DevicesLocks
Same-category comparison
Schlage Encode Plusvs SwitchBot Lock Ultra
Both are locks. Rows that do not match are marked Differs. The feature paragraphs under each name are AI-generated.
Schlage
Encode Plus
Confirm the current Schlage price. Early coverage put this lock around $300.
Pros
- • Built-in Wi-Fi, so remote codes do not depend on a plug-in hub.
- • Apple Home Key without giving up Alexa and Google through the Schlage app.
- • Bluetooth fallback is documented for Wi-Fi outages.
Cons
- • Schlage has said it will not gain Matter.
- • A Wi-Fi lock is another 2.4 GHz client on the door, not a Thread device.
- • You replace the whole lock, which renters often cannot do.
SwitchBot
Lock Ultra
SwitchBot Canada listed the lock at CA$199.99. Keypad and Matter-hub bundles cost more. Confirm the US box.
Pros
- • Leaves the existing deadbolt in place.
- • Rechargeable pack plus a backup cell, so a dead main pack is not an instant lockout.
- • Matter and voice are available if you add the hub SwitchBot names.
Cons
- • The manufacturer page does not treat Matter as built into the lock. The hub is a separate line item.
- • Battery-life claims differ across SwitchBot’s own pages.
- • The indoor module is part of the look of the door.
Hardware
| Spec | Schlage Encode Plus | SwitchBot Lock Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| InstallDiffers | Replacement Wi-Fi deadbolt | Retrofit over an existing single deadbolt. Adhesive or screws. Jimmy-proof and mortise locks need an adapter. |
| RadiosDiffers | Built-in Wi-Fi for the Schlage Home app. Bluetooth remains available if Wi-Fi is down, so the app can still reach the lock nearby. | — |
| Apple Home KeyDiffers | Yes. iPhone, Apple Watch, and HomeKit. | — |
| MatterDiffers | No. Schlage told The Verge this lock will not be upgraded to Matter, and that its then-current locks would not get Matter. | — |
| SizeDiffers | — | 122 × 62.6 × 66.8 mm, 367 g with batteries |
| RadioDiffers | — | Bluetooth, per the datasheet (BLE, app and keypad range after the door is closed cited around 20 m) |
| PowerDiffers | — | Three 18350 cells, 4200 mAh, plus a CR123A backup. SwitchBot’s pages disagree between about 9 and 12 months at 10 cycles a day. |
| NoiseDiffers | — | 50–55 dB at 50 cm, one cycle, per SwitchBot |
Software
| Spec | Schlage Encode Plus | SwitchBot Lock Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| AppDiffers | Schlage Home app for codes, status, and remote access | — |
| VoiceDiffers | Alexa and Google Assistant when paired with the Schlage Home app | — |
| HubDiffers | No separate Schlage hub. Wi-Fi is built in. | — |
| Without a hubDiffers | — | Bluetooth unlock and local control. SwitchBot says a hub is not required for that. |
| With a hubDiffers | — | Remote app control, status, Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri, Matter, and IFTTT require a SwitchBot hub. The product page says Apple Home via Matter goes through the Matter hub. |
| Unlock methodsDiffers | — | Fingerprint and keypad show up on some bundles and not others. Confirm whether the keypad is in the box. |
What you buy with it
| Spec | Schlage Encode Plus | SwitchBot Lock Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| What you are not buyingDiffers | A Matter lock. If Matter on the deadbolt is the requirement, this is the wrong SKU. | — |
| What else you buyDiffers | Nothing for basic remote access. An Apple home hub still helps HomeKit away from home. | A SwitchBot Matter hub if you want Apple Home, voice assistants, or remote unlock. The lock alone is a Bluetooth retrofit. |
| DoorDiffers | Standard deadbolt replacement. Confirm the bore and backset before you order the finish. | Your original cylinder stays, which is why renters look at this. The interior module is visible. |
| EditorialDiffers | — | Device Radar’s hands-on review discusses Matter over Thread in daily use. The spec row follows the current manufacturer page: budget for the hub. |