Nuki debuts smart lock in U.S. market, promising seamless access and unmatched privacy for American homes

Nuki, the Austria-based leader in smart retrofit access solutions, has officially launched its award-winning smart lock in the United States. Following a successful rollout across European markets and recognition as a 2025 CES Innovation Awards® Honoree, the Nuki Smart Lock now targets American consumers seeking a keyless, secure, and privacy-centric home entry solution. The debut includes the latest generation of its flagship product, manufactured in Europe and featuring cutting-edge brushless motor technology, Matter protocol support, and comprehensive smart home integration.

This milestone marks Nuki’s first entry into the North American market, positioning it as a challenger to incumbent U.S. smart lock providers with a premium privacy-first design, retrofit convenience, and subscription-supported remote control for advanced use cases.

Why is Nuki entering the U.S. market now with its smart lock and how does it compare to existing home access solutions?

Nuki’s entry into the American market follows nearly a decade of leadership in Europe’s smart access segment, with over 800,000 users and a wide portfolio of smart home integrations. The company, headquartered in Graz, Austria, was founded in 2015 by brothers Martin and Jürgen Pansy and has built a reputation for retrofit-friendly design, consumer privacy, and rigorous security standards.

The launch comes at a time when smart home adoption is growing rapidly in the U.S., particularly among renters and short-term hosts. Analysts believe the timing aligns with increased demand for Matter-supported devices, rising privacy concerns over cloud-based locks, and growing interest in cross-platform interoperability across Apple Home, Google Home, Amazon Alexa, and Samsung SmartThings.

Unlike many existing smart lock brands, which often require cloud accounts and store personal data offsite, the Nuki Smart Lock stores user data locally and can be used without creating an account. Institutional sentiment suggests that privacy-conscious buyers—particularly among premium renters and Airbnb hosts—are actively seeking alternatives that do not compromise on security or data protection.

What smart home compatibility features does Nuki offer for Matter, voice assistants, and U.S. lock standards?

The newest generation of the Nuki Smart Lock is built on Matter standards, offering native interoperability with the latest wave of smart home platforms. Nuki was the first to offer an electronic door lock with Matter support in 2023 and brings this capability to its latest product for U.S. homes. In addition to Matter, the lock supports Apple Home, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and Samsung SmartThings.

Engineered for seamless compatibility with U.S. residential doors, the smart lock retrofits onto standard single-cylinder deadbolts in under 15 minutes. No drilling, wiring, or special tools are required, making it especially appealing to renters or short-term property hosts.

The hardware design includes a sleek stainless steel finish with a compact 2.2-inch diameter housing. Power efficiency is driven by a brushless motor—technology previously used primarily in electric vehicles—delivering silent operation and rapid locking/unlocking in under one second.

How does Nuki’s approach to user data protection and privacy set it apart in the American smart home market?

Nuki’s Smart Lock is built around a core privacy philosophy: user data should not be collected unnecessarily. Unlike traditional cloud-first models adopted by many U.S.-based smart lock vendors, the Austrian access innovator keeps all data local to the device unless explicitly authorized by the user. No account creation is required to use the product.

Communication between the app and the lock is protected with end-to-end encryption equivalent to that used in online banking. This makes it especially suitable for privacy-sensitive consumers, including professionals and digital nomads wary of surveillance or server-side data logging.

Analysts suggest this differentiated privacy model could appeal to a large segment of the U.S. market previously hesitant to adopt smart home technology due to security concerns. Nuki’s architecture—certified under ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 standards—also appeals to European expatriates and high-income renters accustomed to GDPR-level protections.

What purchase options and pricing tiers are available for American consumers, including accessories and subscriptions?

Nuki’s U.S. launch includes multiple purchasing options, starting with the base Smart Lock unit at $159 (MSRP). For users seeking biometric and code-based access options, the Smart Lock and Keypad 2 bundle is priced at $229. The Keypad 2 accessory—which includes fingerprint recognition—can also be purchased separately for $149, while the original keypad (code-only) retails at $89. Additional accessories such as the Nuki Door Sensor are available for $59.

The company has also introduced a Nuki Premium subscription plan priced at $5.90 per month. This tier provides real-time remote access, detailed activity logs, immediate product replacement for two years, and exclusive discounts for future releases. Of particular relevance to short-term rental operators, Nuki Premium includes integrations with major platforms such as Airbnb, Smoobu, and Lodgify.

To promote adoption, Nuki is offering a launch incentive: consumers who activate Nuki Premium by September 30, 2025, will receive free access for the lifetime of their device. Analysts see this as a strategic move to lock in early adopters and gain traction among rental-focused users.

What institutional sentiment and strategic opportunity does Nuki’s U.S. launch represent for the smart home category?

Nuki’s arrival in the U.S. is seen as part of a broader European innovation wave targeting American consumers with privacy-forward, design-led alternatives to legacy smart home products. Institutional observers expect Nuki to capitalize on unmet demand for secure, flexible access solutions that are platform-neutral and GDPR-aligned.

By leveraging its track record in Europe and avoiding the pitfalls of aggressive data harvesting, Nuki appeals to a growing demographic of security-conscious buyers. U.S. hosts operating on platforms like Airbnb are expected to show particular interest, as are tech-savvy urban renters looking for lock solutions that require minimal installation.

In the eyes of institutional investors and analysts, Nuki’s U.S. debut represents more than a product launch—it signals a new wave of decentralization in the smart home ecosystem, driven by privacy, interoperability, and user autonomy. If successful, this entry could lay the foundation for future verticals like smart intercoms, mailboxes, and shared office access systems.

What is the long-term outlook for Nuki’s growth in the American smart home access market?

Nuki’s long-term growth in the U.S. will likely depend on its ability to build brand visibility, secure retail and distribution partnerships, and scale its subscription-based ecosystem. The launch via Amazon allows initial reach, but wider penetration may depend on retail expansion, integration with homebuilder platforms, and partnerships with telecom or utility providers.

Industry experts predict that Nuki’s privacy-first architecture and modular design will make it a preferred option in both urban and suburban U.S. settings. The combination of high-end aesthetics, seamless installation, and interoperability with Matter gives the product a strategic edge.

Looking forward, Nuki is expected to explore additional product categories and expand its accessory portfolio. Analysts also anticipate further enhancements in automation, such as geofencing, energy management tie-ins, and support for enterprise-level building access systems. If current adoption trends hold, Nuki may establish itself as a top-tier player in the U.S. retrofit smart lock segment by 2026.