SwitchBot Lock vs Yale Linus vs Nuki Smart Door Lock – SwitchBot comes to the UK but can only use a thumb turn deadbolt locks

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I have covered and reviewed quite a few smart door locks now. I personally use the Yale Linus on my front door, the Ultion Smart Lock on my back door, and the We.lock Smart Lock on my garage/gym door.

I have also previously reviewed the Bold Smart Lock (replaced by the We.lock) and the Nuki Smart Lock 2.0 (replaced by the Ultion).

I love both Yale and the Ultion, and they both achieve exactly what I wanted from a smart lock. Importantly, providing both smart locking features while also giving you the reassurance of a physical key as a backup.

In our house, you’d think I’d be the one using the smart features, but I still use the key as I find it is quicker than getting my phone out, unlocking it, waiting for the lock to connect, and then waiting for the smart lock to unlock. But I do love the option of being able to go out without the key. In particular, I will always do this when I go out for a run or to the pub, which are both scenarios where I am likely to lose my key.

My partner has gone all in with the smart features, and it also means I never lock her out at night by leaving the key in the door and going to bed (which I did semi-frequently).

SwitchBot is now planning to bring its smart lock to the UK, and it has the potential to shake things up a little thanks to the attractive pricing and what appears to be a very simple installation.

However, there is a big limitation of this only officially supporting thumb turn locks. This will severely impact the number of users this will work with within the UK.

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SwitchBot Lock vs Yale Linus vs Nuki Lock Compatibility

Depending on where you live and if you own the home, one easy solution to some lock compatibility issues is to change the lock. It is very easy to change a cylinder lock, and Yale even has a special cylinder designed just for the Linus.

SwitchBot Lock

I am waiting on confirmation about the below for the UK, but this is from the US website:

Thumblock only and confirmed to work with the following brands:
- Kwikset
- Schlage
- Baldwin
- Emtek
- Omnia

There are no limitations on the number of turns required to lock/unlock the door, so I am not sure why there can’t be an adaptor made to fit internal keys (like most UK doors have). If you are determined to use this lock, I bet you could also DIY a solution.

I have also been told that they promise to provide 3D-printed accessories to users for more compatibility.

One compatibility issue will be how this mounts to the door, it may not be compatible with a lot of UPVC doors, which I discuss below.

Yale Linus Lock Compatibility

Euro Profile/DIN Cylinder Locks
Scandinavian Style Lock

Nuki Smart Lock 3.0 Compatibility

Euro Profile Cylinder with emergency and warning function
Swiss Round Profile Cylinder with priority function
Knob Cylinder
Oval UK cylinder with emergency function

Door handle: Knob outside, bar handle outside

SwitchBot Lock vs Yale Linus vs Nuki Smart Lock Design & Installation

All three locks work on the same basic principle. They all work with existing hardware acting more like a smart key/knob turner.

One of the issues I faced with the Nuki 2.0 was that many UK locks have an internal handle with a bar that runs up the door covering the cylinder. This means you are mounting the lock on the thin strip of metal rather than the doorframe itself. On the Nuki 2.0 I had to use a DIY solution to fill out the gap between the backplate and door.

It looks like the Nuki Smart Lock 3.0 has overcome this issue by using a back plate which has securing screws which clamp it around the lock itself.

The Yale Linus has a metal back plate and also has clamping screws similar to the Nuki 3.0, and I can confirm that these have stayed secure on my door handle for over a year.

SwitchBot Lock is clearly the easiest as it just uses 3M tape to stick to your door. I expect this will be a bit of an ugly solution with a big bulky device. Depending on the design of your door and handle, this could potentially experience the same issues as above. You will need the lock mounted on the door itself. If you have a handle with a protruding metal stem (like most UPVC doors), it could potentially get in the way. It is possible you can install this upside down to get it to work that way.

People that have a flush door frame with just a handle and the key/thumb turn coming directly out of the door will have no problems with mounting any of the locks.

SwitchBot Lock vs Yale Linus vs Nuki Smart Battery

The SwitchBot Lock claims the batteries should last 6 months.

The Yale uses 4 AA batteries, and these should last 6-9 months based on normal usage. I have changed the batteries once since 25th January 2021, but I would say our usage is well below normal.

For the Nuki 3.0, the standard model uses 4 AA batteries, while the Pro model uses a rechargeable NiMH 2,500 mAh battery. The standard model should last 4 months with 8 lock processes per day, while the Pro model should go for 6 months.

SwitchBot Lock vs Yale Linus vs Nuki Smart Security

For SwitchBot, they state that they use AES-128 bank-grade security.

For Yale, they state:

Your security is our business. The Yale Access App is protected by 2-factor authentication, meaning that users will be required to verify their identity with either an email or phone number. The Linus Smart Lock uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology encryption, along with AES 128 bit and TLS encryptions. If you ever lose your phone, you can disable your Yale Access App and all virtual keys at any time.

Nuki Smart Lock 3.0 states end-to-End-Encryption with Challenge-Response and has a detailed post on security.