Smart door vs. smart lock: what’s the difference?
One upgrades the lock on the door you already have. The other replaces the whole door. Here is how to decide which one you actually need.
By the DALTU Team
Two very different products
A smart lock is an add-on. It replaces or sits over the deadbolt on your existing door and lets you unlock it with a phone, a code or a fingerprint instead of a key. The door, the frame, the hinges and the strike plate all stay exactly as they were.
A smart door is the whole opening: the door leaf, the frame, the locking hardware and the access system, designed together and installed as one unit. Instead of adding electronics to a mechanical door, the electronics and the mechanics are the same product.
Both can be good choices. The right one depends on what you are trying to fix: convenience, security, or both.
What a smart lock does well
A smart lock can be a less expensive, less disruptive upgrade than replacing the whole door. Installation depends on the model and compatibility with your existing hardware; renters should check permission before making changes. If your door and frame are sound and you mainly want keyless convenience, an add-on lock may be sufficient.
They also let you keep the door you like. If the front door is part of the character of the house, adding a lock is the least disruptive option.
Where a smart lock reaches its limits
Security depends on the door and frame as well as the lock. A thin frame, unsuitable strike-plate fixings or vulnerable hinges can remain weak points after a lock upgrade. Assess the whole opening rather than assuming that adding connected access improves its physical resistance.
Most smart locks still rely on a cylinder or a keypad on the outside, which means there is still something to attack. Many also run on AA batteries that need regular changing, and the door still has to be pushed shut by hand before the bolt can throw. If the door is left ajar, the lock cannot help.
What changes with a complete smart door
When the door, frame and bolts are designed together, the security does not depend on whatever happens to be installed already. The DALTU Door, for example, uses a 3⅛ in (80 mm) steel door leaf, four stainless steel bolts that shoot into a steel frame anchored to the wall with 10 M12 anchors, and three anti-pry pins on the hinge side. From the outside there is no handle, no cylinder and no exposed hinge. Its RC3 rating under EN 1627 is in testing and not yet certified, so treat it as a design goal rather than a certificate.
The DALTU Door closes itself, checks that it is properly closed, throws its bolts and confirms it on your phone. An add-on lock alone does not provide automatic door closing. That is a practical difference to consider if you want the door to close as well as lock.
Access methods compared
Smart locks typically offer a mix of app unlock, keypad codes, fingerprints and a backup key. A whole door can integrate access into the frame instead. The DALTU access column reads your face in 3D with a depth camera, recognizes your phone or watch over Bluetooth and ultra-wideband as you approach, and includes a video intercom so you can see and talk to visitors from anywhere. It works with Apple Home, Google Home and Alexa, and your key can live in your phone’s wallet.
From the inside, a mechanical handle always opens the door, and a presence sensor stops it if someone is in its path.
Installation and cost
Compare the total installed cost, not just the hardware price. Some compatible smart locks can be fitted yourself; other installations need professional help. A complete smart door replaces more of the opening. The DALTU Door is installed in a single visit by a certified installer, with no construction in the hallway or inside the home, and the old door is taken away. Its pre-sale price is $4,320 plus sales tax, with installation free with pre-order.
So which one do you need?
Choose a smart lock if your door and frame are already strong, you rent and cannot replace the door, or your main goal is convenience at the lowest cost.
Choose a smart door if the door or frame is the weak point, you want nothing on the outside to attack, you want the door to close and lock itself every time, or you would rather replace the whole opening once than add parts to an old one.
Whichever you pick, check what happens in a power outage, how the device behaves offline and what you can do from inside without power. The DALTU Door has its own battery, decides even without internet, and keeps a mechanical handle on the inside.