Best Biometric Gun Safe 2026 – 6 Fingerprint Picks and a Recall Check

Our picks for the best biometric gun safe

The best biometric gun safe for most people is the Vaultek DS2i for a nightstand, the Vaultek LifePod 20 for the car, and the Barska rifle cabinet for long guns. The budget picks from BILLCONCH, ONNAIS and awesafe open just as fast, but they are thin boxes that keep children out rather than stop a thief.

Every fingerprint safe below has at least one backup entry method, and every one of them has owners who report the reader missing a finger now and then. That is why we rank backup entry and power almost as high as the fingerprint reader itself.

Vaultek DS2i Smart Station: Best overall

3.3Best Safe Spec Score out of 5

• Security (lock and build)6/10
• Access (speed and ease)9/10
• Capacity5/10
• Value6/10

Access scores highest for plug-in power plus three backups; security is held back by 18-gauge steel and a small, liftable body unless it is bolted down.

How we score

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What we like

• Runs on the included AC adapter, with two AAA batteries as short-term backup in an outage
• Fingerprint, keypad, key and Bluetooth app entry
• Drawer fits a full-size pistol up to 9 inches long, per the maker

What we don't like

• Owners report the reader sometimes needs a second try
• 18-gauge steel and a 9.6 lb body: it needs bolting down to resist theft

What owners and reviewers say from 3 reviews and posts we read

Praised for

• Works well once fingers are enrolled carefully
• Vaultek customer service gets frequent praise

Common complaints

• Fingerprint reader inconsistent at times, needing a second try
• Some owners report setup instructions or Wi-Fi/charging problems

Read on: Vaultek Safe reviews on Trustpilot · Vaultek DS2i support page

Who it's for: Bedside storage for one full-size handgun with the most backup options here; it is a quick-access safe in 18-gauge steel, not a burglary safe, and it needs an outlet nearby.

Vaultek built this slider-drawer safe to sit on a nightstand and run on the included AC adapter, with two AAA batteries for short-term backup during an outage, according to the DS2i support page. That design removes the most common biometric failure, a flat battery, from your daily worries. Entry is by fingerprint (up to 20 prints on the Bluetooth model), keypad, key or phone app, and the drawer takes a full-size pistol up to 9 inches long per Vaultek.

The shell is 18-gauge progressive-formed steel, per Vaultek’s own DS2i vs DS5i comparison, and the whole unit weighs 9.6 lb. That makes it a quick-access safe, not a burglary safe: use the mounting points and bolt it to furniture. On Trustpilot, owners mostly praise the scanner once enrolled and Vaultek’s support, while a recurring complaint is that the reader sometimes needs a second try. Owners also mention setup instructions that did not match their unit.

Vaultek LifePod 20 Biometric: Best for car and travel

2.7Best Safe Spec Score out of 5

• Security (lock and build)4/10
• Access (speed and ease)7/10
• Capacity4/10
• Value7/10

Good backups and the longest battery life here; security is limited because it is a polymer case held by a cable.

How we score

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What we like

• Maker says it is water resistant, airtight and dustproof, and it floats
• 9V battery rated for up to a year, plus a micro-USB backup port and two keys
• Light at 3.3 lb and TSA compliant for checked luggage

What we don't like

• Polymer case, not steel: security depends on the cable and where it is anchored
• Too thin for a bedside safe that must resist a determined pry

What owners and reviewers say from 2 reviews and posts we read

Praised for

• Keypad and fingerprint programming is easy
• Biometric lock is handy for travel and the car

Common complaints

• One detailed owner found the reader works, but not every time

Read on: Vaultek LifePod 20 Biometric owner reviews at Safe and Vault Store · Vaultek Safe reviews on Trustpilot

Who it's for: Travel and vehicle storage for one handgun up to about 9.25 inches long; it is a polymer case tethered by a cable, so it slows a thief rather than stopping one.

For a pistol that rides in a vehicle or a range bag, this water-resistant case is the most practical fingerprint option we found. Vaultek says the case is water resistant, airtight and dustproof and that it floats; no IP code is published, so treat that as the maker’s claim. It runs on a 9V battery rated for up to a year, hides a micro-USB port behind the keyhole cover for emergency power, and ships with two keys, per retailer listings.

At 3.3 lb with a 9.625 x 7.25 x 2.125 inch interior, it holds a handgun up to about 9.25 inches long. It is a polymer case, so the included steel security cable does the anti-theft work: loop it around a seat bracket or bed frame. One detailed owner found the biometrics work but not every time and recommended enrolling the same finger several times, while another praised how easy the keypad and fingerprint were to program. You can check the current listing for the LifePod 20 biometric case.

BILLCONCH Biometric Gun Safe: Best budget bedside

2.8Best Safe Spec Score out of 5

• Security (lock and build)4/10
• Access (speed and ease)7/10
• Capacity4/10
• Value8/10

Strong value and night-friendly access; security is low because the thin box can be pried open quickly.

How we score

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What we like

• Fingerprint, PIN and key entry
• Interior light and silent mode for night use
• Emergency USB power port if the battery runs flat, per the manual

What we don't like

• Thin carbon-steel box: one review got it open with pry tools in about five minutes
• Some owners report the reader occasionally fails and the battery needs regular charging

What owners and reviewers say from 2 reviews and posts we read

Praised for

• Reader is fast once enrolled
• The key works even when the battery is dead

Common complaints

• Reader occasionally fails to read a finger
• Battery needs periodic charging

Read on: BILLCONCH Biometric Gun Safe review (The Gadgeteer) · BILLCONCH Gun Safe review summary (ShopSavvy)

Who it's for: Nightstand quick access for one handgun on a tight budget; one review pried it open in about five minutes, so treat it as child-access protection, not theft protection.

This budget fingerprint pistol box earns its spot for night features: an interior light, a silent mode that turns off the beeps, and fingerprint, PIN and key entry. If the rechargeable battery runs down, the manual describes a micro-USB emergency port for a power bank, and the key works with no power at all.

The trade-off is strength. One published review of the BILLCONCH Biometric Gun Safe found it could be pried open in about five minutes with the right tools, so we treat it as child-access protection. Owner summaries praise the reader’s speed but note it occasionally fails, and one buyer said the battery needs regular charging. Put a charge reminder on your calendar.

ONNAIS Iron SE Biometric Gun Safe: Best value

2.7Best Safe Spec Score out of 5

• Security (lock and build)4/10
• Access (speed and ease)7/10
• Capacity3/10
• Value8/10

Cheap, compact and cable-ready with three entry methods; small capacity and a thin lid keep security and capacity low.

How we score

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What we like

• Three ways in: fingerprint, keypad and mechanical key
• Security cable included for a car or bed frame

What we don't like

• Fits one handgun; not water resistant
• Owners report the reader can miss cut or rough fingers

What owners and reviewers say from 1 review and posts we read

Praised for

• Fast read time when the finger is clean

Common complaints

• Reader sometimes fails on a cut or roughened finger, so the keypad becomes the fallback

Read on: Onnais Safe long-term review (Firearms Insider)

Who it's for: One handgun in a drawer or vehicle at the lowest cost here; it is not water resistant and the thin lid is a quick-access barrier, not a burglary safe.

The ONNAIS case shows up as the value pick on several biometric safe lists. It gives three ways in (fingerprint, keypad and a mechanical key) and ships with a security cable, so it moves between a nightstand drawer and a car without extra hardware. It holds one handgun and is not water resistant.

Owner feedback on ONNAIS readers is thin but consistent. A long-term review of an earlier ONNAIS model on Firearms Insider found the sensor fast but prone to missing a cut or roughened finger, at which point the keypad becomes the real entry method, and that reviewer suggested storing about five scans per finger. Practice the keypad code in the dark before you rely on the ONNAIS Iron SE.

awesafe Biometric Gun Safe: Most recommended budget

2.7Best Safe Spec Score out of 5

• Security (lock and build)4/10
• Access (speed and ease)7/10
• Capacity5/10
• Value6/10

Three entry methods at a low price, but the brand's recall history and owner reports of misreads hold back security and value.

How we score

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What we like

• Fingerprint, keypad and key entry
• Gas-strut lid opens on its own once unlocked

What we don't like

• Earlier units were recalled by the CPSC after reports of unauthorized opening
• Some owners report the biometric lock often fails to read

What owners and reviewers say from 2 reviews and posts we read

Praised for

• Good value for the money

Common complaints

• Biometric lock does not read reliably for some owners
• Recalled units opened for people without an enrolled fingerprint

Read on: awesafe Biometric Lock Gun Safe owner reviews (eBay) · CPSC: Biometric Gun Safes Recalled, Imported by Awesafe

Who it's for: Budget bedside storage for a handgun; awesafe biometric safes sold from August 2019 to December 7, 2022 were recalled for opening to unauthorized users, so check any used unit first.

Four of the top-ranking guides list this awesafe box, more than any other budget model, so readers ask about it constantly. It offers fingerprint, keypad and key entry and a gas-strut lid that pops up on its own once unlocked.

We include it with a clear warning. In February 2024 the CPSC recalled about 60,000 awesafe biometric gun safes sold from August 2019 through December 7, 2022, after 71 reports of the safes being opened by people without an enrolled fingerprint. The recall told owners to remove the batteries, use only the key and contact awesafe for a free replacement. Buy the awesafe Biometric Gun Safe new, never used, and confirm on the CPSC notice that your unit is outside the recall window. Owner reviews on eBay are mixed: some call it good value, while one says the biometric lock often fails to read.

Barska Biometric Rifle Safe: Best for long guns

2.9Best Safe Spec Score out of 5

• Security (lock and build)5/10
• Access (speed and ease)6/10
• Capacity7/10
• Value6/10

The only long-gun pick, with big fingerprint memory and a three-point deadbolt; owner reports of a slow reader and tight fit keep access and value middling.

How we score

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What we like

• Stores up to 120 fingerprints for a whole household
• Three-point deadbolt, backup keys and a plug-in emergency battery pack

What we don't like

• Owners report a slow reader and a tight fit for scoped rifles
• One owner found the auxiliary battery connector did not work

What owners and reviewers say from 4 reviews and posts we read

Praised for

• Biometric reader is convenient for a closet rifle cabinet

Common complaints

• Reader can be slow to recognize a finger
• Scoped or cased rifles fit poorly; the shelf only adjusts for short rifles
• Auxiliary battery connector failed for one owner

Read on: Barska Quick Access Biometric Rifle Safe at B&H · Barska biometric rifle safe owner review (eBay) · Barska Biometric Rifle Safe review summary (ShopSavvy)

Who it's for: Quick-access storage for a few rifles or shotguns in a closet; owners say long guns with scopes or in cases fit poorly, so measure your longest gun first.

Barska’s tall cabinet (model AX11652) is the long-gun pick in two of the top guides, and it is one of the few fingerprint safes sized for rifles. Retailer specs list a 52.17 x 9.8 x 8.6 inch exterior, room for up to four rifles, memory for 120 fingerprints, a three-point deadbolt and four AA batteries. Backup entry is two override keys plus a plug-in emergency battery pack.

Owners are less enthusiastic about fit and speed. Buyer comments at B&H mention a reader that is slow to recognize a finger and an auxiliary battery connector that did not work for one person, and an eBay reviewer said scoped rifles fit poorly and the top shelf only adjusts for short rifles. Measure your longest gun with its optic before ordering the Barska Quick Access Biometric Rifle Safe.

Biometric gun safes compared

The biometric gun safes below differ most in backup entry and power, which decide whether you can still get in when the reader fails. The table compares the six picks on the points owners and spec sheets agree on.

How a biometric gun safe reads your fingerprint (and why it misses)

A biometric gun safe compares a fresh scan of your finger against templates stored during enrollment, and it opens only when enough ridge detail matches. A wet, dirty, cut or cold finger changes that detail, which is why every fingerprint reader produces false rejects.

False rejects are the complaint that shows up for every model in this guide, from the premium Vaultek to the budget boxes. The fix is mostly in how you enroll. Each print takes several registration scans (Vaultek’s 20 Series support page says five), and owners who store the same finger multiple times at slightly different angles report fewer misses.

We would set up any fingerprint safe this way:

1. Enroll your primary finger at least twice, once flat and once tilted the way you reach in the dark.
2. Enroll the same finger on your other hand in case one hand is injured or busy.
3. Keep the sensor clean; a smudged reader misses more often than a dirty finger.
4. Test entry with dry and slightly damp hands before you trust it at night.

Backup entry and power: what happens when the battery dies

When the battery dies, a biometric gun safe stays locked and the fingerprint reader goes dark, so your backup key or emergency power port becomes the only way in. That is why we look at power before we look at features.

Power falls into three groups across our picks. Plug-in safes like the Vaultek DS2i run on wall power with small backup batteries. Battery safes like the LifePod 20 (9V) and the Barska (4 AA) run for months on alkaline cells. Rechargeable boxes like the BILLCONCH need charging, but give a USB port for a power bank.

The weak point is the backup key. A key locked inside the safe, or lost in a junk drawer, turns a dead battery into a locksmith call. Keep one key somewhere you can reach and children can’t, and swap batteries on a fixed date rather than waiting for the low-battery beep.

From our notes: When we lined up the six safes by backup entry, the pattern was hard to miss. The cheapest boxes all had a fingerprint reader, a keypad and a key, which looks complete on paper. What separated them was power: only the Vaultek DS2i plugs into the wall, only the LifePod quotes a year of battery life, and the Barska is the only one with a plug-in battery pack. The recall notice changed how we read the rest. A reader that fails to open for you is an annoyance; one that opens for someone else is the real danger.

The biometric safe recall you should know about

In 2024 the CPSC recalled over 120,000 biometric gun safes from four brands because the fingerprint lock could open for unauthorized users, including children. One of those brands, awesafe, is still among the most recommended budget safes, so this matters for anyone shopping the low end.

The CPSC recall notice covers about 60,000 awesafe safes sold at Walmart and on Amazon and Walmart.com from August 2019 through December 7, 2022. The same wave included Bulldog, Machir and BBRKIN models. If you buy any biometric safe secondhand, look up the brand and model on cpsc.gov first, and test that an unenrolled finger is rejected before you store a gun in it.

How to choose a fingerprint gun safe

Choose a fingerprint gun safe by what it stores, where it lives and how you get in when the reader fails. Price and app features come after those three.

Run through these points before you buy, and see our safe buying checklist for the full list:

• What you store: measure the gun with its light or optic; the DS2i drawer takes up to 9 inches, the LifePod about 9.25 inches.
• Backup entry: a keypad you can use by feel, plus a key kept outside the safe.
• Power: plug-in for a nightstand with an outlet, long-life batteries for a car.
• Steel and anchoring: none of these are burglary safes; bolt or cable them down. A lower steel gauge number means thicker steel.
• Fire: none of our picks claim a fire rating, so documents belong in a separately rated fire safe.
• Recall status: check the brand on cpsc.gov.

If you would rather skip fingerprints altogether, our best pistol safe guide covers keypad and mechanical quick-access safes. We explain how we weigh security, access, capacity and value on our how we score page.

Setting up and living with a biometric safe

Set up a biometric safe once with care, anchor it, and then check the battery and backup key on a schedule. Most bad owner experiences trace back to rushed enrollment or a forgotten battery.

Bolt the safe to a nightstand, floor or shelf where the hardware allows, or loop the security cable around something solid; a 3 to 10 lb box is easy to carry away. Re-enroll if your skin changes with the season or work, and re-check that the drawer or lid opens smoothly after you move the safe.

Storage rules vary by state and city. We don’t give legal advice, so check your state and local firearm storage laws, and if you live in California, look up the model on the California DOJ roster of certified firearm safety devices. If a safe that isn’t yours is locked, contact the maker or a locksmith rather than trying to defeat it.

Our verdict

Buy the Vaultek DS2i Smart Station if you want the most dependable biometric gun safe for a nightstand, because wall power and three backups cover most failure modes. Pick the Vaultek LifePod 20 for a car or travel, and the Barska cabinet if you need fingerprint access to rifles.

On a tight budget, the BILLCONCH and ONNAIS boxes give fast access and keep curious hands out, but plan on anchoring them. If you choose awesafe, buy new and confirm it is outside the recall window. Whatever you pick, we would enroll your finger more than once and practice the backup entry in the dark before the night you need it.