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Best Smart Lock for a Door with a Security Chain and Spyhole
A door fitted with a security chain and a spyhole is a door that already takes security seriously — and upgrading it to keyless entry needs a lock that keeps that protection intact while adding smart access. The five picks below cover the realistic options: deadbolts with built-in cameras, a lock with its own interior video screen, a handle-style keypad lock for lighter doors, and a reinforced chain for buyers who want to keep the chain and add smart access around it. Renters and chain-dependent households should start with the overview, then read the full reviews for the fit that matches the door.
Overview of the Picks
| Product | Key Spec | Best Use | Price Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Pack Door Chain Lock Black | Thickened chain, 12 screws | Keeping the chain, adding hardware | Budget |
| myQ Secure View 3-in-1 Smart Lock | 2K HDR doorbell camera, face access | Front door with camera and app control | Premium |
| eufy FamiLock S3 Max | BHMA Grade 1, internal video screen | High-traffic front doors, screen-first viewers | Premium |
| myQ Secure View + Extra Battery | 2K HDR camera, spare battery | Extended runtime, camera-first entry | Premium |
| Philips Upgraded Wi-Fi Smart Lock with Handle | Fingerprint unlock, lever handle | Bedrooms, offices, interior doors | Mid-range |
The two myQ units are the same camera-first design, so the choice between them comes down to whether a spare battery is worth the extra outlay. The eufy FamiLock is the heavy-duty pick, and its interior screen solves the spyhole problem by putting the camera view where the spyhole used to be. The Philips handle lock is the most flexible fit for doors that do not need deadbolt-grade hardware.
2 Pack Door Chain Lock Black
Type: Internal door chain lock
Chain: Thickened
Pack size: 2
Included hardware: 12 screws
Intended use: Inside doors
This is not a smart lock, and that is the point. Buyers with a chain-and-spyhole door who want to keep the chain often need a fresh, reinforced chain rather than a replacement — the existing one may be flimsy, rusted, or missing screws after years of use. The thickened chain and the twelve included screws make this a straightforward refresh, and the two-pack covers a front and back door in one purchase.
The black finish suits most interior door colors and the screw count means both units can be mounted without a trip to the hardware store. The pick suits renters and owners who plan to add a separate smart deadbolt above the chain, or who simply want to restore the chain’s holding power before adding electronics.
Trade-off: A chain only secures the door while someone is home to use it, so it adds nothing to remote or keyless entry on its own.
myQ Secure View 3-in-1 Smart Lock
Type: Smart deadbolt with built-in camera
Camera: 2K HDR video doorbell
Access methods: Face, fingerprint, PIN, app
Night vision: Color
Audio: Two-way
The Secure View replaces the deadbolt and the doorbell camera in one unit, which matters on a spyhole door: the camera sits at the lock rather than at eye level, so it sees the visitor before the door opens. Face and fingerprint access remove the key entirely, and the 2K HDR sensor with color night vision keeps the porch visible after dark. Two-way audio lets the homeowner talk to a delivery driver without touching the chain.
This is the pick for a main entrance where the household wants camera coverage and keyless entry from one device, and the app control covers remote locking for anyone who forgets. The catch is that a camera-equipped lock needs charging or battery management, and a door that already carries a chain and spyhole hardware has little room for error in the mounting position.
Trade-off: The camera and app features put this at the top of the price range, and the electronics add a maintenance routine a plain deadbolt never needed.
eufy Security Video Smart Lock FamiLock S3 Max
Type: Keyless entry deadbolt with camera
Security rating: BHMA Grade 1
Camera: 2K HD doorbell
Storage: 16GB built-in
Extra access: Palm vein recognition
Display: Internal video screen
The FamiLock solves the spyhole problem directly: the internal video screen shows who is at the door, so the spyhole becomes redundant and the chain can stay in place for when the door actually opens. The BHMA Grade 1 rating is the highest durability class in the name, which suits a front door that gets heavy daily use. Palm vein recognition is a contactless alternative to fingerprints, useful for anyone whose fingers are wet, cold, or worn from manual work.
The 16GB of built-in storage keeps footage on the device rather than in a subscription cloud, which is a real advantage for buyers who dislike recurring fees. This is the pick for a busy family entrance where the door is used constantly and someone inside wants a clear view before releasing the chain.
Trade-off: Grade 1 hardware and a built-in screen make this a bulky, premium installation, and the interior screen needs a power source near the door.
myQ Secure View 3-in-1 Smart Lock Deadbolt + Extra Battery
Type: Smart deadbolt with built-in camera
Camera: 2K HDR doorbell
Access methods: Face, fingerprint, PIN, app
Night vision: Color
Audio: Two-way
Included: Extra battery
This is the same Secure View platform as the pick above, bundled with a spare battery. The extra cell means one battery can charge while the other runs the lock, so camera coverage and keyless entry never go dark during a swap. All the access methods carry over — face, fingerprint, PIN, and app — along with color night vision and two-way audio.
The bundle suits a household that relies on the camera daily and does not want a gap in coverage, and it is the sensible choice for a door where the lock is the only camera on the entrance. Buyers who already own a video doorbell may find the duplicate camera unnecessary.
Trade-off: The spare battery adds cost to an already premium lock, and the battery swap routine still exists — it is just less disruptive.
Philips Upgraded Wi-Fi Smart Lock with Handle
Type: Smart lock with lever handle
Access methods: Fingerprint, keypad, app
Connectivity: Wi-Fi
Features: Auto-lock, remote control
Intended use: Bedrooms, office, front door
The Philips unit combines a keypad deadbolt with a lever handle, which makes it the easiest swap on a door that currently has a handle-and-lock combination rather than a separate deadbolt. Fingerprint unlock and the keypad cover everyday entry, Wi-Fi adds app control and remote locking, and auto-lock re-secures the door after it closes. The lever design is friendlier for children and older users than a bare thumbturn.
This is the pick for interior doors — bedrooms, offices, a converted garage — and for front doors where the chain and spyhole stay in place and the smart lock handles the keyless part. It is the least expensive route to fingerprint entry among the five.
Trade-off: A handle-style lock offers less physical reinforcement than a Grade 1 deadbolt, so it suits lower-traffic doors better than a main entrance under heavy use.
Before You Buy
- Compatibility: A smart deadbolt replaces the existing deadbolt, so the door needs a standard deadbolt bore; a chain and spyhole above it can usually stay.
- Door thickness and backset: Measure the door before ordering — deadbolt replacements are sized to common door thicknesses, and a poor fit means a return.
- Power source: Camera locks run on batteries and need a charging routine; models with an internal screen need power near the door.
- Spyhole overlap: A lock with a built-in camera or interior screen makes the spyhole redundant, but check that the new hardware does not block the existing spyhole tube.
- Chain clearance: Keep the chain mounted clear of the new lock’s interior body so the door can still open on the chain.
- Included accessories: Confirm the box contains mounting screws, batteries, and any required adapters — the chain pick includes twelve screws, but smart locks vary.
- Rental rules: Renters should confirm the landlord allows a deadbolt swap, or choose the chain refresh and a renter-friendly smart add-on instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
Can a smart lock be fitted on a door that already has a security chain?
Yes, in most cases. The chain mounts to the door face and frame, while the smart lock replaces the deadbolt, so the two can coexist if the interior lock body does not crowd the chain. -
Does a smart lock make the spyhole obsolete?
A lock with a built-in camera and an internal screen does the spyhole’s job better, since the view is recorded and visible in low light. Doors without a screen still benefit from keeping the spyhole as a backup. -
Which pick suits a rental property?
The chain two-pack is the least invasive option, and the Philips handle lock is the easiest smart upgrade to reverse at the end of a tenancy. -
Do camera smart locks need a subscription?
Not necessarily. The eufy FamiLock stores footage on 16GB of built-in storage, while app-based camera locks may offer cloud features as an optional extra. -
Is a Grade 1 deadbolt worth the extra cost?
For a main entrance under daily use, yes — Grade 1 hardware is built for heavier duty cycles than standard residential locks. -
Can the chain still be used once a smart lock is installed?
Yes. The chain is independent hardware, and keeping it gives an added layer of protection whenever someone is home to use it.
Bottom Line
For a door with a security chain and spyhole, the eufy Security Video Smart Lock FamiLock S3 Max is the strongest single upgrade: its internal video screen replaces the spyhole, its BHMA Grade 1 build handles a busy front door, and palm vein recognition rounds out keyless entry. Buyers who want the chain to stay exactly where it is should pair it with the budget chain two-pack, while the Philips handle lock covers interior doors at a lower cost.
