Schlage vs. Kwikset vs. Yale: Which Lock Brand Fits Your Door?

How Do Schlage, Kwikset and Yale Compare?

Side by side, the three differ less in "quality" than in keyway, how they get rekeyed, and which smart features they lead with. Grades vary by model inside every brand, so the table shows the specific models we checked, not a brand-wide score.

Sources, checked September 2026 on each maker's site: Schlage B60 deadbolt · Schlage Encode · Kwikset 980 · Kwikset 660 · Kwikset Halo fact sheet · Yale Assure Lock 2. Grades vary by model — check the box for the exact lock you buy.

Which Brand Fits Your Door?

Start with the door and the people who use it, then the brand. Four questions sort out most homes:

1. Keys only, no batteries? Get a good mechanical deadbolt, Grade 1 or a solid Grade 2. Our standard is the Schlage B60N, all-in from $249. For the door that worries you most, a high-security Grade 1 deadbolt is all-in from $279.
2. Codes, an app, guest access — or no key at all? Get a smart deadbolt. We supply and install the Schlage Encode (from $369), Kwikset Halo (from $349) and Yale Assure (from $339). Pick on Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, the app and voice assistant you already use, and whether you want a keyhole.
3. Other doors already keyed? Match the keyway first (below), or plan a rekey: $149 for the first door, $49 for each additional.
4. Want to rekey it yourself later? Kwikset SmartKey is designed for exactly that, as long as you still have a working key.

When Does Schlage Make Sense?

Schlage fits the door where you want a straightforward keyed deadbolt with top marks on the maker's spec sheet, and it's the brand behind our standard mechanical install.

Schlage's page for its B60 single-cylinder deadbolt (sold in stores as the B60N) lists ANSI/BHMA Grade 1 and BHMA's AAA rating, which grades security, durability and finish separately, with A the top mark in each. The same page lists a 5-pin C keyway, a 1-inch bolt, and a strike reinforcer with 3-inch screws in the box.

On the smart side, Schlage lists the Encode at Grade 1 and AAA too, with the same C keyway, built-in Wi-Fi on a 2.4 GHz home network, four AA batteries, and Alexa and Google Assistant support.

Rekeying works differently from Kwikset. Schlage's support site says every residential Schlage cylinder can be rekeyed, and asks that a locksmith do it so the Schlage warranty isn't voided. Schlage has announced a do-it-yourself Advanced Rekey feature, going to builders and trade partners first.

• Where it fits: a main entry door, a house already on C-keyway keys, and anyone happy to leave rekeys to a locksmith.
• What we install: Schlage B60N deadbolt, all-in from $249. Schlage Encode smart deadbolt, all-in from $369.

When Does Kwikset Make Sense?

Kwikset fits the owner who wants to rekey without calling anyone, and its range runs from light-duty to Grade 1, so the model number tells you more than the name does.

The signature feature is SmartKey Security: with the current working key and the small SmartKey tool, you reset the lock to a new key yourself, right on the door. Kwikset is clear that you need both. If the working key is lost, a locksmith rekeys it the usual way.

Grades span the whole scale. Kwikset's page for the 980 deadbolt lists BHMA Grade 1 and AAA; its 660 deadbolt lists ANSI/BHMA Grade 3. Same brand, both SmartKey — which is why "it's a Kwikset" tells you little until you read the box.

The standard keyway is KW1. In 2020 Kwikset added SmartKey locks in the SC1 keyway, and says those locks can be keyed to match another brand's SC1 lock. The Halo smart lock connects directly to home Wi-Fi with no third-party hub, keeps a SmartKey keyway, and carries BHMA's AAA rating.

• Where it fits: rentals and homes with key turnover where the owner will do the rekeys, and houses already on KW1 keys.
• What we install: Kwikset Halo smart deadbolt, all-in from $349. Kwikset mechanical deadbolts are quoted on the call.

When Does Yale Make Sense?

Yale fits the door where the smart features are the point and you want the choice between a keyhole and none.

Yale's current Assure Lock 2 line comes in keyed and key-free versions. Every model has Bluetooth; the Wi-Fi versions have Wi-Fi built in, and a Bluetooth model can add it later with Yale's Wi-Fi Smart Module. Setup and codes run through the Yale Access app.

The Assure Lock 2 models we checked list ANSI/BHMA Grade 2, which our deadbolt grades guide calls the sensible standard for a typical Phoenix-metro front door. The keyed versions list a KW1 5-pin keyway, and Yale sells an Assure Lock 2 cylinder in Schlage and Kwikset versions, which helps when you want it on the same key as your other doors.

• Where it fits: households that live on codes and the app, doors where you'd rather have no keyhole at all, and rentals where deleting a code beats a rekey.
• What we install: Yale Assure smart deadbolt, all-in from $339. Yale sells several versions, so the exact one and your price are confirmed on the call.

Can Schlage, Kwikset and Yale Share One Key?

Only when the locks share a keyway — the shape of the slot the key slides into. The brand is a shortcut for the keyway, not the rule.

Schlage's standard is the C keyway, which Schlage also calls SC1. Kwikset's standard is KW1. A key cut for one won't work the other, so a house with a Schlage front door and a Kwikset back door usually carries two keys. Kwikset itself describes KW1 and SC1 as the industry's top two keyways, which is why these two come up so often.

So a mixed house can still end up on one key. The practical routes, cheapest first:

1. Buy the new lock in the keyway you already have. Kwikset's 660 deadbolt page, for example, lists KW1 or SC1 options, and a keyed Yale Assure Lock 2 can take Yale's Schlage- or Kwikset-version cylinder.
2. Rekey everything that shares a keyway to one key: $149 for the first door and $49 for each additional door.
3. Replace the odd one out when it can't be brought over. Our lock installation page has the prices.

Makers change parts, so confirm the keyway on the box or spec sheet for the exact model. Not sure what you have? Text us a photo of your key and the face of the lock, and we'll tell you what we see. The locksmith glossary explains keyway, backset and the other terms in this guide.

What Matters More Than the Brand Name?

How the lock is installed, and which exact model you bought. Three points a locksmith checks on every door, whatever the logo:

• The strike plate and screws. A deadbolt is only as strong as what it bolts into: the strike plate and screws long enough to reach the framing. A good lock in a sound frame does more than a premium lock in a split jamb — our front-door guide covers the fix.
• The grade on the exact model. Grade numbers (1 is the top) and BHMA's AAA letters come from the ANSI/BHMA standards; our deadbolt grades guide explains both. To check a specific model, BHMA keeps a public product directory you can search by brand.
• Smart or mechanical. A smart deadbolt is still a deadbolt; the electronics change how you get in, not how the bolt resists force. The trade-offs are in our smart locks vs. deadbolts guide.

And if your locks work fine and you only want old keys to stop working, you may not need a new brand at all. Our rekey vs. replace guide walks through that choice.

Does Arizona Heat Change the Pick?

It matters more for smart locks than for the brand. Heat drains batteries faster, and a west- or south-facing door can get brutally hot in the afternoon sun. A mechanical deadbolt like the B60N has no batteries to worry about.

Here's what each maker says about weather for the smart lock we install:

• Schlage Encode: operating range of −31°F to 150.8°F for the outside part and 14°F to 120.2°F for the inside part (Schlage spec page).
• Kwikset Halo: made for entry doors and as weather resistant as a regular Kwikset deadbolt, but not for fully outdoor spots such as gates, and the inside part stays indoors (Kwikset support).
• Yale Assure Lock 2: operating range of −22°F to 140°F outside and 5°F to 158°F inside, with an IPx5 weather rating (Yale spec page).

These are each maker's own statements, measured its own way — not a head-to-head test, so don't read them as a ranking. On a sun-baked door, the habits matter more than the logo: fresh batteries before summer, the low-battery alert somewhere you'll actually see it, and a backup way in, whether that's a key or a battery-jump contact on models that have one. More in our smart locks vs. deadbolts guide.

What Can You Check Yourself Before You Buy?

Most of it. Before you spend anything, a quick look at your door and your keys answers the questions that decide the brand:

1. Find your keyway. The brand is often printed on the head of an original key, and on the face of the lock. Copies may not say.
2. Read the grade for the exact model on the box or the maker's spec page, and look it up in BHMA's directory if you want to double-check.
3. Measure the door. Compare its thickness and backset (door edge to the center of the hole) with the box. Schlage's B60 page, for example, lists doors 1-3/8 to 1-7/8 inches thick and a 2-3/8 or 2-3/4 inch backset.
4. For a smart lock, check the match. Your phone, your voice assistant, and your Wi-Fi: Schlage and Yale both list a 2.4 GHz network for their Wi-Fi models.

Call a locksmith when the bolt binds or doesn't extend all the way, the new lock doesn't match the holes in your door, you want mixed brands on one key, the working key is gone, or a smart lock's motor strains to throw the bolt. That last one is usually door alignment, and a smart lock fighting a misaligned strike burns through batteries.

Bought Your Own Lock? We Install It

Yes, any of the three brands. Labor-only lock installation is from $149, and labor-only smart lock installation is from $189. Text us a photo of the box and your door's edge first; if the lock doesn't match how your door is drilled, you'll hear it before we start, not after.

Installation prices are flat and quoted on the call before we dispatch. After 8PM, add a flat $60, and booking through the form on our site takes $20 off. Locks we supply and install carry our 30-day warranty. Details are on our lock installation and smart lock installation pages, and everything else is on the full price list.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Schlage better than Kwikset?

Not across the board. It depends on the model. Both brands make Grade 1 deadbolts: Schlage lists its B60 single-cylinder deadbolt at ANSI/BHMA Grade 1, and Kwikset lists its 980 deadbolt at BHMA Grade 1. Kwikset also sells lighter models, such as the 660 deadbolt at Grade 3, so read the grade on the exact box. After that, choose on keyway, how you want to rekey, and features, and have it installed into a solid strike.

Can a Kwikset lock and a Schlage lock use the same key?

Not with their standard keyways. Schlage uses a C keyway, also called SC1, and Kwikset uses KW1, so a house with both usually carries two keys. There are ways around it. Kwikset sells some SmartKey locks in an SC1 keyway and says those can be keyed to match another brand's SC1 lock, and depending on the lock, a cylinder change can bring it onto the same key. Check the keyway on the box before you buy.

What do I need to rekey a Kwikset SmartKey lock myself?

Kwikset says you need two things: the key that currently works the lock and the SmartKey tool. With both, you rekey it right on the door without taking the lock apart. Without a working key, the do-it-yourself route is closed and a locksmith rekeys it instead. TrustKey rekeys for $149 for the first door and $49 for each additional door, and can match it to your other locks when the keyways allow.

Does Yale make a smart lock with no keyhole?

Yes. Yale's Assure Lock 2 comes in keyed and key-free versions. A key-free lock has no cylinder to pick or rekey, and you get in with a code, your phone or whatever other options that model supports. The trade-off is the backup plan: with no key, a flat battery or a forgotten code needs a plan of its own, so change the batteries when the low-battery warning shows, especially before an Arizona summer.

Which of these smart locks connects to Wi-Fi without a hub?

Schlage lists built-in Wi-Fi on the Encode, which joins a 2.4 GHz home network. Kwikset says the Halo connects directly to Wi-Fi with no third-party smart home hub needed. Yale builds Wi-Fi into the Wi-Fi versions of the Assure Lock 2, and the Bluetooth versions can add it with Yale's Wi-Fi Smart Module. Wi-Fi uses more battery than Bluetooth, so choose it if you will really use remote access.

Who should rekey a Schlage lock?

Schlage's support site says all of its residential cylinders can be rekeyed, and that a locksmith should do it so the Schlage warranty isn't voided. Schlage has also announced a do-it-yourself feature called Advanced Rekey, which uses the working key and a rekey pin, going to builders and trade partners first. Until your lock has it, a Schlage rekey is a locksmith job: $149 for the first door and $49 for each additional door.

Schlage, Kwikset and Yale are trademarks of their respective owners. TrustKey Locksmith isn't affiliated with any lock maker. Specs were checked on each maker's website in September 2026 and can change, so the box in your hand is the final word.