The best digital lock for an Airbnb is a WiFi-connected smart lock that links to your booking platform, so each guest gets a code that starts at check-in and expires at check-out. Look for remote access, an audit trail, a key override and emergency power. In Australia, the McGrath NX1 with a G5 gateway is the most common host setup.
Key handovers, lock boxes and late-night lockout calls are the three biggest headaches for short-stay hosts. A good smart lock removes all three. But not every digital lock suits an Airbnb, and the wrong one can leave a guest stuck on the doorstep at 11pm. This guide, from our locksmith team, covers what actually matters for hosts, which locks suit which doors, and how to set it up so it runs itself.
What to look for in an Airbnb lock
A lock for your own home only has to work for you. An Airbnb lock has to work for strangers, every time, without you being there. These are the features that matter.
| Feature | Why it matters for hosts |
|---|---|
| Remote access | Create, change and cancel codes from anywhere. Without WiFi, most locks only work from your phone when you are standing at the door. |
| Booking integration | Guest codes are created and expired automatically from confirmed bookings, so you never set a code by hand. |
| Time-limited codes | A code that only works during the stay, and a cleaner code that only works on changeover days. |
| Audit trail | A log of every entry, so you know when guests, cleaners and trades came and went. McGrath locks and the McGrath Key Safe both record a full audit trail in the app. |
| Works offline | PIN and fingerprint access keep working if the internet drops. |
| Battery warning and emergency power | An app alert well before the batteries die, plus a way to power the lock from outside if they do. |
| Key override | A mechanical key as the last resort. Keep one somewhere safe off site. |
| Where app data is stored | Guest codes and entry logs are personal information. Some brands host data in Australia, others offshore. |
Email a photo of your door and current lock. We will confirm the right model before you buy.
Which lock suits which door
The door decides the lock more than anything else. Timber, aluminium and fire-rated doors each need a different product.
| Your property | Best fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Standard timber front door | McGrath NX1 + G5 gateway | The most common host setup. Five ways to unlock, retrofit-friendly body, remote access through the gateway. |
| One door, no extra devices | McGrath NX6W | WiFi built into the lock, so no gateway is needed. |
| Apartment with a fire-rated door | McGrath Hamilton | Fire-rated up to 2 hours on approved door types when installed in an approved configuration, plus a DDA-compliant lever. |
| Narrow aluminium door | McGrath A210 or A231 | Slimline bodies of 43mm and 31mm for narrow stile aluminium doors. The A231 also suits sliding doors. |
| Keep the existing handle | McGrath Kedron or Yale Assure deadbolt | Adds a smart deadbolt above your current lever instead of replacing it. |
| Not ready to change the lock | McGrath Bluetooth Key Safe | Keeps your existing lock. Links with Airbnb for time-limited guest access, with an audit trail of every opening. |
| Storeroom or owner's cupboard | Mechanical code lock | No batteries or WiFi. Simple code access for areas guests should not enter. |
Most standard lever smart locks are designed for timber doors and will not fit narrow aluminium frames. This is the most common cause of digital lock returns, so check before you order.
Bluetooth, gateway or built-in WiFi?
This is the part most hosts get wrong. Many smart locks are Bluetooth only out of the box. Bluetooth works when your phone is near the door, which is fine for your own home but useless when you are across town and a guest's code is not working.
For an Airbnb you need the lock connected to the internet, which happens one of two ways:
- A gateway, a small WiFi bridge plugged in near the lock. McGrath's G5 gateway connects non-WiFi McGrath locks and one gateway can cover several locks within range.
- Built-in WiFi, such as the McGrath NX6W, which connects directly with no extra device.
Booking platform integrations and remote access both need one of these. If the internet drops, PIN, fingerprint, card and key access still work at the door; you just lose remote changes until it reconnects.
How to set it up for bookings
- Choose the lock for the door. Confirm the door material, thickness and backset before ordering, especially on aluminium or fire-rated doors.
- Install and connect. Fit the lock, then connect the gateway (or the NX6W) to WiFi close enough to the lock for a reliable signal.
- Link your booking platform. Connect Airbnb or your channel manager in the lock's app so guest codes are created automatically from confirmed bookings.
- Set check-in and check-out times. Codes activate and expire at these times, so match them to your listing.
- Add cleaner and trade codes. Schedule cleaner codes for changeover days and give one-off codes to trades.
- Test every method. Try a test booking, the PIN, the fingerprint, the app and the key before your first real guest.
- Plan for the worst. Keep a mechanical key off site, turn on low battery alerts, and put simple lock instructions in your house manual.
In Melbourne and on the Mornington Peninsula, our locksmiths can install the lock, connect the gateway and set up the booking integration for you. Book an installation.
Not ready to change the lock? Use a smart key safe
If you rent the property, the strata will not allow a new lock, or you simply want to keep your existing hardware, the McGrath Bluetooth Key Safe is the alternative. The key stays in a secure safe mounted by the door, and the safe itself does the smart part.
- Airbnb integration for time-limited guest access that matches each booking.
- Audit trail of every opening, the same as McGrath's smart locks.
- Five ways to open: fingerprint, PIN, RFID, Bluetooth and key override.
- Wall or shackle mounted, with a weather cover.
It is also useful for property managers holding several key sets, and for giving cleaners and trades access without handing over keys.
Apartments and strata
Before changing the lock on an apartment, check two things. First, your strata by-laws, as many schemes control what can go on the front door. Second, whether the door is fire-rated, usually shown by a tag on the door edge. A fire door needs a lock approved for that door type, such as the McGrath Hamilton installed in an approved configuration. If in doubt, send us a photo of the door and the tag.
Common questions
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