Keyless entry is one of those upgrades that pays for itself the first time a guest doesn’t have to coordinate a key handoff. Here’s how to choose keyless entry for Airbnb without over-spending or over-complicating check-in. But not every lock needs to be a $300 smart deadbolt, and every single one of them — smart or not — needs a low-tech backup plan for the day it fails. Here’s what I actually recommend, broken down by trim, features, and price, plus the backup system I run on all 15 of my properties.
(Disclosure: this post contains Amazon affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.)
Best for Simplicity (No App, No Wifi): Schlage BE365 Camelot
Aged Bronze — $121.18 — 4.4★ (19,217 reviews) — 1,000+ bought in the past month
A push-button keypad deadbolt with no smart features at all, which is exactly the appeal. No app to set up, no wifi connection to lose, no batteries dying on a router-dependent lock. You set a code, guests punch it in, done. If you want keyless entry without adding “another thing that needs wifi” to your property, this is it.
Best for Airbnb-Specific Integration: Schlage Encode (Camelot Trim)
Satin Nickel — $221.39 — 4.3★ (16,482 reviews) — 1,000+ bought in the past month
Schlage’s smart line is explicitly listed as Airbnb-compatible, with app control, touchscreen keypad, and Alexa/Google Home/Ring integration. Camelot trim matches the classic style of the basic BE365 above, so if you’re outfitting multiple units and want some on smart locks and some on basic keypads without a style mismatch, these two pair well together.
Best for Modern Trim Matching: Schlage Encode (Century Trim)
Satin Nickel — $289.00 — 4.3★ (16,482 reviews) — 500+ bought in the past month
Same lock, same features as the Camelot version above — the only difference is the trim style, which runs more modern/square vs. the traditional Camelot curve. Pick whichever matches your door hardware and interior style. Worth noting the Century trim runs noticeably more expensive for identical tech, so match it to your other hardware finishes rather than picking on price.
Best Value Smart Lock: ULTRALOQ Bolt SE
Black — $89.98 — 4.3★ (10,235 reviews) — 500+ bought in the past month
The cheapest smart lock on this list by a wide margin, and it doesn’t skimp on features: built-in wifi, fingerprint ID, keypad, app and remote control, 18-month battery life. If budget is the deciding factor and you still want full smart-lock functionality, this beats the basic non-smart Schlage on price while adding wifi and fingerprint access.
Most Recognized Brand: Yale Assure Lock 2
Satin Nickel — $139.50 — 3.7★ (1,292 reviews) — 1,000+ bought in the past month
Yale is a familiar name and this model has solid wifi smart-lock features at a mid-range price. Worth flagging honestly: its rating (3.7★) runs noticeably lower than every other lock on this list (all 4.3★+), so weigh that against the brand-name pull before choosing it over the Schlage or Ultraloq options above.
Quick Comparison
| Lock | Price | Smart Features | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Schlage BE365 Camelot | $121.18 | None (keypad only) | 4.4★ |
| ULTRALOQ Bolt SE | $89.98 | Wifi, fingerprint, app | 4.3★ |
| Schlage Encode Camelot | $221.39 | Wifi, app, Alexa/Google/Ring | 4.3★ |
| Schlage Encode Century | $289.00 | Wifi, app, Alexa/Google/Ring | 4.3★ |
| Yale Assure Lock 2 | $139.50 | Wifi, app | 3.7★ |
The Backup Every Property Needs (Non-Negotiable)
Here’s the thing nobody mentions when they’re excited about their new smart lock: everything electronic fails eventually. Dead batteries, a wifi hiccup, a firmware glitch, a guest who mistypes the code five times and locks the keypad — it happens. Every single one of my 15 properties has a physical backup, and yours should too.
What I use: an old-fashioned combination lockbox with a physical key inside. Mount it somewhere out of plain sight but still easy to find and reach — mine usually hang on the back of a fence in the backyard or tucked near the front door, never anywhere obviously visible from the street.
Maintain it like you mean it:
- Check it regularly. Confirm the combination still works, the box hasn’t rusted shut, and the key is actually still inside.
- Rotate the code periodically, the same way you would a smart lock’s guest code.
- Know your own mechanism cold. Some lockboxes just need you to turn the deadbolt with the physical key. Others are a pull-up-and-out motion to release the key compartment. When a guest calls panicking because they’re locked out at 11pm, you need to be able to calmly walk them through it in under a minute, not figure it out yourself in real time.
- Don’t hand out the lockbox location or code preemptively in your check-in instructions. Keep it as a true backup, only shared if a guest is actually locked out.
The one I use: Master Lock Key Lock Box, resettable 4-digit code, weather resistant, holds 5 keys → — $31.99, 4.7★ (25,354 reviews), 10,000+ bought in the past month. Metal body holds up outdoors, and the code resets easily when you rotate it.
Give Guests Dead-Simple Lock Instructions
The other half of this equation is guest-facing. However nice your lock is, someone will stand at your door confused unless the instructions are foolproof. What works best in my check-in guides:
- A large, clear photo of the actual lock installed on that specific door
- Numbered steps, not paragraphs: “1. Enter your code. 2. Press the oval Schlage button (circled in photo). Green light = you’re in. Red light = re-enter the code.”
- No backup lockbox info included here — that’s saved for an actual lockout call, not the standard instructions
(If you don’t already have a clean digital check-in template with space for lock photos and instructions like this, that’s something I build custom versions of in my Etsy shop — happy to link one here if useful.)
Bottom Line: Best Keyless Entry for Airbnb Hosts
If you just want reliable keyless entry without any smart-home complexity, the Schlage BE365 is hard to beat. If you want smart features on a budget, the Ultraloq wins on price. And if you’re outfitting a Schlage Encode for the Airbnb-specific integrations, match the trim to your existing hardware rather than picking on looks alone. Whichever you choose, back it up with a physical lockbox and guests who never have to guess how your door works.
Once your entry is sorted, the rest of the check-in experience matters too — a welcome sign and house rules sign set the tone the second guests walk in. See the printable signs in my Etsy shop →