The locksmith's reference, in your pocket.

Kleido is a reference app for locksmiths decoding automotive locks. Convert a key code to its bitting, work backward from the cuts you can read, and look up the key blank, Lishi tool, and transponder for any vehicle. It covers 3,700+ vehicle series with 1.6M+ verified bitting codes, visual key profiles, depth charts, and cutting trees. Kleido runs on the web today, with native iOS and Android apps in development.

To look up a car key code in Kleido, select the make, model, and year. Kleido returns the matching vehicle series with its bitting codes, key blanks, Lishi tool, and visual key profile. You can also search by a known bitting pattern directly if you already have a partial code.

Kleido is for automotive locksmiths, mobile key technicians, and locksmith apprentices who need fast access to key codes in the field. Compared to other popular locksmith apps, Kleido is mobile-first: the interface is optimized for phone and tablet use on-site, not a desktop workstation.

Kleido is mobile-first and priced for individual locksmiths, where most established locksmith software targets shops with desktop workstations at $500+/year. Kleido's database covers 3,700+ vehicle series with visual key profiles, and new data is added from community contributions.

Kleido Pro is $14.99/month or $149/year, with a 3-day free trial. The paid plan unlocks full key code search, visual key profiles, cutting progressions, and Lishi tool matches across all 3,700+ vehicle series.

Kleido offers a 3-day free trial with full Pro access. After the trial, continued access to the 1.6M+ bitting database requires a Pro subscription at $14.99/month or $149/year.

You can use a VIN to identify the vehicle fast. Enter the VIN and Kleido opens that vehicle's reference page — make, model, year, and the code series, key blanks, Lishi tool, and transponder that apply, without manually selecting make, model, and year. Kleido does not retrieve the specific cut code registered to a VIN from the manufacturer; that is a separate code-retrieval service. VIN decoding uses the NHTSA database.

Kleido is currently a web app and requires an internet connection. Native iOS and Android apps are in development; for now, plan lookups when you have cellular or WiFi coverage.

Automotive locksmiths decode keys using one of three methods: reading the bitting from an existing key, using a Lishi decoder to read the lock directly, or looking up the VIN-linked key code through a database. For a locked vehicle with no working key, the Lishi decoder combined with a database like Kleido is the fastest path.

A Lishi tool is a single-piece decoder pick used by locksmiths to read a lock's cuts without disassembling it. Each Lishi tool is built for a specific key profile. There are hundreds across makes and years. Kleido shows which Lishi fits each vehicle series and the exact cut count it handles.

A bitting code is the numeric pattern that defines the depth and spacing of cuts on a key. Automotive manufacturers each use their own set of depth and space values, and a locksmith uses the code to cut an exact duplicate or replacement key. Kleido indexes 1.6M+ bittings across 3,700+ vehicle series.

A key blank is an uncut key that matches a specific lock profile before any bitting is applied. Locksmiths cut the blank to match a vehicle's bitting code. Kleido lists compatible key blanks for every vehicle series it covers.