Smart Locks / Wyze Lock Bolt V2 (WLCKB2) vs Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad
Wyze Lock Bolt V2 (WLCKB2) vs Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad
Wyze Lock Bolt V2 (WLCKB2)
Real Wi-Fi and a fast fingerprint reader for $80 — the ecosystem is the compromise.
Wins overall by 0.0 points
Quick Verdict
This is close. The Wyze Lock Bolt V2 (WLCKB2) edges ahead by 0.0 points, but that margin is inside the noise — the Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad is a defensible pick on its own terms. A retrofit with the Wi-Fi bridge actually included — and no Matter yet.
The Wyze Lock Bolt V2 (WLCKB2) and Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad are both closely matched smart Lock models, and the Wyze Lock Bolt V2 (WLCKB2) is $100 cheaper than the Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad ($79.98 vs $179.99). On Connectivity, the Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad leads (7.5 vs 6.0/10) — which radios are actually inside the lock, and whether a hub or bridge is needed and included. On Value, the Wyze Lock Bolt V2 (WLCKB2) leads (9.5 vs 8.0/10) — security, entry methods and connectivity relative to price, including accessories you must buy separately. On Security, the Wyze Lock Bolt V2 (WLCKB2) leads (5.5 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. Overall, the Wyze Lock Bolt V2 (WLCKB2) scores 7.1/10 across our 8 scoring categories versus 7.1/10 for the Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad, though the gap is close enough that your specific use case should decide it. Below, we break down the full spec sheet, category-by-category scores, and exactly who should buy which one.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Spec | Wyze Lock Bolt V2 (WLCKB2) | Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $79.98 | $179.99 |
| Release Year | 2025 | 2024 |
| Lock Type | Full deadbolt replacement | Retrofit over the existing deadbolt's interior thumbturn, plus a separate keypad |
| ANSI/BHMA Grade | Listed as BHMA Grade 2 on retail listings; Wyze does not publish a certification number or ANSI standard reference | 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 — the exterior cylinder and keys are replaced | Yes — that is the point of the product; your existing cylinder and keys stay |
| Smart Radio | 2.4GHz Wi-Fi and Bluetooth built into the lock. No Matter, no Thread, no Z-Wave | 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 | No — the Wi-Fi radio is in the lock itself | 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 | No | No |
| UWB Hands-Free Unlock | No | No |
| Biometrics | Fingerprint, up to 50 prints stored on the lock | 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 | 8 x AA alkaline (included) | Lock: 4 x AA alkaline (included). Keypad: 4 x AAA alkaline (included) |
| Claimed Battery Life (months) | 8 | 12✓ |
| Backup Power & Key Override | Physical key cylinder plus a USB-C emergency power port on the exterior | Your existing exterior key always works; Yale does not publish an emergency power contact on the Approach |
| Door Thickness / Backset | Standard US single-cylinder deadbolt prep; Wyze does not publish a door-thickness or backset range | 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 | Black Suede, Satin Nickel |
Category Scores
Security
The Wyze Lock Bolt V2 (WLCKB2) leads clearly here, 5.5 against 4.5 — a 1.0-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 Wyze Lock Bolt V2 (WLCKB2) and Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad are level here, at 8.5/10 each. 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 not what separates these two — look to the categories where the scores diverge.
Connectivity
The Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad leads clearly here, 7.5 against 6.0 — a 1.5-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 Wyze Lock Bolt V2 (WLCKB2) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Smart Home Support
The Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad leads clearly here, 4.5 against 3.5 — a 1.0-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 Wyze Lock Bolt V2 (WLCKB2) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Entry Methods
The Wyze Lock Bolt V2 (WLCKB2) leads clearly here, 7.0 against 6.0 — 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 Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad does not close the gap elsewhere.
Battery Life
The Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad leads clearly here, 8.5 against 8.0 — a 0.5-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 Wyze Lock Bolt V2 (WLCKB2) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Installation & Fit
The Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad leads clearly here, 9.0 against 8.5 — a 0.5-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 Wyze Lock Bolt V2 (WLCKB2) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Value
The Wyze Lock Bolt V2 (WLCKB2) leads clearly here, 9.5 against 8.0 — a 1.5-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 Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad does not close the gap elsewhere.
Best For
Choose the Wyze Lock Bolt V2 (WLCKB2) if…
- • Value matters most to you — the Wyze Lock Bolt V2 (WLCKB2) scores 9.5/10 here (security, entry methods and connectivity relative to price, including accessories you must buy separately).
- • Security matters most to you — the Wyze Lock Bolt V2 (WLCKB2) scores 5.5/10 here (published ANSI/BHMA grade, bolt and cylinder strength, and whether the lock upgrades or merely inherits the keyway already on your door).
- • Entry Methods matters most to you — the Wyze Lock Bolt V2 (WLCKB2) scores 7.0/10 here (keypad, fingerprint, face, NFC fobs, Apple Home Key and UWB approach unlock).
- • You want to spend less — it's $100 cheaper.
- • Your main use case is fingerprint.
Choose the Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad if…
- • 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).
- • Smart Home Support matters most to you — the Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad scores 4.5/10 here (matter, Thread, Apple Home Key, Alexa, Google and SmartThings breadth — and how many features you lose in each).
- • Your main use case is retrofit.
Pros & Cons
Wyze Lock Bolt V2 (WLCKB2)
Pros
- +The cheapest lock here with genuine built-in Wi-Fi — no bridge, no hub, no subscription
- +Fingerprint reader is the standout: reviewers report sub-second, weather-tolerant reads
- +Keyed cylinder AND a USB-C emergency contact, which several $300 locks here do not both have
- +IP53-rated and runs 8 months on eight cheap AA cells
Cons
- −No Matter, no Thread, no Apple Home — it lives inside the Wyze app and Alexa/Google, and that is the whole ecosystem
- −The BHMA Grade 2 claim appears only on retail listings; Wyze publishes no certification listing to check it against
- −Eight AA batteries is a lot of dead weight and a lot of cells to buy
- −Wyze's history of app outages and security incidents is a real consideration for a device that guards your front door
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 Wyze Lock Bolt V2 (WLCKB2) or Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad better overall?+
Based on our 8-category scoring, the Wyze Lock Bolt V2 (WLCKB2) 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 Connectivity, the Wyze Lock Bolt V2 (WLCKB2) or the Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad?+
The Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad scores higher on Connectivity (7.5/10 vs 6.0/10) — which radios are actually inside the lock, and whether a hub or bridge is needed and included.
Which is better for Value, the Wyze Lock Bolt V2 (WLCKB2) or the Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad?+
The Wyze Lock Bolt V2 (WLCKB2) scores higher on Value (9.5/10 vs 8.0/10) — security, entry methods and connectivity relative to price, including accessories you must buy separately.
Which is better for Security, the Wyze Lock Bolt V2 (WLCKB2) or the Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad?+
The Wyze Lock Bolt V2 (WLCKB2) scores higher on Security (5.5/10 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 Wyze Lock Bolt V2 (WLCKB2) or the Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad?+
The Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad scores higher on Smart Home Support (4.5/10 vs 3.5/10) — matter, Thread, Apple Home Key, Alexa, Google and SmartThings breadth — and how many features you lose in each.
Is the Wyze Lock Bolt V2 (WLCKB2) worth the price difference over the Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad?+
The Wyze Lock Bolt V2 (WLCKB2) is the cheaper option at $79.98 versus $179.99. Whether the pricier model is "worth it" depends on how much you value its lead in Connectivity.
Which is better suited to my use case?+
The Wyze Lock Bolt V2 (WLCKB2) is the better fit if you mainly care about fingerprint. The Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad is the better fit for retrofit.
What's the warranty on the Wyze Lock Bolt V2 (WLCKB2) vs the Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad?+
The Wyze Lock Bolt V2 (WLCKB2) 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
Aqara Smart Lock U200 (with Keypad) — $169.99
Premium Option
SwitchBot Lock Pro + Hub Mini (Matter Enabled) bundle — $149.99
Specifications and prices for both products last verified . Scores are calculated from published specifications — see how we compare products.