August Smart Lock vs Wyze Lock: Which Smart Lock Should You Buy

August’s smart locks are famous in the market, and it’s easy to see why. These locks put security at the forefront and are easy to install. Plus, the nifty features make locking/unlocking your door a walk in the park. Another smart lock that is making its mark in smart home devices’ competitive market is the Wyze Lock. This one is small, compact, and, more importantly, very affordable at just $100.

So, it’s only fair that we compare the Wyze Lock with the August Smart Lock and see which smart lock gives you a better deal.

Let the game begin! But before that,

• Here are the best smart locks with keypads
• Is the Wyze Cam V2 better than the Amazon Cloud Cam? Click to find out

Specs That Matter

Design and Function

One of the Wyze Lock’s primary highlights is that it fits over your door’s existing locks, thus taking away the hassle of replacing the entire unit. Secondly, it doesn’t come with any fingerprint reader or a keypad. The locking is carried out purely via the app or the lock’s key. Given that we have our smartphones with us almost all the time, this setup is not inconvenient.

Lookswise, the Wyze lock is simple to look at. It’s cylindrical, and the thumb-twist is at the bottom panel, making it easy for young kids to unlock the door. And hey, there’s small LED status light to indicate (you guessed it right!) the lock’s status. Overall, it sports an industrial look with a slightly boxy case. If your house has lovely interiors, the odds are that it will stick out a little.

The crux of the Wyze’s smart lock is its quiet mechanism. Besides that, installing it and pairing it to the Wyze app is not rocket science. The Wyze lock comes with a dedicated Wi-Fi adapter that acts as the bridge between your smartphones and the lock. It’s a small hockey puck-shaped device that you can hook to the wall or keep it on your desk. The only thing you have to keep in mind is to keep it close to the door.

When it comes to locking/unlocking the door, it’s as simple as opening the app on your phone and doing the needful. And well, you’ll have to carry the smartphone with you whenever you step out can be either a boon and a bane.

For instance, if you are someone who keeps their phone with them 24×7, this should not be a huge issue. However, if you prefer to run or jog without your phone weighing you down, you might want to consider this limitation.

Other than the option of manually unlocking the door, Wyze’s smart lock also has the option of Auto-unlock. As suggestive of its name, the unlock mechanism triggers when the lock detects your phone nearby. It’s a very convenient feature to have. Picture this—you have your arms full with a week’s worth of grocery items, and as soon as you get near your front porch, the door unlocks automatically. Cool, right?

The unlock mechanism triggers when the lock detects your phone nearby

It also has its disadvantages. For one, it is very easy for the auto-unlock feature to engage accidentally. And when it does happen, your whole house’s security will be in jeopardy.

Like the Wyze lock, the August Smart Lock also fits over the traditional lock, and you will have to replace the interior lock. This setup means you can use both the app and your house key to unlock the door as it suits you. Again, similar to the one above, it has a twist knob, thus making it easy for toddlers and little kids to unlock it.

One of the main differences between the August Smart Lock and the Wyze Lock is its look. August’s third-generation smart lock looks and feels slim and stylish, and the oval appearance of the unit does its best to suit your house’s interiors.

Installation is easy and simple. Like the lock above, you will have a step-by-step guide. You can either use the app for locking the door or use the conventional method of putting in the key and locking it. Apart from the auto-unlock feature, the August smart lock has a nifty feature up its sleeve—DoorSense.

As suggestive of its name, it alerts you if the lock hasn’t jammed into place or if the lock isn’t able to engage properly. You will need to do a few calibrations, and once all that’s done, you can lay aside your worries.

Do note that the August smart lock is not the quietest locks around.

Additional Accessories

So, is Wyze’s smart lock fully independent? Well, no? It needs to pair with the Wi-Fi gateway to connect to your home network, as noted earlier. The good news is that it doesn’t cost extra and comes with the package.

Plus, there’s no concept of installing an additional sensor for DoorSense. The Wyze lock has a built-in proximity sensor wherein it alerts you if the door has been left open or jammed. Plus, you can also hook it to the Wyze Lock Keypad to extend the functionality.

Check out Wyze Lock Keypad

The August smart lock also comes with a Wi-Fi adapter, should you want to bring the smarts of a virtual assistant or even simple Wi-Fi features. There’s a small catch.

The adapter is not included in the package and costs around $79. With it, you can enjoy the perks of auto-unlocks since it’s a Wi-Fi-based feature.

Security, Notifications, and Alerts

Even though the Wyze smart lock falls in the affordable segment, there are a decent number of security features in place. For one, the app comes with 2FA to login. That prevents any unauthorized person from using the app to tweak the lock settings.

As mentioned above, the lock comes with a built-in sensor to alert you if the lock is jammed or the door is left ajar. Apart from the lock’s beeping, you can (and must) enable the phone notifications to alert you of the same. Simultaneously, the auto-lock engages almost instantly, and if you are not a forgetful person, this feature is a clear winner.

The auto-lock engages almost instantly and this feature is a clear winner

One of the first things you will notice about the August smart lock’s companion app is its clean interface. The company has been in business for a long, which shows how the app is designed.

And both the locks share quite a few features such as locks/unlock logs, issuing alerts, and the likes. The August Smart Lock also comes with a Bluetooth chip, which aids in the auto-unlock features, apart from boosting battery life. When it detects the paired phone within proximity, the door will unlock automatically.

Smart Assistant Integration

Though smart assistant integration is not a hard and fast rule of any smart locks, especially in the affordable segment, it makes for handsome additional. For one, you can set up routines like raising the temperature of the smart thermostat or switching the smart lights on when the door unlocks. And well, you can also issue voice commands to lock and unlock the door.

The Wyze Lock plays well with Amazon Alexa, though it doesn’t support Apple HomeKit. The company claims that Google Assistant support is an upcoming feature.

As opposed to it, August counts several smart assistant integrations, including Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Logitech Harmony, Nest, among others. Exciting, I would say.

As you may have guessed, this doesn’t tie you down with a fixed smart assistant, provided you settle for the Wi-Fi adapter.

Guest Account

So, with no option to scan your fingerprint or punch in a PIN, how do you configure guest accounts on these locks? When it comes to the Wyze lock, it’s as simple installing the app on a secondary phone and logging in with the same ID. As we mentioned before, the app has 2FA authentication, and you can also keep a tab on the lock’s activity via the app.

Or, if you have an Alexa device, you will be able to create temporary guest codes.

On the other hand, the companion app for the August smart lock lets you enable guest accounts. You can either set one for a fixed period or have a recurring schedule for the same.

August Smart Lock or Wyze Smart Lock

Well, it depends. If you are looking for a simple smart lock, the Wyze Lock makes for a good buy. All the essential features are present, including security alerts, geofencing options, voice commands, and the likes. Plus, you can easily set up guest codes. And the option of attaching to over the existing deadbolt sweetens the deal.

The August Smart Lock is also a compelling proposition, especially for the price. You can get it at around $130 on Amazon. Features such as DoorSense and the geo-fencing only adds to the experience.

However, you will have to invest in the $79 adapter if you want a truly smart home with device integrations. And that can prove to be a bit steep for many.

So, here you will have to make a choice—do you want to give up on the smart assistant features?