REASONS TO BUY
Easy installation
Effective access sharing
REASONS TO AVOID
Keyless entry can be slow and finicky
Alexa compatibility can be buggy
August Pro + Connect Review
Overall acceptable performance, but doesn't match the convenience or functionality of a keypad model
By Max Mutter ⋅ Senior Review Editor ⋅ September 29, 2022
Contributions From: Steven Tata
RELATED: The Best Smart Locks
Our Verdict
The August Pro + Connect is one of the more effective models we tested when it comes to remote access sharing, though it does require that the recipient jump through some hoops first. It's compatible with most types of smart home hubs and has an easy-to-use app. It is very easy to install as it mounts on top of your existing deadbolt. We had some annoyances with keyless entry and a struggle to communicate with Amazon Alexa as advertised. All in all, it's able to do almost everything you'd want from an August smart lock, but with a healthy dose of hiccups and troubleshooting.
Our Analysis and Test Results
The August Pro + Connect integrates into your existing deadbolt, allowing you to keep the same house key. It is compatible with Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa (though we had some issues here), Google, and Z-Wave hubs.
The August Pro + Connect is simple to install and compatible with most hubs.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Smart Features
All of the very basic smart features like remote locking/unlocking, checking the status of the lock, and viewing activity logs, worked well in our testing. This was also one of the few locks where we had consistent success with sharing access remotely. You can share access via either text or email. Those messages just ask someone to download the August app (and, annoyingly, some of them didn't have a hyperlink to the app). Once the app is downloaded the recipient must then create an account. That account must be activated by clicking links in both text and email confirmations. This whole thing is a bit laborious and circuitous, but once the whole process is complete remote access sharing works quite well.
One area where the August Pro really fell short for us was in its Amazon Alexa compatibility. Most models that we tested that advertise Alexa compatibility worked pretty seamlessly. Granted, the biggest thing you get from that is being able to ask Alexa to unlock your door, but it still worked well. We continually got error messages when trying to set up this feature for the August Pro, which was disappointing.
Keyless Entry
This is one area where the August Pro tended to annoy us. There is no way to open the lock without the use of a phone. In some situations fishing out a phone to unlock the door may feel convenient, but others times it can feel just as laborious as fumbling for keys. Also, during our testing the August Pro didn't unlock at the first pressing of the unlock button in the app. Sometimes it took multiple frustrated presses before the lock actually woke up and let us in. The lack of a keypad means you can't just punch in a code. Luckily, because the August Pro installs onto your existing deadbolt, you can keep your current keys as a backup.
Security
Since the August Pro installs on top of an existing deadbolt, its security level is largely determined by the deadbolt you use it with. We can say that the auto-locking feature of the August Pro is effective, which guarantees you won't forget to lock the door (just be careful not to lock yourself out.
The August Pro uses a separate deadbolt, so it will adopt the security level of whatever deadbolt you already have.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Installation
The August Pro installs right onto the back of your existing deadbolt. That makes installation as easy as unscrewing the backplate and replacing it with the August Pro. Setting up the app and connecting the August Pro to its smart hub also proved to be a fairly easy process. Overall, if you want a smart lock but don't want to deal with many tools, August provides the simplest physical installation.
Since you can just install the August on top of whatever deadbolt is already on your door, installation is very easy.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Should You Buy the August Pro + Connect?
The August Pro + Connect lists at about the standard cost for a smart lock and corresponding smart hub. If you're looking for a smart lock that is easy to install, don't mind making people jump through a few hoops when sharing access, and can deal with some lags in keyless entry, this isn't a terrible value. However, we still feel that the Schlage Encode offers better functionality overall, and it lists for a little bit less.
What Other Smart Locks Should You Consider?
The August Pro + Connect is easy to install and lets you effectively share access to your home, even if the recipients of that access have to jump through some hoops. However, we weren't happy about the glitchiness in the keyless entry. If you're looking for a more seamless experience across the board, the August WiFi Smart is our favorite model — and costs a little less to boot.
Side-by-Side Comparison
Compare August Pro + Connect versus top competing products:
—Max Mutter and Steven Tata
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