If you are choosing between the Lockin Veno Solar Palm and Veno Solar Face, start with the entry action your household will actually use most. Choose Veno Solar Palm if raising a hand toward the lock feels natural and you want touchless palm-vein entry. Choose Veno Solar Face if you often arrive carrying groceries, a child, or equipment and prefer to unlock with a look.
The two models share the main solar-lock conditions: both use a built-in perovskite solar panel with a 5,000 mAh lithium battery, support PIN, app, mechanical-key, and voice access, and are specified for the same door measurements. Solar assistance is still conditional. Lockin says charging starts only below 90% battery and requires at least 1,000 lux, so neither model should be treated as battery-free or independent of its backup power plan.
Quick answer: Veno Solar Palm or Veno Solar Face?
| If your household mainly wants… | Better starting point | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Touchless entry without presenting your face | Veno Solar Palm | Venokey™ palm-vein recognition is the primary biometric method. |
| Hands-free entry while carrying something | Veno Solar Face | 3D face recognition is designed for a look-based, contactless unlock. |
| A method that does not depend on fingerprints | Either | Neither model uses fingerprint recognition as its primary entry method. |
| Less routine charging in a suitably lit entryway | Either | The solar-assisted battery design is shared; light and battery conditions still apply. |
| A video doorbell or visitor camera | Neither | These Solar models are entry-focused; do not confuse them with Veno Pro or Veno Plus video locks. |
The simplest decision is therefore biometric preference, not solar performance. The solar system does not turn one model into the “better” universal choice.
What is different about the entry methods?
Veno Solar Palm: raise your hand
Veno Solar Palm uses Venokey™ palm-vein recognition. You present your palm to the sensor rather than touching a fingerprint reader or taking out your phone. This can suit households that want a touchless gesture and people whose fingerprints are inconvenient to read because of dry, damp, peeling, or changing fingertip conditions.
Lockin’s product page also describes palm recognition as usable in low-light conditions. That is an entry-recognition statement, not a promise that the integrated solar panel will harvest enough energy in every low-light location. Keep those two ideas separate when evaluating the door.
Solar Palm also supports PIN entry, Lockin Smart App control, a concealed mechanical key, and voice control. Those alternatives matter because a biometric method should be a convenience, not the only way into the home.
Veno Solar Face: look at the lock
Veno Solar Face uses 3D face recognition for hands-free entry. It is the more natural fit when the person approaching the door is likely to have both hands occupied. Lockin lists recognition in under one second and a supported user-height range of 3 ft 11 in to 6 ft 7 in on the current US product page; treat those as published product claims, not an independent household test.
Face recognition is also affected by the real approach: the person must be within the supported position and the sensor must have a usable view. Glasses, hats, lighting, or a hand-held object may change the approach even though Lockin describes the system as designed for common day-to-day differences. Enroll household members from more than one angle and in more than one lighting condition if the app allows it.
Like Solar Palm, Solar Face includes PIN, app, mechanical-key, and voice options. That shared backup set makes the decision about the preferred biometric gesture rather than locking the household into one access path.
The solar system is similar on both models
Both product pages describe ABX3™ perovskite solar self-charging, a built-in solar panel, and a 5,000 mAh battery. The storefront also says the Solar line can capture usable light for up to 11 hours a day. That headline should be read alongside the operating conditions in the product FAQ:
- The battery must be below 90% before solar charging activates.
- The panel needs at least 1,000 lux to begin harvesting energy.
- The app shows a charging icon when the conditions are met and charging is active.
This means the entry-method choice does not solve a poor-light problem. A shaded apartment corridor, an interior garage entry, or a covered rear door may be a poor match for the solar feature even if the lock itself can still be used with its battery and backup methods. If the panel cannot receive suitable light, plan around charging and emergency access rather than assuming “solar” means no maintenance.
Both models list USB-C emergency power. Keep the supplied mechanical-key backup available as well, and check the battery status in the Lockin Smart App during the first weeks after installation so you understand how your actual entryway behaves.
Which model fits common household routines?
Choose Solar Palm for a mixed-age household that prefers a gesture
Solar Palm is the stronger fit when several people want a consistent palm presentation and do not want to align their faces with a sensor. It can also be a practical starting point when fingertip condition makes surface fingerprint entry less appealing. For children, older adults, or guests, still create a backup PIN or another authorized method instead of assuming every person will use the palm sensor successfully on the first attempt.
Choose Solar Face when hands are usually full
Solar Face is the stronger fit for a front door where residents regularly arrive carrying bags, a child, sports equipment, or packages. A look-based unlock can reduce the need to put something down before entry. The approach still needs to be repeatable: check that the sensor has a clear view and that the expected user can stand within the published recognition range.
Choose neither based on solar alone
If your main goal is visitor video, doorstep awareness, or package detection, compare the appropriate Lockin video model instead. If your door is heavily shaded, in an interior garage, or lacks the required installation geometry, resolve the door and power fit before comparing palm versus face. A different biometric method cannot compensate for an unsuitable lock location.
A practical pre-purchase check
Use this five-minute checklist before choosing either model:
- Entry habit: Will most users prefer raising a palm or looking at the lock?
- Approach space: Can users stand in front of the exterior assembly without a storm door, wall, railing, or other obstruction interfering?
- Light exposure: Does the panel receive enough usable light, not just occasional bright outdoor conditions?
- Door fit: Is the door 1-3/8 to 2-11/64 inches (35–55 mm) thick, with a supported 2-3/8 or 2-3/4 inch backset and compatible bore dimensions?
- Backup plan: Do you have a PIN, the app, a mechanical key, and USB-C power available when needed?
Lockin marks French-door installation as incompatible for these Solar models and says the interior assembly is designed for indoor use. Its pages also identify covered or heavily shaded patio/rear doors and daylight-limited apartment or garage entries as poor solar-charging scenarios. Confirm the current compatibility diagram on the product page before ordering, especially if your door is not a standard single-family front or side entry.
Can one model use the other model’s entry method?
No. Treat the named biometric method as model-specific: Veno Solar Palm is the palm-vein model, while Veno Solar Face is the 3D-face model. Do not assume a software setting can add the other biometric method. Both models retain the common PIN, app, mechanical-key, and voice options, but the primary biometric hardware is the reason to choose one model over the other.
Bottom line
For most households, the answer to Lockin Veno Solar Palm vs. Solar Face is straightforward:
- Pick Veno Solar Palm for touchless palm-vein entry and a deliberate hand gesture.
- Pick Veno Solar Face for hands-free, look-based entry when arms are often full.
- Pick based on the approach that family members can repeat comfortably, not on an assumption that either solar model is maintenance-free.
- Confirm light, door measurements, indoor-panel placement, and backup access before purchase.
Review the current Veno Solar Palm product page or Veno Solar Face product page, then use Lockin’s FAQ and user-manual library to verify the installation and operating details for your door.
Sources checked
- Lockin Veno Solar Palm, checked September 21, 2026.
- Lockin Veno Solar Face, checked September 21, 2026.
- Lockin FAQ, checked September 21, 2026.
- Lockin user-manual library, checked September 21, 2026.