Short answer: The Level Bolt ($149) is the best smart lock for renters — it replaces only the interior part of your deadbolt, your door looks exactly the same from outside, and it takes 5 minutes to install and uninstall. The Wyze Lock Bolt ($75) is the best budget option if your landlord allows visible smart lock hardware.
Before anything else: check your lease. Most leases require landlord approval for lock changes, even renter-removable ones. The good news: most landlords say yes when you explain the lock is removable and you'll restore the original at move-out.
Renter Smart Lock Options at a Glance
Level Bolt — The Invisible Renter's Smart Lock
Price: $149 on Amazon
The Level Bolt is genuinely different from every other smart lock. Instead of replacing your entire deadbolt (the part you and your landlord can see), it replaces only the internal mechanism — the part inside the door that drives the bolt. Your exterior keyhole and your original key work exactly as before. From outside, nothing changed. Your landlord won't notice during a walkthrough. Your neighbors won't see anything.
What changed on the inside: the thumb-turn is now a small disk that the Level app controls via Bluetooth. You can lock and unlock with your phone, share digital keys with guests, set auto-lock schedules, and see lock history — all without touching the door from outside.
The big limitation: Level Bolt is Bluetooth-only (not Wi-Fi). You need to be within Bluetooth range (~100 feet) or use the $79 Level Home Hub (a plug-in adapter that adds Wi-Fi) to control it remotely or integrate with Alexa and Google Home.
Installation time: 5–10 minutes. Unscrew your existing interior mechanism, slide in the Level Bolt, connect in the app. Reverse the process at move-out.
Who should buy this: Renters in apartments with strict landlords, anyone in a building where exterior lock appearance matters (some condo buildings have rules), or anyone who wants to take their smart lock with them when they move without any evidence it was ever there.
What We Love
- Completely invisible from outside — no visible change to your door
- Original key still works — maintenance workers and landlords aren't affected
- Tiny and unobtrusive — smallest smart lock available
- Works with any standard deadbolt — if your door has a standard deadbolt, Level Bolt fits
- Fast to remove — 5-minute reinstall of original hardware at move-out
What Could Be Better
- Bluetooth-only base model — need the $79 Hub for remote access
- Total cost $228 with Hub vs $149 for Bluetooth-only
- No keypad (use your phone or original key only)
- App has a learning curve
Wyze Lock Bolt — Best Budget Renter Smart Lock
Price: $74.99 on Amazon
The Wyze Lock Bolt replaces your existing deadbolt entirely — your door will visibly have a smart lock — but at $75 it's the most capable budget smart lock available. It has a built-in keypad (no phone required), fingerprint reader (50 fingerprints stored), Bluetooth control, and auto-lock. For renters whose landlords are fine with visible smart hardware, this is an excellent value.
At move-out: reinstall your original deadbolt. Keep the Wyze Lock Bolt for your next place.
Wyze Lock Bolt vs Wyze Lock: There are two Wyze smart locks. The Lock Bolt ($75) is keypad + fingerprint, Bluetooth only. The Wyze Lock ($90) is a retrofit model (invisible exterior, like Level Bolt) but requires Wi-Fi. The Lock Bolt is the better value for most renters.
What We Love
- Best price for the features — fingerprint + keypad at $75 is remarkable
- No subscription required — all features work without Wyze's paid tier
- Simple installation — standard deadbolt swap, 20 minutes
- Fingerprint is fast — sub-second unlock, more reliable than Wyze's older models
What Could Be Better
- Visible smart lock hardware (not invisible like Level Bolt)
- Bluetooth only — no remote unlock without a phone in Bluetooth range
- Wyze's privacy track record has had issues (see FAQ below)
- No Alexa or Google Home integration in base model
August WiFi Smart Lock — Best Remote Access Renter Lock
Price: $149 on Amazon
Like the Level Bolt, August installs on the interior of your existing deadbolt — exterior unchanged, original key works. Unlike Level Bolt, the August WiFi model includes Wi-Fi built in (no separate hub needed), so you get full remote access, Alexa integration, and activity alerts without extra hardware.
It's bulkier on the interior side than the Level Bolt, but the trade-off is remote access and smarter automations (auto-unlock when your phone arrives, auto-lock after 5 minutes). For renters who travel frequently or manage Airbnb properties, the Wi-Fi integration pays for itself.
What We Love
- Wi-Fi built in — no hub purchase needed for remote access
- Auto-unlock geofencing — door unlocks as you approach
- Works with Alexa, Google Home, HomeKit — best ecosystem support in this category
- Invisible exterior — original key and exterior keyhole unchanged
What Could Be Better
- Bulky interior mechanism (some renters find it aesthetically intrusive)
- $149 is the same price as Level Bolt base model, but Level needs a $79 hub for parity
- August's parent company (Yale/ASSA ABLOY) is fine but app quality varies by review
Current Prices — March 14, 2026
How to Ask Your Landlord (What Actually Works)
Most renters who ask permission get it. Here's the framing that works:
"I'd like to install a smart lock that I can remove completely at move-out, restoring the original hardware exactly as it is now. Your master key will continue to work, the exterior of the door won't change, and I'll remove it myself before I leave."
What landlords worry about: security liability, lock-out scenarios, and door damage. Address all three upfront. Offer to show them the product page. With the Level Bolt specifically, the exterior is 100% unchanged — many renters install it without mentioning it because there's genuinely nothing visible to mention (though we recommend asking anyway).
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my landlord's master key still work with a smart lock?
- Level Bolt: Yes — the exterior keyway is untouched, all physical keys work normally
- August WiFi: Yes — the exterior keyway is untouched
- Wyze Lock Bolt: Only if you give them the numeric keypad code or a physical backup key. The exterior keyhole is replaced.
What happens to smart lock access if Wi-Fi goes down?
All renter-friendly smart locks include physical backup access:
- Level Bolt: your original physical key works
- Wyze Lock Bolt: keypad code and fingerprint work without Wi-Fi
- August WiFi: your original physical key works
Smart locks are safer than regular locks in power/internet outages, not less safe.
Can I take my smart lock with me when I move?
Yes — that's the whole point of renter-friendly smart locks. Level Bolt and August reinstall with your existing deadbolt hardware. Wyze Lock Bolt replaces the deadbolt, so you take the smart lock, reinstall the original deadbolt you took out, and bring the Wyze to your next place.
Is a Wyze Lock safe? Didn't they have a privacy issue?
Wyze had two notable security incidents: a 2019 data exposure affecting 2.4M users and a 2024 camera incident where some users saw other users' feeds. Neither incident involved Wyze Lock specifically — they were app/camera issues. That said, if privacy is a priority, the August WiFi Smart Lock or Level Bolt from Yale/ASSA ABLOY are better-credentialed brands from an enterprise security perspective.
What's the minimum compatible door setup for these locks?
All locks in this guide require:
- A standard single-cylinder deadbolt (the most common residential deadbolt type)
- Door thickness between 1-3/8" and 2" (covers nearly all US residential doors)
- Standard door prep (ANSI/BHMA 161 — again, virtually universal in US homes)
They will NOT work with double-cylinder deadbolts (key on both sides), mortise locks (common in European or high-security setups), or chain locks.
Bottom Line
For renters, the Level Bolt ($149) is the cleanest solution — invisible from outside, 5-minute install and removal, original key still works. Add the $79 Hub if you want remote access and Alexa/Google Home integration.
On a tighter budget, the Wyze Lock Bolt at $75 gives you fingerprint + keypad access for less than any comparable lock — provided your landlord is okay with visible hardware.
See also: Best Smart Door Locks 2026 | Best Smart Home Security Systems | Smart Home Starter Kit
Prices last verified March 14, 2026.
