Lockly Flex Touch Fingerprint Deadbolt

Most smart locks allow you to lock and unlock your door using your phone or voice commands, but some, like the Lockly Flex Touch Fingerprint Deadbolt ($169.99), also simply let you use your finger. This sleek Bluetooth-enabled deadbolt lets you register up to 99 fingerprints and create eBadges with permanent, temporary, and schedule-based access privileges. It’s easy to install and worked reliably in testing, but you have to purchase the optional Wi-Fi hub ($79.99) if you want to control the lock remotely or with your voice. And for that amount, our top pick is the $249 Ultraloq U-Bolt Pro Wi-Fi, which offers a fingerprint scanner and a keypad, Wi-Fi connectivity, voice controls, and lots of third-party integrations without the need for additional hardware. 

Bluetooth Only Without a Hub

The Flex Touch is a complete deadbolt system that replaces your current hardware. It comes with exterior and interior escutcheons; a mounting plate; a deadbolt latch and strike hardware; two keys; mounting screws; and a setup guide. It fits doors that are between 1-3/8 to 2 inches thick and uses a standard 2-1/8-inch diameter hole. Four AA batteries power the lock, but you have to supply your own.

The round exterior escutcheon measures 3.6 by 2.6 inches (HW) and sports a stylish satin nickel finish. Below the traditional keyway cylinder is a backlit, 3D-biometric fingerprint reader that glows green after a successful fingerprint scan and red after an unsuccessful scan (typically because of an unregistered print). You can configure access for up to 99 unique fingerprints.

The interior escutcheon measures 7.4 by 3.1 by 1.5 inches (HWD) and has a satin nickel and black finish. It features a thumb-turn knob for manual locking and unlocking; a speaker for system sounds; and a sliding cover for the battery compartment. Programming and reset buttons sit inside that compartment.

The Flex Touch houses only a Bluetooth radio, so you have to be within Bluetooth range to control the lock with your phone. For remote access, you need to purchase the aforementioned Link Wi-Fi Hub. The hub also enables support for Alexa and Google Assistant voice commands, and integrations with a handful of other smart home devices through those services. However, even with the hub, the lock doesn't work with the Apple HomeKit or IFTTT platforms.

In addition to registering fingerprints, you can create eBadges to allow access to the lock. An eBadge is a unique access code that you can issue to another user for permanent access or for a specific period of time. The user must download the free Lockly app and enter the code to gain access to the lock via the app. As the administrator, you can edit or revoke access to an eBadge at any time.

App Options

The Lockly mobile app (available for Android and iOS) opens to a My Property screen that displays all of your Lockly devices by name. Tap a lock to open a Control screen with a round icon that appears blue when the door is locked or red when it isn't. Simply press the icon to lock or unlock the door. A battery level indicator is at the top of the screen, while the local time and date appear just below the lock icon.

At the very bottom of the screen are Control, Log, Access, and Settings buttons. Use the Control button to return to the main screen from wherever you are in the app. The Log button enables you to view lock activities with time stamps and the method of operation (manual, mobile device, or fingerprint). The Access button lets you create eBadges and register fingerprints, plus displays a full list of users who have access via either method. Finally, tap the Settings button to toggle system audio (sounds and beeps) and update the firmware. Here, you can also configure Auto-Lock settings to automatically engage the lock after a set amount of time, enable the Welcome Mode that temporarily disables locking via the app, and turn on the Rain Mode that disables the fingerprint sensor for 30 minutes when the lock detects water.

Simple Setup and Solid Performace

The Flex Touch lock is easy to install. I downloaded the app, created an account, verified my email address, and created a password. Next, I got a choice to follow the step-by-step installation instructions or proceed to the Add New Device screen; I chose the former.

To start, I removed all of my existing hardware from the door and installed the deadbolt latch and strike assembly. I then installed the exterior escutcheon in the door hole, slid the data cable through it, and attached the exterior escutcheon to the mounting plate with the included screws. After that I attached the data cable to the interior escutcheon and secured it to the mounting plate, then pressed the program button as I installed the fourth battery and waited for the lock to beep, at which point it performed a quick diagnostic test.

After the physical setup, I tapped Add New Device in the app and selected the Flex Touch from the list. I pressed Get Started, selected the lock from the list of available Bluetooth devices, and entered the Initial Code from the lock's packaging. At this point, you can register the lock.

Lockly didn't send a Wi-Fi hub for testing, so I wasn't able to test the voice control capabilities or remote access features. Nonetheless, in Bluetooth mode, the lock responded instantly to fingerprint scans and app commands to lock and unlock the door, and followed my eBadge schedules without issue. The biometric scanner never failed to register a fingerprint, and the Auto-Lock feature worked without a hitch. I also appreciate that the lock motor is relatively quiet. 

A Fine Fingerprint Lock

With the Lockly Flex Touch Fingerprint Deadbolt, all you need is a tap of your finger to lock and unlock your door. It pairs with a mobile companion app via Bluetooth that enables you to create eBadges for permanent and temporary access, as well as register fingerprints. But while the lock costs $169.99 on its own, you need to purchase a $79.99 Wi-Fi hub to use voice commands or control it remotely. That brings the price of the system in line with our Editors' Choice winner, the Ultraloq U-Bolt Pro Wi-Fi. The U-Bolt model offers built-in Wi-Fi, a fingerprint scanner, voice control capabilities, a keypad, and support for more third-party integrations, making it a better buy.