- Door state detection (door open/closed, locked/unlocked) via sensor
Above-class bonus features
- Certified burglary resistance of the locking unit (e.g. SKG***, VdS, DIN 18252/EN 1303 for replacement cylinders)+5
- Equipment clearly above the class expectation (e.g. fingerprint/built-in Wi-Fi in budget or mid-range, face recognition in upper mid-range)+4
- Local control without cloud dependency (local Matter/Thread, official Home Assistant integration or full offline Bluetooth operation)+4
- 3D face recognition or palm vein scan as an access method+4
- Apple Home Key (unlocking via iPhone/Apple Watch at an NFC reader)+3
- External emergency power supply (USB-C or 9V contact) in addition to mechanical key opening+3
- Battery life of approx. 12 months or more in typical use+3
- Spare and wear parts documented as available in EU retail (e.g. replacement battery/battery compartment, mounting plate, adapters for other cylinders)+3
- Traceable software maintenance: publicly available firmware changelogs or update history including security fixes+3
- At least 4 access methods (e.g. app, code, fingerprint, NFC card, key)+2
- Outdoor components (keypad/reader) rated at least approx. IP65+2
- Fully removable without residue incl. use of the existing cylinder (rental-friendly, documented)+2
Negative characteristics
- Publicly documented security vulnerability (e.g. BLE replay, unencrypted radio link) with no published fix or manufacturer statement-8
- Privacy policy or app store data disclosures name only servers outside the EU, with no EU region and no GDPR information-6
- Lock-out incidents caused by software, calibration or motor failures documented in at least two independent sources (reviews, forums, large numbers of retailer ratings)-6
- Subscription required for core functions (remote access, access log or guest access only with subscription)-5
- Severe app defects documented in at least two independent sources (connection drops, calibration loss, unreliable auto-unlock)-4