For pure security, Schlage wins. The Schlage B60N is ANSI Grade 1, has security pins, and doesn’t have a known bypass vulnerability. If you want the strongest deadbolt for the least money, stop reading and buy the Schlage.
For convenience, Kwikset SmartKey has a real argument. Re-keying your own lock in 15 seconds without a locksmith is a genuinely useful feature—for landlords, new homeowners, and anyone who’s ever lost a key. But that convenience comes with a security tradeoff you need to understand.
If you walk into any Home Depot or Lowe’s in North America, the deadbolt aisle is dominated by two brands: Schlage and Kwikset. Between them, they’re on more front doors than every other lock brand combined. Most homeowners grab whichever one matches their existing hardware or fits their budget, without thinking much about it.
That’s a mistake. The difference between these two brands—particularly between Schlage’s traditional deadbolts and Kwikset’s SmartKey line—is significant enough to matter. And as someone who’s spent time on both sides of these locks with picks in hand, I have strong opinions about which one belongs on your door.
The Matchup
We’re comparing the most popular deadbolt from each brand, because these are what 90% of buyers are choosing between:
Schlage B60N — ANSI Grade 1, standard pin tumbler with security pins, Schlage C keyway. Street price: $30-45. The workhorse.
Kwikset 980 SmartKey — ANSI Grade 2 (some models Grade 1), SmartKey re-key technology, Kwikset keyway. Street price: $25-40. For a deep dive on this specific lock, see our Kwikset SmartKey 980 review.
The SmartKey Elephant in the Room
We need to talk about this first because it’s the biggest single factor in this comparison.
Kwikset’s SmartKey technology lets you re-key the lock yourself in about 15 seconds. Insert the current key, turn it, insert the SmartKey tool (a small metal peg that comes with the lock), remove the old key, insert the new key, turn, done. The lock is now keyed to the new key. No locksmith. No taking the lock apart. It’s an incredibly clever piece of engineering, and for landlords or anyone who changes keys frequently, it’s a huge quality-of-life feature.
But SmartKey has a well-known vulnerability.
Now, some important context. The SmartKey bypass tool requires you to know the vulnerability exists and to have the tool on hand. A random burglar kicking doors is not carrying one. The realistic threat model for most residential break-ins is forced entry (kicking), not picking or bypassing. So the SmartKey vulnerability matters more if you’re concerned about targeted, non-destructive entry and less if you’re concerned about a random smash-and-grab.
But the fact remains: the vulnerability exists, it’s cheap to exploit, and the Schlage B60N doesn’t have an equivalent weakness.
Security Breakdown: Round by Round
| Category | Schlage B60N | Kwikset 980 SmartKey |
|---|---|---|
| ANSI Grade | Grade 1 (highest residential) | Grade 2 (some SKUs Grade 1) |
| Pick Resistance | Standard pin tumbler with spool security pins. Moderate difficulty—requires real skill. | Sidebar mechanism. Resistant to traditional picking but vulnerable to the SmartKey bypass tool. |
| Bump Resistance | Spool pins provide good bump resistance. | SmartKey is bump-resistant by design (no traditional pin stacks to bump), but sidebar bypass is easier than bumping anyway. |
| Kick Resistance | Grade 1: 150-lb force test, 10 strikes. | Grade 2: 75-lb force test, 5 strikes. (Grade 1 models match Schlage.) |
| Bolt Throw | 1 inch | 1 inch |
| Anti-Drill | Hardened steel anti-drill pin in plug | Some models include anti-drill protection, others don’t |
| Keyway | Schlage C (moderate pick difficulty, restricted blanks available) | Kwikset (simpler keyway, more accessible blanks) |
| Re-Key | Requires disassembly or locksmith | 15-second DIY re-key with SmartKey tool |
| Key Control | Standard (keys can be copied at any hardware store) | Standard (keys can be copied at any hardware store) |
| Price | ~$30-45 | ~$25-40 |
| Finish Options | Multiple (Satin Nickel, Aged Bronze, Matte Black, Bright Brass) | Multiple (Satin Nickel, Venetian Bronze, Polished Brass, Iron Black) |
A Lockpicker’s Honest Take
I’ve spent time on both of these locks. Here’s what I can tell you from hands-on experience.
Picking the Schlage B60N
The Schlage C keyway is moderately tight but workable with standard picks. The spool security pins are the real defense—they create a false set that makes single-pin picking significantly harder for beginners and adds time for experienced pickers. You’ll feel the counter-rotation when you hit a spool, and managing multiple spools requires patience and feedback reading. For a lock in this price range, the pick resistance is very good. Expect 3-10 minutes for an experienced picker depending on the specific bitting.
Picking the Kwikset 980 SmartKey
SmartKey is actually harder to pick traditionally than the Schlage. The sidebar mechanism means standard single-pin picking doesn’t work the same way. You can’t just lift pins to the shear line—you need to align the sidebar wafers, which is a different (and arguably harder) challenge.
But here’s the problem: you don’t need to pick it traditionally. The SmartKey bypass tool is specifically designed to force the sidebar. It’s not a general pick—it’s a purpose-made tool for this exact lock. Insert it, apply rotational tension, and the sidebar gives way. The whole process takes less time than it took you to read this paragraph.
That’s the fundamental difference. The Schlage requires skill to defeat. The SmartKey requires a tool. Skill takes time to develop. A tool costs $10 on the internet.
Beyond the Lock: What Actually Matters
Whether you choose Schlage or Kwikset, the truth is that neither lock is the weakest point of your door. Here’s what matters more:
Your strike plate. The strike plate is the metal plate in the door frame where the bolt enters. The cheap stamped strike plates that come with most locks are attached with 3/4-inch screws that go into the door frame only—not into the wall studs behind it. One solid kick snaps those screws out of the soft wood frame, and the door opens regardless of how good the lock is. Upgrading to a reinforced strike plate with 3-inch screws that reach the studs is the single most impactful security upgrade you can make. It costs under $15 and takes 10 minutes.
Your door itself. A hollow-core door will split before any lock fails. If your exterior door is hollow-core (common in apartments and some older homes), no deadbolt in the world will save you. Solid-core wood or steel exterior doors are the minimum standard for security.
Your door frame. The frame can split even with a reinforced strike plate if the wood is old, water-damaged, or rotted. Inspect your frame annually, especially in Canadian climates where freeze-thaw cycles can weaken the wood over time.
We cover all of this in detail in our Home Security Guide. The lock is one piece of a system. A great lock on a bad door is theater.
The Convenience Case for Kwikset
Having spent several paragraphs pointing out Kwikset’s weaknesses, it’s only fair to acknowledge where SmartKey genuinely shines.
Landlords and property managers. If you manage rental properties, SmartKey is transformative. Every time a tenant moves out, you re-key the lock in 15 seconds instead of calling a locksmith ($75-150 per visit) or replacing the lock entirely. Over multiple properties and multiple turnovers per year, SmartKey saves hundreds of dollars.
New homeowners. The first thing you should do when you move into a new home is re-key every exterior lock. You have no idea how many copies of the previous owner’s key are floating around. With SmartKey, you do this yourself on move-in day. With Schlage, you’re either learning to re-pin a lock or calling a locksmith.
Lost key situations. Someone loses a key and you’re worried about who might find it? Re-key in seconds. No cost, no locksmith wait time, no stress.
These are real, practical advantages. The question is whether that convenience is worth the security tradeoff. For many people—especially landlords and frequent re-keyers—the answer is honestly yes. For everyone else, the Schlage is the better lock for the money.
Our Recommendation
If you’re installing one deadbolt on your own front door and want the most security for your dollar: Schlage B60N. It’s ANSI Grade 1, has security pins, no known bypass vulnerability, and costs $30-45. Pair it with a reinforced strike plate and 3-inch screws, and you have a door that’s genuinely hard to get through without power tools.
If you’re a landlord, property manager, or someone who needs to re-key frequently: Kwikset 980 SmartKey. The convenience is real and the cost savings add up. Just understand what you’re accepting in terms of the bypass vulnerability, and consider pairing it with a security camera or alarm system that covers the slightly lower lock security.
If you want both convenience and top-tier security: consider the Schlage B60N with a smart lock retrofit on top. You get Grade 1 physical security plus smart features like auto-lock, guest access, and activity logging. It’s a two-purchase solution, but it avoids the compromises of either brand’s smart lock offerings.
Related Reading
For a closer look at the SmartKey system, see our full Kwikset SmartKey 980 review. Wondering how these stack up against smart locks? Read Deadbolt vs Smart Lock: A Real Security Test. And for the complete picture of how your lock fits into a broader security system, check our Home Security Guide and our Deep Cuts piece on how burglars actually choose which homes to target.