August WiFi Smart Review

The August WiFi Smart integrates into your existing door lock. It is compatible with Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, your smartphone, and Z-Wave technology.

Performance Comparison

Smart Features

While many smart locks work with just a small subset of hubs and smart home systems, the August WiFi Smart can easily connect with just about any of them. The August doesn't come with its own hub — instead, it allows you to integrate it seamlessly into your home via your Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit, or any hub using Z-Wave technology. Once connected, you can easily lock and unlock your door from anywhere via the August app. We had a great experience using the app, with its simplified interface, which easily and quickly shows you if your door is open or locked in a large circle.

If you're setting up separate access codes for the dog-sitter or vacation home renters, the August WiFi Smart makes it easy to share via text message. It doesn't have an option for sharing via email though. Conveniently, you can schedule access codes for specific times. For example, you can allow the dog walker access only during a few hours when they're scheduled to come over. You can end renters' codes after their stay is complete as well. The in-app activity log allows you to easily see who — and when someone — has been in your house.

Keyless Entry

The ultimate keyless entry experience is with smart locks that have geofencing, which the August WiFi Smart does. When using this feature, the lock detects when your phone is within a certain distance of the door — the area within this distance in inside the geofence. Using this feature makes it easy to open the door with an armful of groceries or with a headstrong dog in tow, as it's already unlocked for you just by getting close to it.

If you prefer not to let your smart lock track your location, the August WiFi Smart is also easily opened using the app. You can do this from the front seat of your car before loading up with groceries for an easy homecoming. If you're looking for keypad availability, there is one that goes with the August WiFi Smart, but it's not included with the standard package. It also doesn't have any other keyless features that some other models have — no fob or fingerprint pad. And if the batteries happen to die while you're on vacation, you'll have to use a regular old metal key to get in.

Security

We are seriously impressed with the security of the August WiFi Smart, which far exceeds most other smart locks we've tested. The strength of the actual August bolt that locks your door earns the highest ANSI rating — grade 1. This system of testing the strength of security devices, the American National Standards Institute testing, is the most rigorous and highly regarded tests demonstrating the strength of products like locks and door latches. With an ANSI 1 rating, you can be sure that the August WiFi Smart is up to the task of keeping your door shut to intruders.

We also tested the autolocking features of smart locks — after all, if you're going to have a smart lock, it should help you keep your home secure even if you (or your forgetful teenager in a rush to get to school) don't always remember to lock your door. This function of the August WiFi Smart is one of our favorites to employ. Using the app, you can easily set the autolocking delay to wait as little as 10 seconds or as long as 30 minutes, changeable in 30-second intervals. This amount of flexibility is ideal to (hopefully) stop yourself from getting locked out too quickly as you walk the trash can to the curb without your phone in hand.

Installation

Though installing a new lock on your door can feel intimidating, the August WiFi Smart makes it easy. This partial replacement model integrates into the lock you already have on your door, allowing you to maintain the aesthetic of your front door with this simple upgrade. By downloading the app ahead of time, the installation process was an absolute breeze. It offers videos of the physical installation, with helpful animations. This model was one of the quickest we installed, taking about 10 minutes.

Once it was in the door, pairing the August WiFi Smart was just as easy. The app, again, walked us through the process of pairing and setting up the lock. With your door closed, the August WiFi Smart needs just a single calibration check (which the app will let you do easily) to see how far the deadbolt should slide into the door frame to be secure. Once that's done, this smart lock is ready to go! And since it utilizes your existing lock, you can keep the same physical house key for emergency entry.

Should You Buy the August WiFi Smart Lock?

If you've been contemplating upgrading your “dumb lock” to a smart lock, there's no model we'd recommend more than the August WiFi Smart. It performs very well in all our testing, easily integrating into your existing door lock and smart home system. It's also marginally less expensive than other top contenders, making this a no-brainer option for your house.

What Other Smart Locks Should You Consider?

If don't care as much about geofencing but you would prefer a smart lock with a keypad, the August WiFi Smart may not be your best bet. You can purchase one separately from August, but if you'd rather have one automatically included at no extra cost, the Schlage Encode is a great lock that we also love. If you'd like your fingerprint to let you into your home, the ULTRALOQ U-Bolt Pro may be what you're looking for. But for an excellent smart lock that easily integrates into just about any smart home system and front door lock, we love the simplicity and functionality of the August WiFi Smart.