August Smart Door Locks Review

August makes exceptional smart locks that are easy to use, install, and integrate into a smart home. While this brand has a strong lineup of locks, we think the August Wi-Fi Smart Lock is the best example of how innovative these products are.

It's the first August lock with built-in Wi-Fi, which previously required an expensive accessory. This means you can control it remotely using your smartphone. It's also compatible with popular smart home platforms out of the box. Still, Wi-Fi takes a toll on battery life, so you might consider a different August smart lock if you don't want to deal with pricey replacement batteries.

Read on to find the best August smart lock for your needs, right down to core features and answers to common questions. We also include two noteworthy Yale locks that use the August app.

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Almost all of the similarities between August's smart locks stem from the software that controls the locks. You also get August's unique DoorSense hardware that watches for open doors. Let's dig into the core features that make August smart locks so worthwhile.

The August Home app is the best smartphone app among smart lock brands because it's incredibly easy to use. With Wi-Fi-enabled August locks, you can use the app to remotely control your smart lock from anywhere, whether you're curled up in bed or enjoying a day at the beach.

The menus and user interface are intuitive so you can customize your August Smart Lock to fit your needs without digging through endless menus. You can also use the app to help install the lock. It comes with clear instructions and video tutorials.

The biggest strength of smart locks is that you can give virtual keys to family, friends, and guests. In August's case, each user must download the August app to use the lock, but this also allows you to track when each person uses the lock.

The August app can grant four levels of access to your smart lock:

• Owner: Unlimited access with ability to give keys to guests. Best for parents and adults in a household.
• Always: Allows guests to use the lock anytime. Best for extended family and children in a home.
• Recurring: Specify when guests can enter your home. Best for people that come to your home regularly, like babysitters and dog walkers.
• Temporary: Works only on a specific date and time. Useful for admitting contractors during a remodeling project or for Airbnb hosts to manage short-term rental access.

DoorSense turns August locks into door sensors, so you know if your door is open. It also prevents the bolt from engaging while the door is open.

These two features eliminate a big security hole among other smart lock brands, where someone can re-engage the lock without closing the door completely. It's especially useful for unattended deliveries when you're out of the house or when Airbnb guests end their stay.

You can also set up notifications using the August Home app so it alerts you when the door is ajar for a specified time.

Every August Smart Lock model can lock and unlock automatically. Auto-Lock is especially useful for securing your door regularly, while Auto-Unlock is a hands-free option for getting inside when you arrive at home.

With Auto-Lock, the lock automatically re-engages once a preset timer ends. It starts automatically every time the door closes (DoorSense enabled) or once you unlock the lock (DoorSense disabled). You might want to disable Auto-Lock or take your phone if you're hanging out in the yard to prevent lockouts.

Auto-Unlock uses the GPS location on your phone to unlock when you're within 30 feet of the front door. It's an excellent alternative to fiddling with keys or a smartphone when your hands are full. We like that it won't unlock the door accidentally since you need to leave your neighborhood (at least 650 feet away from home) before it can activate again.

Most of the differences among August's smart locks come from the hardware behind the lock. Because of this, you can expect different experiences when it comes to installation, appearance, smart home capabilities, and battery life.

The biggest difference in installation styles is between August locks and Yale locks. Neither installation process is complicated, but it's helpful to know the differences before choosing which type of August lock you want.

August-branded locks are retrofit-style smart locks. This means they attach directly to an existing deadbolt using a mounting plate and adapters. This allows the smart lock to control the deadbolt with the August Home app.

It also means you don't need to get new physical keys for your home, since you're not replacing the lock. You can still use keys to bypass the smart lock, which is great for young kids without smartphones or dead-battery situations.

From our experience, it takes 10–15 minutes to attach an August Smart Lock to a deadbolt and set it up in the mobile app.

Yale smart locks completely replace the existing lock on your door, taking 15–25 minutes on average to install. The additional time mostly comes from removing the old lock hardware and replacing it with new equipment. You also have to do some quick programming on the Yale lock's keypad to connect it with the August Home app.

There's a surprising amount of smart home variability among August smart locks. While all of the locks support Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant^†, the August Smart Lock 3rd generation is the only model that doesn't work with Apple HomeKit. This means you can't control it with Siri or the Apple Home app.

On a similar note, the August Smart Lock Pro is the only model that supports the Z-Wave smart home protocol. Z-Wave is generally more energy efficient than Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, making the lock ideal for use with smart hubs like Samsung SmartThings.

Battery life relates directly to how often you use a lock and the types of technology it uses. Because the August Wi-Fi Smart Lock has built-in Wi-Fi, it tends to use more power than other August locks, which use Bluetooth to communicate with your smartphone or an August Connect Wi-Fi Bridge.

Yale Assure locks have a longer battery life because you don't have to use a mobile device when there's a built-in keypad.

The August app sends you a notification when the batteries are about to run out, which makes it easier to keep your locks functioning without unexpected power losses. You can still get in your home when the batteries die by using a physical key on most August locks. The keyless Yale Assure Lock SL uses a 9V battery for temporary power to unlock the lock.

The appearance of August smart locks differs in two ways: shape and finish (color). We recommend deciding which features you want before choosing a lock based on its finish and shape.

For Yale locks, the interior components have a similar shape to the August Smart Lock (3rd gen), but the exterior keypads vary based on the inclusion of a keyhole and the type of buttons.

The Wi-Fi and smaller size cause two distinct problems when it comes to batteries. First, Wi-Fi is not as energy-efficient as Bluetooth, so the batteries won't last as long. It lasts up to three months with the Wi-Fi feature on and up to six months if you skip Wi-Fi. Plan to change the batteries two to five times a year.

Second, the batteries in this unit aren't the familiar AAs August uses in its other locks. Instead, it uses two CR123 lithium batteries, which are pricey to replace.

Even with the battery issues, the August Wi-Fi Smart Lock is our favorite August lock because it's ready to go without extra accessories.

August smart locks are some of the best on the market because they come with deal-sealers like DoorSense open door detection, customizable guest access settings, and versatile smart home compatibility.

No August lock embodies this as much as the August Wi-Fi Smart Lock, which doesn't require a costly accessory to add remote access. It might not have the same battery endurance as other August locks, but the sleek, compact design looks so much better than that of its siblings.

For more information about August smart locks, check out our list of frequently asked questions below. If you want to see what the competition is like, head over to our smart lock review to learn more.

While choosing locks for our August smart lock review, we took a broad approach and included five smart locks that use the August Home app. This consists of three models from August and two models from its sibling company Yale.¹ The two Yale locks we reviewed are Connected by August versions. They offer the same core mobile app functionality as August smart locks but with integrated keypads.

Once we had five locks to compare, we looked at the specifications to determine the best uses for each. We have experience testing many smart locks from both August and Yale, which we use in tandem with customer reviews about each lock to inform our recommendations. If you want to learn more about how we review products, check out our full methodology.

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1. Yale, "ASSA ABLOY Completes Acquisition of August Home: Collaboration Commences," October 2017. Accessed September 6, 2022.