Smart Locks / August
August Wi-Fi Smart Lock (4th Gen, AUG-SL05)
Best-in-class retrofit hardware, sabotaged by roughly 3 months per set of CR123A cells.
Overall score 5.9/10
Pros
- + The only retrofit here with dual-band Wi-Fi in the lock — it will join a 5GHz-only guest network that defeats most rivals
- + DoorSense is still the best-implemented door-ajar sensor in the category
- + Mature HomeKit support and an app that has had a decade of iteration
- + Retrofit install takes minutes and is fully reversible for renters
Cons
- − August's own figure is up to 3 months of battery life, and owners routinely report changing the CR123A cells every 90 days — by far the worst battery economics here
- − CR123A cells cost several times what AAs do, so the running cost is real
- − No keypad, no fingerprint, no Home Key: without your phone you are back to the metal key
- − No Matter support has been published for this generation, and it is a 2020 design at a 2026 price
August Wi-Fi Smart Lock (4th Gen, AUG-SL05) review: what the specs say
Best-in-class retrofit hardware, sabotaged by roughly 3 months per set of CR123A cells. At $199.99, August's 2020 model sits in the middle of the range — the smart Locks we compare run from $79.98 to $399. It scores 5.9/10 overall, calculated from published specifications across 8 categories rather than from a subjective impression.
Its strongest showing is Installation & Fit at 9.0/10 — DIY difficulty, retrofit versus full replacement, and door thickness, backset and bore limits. The weakest is Battery Life at 3.0/10, which is the trade-off to weigh before buying: if that is the specification you care about most, one of the alternatives below will serve you better.
Worth knowing before you buy: august's own figure is up to 3 months of battery life, and owners routinely report changing the CR123A cells every 90 days — by far the worst battery economics here; and CR123A cells cost several times what AAs do, so the running cost is real. Every specification on this page comes from August's own documentation or a verified retail listing — where a figure is not published, the table says so rather than estimating it.
Specifications and price last verified . Report an error
Full Specifications
| Lock Type | Retrofit over the existing deadbolt's interior thumbturn |
| ANSI/BHMA Grade | Not applicable and not published — the retrofit motor carries no BHMA grade and your existing deadbolt keeps its own |
| Keeps Existing Keyway | Yes — the exterior cylinder and your keys are untouched |
| Smart Radio | 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi on both 2.4GHz and 5GHz, plus Bluetooth, all inside the lock |
| Hub or Bridge Required | No — this is the generation that moved Wi-Fi into the lock body. Older August locks needed the separate Connect bridge |
| Apple Home Key | No — HomeKit control only, not tap-to-unlock |
| UWB Hands-Free Unlock | No |
| Biometrics | None — there is no keypad and no fingerprint reader in the box |
| Battery Type | 2 x CR123A lithium (included) |
| Claimed Battery Life | 3 months |
| Backup Power & Key Override | Your existing exterior key always works; August does not publish an emergency power contact on this generation |
| Door Thickness / Backset | Most single-cylinder deadbolts — check August's compatibility list first. Body is 72mm across and 46mm deep on the inside of the door |
| Connectivity | 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, 5GHz Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Apple HomeKit |
| Material | Metal and polycarbonate housing |
| Warranty | 12 months |
Compare August Wi-Fi Smart Lock (4th Gen, AUG-SL05) With
Cheaper Alternative
Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad — $179.99
Premium Alternative
Level Lock Pro (Matter) — $349.00