August vs Schlage Smart Locks

Quick Verdict: The choice between August vs Schlage smart locks comes down to one question: do you need to keep your existing door hardware, or do you want maximum security and a built-in keypad? The August Wi-Fi Smart Lock (4th gen) installs over your existing deadbolt’s interior thumb-turn, keeps your keys, and is the clear pick for renters and anyone who can’t modify their door. The Schlage Encode Plus replaces the whole deadbolt, carries the highest residential security grade (ANSI/BHMA Grade 1), and adds a touchscreen keypad plus Apple Home Key. If you own your home and want security and code entry, choose Schlage. If you rent or want to keep your keys, choose August.

August vs Schlage: At a Glance

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How We Compared These Locks

This comparison synthesizes independent expert reviews from outlets including Android Police, MacRumors, Tom’s Guide, and TechGearLab, alongside owner feedback at major retailers, cross-referenced against August’s and Schlage’s published specifications. We do not present manufacturer marketing as independent testing. We weigh the dimensions that actually decide this purchase — installation type, security grade, entry methods, ecosystem, and battery life — and we are explicit about where each lock wins. Neither brand paid for placement.

Installation: The Decision That Comes First

This is the dimension that resolves most buying decisions before any other feature matters. The August lock replaces only the interior thumb-turn and clamps over your existing deadbolt. Nothing about the exterior changes — same escutcheon, same keyway, same physical key — and installation takes 10 to 15 minutes with no drilling. For renters, that is decisive: you can install August without altering the door and reverse it completely when you move.

The Schlage Encode Plus is a full deadbolt replacement. You remove the entire existing lockset and install Schlage’s hardware, including a new exterior face with the touchscreen keypad and NFC reader. It is still a straightforward DIY job for a homeowner with a screwdriver, but it changes the door’s hardware permanently, which makes it unsuitable for most rental situations without the landlord’s permission. If you own your home, this is a non-issue; if you rent, it is often a dealbreaker.

Security: Grade 1 vs Inherited

Here Schlage holds a clear, certified advantage. The Encode Plus carries an ANSI/BHMA Grade 1 rating — the highest residential standard, the same class used in commercial buildings, and a meaningful signal of forced-entry, cycle, and strength performance. When you buy the Encode Plus, you are buying a genuinely strong bolt.

August has no security grade of its own in the same sense, because it does not replace the locking mechanism — it motorizes the deadbolt you already have. Its physical security is therefore inherited: if your existing deadbolt is a quality Grade 1 or Grade 2 lock, August is as secure as that lock; if your existing deadbolt is weak, August does nothing to improve it. This is the honest trade-off of the retrofit approach. For a renter with a decent landlord-installed deadbolt, August is perfectly adequate. For a homeowner who wants to know the bolt itself is top-grade, Schlage wins decisively.

Entry Methods: Keypad and Home Key vs App and Keys

The Encode Plus offers more ways in out of the box. Its built-in touchscreen keypad supports up to 100 access codes — ideal for families, guests, and service providers — and it adds Apple Home Key for sub-second NFC tap-to-unlock with an iPhone or Apple Watch. Add app control and a physical key backup, and it is a complete access package in one unit.

August relies on the app, auto-unlock (geofencing plus Bluetooth proximity), shared digital keys, and your retained physical key. It has no built-in keypad — you can add the separately sold August Smart Keypad if you want code entry — and it does not support Apple Home Key. August’s auto-unlock is a genuine convenience when it works, though reviewers note it is not flawless. In short: Schlage is the better choice if you want keypad codes or phone-tap entry; August is excellent if app control plus a kept physical key suits your household.

Smart Home and Connectivity

Both locks have built-in Wi-Fi and neither needs a separate hub for remote control — a strength they share. August reaches Alexa, Google Home, and Apple Home/Siri via Matter-over-bridge. Schlage works natively with Apple Home (including Home Key), Alexa, and Google Home, and supports Matter directly. For Apple households that want tap-to-unlock, Schlage’s native Home Key is the differentiator. For broad voice control and routines, both are capable, with Schlage holding a slight edge in the breadth and directness of its integrations.

Battery Life

Schlage’s four AA cells typically last six to twelve months; August’s two CR123 lithium cells typically last three to six months, with August’s life being notably sensitive to Wi-Fi signal strength. Neither is a standout in the category, but Schlage’s longer typical life and universally available AA format give it the practical edge. August’s CR123 cells are inexpensive but less common, and a lock far from the router will trend toward the shorter end of its range.

Installation Effort and Long-Term Ownership

Beyond the renter question, the two locks differ in what living with them looks like over years of ownership. August’s retrofit install is the gentlest entry into smart locks you can make: because you keep the existing deadbolt mechanism, there is no risk of mismatching the bolt to the door, no new strike plate to align, and no chance of a botched lockset swap leaving an exterior door insecure overnight. The trade-off arrives later — the smaller CR123 battery format and shorter intervals mean you will handle battery maintenance more often, and the lock’s performance is only ever as good as the deadbolt underneath it. If that underlying deadbolt is old, stiff, or poorly aligned, the August motor has to fight it, which can shorten battery life and, in the worst cases, cause occasional jams. Servicing the August therefore sometimes means servicing the host deadbolt too.

The Schlage Encode Plus is a heavier lift up front — you remove the entire lockset and install commercial-grade hardware — but once it is in, it is a self-contained, purpose-built unit with no host mechanism to depend on. Its motor drives a bolt engineered specifically for it, which tends to make day-to-day operation feel more decisive and reduces the variability that can affect a retrofit. Over a multi-year horizon, owners who want a “set it and mostly forget it” front door lean toward the Schlage’s integrated design, while owners who prioritize reversibility and keeping their existing hardware lean toward August. Both brands maintain mature apps with regular firmware updates, so neither leaves you on abandoned software; the practical ownership difference is mechanical philosophy, not software support.

Who Each Lock Is Not For

It is worth stating the mismatches plainly. August is the wrong lock if you want a built-in keypad without buying an add-on, if you want Apple Home Key, if you want the longest battery life, or if your existing deadbolt is weak and you are unwilling to upgrade it — because August cannot make a poor deadbolt strong. Schlage is the wrong lock if you rent and cannot modify the door, if you specifically want a fingerprint reader (it has none), or if you want the absolute lowest entry price. Recognizing which of these describes you usually settles the decision faster than weighing features one by one.

Which Should You Buy? Verdict by Use Case

Renters: Choose August

If you rent, the decision is essentially made for you. August installs over the existing deadbolt without changing the door, keeps your keys, and reverses cleanly when you move. The Schlage’s full-replacement design makes it impractical for most rentals. August is the renter’s smart lock.

Security-First Homeowners: Choose Schlage

If you own your home and rank physical security highly, the Encode Plus’s ANSI/BHMA Grade 1 bolt is the strongest argument in this matchup. You get a top-grade lock, a keypad, and Apple Home Key in one self-contained, hub-free package.

Apple Households Who Want Tap-to-Unlock: Choose Schlage

August reaches Apple Home via a bridge but does not support Home Key. The Encode Plus’s native Home Key gives you sub-second tap entry with an iPhone or Apple Watch — the more seamless Apple experience by a wide margin.

Keep-Your-Keys Convenience Seekers: Choose August

If your priority is gaining app control, auto-unlock, and guest sharing while keeping your existing exterior hardware and physical keys, August is purpose-built for exactly that, at a lower price.

Cost and Value Over Time

Sticker price favors August, which typically sits a tier below the Schlage Encode Plus, but the fuller value picture is more nuanced. August’s lower entry cost reflects that it reuses your existing deadbolt — you are paying for the smart mechanism and radios, not a whole new lock. If you want keypad entry, however, the separately sold August Smart Keypad adds to the total, narrowing the gap. The Schlage’s higher price buys a complete, commercial-grade lockset with a Grade 1 bolt, a built-in touchscreen keypad, and Apple Home Key already included, so for a buyer who wants all of those things, the Encode Plus can actually represent better value than an August built up with add-ons.

Running costs are modest for both. Neither lock requires a subscription for its core functions, and both use inexpensive, widely available batteries — though August’s more frequent CR123 changes mean slightly higher and more frequent battery spending than the Schlage’s AA cells over several years. The more meaningful long-term consideration is fit to purpose: spending less on August only to discover you wanted a keypad and Home Key, or spending more on Schlage when a retrofit would have served a renter perfectly, is the real cost risk. Match the lock to your actual needs first, and both deliver strong value within their intended roles.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Two errors trip up buyers in this matchup. The first is a renter choosing the Schlage on the strength of its features and only discovering at install time that replacing the deadbolt isn’t permitted — confirm what your lease allows before you buy, and default to August if in doubt. The second is a homeowner buying August to save money, then bolting on a keypad and wishing they had keyfree code entry and Apple Home Key from the start, by which point the combined cost approaches the Schlage anyway. Decide your must-have entry methods first, check your installation freedom, and let those two facts pick the lock; the feature comparison is secondary to getting those right.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is August or Schlage more secure?

Schlage is more secure in physical terms. The Encode Plus carries an ANSI/BHMA Grade 1 certification, the highest residential rating. August does not replace the bolt, so its physical security is inherited from your existing deadbolt — as secure as that lock, no more and no less.

Can renters use the Schlage Encode Plus?

Usually not without permission, because it replaces the entire deadbolt and changes the door hardware. Renters are generally better served by the August Wi-Fi Smart Lock, which installs over the existing deadbolt and reverses cleanly.

Does August support Apple Home Key like Schlage?

No. The Schlage Encode Plus supports Apple Home Key for NFC tap-to-unlock; August reaches Apple Home only through Matter-over-bridge and does not offer Home Key. For Apple tap-to-unlock, choose Schlage.

Do either of these locks need a hub?

No. Both the August Wi-Fi Smart Lock (4th gen) and the Schlage Encode Plus have Wi-Fi built in, so remote control and notifications work without a separate bridge or hub.

Which has better battery life?

Schlage, typically. The Encode Plus runs roughly six to twelve months on four AA cells, while August runs roughly three to six months on two CR123 cells and is more sensitive to Wi-Fi signal strength.

Do I keep my keys with either lock?

With August, you keep your original exterior keyway and existing keys because only the interior thumb-turn is replaced. The Schlage replaces the lockset but still includes a keyed cylinder, so you have a physical key backup — just a new one rather than your existing key.

Final Verdict

August vs Schlage is less a battle of better and worse than a question of fit. The August Wi-Fi Smart Lock wins for renters and anyone who wants to keep their existing keys and hardware while gaining app control, auto-unlock, and easy guest sharing — all at a friendlier price. The Schlage Encode Plus wins for homeowners who want the highest security grade, a built-in keypad, and Apple Home Key in one hub-free package. Decide on installation and security first, and the rest of the comparison resolves itself. To compare current pricing on both, check the latest listings on Amazon.

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Last updated: June 2026

See our main guide: Best Smart Locks.