Schlage Encode Plus vs Encode vs Arrive: Which Fits?

How we compared: This buying guide uses current Schlage product and support documentation plus exact Amazon listings checked September 10, 2026. We haven’t installed or tested these locks ourselves. The verdicts describe feature fit, not a measured security ranking.

Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Honey Be Honest may earn a commission when you buy through these links, at no extra cost to you.

The Schlage Encode Plus vs Schlage Encode vs Schlage Arrive choice starts with how you want to get through the door. Tap your watch? Enter a code on a touchscreen? Press actual buttons? All three offer built-in Wi-Fi and management through the Schlage Home app, so remote access alone doesn’t settle it.

A smart lock should make coming home easier. It should not require a family meeting every time somebody forgets which app to open. Start with the entry method your household will actually use, then check the door measurements.

What changes between these three smart locks?

Model	Reason to choose it	Main trade-off
Schlage Encode Plus	Apple home keys plus touchscreen codes	Apple Home sharing and remote features can require a home hub
Schlage Encode	Touchscreen and up to 100 access codes	No Apple HomeKit upgrade path
Schlage Arrive	Backlit physical buttons and up to 250 codes	Doesn’t provide Encode Plus’s Apple home-key feature

Schlage Encode Plus: Amazing for the Apple household

Compared variant: Century trim, Matte Black, BE499WBCEN622.

Encode Plus is the clearest upgrade when tapping your iPhone or Apple Watch at the door sounds useful every day. Apple home keys use NFC, so this is a deliberate tap near the touchscreen. Don’t confuse that with a promise that the door opens whenever you walk toward it.

Imagine arriving with grocery bags and a watch already on your wrist. That is a much stronger reason to buy this lock than the word “Plus.” The touchscreen also gives household members another entry method, and Schlage lists up to 100 access codes through its app.

The setup deserves attention. Schlage recommends pairing through its own app first, then adding Apple Home. Its Apple Home setup guide explains that sharing tap-to-unlock access, Apple Home automations and remote control through Apple Home require an appropriate home hub. Budget for that if you don’t already have one.

If your household uses Android phones and mainly wants codes, this particular upgrade loses much of its appeal. Compare the other two before paying for Apple features you won’t use.

Shop the pictured model: View Encode Plus Century in Matte Black on Amazon.

Schlage Encode: Good for straightforward touchscreen access

Compared variant: Century trim, Satin Nickel, BE489WBCEN619.

The standard Encode gives you a touchscreen, built-in Wi-Fi and remote lock management in the Schlage Home app. Schlage lists up to 100 access codes, activity history and notifications. That covers the everyday question: can I manage who gets in without handing out another physical key?

It makes sense if you like the touchscreen style and want app management without building your decision around Apple Home. Check the current price beside Arrive, though. Remote control is available on both, so the touchscreen needs to be worth the difference to you.

Here’s the detail I would not gloss over: Schlage says the standard Encode cannot be upgraded to support HomeKit. Its Encode compatibility note directs buyers who want that integration to Encode Plus. Buying the wrong model now and hoping an app update will fix it is an expensive little gamble.

Shop the pictured model: View Encode Century in Satin Nickel on Amazon.

Schlage Arrive: Mid on extras, useful physical buttons

Compared variant: Remsen trim, Matte Black, BE459WBRMN622. The photo shows the installed deadbolt; the separate lever below it is not part of this listing.

Arrive deserves more consideration than its position in the lineup might suggest. It uses backlit silicone buttons and supports up to 250 access codes in Schlage Home. Someone who prefers pressing a real button may like this interface better than either touchscreen.

I’m calling it Mid for phone-as-key extras, not for the strength of the lock. For a household that wants a familiar keypad plus remote management, Arrive may be the more sensible purchase. Its code capacity is also higher than the 100-code limit Schlage lists for the two Encode models.

The reason to move up is wanting a touchscreen or, specifically with Encode Plus, Apple home keys. More codes won’t make your own daily entry easier if the feature you really wanted was tapping your watch.

Listing check: Amazon’s headline used “Camelot” when we checked, while the model number, style field and product photo identified Remsen. Confirm BE459WBRMN622, Remsen, Matte Black before checkout. View the Arrive Remsen model on Amazon.

Will these Schlage locks fit your door?

Measure before you choose a finish. Schlage lists door thicknesses of 1⅜–1¾ inches for Encode and Encode Plus, and 1⅜–2 inches for Arrive. All three list 2⅜- or 2¾-inch backsets—the distance from the door’s edge to the center of the lock hole.

Thickness and backset are a starting point, not the entire installation checklist. Compare your existing holes and hardware with the exact model’s installation guide. A sticking door or a bolt that drags against the frame needs attention too; adding a motor does not straighten the door.

Does “no hub needed” cover Apple Home too?

For remote management through Schlage Home, these locks use built-in Wi-Fi and don’t require a separate Schlage bridge. Apple Home is a separate setup. With Encode Plus, a compatible Apple home hub is needed for features such as shared home-key access, Apple Home automations and remote control through Apple Home.

That distinction matters when comparing total cost. A household already using a suitable HomePod or Apple TV starts in a different place from one buying its first Apple Home accessory.

What about batteries and Wi-Fi outages?

All three use four AA batteries and include a physical backup key, according to Schlage. Keep track of low-battery alerts and have a way to reach that key. A key locked inside the house is not much of a backup.

A broadband outage and dead lock batteries are different problems. Local access can remain available during an internet outage, while remote management depends on a working connection. Schlage confirms that previously set-up home keys on Encode Plus use NFC rather than Wi-Fi.

Set up guest access before a trip, verify it at the door and arrange a backup entry method. If the connection fails while you’re away, you may not be able to make the remote changes you planned. A little preparation is more useful than discovering that limitation with somebody standing on the porch.

Planning the rest of the entryway? Our Blink versus Ring doorbell comparison covers the camera side of the decision.

Sources and photo credits

Current specifications: Encode Plus Century, Encode Century and Arrive Remsen. Home-key outage guidance. Press photos supplied by Schlage through PR Newswire: Encode Plus, Encode and Arrive. Older launch photos identify the hardware; feature claims above use current documentation.

Love, Honey