Smart Locks / Level Lock Pro (Matter) vs Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad
Level Lock Pro (Matter) vs Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad
Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad
A retrofit with the Wi-Fi bridge actually included — and no Matter yet.
Wins overall by 0.8 points
Quick Verdict
The Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad takes this by a clear 0.8 points. A retrofit with the Wi-Fi bridge actually included — and no Matter yet. The Level Lock Pro (Matter) only makes sense if it wins on a category you care about more than the total.
The Level Lock Pro (Matter) and Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad are both closely matched smart Lock models, and the Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad is $169 cheaper than the Level Lock Pro (Matter) ($179.99 vs $349). On Security, the Level Lock Pro (Matter) leads (8.5 vs 4.5/10) — published ANSI/BHMA grade, bolt and cylinder strength, and whether the lock upgrades or merely inherits the keyway already on your door. On Smart Home Support, the Level Lock Pro (Matter) leads (8.0 vs 4.5/10) — matter, Thread, Apple Home Key, Alexa, Google and SmartThings breadth — and how many features you lose in each. On Installation & Fit, the Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad leads (9.0 vs 5.5/10) — DIY difficulty, retrofit versus full replacement, and door thickness, backset and bore limits. Overall, the Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad scores 7.1/10 across our 8 scoring categories versus 6.3/10 for the Level Lock Pro (Matter). Below, we break down the full spec sheet, category-by-category scores, and exactly who should buy which one.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Spec | Level Lock Pro (Matter) | Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $349.00 | $179.99 |
| Release Year | 2025 | 2024 |
| Lock Type | Full deadbolt replacement with the electronics concealed inside the door | Retrofit over the existing deadbolt's interior thumbturn, plus a separate keypad |
| ANSI/BHMA Grade | ANSI Grade 1/A, tested to A156.40 (residential deadbolts) and A156.25 (electrified locking), BHMA AAA certified at 250,000 cycles — all stated on Level's own page | Not published by the manufacturer — Yale states no ANSI/BHMA grade for the Approach, and the retrofit inherits the grade of your existing deadbolt |
| Keeps Existing Keyway | No — new Level cylinder and keys; your existing key will not work | Yes — that is the point of the product; your existing cylinder and keys stay |
| Smart Radio | Matter over Thread plus Bluetooth 4.0/5.0 and NFC. There is no Wi-Fi radio in the lock | Bluetooth in the lock and keypad. Wi-Fi comes from the plug-in Connect Bridge, which is included on this bundle |
| Hub or Bridge Required | Yes — either a Matter-over-Thread hub (HomePod mini, HomePod 2, Apple TV 4K 3rd gen or equivalent) or Level's own Connect Wi-Fi Bridge, sold separately | Yes, but included — the Connect Wi-Fi Bridge is what provides remote access. The cheaper Approach SKUs omit it and Tom's Guide flags that as their main caveat |
| Apple Home Key | Yes — tap with iPhone or Apple Watch | No |
| UWB Hands-Free Unlock | No | No |
| Biometrics | None — and there is no keypad in the box either; the Level Keypad is a separate purchase | Sources conflict: Yale's own bundle page lists the fingerprint-capable Keypad Touch, while the Amazon listing for this bundle describes a code-only Bluetooth touchscreen keypad. Confirm which keypad ships before ordering |
| Battery Type | 1 x CR2 lithium (included), concealed inside the bolt | Lock: 4 x AA alkaline (included). Keypad: 4 x AAA alkaline (included) |
| Claimed Battery Life (months) | 12 | 12 |
| Backup Power & Key Override | Two physical keys and two NFC key fobs in the box; there is no emergency power contact, so a flat CR2 means using the key | Your existing exterior key always works; Yale does not publish an emergency power contact on the Approach |
| Door Thickness / Backset | Door thickness 1.75 in to 2.0 in only, backset 2.375 in or 2.75 in, ANSI 2.125 in bore — the narrowest thickness window of any lock here | Most single-cylinder deadbolts; the keypad mounts within about 30 ft of the lock over Bluetooth. Lock body is 2.6 x 5.6 x 1.6 in on the inside of the door |
| Warranty | 12 months | 12 months |
| Colors | Matte Black, Satin Nickel | Black Suede, Satin Nickel |
Category Scores
Security
The Level Lock Pro (Matter) leads clearly here, 8.5 against 4.5 — a 4.0-point margin on published ANSI/BHMA grade, bolt and cylinder strength, and whether the lock upgrades or merely inherits the keyway already on your door. If that is what you are buying for, the Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad does not close the gap elsewhere.
Fail-Safe Access
The Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad leads clearly here, 8.5 against 6.0 — a 2.5-point margin on what happens when the battery dies, the Wi-Fi drops or the app is down — physical key, emergency power contact and offline codes. The spec buyers most often discover too late. If that is what you are buying for, the Level Lock Pro (Matter) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Connectivity
The Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad leads clearly here, 7.5 against 5.0 — a 2.5-point margin on which radios are actually inside the lock, and whether a hub or bridge is needed and included. If that is what you are buying for, the Level Lock Pro (Matter) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Smart Home Support
The Level Lock Pro (Matter) leads clearly here, 8.0 against 4.5 — a 3.5-point margin on matter, Thread, Apple Home Key, Alexa, Google and SmartThings breadth — and how many features you lose in each. If that is what you are buying for, the Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad does not close the gap elsewhere.
Entry Methods
The Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad leads clearly here, 6.0 against 5.0 — a 1.0-point margin on keypad, fingerprint, face, NFC fobs, Apple Home Key and UWB approach unlock. If that is what you are buying for, the Level Lock Pro (Matter) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Battery Life
The Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad leads clearly here, 8.5 against 7.0 — a 1.5-point margin on real-world runtime, cell cost and how much recharging or replacing it demands. If that is what you are buying for, the Level Lock Pro (Matter) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Installation & Fit
The Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad leads clearly here, 9.0 against 5.5 — a 3.5-point margin on DIY difficulty, retrofit versus full replacement, and door thickness, backset and bore limits. If that is what you are buying for, the Level Lock Pro (Matter) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Value
The Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad leads clearly here, 8.0 against 5.5 — a 2.5-point margin on security, entry methods and connectivity relative to price, including accessories you must buy separately. If that is what you are buying for, the Level Lock Pro (Matter) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Best For
Choose the Level Lock Pro (Matter) if…
- • Security matters most to you — the Level Lock Pro (Matter) scores 8.5/10 here (published ANSI/BHMA grade, bolt and cylinder strength, and whether the lock upgrades or merely inherits the keyway already on your door).
- • Smart Home Support matters most to you — the Level Lock Pro (Matter) scores 8.0/10 here (matter, Thread, Apple Home Key, Alexa, Google and SmartThings breadth — and how many features you lose in each).
- • Your main use case is apple-home or matter-thread.
Choose the Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad if…
- • Installation & Fit matters most to you — the Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad scores 9.0/10 here (DIY difficulty, retrofit versus full replacement, and door thickness, backset and bore limits).
- • Fail-Safe Access matters most to you — the Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad scores 8.5/10 here (what happens when the battery dies, the Wi-Fi drops or the app is down — physical key, emergency power contact and offline codes. The spec buyers most often discover too late).
- • Connectivity matters most to you — the Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad scores 7.5/10 here (which radios are actually inside the lock, and whether a hub or bridge is needed and included).
- • You want to spend less — it's $169 cheaper.
- • Your main use case is retrofit or rentals.
Pros & Cons
Level Lock Pro (Matter)
Pros
- +Genuinely invisible: the only lock here that does not announce itself on the outside or bolt a slab of plastic to the inside
- +Publishes ANSI Grade 1/A, BHMA AAA and a 250,000-cycle test figure — the security claims are specific and checkable
- +A single CR2 cell runs it for roughly 9-12 months, so the battery burden is one small cell a year rather than eight AAs
- +Apple Home Key plus two NFC fobs in the box covers guests who do not have an iPhone
Cons
- −The 1.75-2.0 in door thickness limit is the hard trap: plenty of American doors are 1-3/8 in and simply will not take this lock
- −No Wi-Fi in the lock — remote access needs either a Thread hub you already own or Level's Connect bridge as an extra purchase
- −No keypad and no fingerprint in the box; the Level Keypad is another accessory, so out of the box a guest without an iPhone needs a fob or a key
- −$349 with fewer entry methods than an $80 Wyze, and no emergency power contact when the CR2 dies
Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad
Pros
- +The bridge is actually in the box at this price, which is not true of the cheaper Approach listings buyers usually land on
- +12 months of claimed lock battery life is the longest AA figure in this set
- +Keeps your keyway and your keys, so nothing about the outside of your door changes
- +Backed by Yale/August's mature app, which is markedly better maintained than most budget lock apps
Cons
- −No Matter today — Yale describes it as coming by software update, which is a promise rather than a feature you can buy
- −No Apple Home Key and no HomeKit tap-to-unlock; iPhone owners are in the Yale app
- −Yale publishes no ANSI/BHMA grade, and a retrofit cannot improve the deadbolt you already have
- −Which keypad you get is genuinely unclear between Yale's own listing and the Amazon listing — fingerprint or code-only changes the value considerably
Shop by Need
FAQs
Is the Level Lock Pro (Matter) or Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad better overall?+
Based on our 8-category scoring, the Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad comes out ahead overall. See the full breakdown in the scores section above — the right pick still depends on which categories matter most for your use case.
Which is better for Security, the Level Lock Pro (Matter) or the Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad?+
The Level Lock Pro (Matter) scores higher on Security (8.5/10 vs 4.5/10) — published ANSI/BHMA grade, bolt and cylinder strength, and whether the lock upgrades or merely inherits the keyway already on your door.
Which is better for Smart Home Support, the Level Lock Pro (Matter) or the Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad?+
The Level Lock Pro (Matter) scores higher on Smart Home Support (8.0/10 vs 4.5/10) — matter, Thread, Apple Home Key, Alexa, Google and SmartThings breadth — and how many features you lose in each.
Which is better for Installation & Fit, the Level Lock Pro (Matter) or the Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad?+
The Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad scores higher on Installation & Fit (9.0/10 vs 5.5/10) — DIY difficulty, retrofit versus full replacement, and door thickness, backset and bore limits.
Which is better for Fail-Safe Access, the Level Lock Pro (Matter) or the Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad?+
The Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad scores higher on Fail-Safe Access (8.5/10 vs 6.0/10) — what happens when the battery dies, the Wi-Fi drops or the app is down — physical key, emergency power contact and offline codes. The spec buyers most often discover too late.
Is the Level Lock Pro (Matter) worth the price difference over the Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad?+
The Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad is the cheaper option at $179.99 versus $349. Whether the pricier model is "worth it" depends on how much you value its lead in Security.
Which is better suited to my use case?+
The Level Lock Pro (Matter) is the better fit if you mainly care about apple-home or matter-thread. The Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad is the better fit for retrofit or rentals.
What's the warranty on the Level Lock Pro (Matter) vs the Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad?+
The Level Lock Pro (Matter) ships with a 12-month warranty; the Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad ships with a 12-month warranty. Always confirm current terms on the manufacturer's site before buying.
Should I wait for the next model instead of buying either of these?+
If either model is more than two years old, a successor may be close — check the "Latest Model" link on each product page. Otherwise, both are current, well-supported options and there's no strong reason to wait.
Cheaper Option
Schlage Encode Plus Smart WiFi Deadbolt (BE499WB, Camelot) — $329.00
Premium Option
August Wi-Fi Smart Lock (4th Gen, AUG-SL05) — $199.99
Specifications and prices for both products last verified . Scores are calculated from published specifications — see how we compare products.