August Smart Lock Pro Review

The August Smart Lock Pro lets you keep your keys but still gives you all the smart lock perks.

August
august smart lock pro
4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5
  • pro
    Modifies existing deadbolt
  • pro
    Integrates with many smart home platforms
  • con
    Does not include keypad
Mindy Woodall
Aug 24, 2023
Icon Time To Read6 min read

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If you’ve ever tried to wrangle an armful of groceries and a couple of small children while also searching your pockets for your house keys, then you can see why the August Smart Lock Pro might be useful.

The August Smart Lock Pro lets you ditch the keys and use your smartphone or your Apple Watch to unlock your door. And if you’re coming home with your arms full, the August Smart Lock Pro can automatically unlock the door for you.

We like that the August modifies your existing deadbolt, so you don’t have to rip out the whole latch. Just know that you’ll need the August Connect Wi-Fi bridge to use all the features.

August Smart Lock Pro price and details
Model
Price
Integrations
Learn more
August Smart Lock Pro

$264.99

Wi-Fi*, Bluetooth, Z-Wave, Alexa, Google Assistant, HomeKit

Amazon.com List Prices (as of 08/24/23 10:13 PST) Full Disclaimer
* Requires August Connect Wi-Fi bridge.

August Smart Lock Pro features

The August Smart Lock Pro works with your existing deadbolt.

A lot of smart door locks require you to remove your entire existing deadbolt and install a new one. You also have to swap out your current keys, and the front of your lock will look completely different.

August Smart Lock Pro

Source: August

But the August Smart Lock Pro takes a different approach. You can keep your current deadbolt, almost exactly as it is. You’ll just replace the inside part with the August lock mechanism. And voila, you can control your smart lock from your phone, allow guest access, and have the door lock and unlock automatically.

August Smart Lock Pro features: 

  • Modifies existing deadbolt
  • Integrates with smartphones and Apple Watch
  • Works with multiple smart home platforms, including Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple HomeKit
  • Identifies when your door is open and closed
  • Offers auto-lock and auto-unlock
  • Allows guest access
  • Displays detailed activity feed
  • Sends customizable notifications
  • Allows remote control of door lock from anywhere
  • Requires August Connect Wi-Fi bridge
  • Comes with two-layer encryption and two-factor authentication

Auto-lock and auto-unlock

The August Smart Lock Pro can lock and unlock your door automatically depending on your location. But don’t worry, the August isn’t some omniscient creature that always knows where you are. It just uses Bluetooth to connect with your phone when it’s nearby.

The auto-lock feature is great if you can never remember to lock your door when you leave. The August will do it for you when it detects your phone leaving the house. And you can see in the August app that the door is indeed locked.

As for the auto-unlock feature, we’re a bit more skeptical. The lock can’t tell whether it’s you with your phone or not—it just knows your phone is nearby. Meaning, if someone steals your phone, they also have access to your house. Not ideal.

Plus, the auto-unlock feature can be a bit finicky. Sometimes it unlocks the front door when you enter through the garage or a side door, which isn’t great for basic home security.

Notifications and activity feed

The August Smart Lock Pro can send you notifications on just about anything door-related. It can tell you every time your spouse or kids open the door. You can get notifications when your door locks, when it unlocks, and when your door is open and closed.

In fact, if you’re not careful, the lock can send you way too many notifications. If you feel like you get so many alerts that you just ignore them, you might want to take another look at your settings. You can always check the activity feed in the app later if you feel like you missed something.

Guest access

Good news for your babysitters, dog walkers, house cleaners, or whatever other staff you’re fancy enough to employ: the August Smart Lock Pro allows guest access. You can give specific people access on certain days or during specific timeframes.

The downside is that, unlike other smart door locks, your guests will have to download the August app. Smart door locks that come with keypads just let you assign codes, which is honestly easier.

August Smart Lock Pro pricing

The August Smart Lock Pro is reasonably priced; unless you want to add on a keypad.

At $264.99 at the time of this writing, the August Smart Lock Pro has pretty standard smart-lock pricing. Although most of the other locks in its price range replace your entire door lock and come with a built-in keypad.

If you want a keypad, August does sell one separately. But it costs about $60, which puts the price of this lock in the “slightly expensive” range.

The good news is that you don’t have to opt into any extra subscription plans. Once you pay for the August, you can use all its features without a recurring monthly cost.

August Smart Lock Pro home automation

The August Smart Lock Pro has an impressive array of integrations with other smart stuff.

No matter your smart speaker of choice, August probably works with it. The August Smart Lock Pro integrates with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant (of course), but it also works with Apple HomeKit and Z-Wave. It’s pretty easy to make all your smart stuff work together.

August Connect Wi-Fi bridge

Source: August

August Smart Lock Pro installation

The August Smart Lock Pro takes about 10 minutes to install.

Since you don’t have to replace your entire lock, the August Smart Lock Pro is pretty easy to install. It works with most single-cylinder deadbolts, and the only extra tool you need is a Phillips-head screwdriver.

Image of a deconstructed August Smart Lock Pro

Plan on spending 10 to 15 minutes getting it up and running.

To access all that smart stuff, the August Smart Lock Pro does require the August Connect Wi-Fi bridge. It comes packaged with the lock when you buy it, but you’ll need to plug it into the electrical outlet nearest the lock.

The Connect works with 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi networks, and it’s what lets you control your lock from your phone and hook up to other smart devices.

A lot of smart door locks require a Wi-Fi bridge like this one. But if you’d rather have only one device to worry about, August does offer a lock with built-in Wi-Fi: the August Wi-Fi Smart Lock. (It’s more convenient, but it costs more.)

August Smart Lock Pro installation steps:

  1. Use the included adhesive strip to tape down the outside part of your deadbolt. This is just to hold it in place while you do everything else.
  2. Use a screwdriver to unscrew and remove your deadbolt’s thumb latch (the inside part).
  3. Screw in the August mounting plate where the thumb latch used to go.
  4. Choose the adapter that matches your deadbolt and put it in the mounting plate.
  5. Attach the August Smart Lock Pro to the mounting plate.
  6. Remove the faceplate and put in the two AA batteries. (They come with the lock.) Take out the battery tab.
  7. Put the faceplate back on and download the August app to set up your new device.

Once you have the actual lock installed, you can add it as a new device to the August app. The app will also help you install the August Connect Wi-Fi bridge. For more details on installation, check out August’s support page.

Recap: Is the August Smart Lock Pro good?

The August Smart Lock Pro is one of our favorite smart door locks, even without the keypad.

The August Smart Lock Pro is an excellent option if you want a smart door lock that lets you keep your existing keys and that works with a bunch of other smart home stuff. We do think smart locks with built-in keypads are more convenient, but if you really want the button option, you can buy an August keypad separately.

Features: The August Smart Lock Pro modifies your existing deadbolt and offers customizable alerts and auto-lock and -unlock. It works with your phone or Apple Watch to let you lock your door remotely or lock it for you automatically.

Pricing: The August’s pricing is about on par with other smart door locks. But if you opt to buy the additional keypad, things start to get pricey.

Home automation: August offers more smart home integrations than most other smart door locks. It works with all the top smart speakers, including Apple HomeKit. It also offers Z-Wave.

Installation: The August Smart Lock Pro is pretty easy to install, since you don’t have to replace your entire lock. Plan on spending less than 20 minutes on it.

Want to take your home security beyond the front door? Check out our Best Home Security Systems review to find the best whole-home option.

Is your house ready for the August Smart Lock Pro?

The August Smart Lock Pro won’t put a ton of extra pressure on your internet connection or mobile plan, but it does work with your Wi-Fi network and your smartphone. If your plans are already stretched to the limit, you might consider an upgrade.

Recommended internet plans

The August Smart Lock Pro doesn’t use much data, but if your Wi-Fi is already slow, then it might be worth checking out some other plans. These are our favorite internet plans for smart homes.

Recommended internet plans for August Smart Lock Pro
Service
Plan
Price
Download speed
Details
Xfinity Internet - WestConnect More$30/mo.*Up to 200 Mbps
Verizon Fios Home InternetInternet 300/300$49.99/mo.300 Mbps
AT&T FiberAT&T Internet 300$55/mo.300 Mbps
* For 24 months. No term contract. Taxes not included. Includes $10/mo automatic payments and paperless billing discount. Prices may vary by location.
Price per month with Auto Pay & without select 5G mobile plans. Fios plan prices include taxes & fees
Price after $5/mo Autopay & Paperless bill discount (w/in 2 bills). Plus taxes & fees. Monthly State Cost Recovery Charge in TX, OH, NV applies. One time install chrg may apply. Ltd. avail/areas. Call or go to www.fiber.att.com to see if you qualify.

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Mindy Woodall
Written by
Mindy Woodall
Mindy has been writing about technology for seven years. She covers all things smart home for Reviews.org, and keeps track of the latest robot gadgets. Mindy attended the University of Utah and her work has been featured on the likes of Parents.com, Digital Care, Hostfully, and more.

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