Smart locks are some of the greatest smart home inventions. They made flipping through keys and hiding spares under the doormat things of the past. However, there’s a way to make smart locks provide even more value to your smart home, and that is by pairing them with a home security system such as Vivint.
Vivint actually offers some of the best smart locks on the market. It doesn’t make the equipment itself, but it installs and integrates smart locks from Kwikset. When we tested Vivint, we had the pleasure to test one of the available smart lock models – the Kwikset 888 SmartCode shown below. Here’s everything you should know about our experience.
Pro Tip: Never hide keys in a hide-a-key rock — you know, those synthetic rocks that are made to resemble real rocks. That’s one of the first places a criminal will look for hidden keys.
The inner and outer faceplate of the Kwikset 888 SmartCode prior to installation
Vivint Smart Lock – Kwikset 888 SmartCode
Vivint works with Kiwkset’s 888 SmartCode Electronic Deadbolt with Z-Wave Technology. Technically, the Vivint smart home system is compatible with all Kwikset smart locks since they run on the Z-Wave protocol, but that particular model was what Vivint offered us when we bought our Vivint security system. That said, take note that it’s one of Kwikset’s older models. If you order from Vivint now, there’s a chance they’d send you a newer model, particularly the 260 SmartCode. Don’t worry, it shares a lot of the same features as the Kwikset 888.
The Kwikset 888 comes in three different colors: Satin Nickel, Venetian Bronze, and Polished Brass. If you have a color preference, we suggest you tell your Vivint sales rep, otherwise they’ll just bring the Satin Nickel. At least, that was our experience.
Vivint Smart Lock Color Options
Like Vivint’s indoor and outdoor cameras, this smart lock connects to your home’s Wi-Fi. But note that it’s a battery-powered device, so you will have to change out batteries every so often. This is par for the course in the world of smart locks.
FYI: The Kwikset SmartCode 888 is powered by 4 AA batteries. From our experience with this brand, the batteries should last upwards of 6-months to a year, depending on how often you open and close your door.
The Installation Process
If you buy this smart lock with a Vivint smart home system, your Vivint technician will install it for you. Easy-peezy. In fact, Vivint requires professional installation, which is fine by us. We had a nice fellow named Don get us all connected (we snapped a pic of him below). You can read about our Vivint installation experience here. Trust us, it’s more exciting than it sounds.
That being said, we’ve installed Kwikset locks in the past, and as far as DIY security products go, it’s relatively fast and easy. With the 888 SmartCode, there’s no hardwiring or drilling. It replaces your existing deadbolt and only takes a few minutes to install.
Expert Insight: Vivint’s installation is a premium service, and we suggest making the most of it by asking your technician to help you set up automations and custom actions.
Photo of our Vivint Installation Specialist, Don
How It Works
The Basics
Let’s start with, well, the basics. As a smart lock, the Kwikset 888 let us lock and unlock our front door from the Vivint app. That’s mostly for opening the door from anywhere – for example, to let our dog-walker in to pick up our pet while we’re at work. As a side note, Vivint is one of our best security systems for pets, and that feature right there is an example of why we picked it.
To access our door on a daily basis, we prefer to use the built-in keypad. We set up a unique code for each user in the house so we can keep track who last opened or closed the door. There’s five of us living in the house, each with a unique code. But the truth is, the Kwikset 888 can handle up to 30 users. What’s more, you can set up temporary codes for guests, house cleaners, trusted neighbors, etc. Even at its most basic use, we think the Vivint door lock adds a touch of convenience and peace of mind to everyday life.
Pro Tip: While you don’t need a physical key to use the smart lock, keep a copy of your backup key with you all the time. You’ll need it if the lock runs out of battery and you become unable to use the keypad or app to unlock it.
The Not-So-Basics
Beyond the basic functionality, Vivint’s smart locks really come to life as part of the Vivint smart home ecosystem. Imagine coming home and entering the key code, and the moment the deadbolt turns, your Vivint alarm system disarms, your thermostat switches to your preferred temps, your living room lights turn on, and your window blinds open. What kind of sorcery is that? That right there is Vivint’s smart home chops. Needless to say, the Kwikset 888 SmartCode is a solid product, but it’s 10x better when integrated with Vivint.
FYI: If you really want to take Vivint’s smart lock to the limits, then you’ll want to get other Z-Wave compatible smart devices. Vivint sells some of the most sophisticated (yet easy to use) equipment we’ve seen, like their Outdoor Camera Pro, smart garage door controller, the smart Element Thermostat, and Philips Hue smart lighting. Expect to pay between $100 and $500 for smart home products, depending on the items you choose.
Vivint Smart Locks Features
Smartphone Controls
After using Vivint for a solid month, we really have to commend the company on their mobile app. Sure, their systems come with the Smart Hub touchscreen panel (which is also pretty slick), but the app is where we spent most of our time controlling the Vivint system and smart lock. You’ll notice at the bottom of your mobile app dashboard a little icon that says “Front Door” with a lock/unlock toggle. This gives you one-touch locking and unlocking — whether you’re at your office or halfway across the world on vacation.
Armed with a Vivint lock, this means you can let people in your home at the last second. This came in handy when our friends from out of town rolled in unexpectedly while we’re out to get some groceries last winter. We just opened the app and hit “unlock” so they can come stay warm inside while waiting for us. We also issued them a digital key code. Anyway, here’s a quick look at Vivint’s dashboard.
The Vivint Smart Home app’s thoughtful design made navigating to our smart lock access quick and easy.
Vivint also sends instant mobile alerts whenever someone comes in or out. These may be helpful in certain cases, but honestly, we ended up disabling these notifications because it was always just family coming and going. That said, if you batten down the hatches and leave town on vacation, it’s probably wise to turn on your smart lock notifications.
Unique Access Codes
So, we gave our out-of-town friends unique access codes. As mentioned earlier, the Kwikset 88 supports up to 30 of these codes, so there’s no problem even if plenty of people come and go. You can even use this if you’re running a vacation home rental – we should know because we tested and have confirmed that Vivint is one of the best security systems for vacation homes.
The only thing is, if you’re creating codes for guests, make sure you delete the ones that are not in use anymore. As best practice, take back their access after they leave. You wouldn’t want a guest taking home a copy of your house keys; it’s the same for Vivint’s virtual keys.
That said, if you really need a smart lock that gives you unlimited user key codes, try August. Vivint doesn’t offer this lock, but it’s Z-Wave compatible just like the Kwikset 888 is. You can (unofficially) pair the lock with your Vivint system and control its locking and unlocking function using the touch screen keypad from Vivint or the Vivint app. Any other function, though, will have to be done through the August app, including issuing user codes.
Pro Tip: When picking a smart lock, look at encryption. Smart locks, like any internet-connected smart devices, are not hack-proof. Look for devices that use at least 128-bit AES (bank-grade) encryption. Also, don’t rely on just a four-digit key code. The Kwikset 888 from Vivint let us set key codes up to five digits long.
Access Logs
Within the app, you’ll also find an Access Log that keeps a record of who’s coming and going. We found this to be helpful — but we think you’ll really love this feature if you have service workers, like dog-walkers, stopping by. Wondering why Sparky keeps wetting the doggy-bed? Check the app and you just might find that your dog walker isn’t as reliable as you thought. You can also check the activity log to see what time your teens are getting home from school and who’s sneaking out at night (kids these days). The Vivint smart lock tracks each access code and displays the activity timeline in the app.
Voice Control with Alexa & Google Home
We’ve used our Amazon Echo with Kwikset smart locks before, and we found this integration to work great for hands-free voice control. Just say, “Alexa, tell Vivint to lock my front door,” and voila! — you’re safe and secure. Vivint is compatible with Alexa and Google Home voice assistants, and we highly recommend setting up this skill.
Just note that Alexa or Google will not unlock your door to let you or anyone else in, even if you use the magic word. Why not? Well, could you imagine the security risk? A burglar could yell through your front door “Alexa, unlock my door,” and they’d have free rein. We would call that a dumb lock.
Pro Tip: You can set Vivint to sound the alarm after 3 failed attempts at the keypad. Now, you probably shouldn’t set this rule while family is in town, or while visitors are still trying to memorize their codes (can you say false alarms?). But we recommend enabling this extra layer of security when you have no visitors and business is usual on the homefront.
Custom Actions
As mentioned, Vivint and Kwikset operate on the Z-Wave platform, which means you can integrate all sorts of devices into your smart home ecosystem and have them communicate on the same wave-length, if you will. But to really automate your home, you’ll need to get acquainted with Vivint’s Custom Actions. You’ll find this in the ‘Settings’ dropdown in the app, and it’s the reason Vivint is high up on our list of the smartest security systems.
Vivint App – Custom Actions
For instance, want to lower the temperature when you leave your home in the morning? Just set it as a Custom Action in the Vivint app. These custom actions, or rules, can get pretty granular. We were able to set our indoor camera to record whenever our front door unlocks; we set all cameras to record when our alarm sounds; and we even set our Kwikset smart lock to automatically lock when our house is armed in “Home” or “Away.” These custom rules allowed us to really tailor Vivint and its components to fit our daily routines.
You’ll find dozens of these custom actions in the app, which really helps to supercharge the Vivint smart lock experience. In fact, we can say that Vivint does customizations and smart home automations better than any home security brand on the market.
It’s understandable if you’re not into the whole smart home thing, but embracing it can be a real time and money saver. Consider that your home could be in a different state when you’re away, and it opens up all kinds of possibilities for energy saving, security and more.
Pro Tip: You’d think, because of how mainstream home automation has become, that custom actions are a common sight in home security systems. That’s not the case, though. Very few security systems offer custom, automated actions. One other example is ADT, which offers a unique feature that includes smart locks called Trusted Neighbor. Learn more about it in our hands-on ADT review.
Works with Vivint Doorbell Camera Pro
Vivint’s smart lock also integrates with the company’s Doorbell Camera Pro. We won’t get into all the features and tech of the video doorbell here (you can check out our hands-on Vivint doorbell review for that), but just know that these components work together to protect your entryway and watch over the castle.
One action you should definitely enable, though, is setting your smart lock to automatically lock when the doorbell camera detects a person. This will ensure that you and your family are safe and secure when it matters most.
Our Vivint doorbell notifies us of package deliveries, and we use those to know when to unlock the door to protect our packages from theft.
Of course, there are other things you can do with both a smart lock and smart doorbell from Vivint. For example, the Vivint doorbell can send you notifications whenever it sees packages being dropped off at your doorstep. If you take a hands-on approach to your home security, that means you can unlock your door and instruct the delivery personnel to leave your package inside – all from the Vivint app. The truth is, a smart lock and video doorbell combo can be powerful to fight against package theft.
Around the Clock Monitoring
Can you just buy a Vivint smart lock, set it up, and call it a day? Unfortunately, Vivint will only set you up with a Kwikset smart lock if you purchase their smart home security system and sign up for a 24/7 monitoring plan. If you want smart home support, you’ll have to get their mid-tier plan which runs $39.99 per month. And honestly, if you’re OK with paying $39.99 per month, we recommend bumping up to Vivint’s Smart Control plan for $49.99 per month. It’s just a few dollars more, but this premium plan offers video support.
Vivint Smart Lock Pricing
So… how much does a fancy smart lock even cost? Typically, we see prices range between $125 on the low end, and upwards of $300+ for high-end devices. Vivint’s Kwikset 880 SmartCode comes in at $179.99. We think it’s a fair price, but keep in mind that you’ll need to buy it as part of a home security system, along with entryway sensors, the Smart Hub, and probably a security camera or two. Have a look at Vivint’s latest prices here.
Compared to buying a standalone smart lock, the price of a Vivint home security package is much higher. But then again, Vivint has positioned itself as a premium option for people who have the means to invest in top-of-the-line products. Vivint, like most home security companies, also targets homeowners more than renters. However, if you currently rent, not to worry, we’ve found lots of great home security options for renters.
Bottom Line on Vivint Smart Locks
You can’t be everywhere at once. That’s the beauty of smart locks — they let you lock and unlock your door from virtually anywhere. And although you can get a standalone electronic door lock, we definitely recommend checking out Vivint and their mid-tier smart lock option, the Kwikset SmartCode 888.
It comes with plenty of native features, like one-touch lock/unlock, Unique Passcodes, and an in-app Activity Log. But once you integrate it into your Vivint smart home system, you’ll “unlock” custom features you never even knew were possible.
Is it the perfect smart lock? Not really. We’d like it if it didn’t come with strings attached (see our complete guide on Vivint contracts), and it would be nice if Vivint allowed us to install it on our own. With that said, is Vivint’s smart lock worth your time and money? We’ll answer that with an emphatic “Yes.”
FAQs
- Can I have Vivint install a third-party smart lock for me?
Vivint only installs products you bought from them, so the answer is “no.” However, if you have an existing smart lock that uses Z-Wave, you may be able to ask your Vivint technician to pair it with your Smart Hub.
- Are smart locks necessary?
Smart locks are not entirely necessary, but using one comes with unique perks. For example, not having to hide spares under a doormat improves your overall security even by just a little bit. It’s also easier to manage the coming and going of people if you have a smart lock. And of course, with custom actions, you can create automations that will improve your overall safety, security, and convenience.
- Does Vivint offer other smart locks?
Vivint partnered with Kwikset to offer Z-Wave-enabled Kwikset smart locks as a part of Vivint packages. You may be able to choose the model and finish, so be sure to mention to your Vivint sales consultant if you have a specific smart lock in mind.
- Do Vivint smart locks work on garage doors?
Vivint smart locks are designed to replace deadbolt locks on doors, so they don’t work on garage doors. However, Vivint offers smart garage door controllers that work similarly to smart locks – you can open or close your garage door remotely, create custom actions, and receive notifications when your garage is left open.
- How many smart locks do I need?
Most homes need only one smart lock for their front door, but getting a smart lock installed on back doors also makes sense. After all, back doors are also common entry points for burglars.
