Choosing Between the 679L and 628W for Your Property
A Question Every Property Owner Eventually Asks
A question we hear constantly from property owners and managers is: “What’s the real difference between LocklyPro commercial locks and Lockly residential locks?”
To clarify that difference, we often compare two of our most widely deployed models: the LocklyPro PGD679L Guard Latch and the Lockly PGD628W Secure Pro.
Both deliver Lockly’s premium security foundation—our patented PIN Genie keypad, fingerprint recognition, offline access codes, and app-based control. But the environments they’re built for could not be more different. If you manage multifamily housing, student housing, short-term rentals, or commercial spaces, choosing the correct model will define your efficiency, compliance, and long-term ROI.
Commercial vs. Residential: Two Different Purposes
PGD679L — Built for Commercial Properties
The PGD679L is engineered for the realities of high-traffic, multi-user environments. It’s fully compliant with UL 10B and UL 10C fire-door safety standards, supports MIFARE RFID cards and fobs, and stores up to 999 RFID credentials—capacity essential for buildings with residents, onsite staff, maintenance teams, and rotating vendors.
It also integrates with LocklyOS, the cloud platform designed specifically for property management operations, offering portfolio-level visibility and real-time control.
PGD628W — Designed for Residential Homes
The PGD628W Secure Pro is tailored for single-family residential use. It supports essential smart lock features—PIN Genie, fingerprint recognition, Wi-Fi control—but is not built around commercial compliance requirements or large-scale credential management. It excels in settings where the number of users is small and turnover is limited.
Why Property Managers Choose the PGD679L
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Most multifamily, mixed-use, and commercial buildings require hardware that meets UL 10B and UL 10C fire-door standards. The PGD679L meets these requirements; the PGD628W does not. For many properties, this instantly determines which model can be installed legally and safely.
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This is the core difference.
The PGD679L offers MIFARE RFID card and fob access—an operational advantage that becomes essential in any property with frequent movement and multiple access roles. With a capacity of up to 999 RFID credentials, property teams can:
Issue cards instantly to new residents
Revoke access in seconds when someone moves out
Provide staff with secure, role-based credentials
Equip cleaning crews, vendors, and contractors with temporary cards
Enable offline access without relying on smartphones
The PGD628W does not support RFID.
This gap becomes much more visible as a property scales.This is the core difference.The PGD679L offers MIFARE RFID card and fob access—an operational advantage that becomes essential in any property with frequent movement and multiple access roles. With a capacity of up to 999 RFID credentials, property teams can:
Issue cards instantly to new residents
Revoke access in seconds when someone moves out
Provide staff with secure, role-based credentials
Equip cleaning crews, vendors, and contractors with temporary cards
Enable offline access without relying on smartphones
The PGD628W does not support RFID.
This gap becomes much more visible as a property scales. -
The PGD679L includes commercial-grade durability and testing, supporting consistent performance across hundreds of daily interactions. Its materials, fire rating, weather resistance, and hardware construction are engineered for long-term reliability in demanding environments.
The PGD628W is secure and reliable, but optimized for residential cycles, not continuous shared use.
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While both locks support app-based control, the PGD679L integrates seamlessly with LocklyOS, delivering operational advantages designed for property teams:
Multi-building and multi-unit oversight
Centralized access management
Role-based permissions
Resident and manager app ecosystem
Access auditing and remote installations
For property owners and managers, LocklyOS is where operational complexity turns into clarity.
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Both the 679L and 628W support PIN codes, fingerprints, offline access codes, and digital sharing methods like eKeys and eBadges.
The difference—and the advantage for commercial properties—is that the 679L adds RFID, creating a physical credential option that remains the most scalable, universal, and low-friction method for high-volume environments.
Where Each Model Works Best
Choose the PGD679L if you manage
Multifamily buildings
Student housing
STR units with frequent turnover
Offices or co-working spaces
Storage rooms and amenity spaces
Any door requiring UL 10B/10C compliance
Its durability, RFID support, compliance, and LocklyOS integration make it the natural choice for modern commercial operations.
Choose the PGD628W if you manage
Single-family rentals
Standalone residential units
Low-traffic spaces with limited users
It’s a strong residential lock, ideal where commercial requirements are unnecessary.
Final Takeaway: The Right Lock Depends on the Scale of Your Property
Both the PGD679L and PGD628W uphold Lockly’s commitment to secure, private, and beautifully designed smart access. But they serve fundamentally different needs.
If your property requires compliance, scalability, and professional-grade credential management, the PGD679L stands apart. Its RFID ecosystem, UL certifications, and LocklyOS compatibility create a future-proof foundation for multifamily and commercial growth.
If you’re outfitting a single residential home or low-traffic unit, the PGD628W offers the essential features and simplicity homeowners love.