Lightweight long-gun storage
SecureIt Fast Box 47D
16-gauge steel · Fingerprint + keypad + key · 60.5 lb
8.9/10Very good$399$479Nov 13, 2026
Best biometric gun safes
6 safes that open with a fingerprint and keep a keypad and a key in reserve, ranked with the lock counting for 40%.
$399at SecureIt, Nov 13, 2026
Check price at SecureIt
6 results"Biometric" weightsPrices checked Nov 13, 2026
Biometric: all 6 in order
Handgun safe
Barska AX13092 Desk Safe
2 mm steel · Fingerprint + keypad + key · 8.6 lb
8.8/10Very good$299.99Nov 13, 2026
Handgun safe
Vaultek 20 Series
16-gauge steel · Fingerprint + keypad + key + phone app · 7.2 lb
8.6/10Very good$312.99Nov 13, 2026
Lightweight long-gun storage
SecureIt Agile 52
Fingerprint + keypad + key · 115 lb
8.1/10Good$699$799Nov 13, 2026
Lightweight long-gun storage
Vaultek RS500i
14-gauge steel · Fingerprint + keypad + key + phone app · 93 lb
7.8/10Fair$1,699.99Nov 13, 2026
No. 1Best biometric
SecureIt Fast Box 47D
Best for one home-defense long gun kept locked under the bed, plus a handgun or two.
- $399, the lowest price of any long-gun storage on our list
- Backlit four-button keypad, fingerprint scanner and key override
- "16-gauge steel and 3-point locking", per SecureIt
The catch: It is a one-gun answer: a single long gun up to 44 inches, flat on a foam pad. SecureIt's FAQ says the Model 47D "should only be used horizontally", so it will not double as an upright locker. Sixteen-gauge steel is thin, there is no fire rating, and the page states no UL or California DOJ approval. At 60.5 lb it must be anchored through its pre-drilled holes, or it can leave with whoever finds it.
- Body steel
- 16-gauge steel
- Fire rating
- No rating claimed
- Ways to open
- Fingerprint + Keypad + Key
- Approvals stated
- None stated
- Weight
- 60.5 lb
- Capacity
- 1 long gun (claimed)
No. 2Best price
Barska AX13092 Desk Safe
Best for a desk or the side of a nightstand: one handgun stored upright behind a fingerprint lock.
- 2 mm steel per Barska's spec table, thicker than most quick-access handgun safes
- Fingerprint scanner (20 prints), a PIN and 2 backup keys
- "DOJ Approved: Yes", in Barska's spec table
The catch: The warranty is 1 year, the shortest stated term on our list, and Barska's page gave us no return window. The keypad stores a single PIN, where others store several. Barska's own table says "Fireproof: No". It holds one standard-size handgun and nothing else, the 4 AA batteries are not included, and the page gives no interior dimensions, so check that your handgun fits.
- Body steel
- 2 mm steel
- Fire rating
- Not fire rated
- Ways to open
- Fingerprint + Keypad + Key
- Approvals stated
- CA DOJ
- Weight
- 8.6 lb
- Capacity
- 1 handgun
No. 3Best all-rounder
Vaultek 20 Series
Best for a bedside or desk-drawer handgun safe you can open four ways and check from your phone.
- Four ways to open: fingerprint (80 prints), 5-digit backlit keypad, key and app
- WiFi alerts from the ViSN app, per Vaultek
- Anti-pry bars, interior hinges and two anti-impact latches
The catch: Sixteen-gauge steel is about 1.5 mm: fine against hands and a screwdriver's first try, modest against real tools. At 7.2 lb the safe must be cabled or screwed down. The page we read states no California DOJ approval for the 20 Series, the 3 AAA batteries are not included, and the Nano Key fob is sold separately. The cheaper Essential version ($259.99) drops WiFi and stores 20 fingerprints instead of 80.
- Body steel
- 16-gauge steel
- Fire rating
- No rating claimed
- Ways to open
- Fingerprint + Keypad + Key + Phone app
- Approvals stated
- None stated
- Weight
- 7.2 lb
- Capacity
- Handgun size
No. 4
SecureIt Agile 52
Best for renters and upstairs bedrooms: six long guns behind a fingerprint lock, in a cabinet two people carry.
- 115 lb per SecureIt's spec table: it goes up a staircase and into a closet
- Fingerprint scanner (30 prints), keypad (3 codes) and 2 override keys
- Six long guns up to 48.25 in, counted with room around each one
The catch: SecureIt's page gives no steel gauge, no fire rating and no UL or DOJ statement for the Agile 52, so three of our criteria score as unstated. A light cabinet resists a child and a casual thief; it is not built to resist tools or heat, and you must bolt it down or it can simply be carried off. The electronic lock is covered for 2 years, not for life. The weight is printed two ways: 115 lb in the spec table, 105 lb in the description.
- Body steel
- Not stated
- Fire rating
- No rating claimed
- Ways to open
- Fingerprint + Keypad + Key
- Approvals stated
- None stated
- Weight
- 115 lb
- Capacity
- 6 long guns (claimed)
No. 5
SentrySafe QAP1BLX
Best for a first biometric handgun safe on a budget, from a brand that states California DOJ certification.
- $189.99: the cheapest steel fingerprint safe on our list
- Three ways in: fingerprint, backlit keypad with no beeps, override key
- "California DOJ Certified for firearm storage and protection", per SentrySafe
The catch: "Solid steel" is all the page says about the body: no gauge, so our steel criterion scores as unstated. The warranty term was not on the pages we read. The store accepts returns only with an authorization number and offers no exchanges, and shipping takes 7 to 10 business days. The interior is small: 2.2 inches high, 0.08 cubic feet.
- Body steel
- Not stated
- Fire rating
- No rating claimed
- Ways to open
- Fingerprint + Keypad + Key
- Approvals stated
- CA DOJ
- Weight
- 11.9 lb
- Capacity
- 1 handgun
No. 6
Vaultek RS500i
Best for owners who want phone alerts and fast fingerprint access for a few rifles, and accept paying for the electronics.
- Four ways to open: fingerprint (80 prints), 8-digit backlit keypad, Nano Key fob and 2 manual keys
- WiFi alerts for tampering, impacts, temperature and humidity, per Vaultek
- 93 lb and 14 in wide: fits a closet corner and goes up stairs
The catch: For $1,699.99 you get 14-gauge steel and four bolts, where a full-size safe at this price gives you 12-gauge, a fire rating and five times the weight. "Fire Rated: No" is Vaultek's own line. Vaultek ties its alert preferences (email, push, text message) to a ViSN Premium subscription, the backup batteries are not included, and the page states no UL or California DOJ approval. The warranty is 2 years, 3 if you register.
- Body steel
- 14-gauge steel
- Fire rating
- Not fire rated
- Ways to open
- Fingerprint + Keypad + Key + Phone app
- Approvals stated
- None stated
- Weight
- 93 lb
- Capacity
- 5 long guns (claimed)
6 safes in this table: scroll sideways to see them all
| Safe | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 1 long gun (claimed) | 1 handgun | Handgun size | 6 long guns (claimed) | 1 handgun | 5 long guns (claimed) |
| Body steel | 16-gauge steel | 2 mm steel | 16-gauge steel | Not stated | Not stated | 14-gauge steel |
| Fire rating | No rating claimed | Not fire rated | No rating claimed | No rating claimed | No rating claimed | Not fire rated |
| Ways to open | Fingerprint + Keypad + Key | Fingerprint + Keypad + Key | Fingerprint + Keypad + Key + Phone app | Fingerprint + Keypad + Key | Fingerprint + Keypad + Key | Fingerprint + Keypad + Key + Phone app |
| Approvals stated | None stated | CA DOJ | None stated | None stated | CA DOJ | None stated |
| Weight | 60.5 lb | 8.6 lb | 7.2 lb | 115 lb | 11.9 lb | 93 lb |
| Warranty | Lifetime | 1-year | 2-year | Lifetime | Not stated | 2-year |
| Sold by | SecureIt | Barska | Vaultek | SecureIt | SentrySafe | Vaultek |
| Where to buy | Check price at SecureIt | Check price at Barska | Check price at Vaultek | Check price at SecureIt | Check price at SentrySafe | Check price at Vaultek |
✓ marks the best figure of the row. "Not stated" means the seller's page doesn't publish it. Fire ratings and capacities are the brands' own claims. Each safe keeps its one overall score; this page only changes the order. Prices checked November 13, 2026.
What to know before you choose
A biometric gun safe opens with your fingerprint, which is the fastest way in when it works and no way at all when your hand is wet or the battery is flat. That is why every safe on this list keeps a keypad and a key behind the scanner, and why we rank them with the lock counting for 40%: we score the number of ways in, not the sensor's marketing. We could not measure how quickly a reader recognizes a finger, so we don't pretend to.
Two different buyers search for this. If you want a fingerprint safe for one handgun, look at the Barska AX13092 ($299.99), the Vaultek 20 Series ($312.99, with phone alerts) or the SentrySafe QAP1BLX at $189.99. If you want one for long guns, the choice is between a drawer for a single rifle, the SecureIt Fast Box 47D, a six-gun cabinet, the SecureIt Agile 52, and the connected Vaultek RS500i. None of the six claims a fire rating. That is the trade for quick access.
How this ranking is weighted
Every safe keeps its overall score from the public formula. For this page we re-order the eligible safes with the "Biometric" weights: lock and ways to open it 40%, price 25%, body steel thickness 15%, published approvals 10%, and the rest for the other 1 criteria. The full table is on the methodology page.
Head-to-heads between safes of this list: SecureIt Agile 52 vs Vaultek RS500i, SecureIt Fast Box 47D vs Vaultek RS500i, Barska AX13092 Desk Safe vs Vaultek 20 Series.
Other rankings: best gun safe, fireproof gun safe, handgun safe, best rifle safe, budget gun safe, american made gun safes, gun safe for apartment.
By Grant Holloway, editor, gun safes · updated November 13, 2026
Biometric: questions buyers ask
More answers in our guidesWhat is the best biometric gun safe?
For a handgun, the Barska AX13092 (8.8/10) at $299.99. For one long gun, the SecureIt Fast Box 47D (8.9/10) at $399, which tops this list on the biometric weights.
Are biometric gun safes reliable?
A fingerprint reader can fail on a wet, dirty or cold finger, which is why a good biometric safe always has a second and a third way in. All six here have a keypad and a key.
What happens when the battery dies?
You use the key. Every safe on this list includes at least one backup key; the SecureIt Agile 52 also accepts USB-C external power, and the Vaultek RS500i runs on mains power with AA batteries as backup.
How many fingerprints can a biometric safe store?
From 20 (Barska AX13092) to 80 (Vaultek 20 Series ViSN and RS500i), with 30 on the two SecureIt safes. Enroll the same finger more than once, at different angles.
Are biometric gun safes California DOJ approved?
Some are. Barska and SentrySafe state it on their pages for the models here; the others don't. Check any model on the official California DOJ roster.