August is one of the most recognisable names in smart locks, and its products are well-regarded in the United States for their retrofit design — they sit on the inside of your existing deadbolt, so you keep your existing keys and cylinder. In the UK, however, the picture is more complicated. Most British homes use mortice locks rather than the American-style deadbolt, which means compatibility is far from guaranteed. This review looks honestly at what August offers, where it works, and where it falls short for UK buyers.
August Smart Lock Range Available in the UK
August currently offers two main models of interest to UK customers: the August Wi-Fi Smart Lock and the older August Smart Lock Pro (4th generation). Both are available through third-party retailers on Amazon.co.uk and specialist smart home shops, though stock can be inconsistent.
August Wi-Fi Smart Lock
Built-in Wi-Fi, no hub required. The August Wi-Fi Smart Lock connects directly to your home network without needing a separate August Connect bridge. It supports Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant, and includes DoorSense — a sensor that detects whether your door is genuinely closed and latched. Auto-lock and auto-unlock (geofencing-based) are available via the August app. Retail prices on Amazon.co.uk typically range from around £180–£220, though prices vary by retailer and availability.
August Smart Lock Pro (4th Gen)
Works with Z-Wave and Zigbee as well as Bluetooth. The Pro model adds Z-Wave Plus support, which opens the door to deeper integration with Z-Wave-based smart home hubs. It requires the optional August Connect Wi-Fi bridge (sold separately) for remote access, though Bluetooth connectivity is built in for local control. Like the Wi-Fi model, it supports DoorSense and works with Alexa, Google Assistant, and HomeKit. Prices for the Pro are broadly similar, around £190–£220 depending on the retailer.
The UK Compatibility Problem
This is the most important section of this review, and August deserves credit for being transparent about it on their product pages. August locks are engineered for American-style deadbolts — specifically the standard single-cylinder deadbolt common in the US and Canada. They work by attaching to the interior thumb-turn of the deadbolt, motorising it without replacing the cylinder or exterior hardware.
UK homes — particularly older properties — typically use a five-lever mortice deadlock conforming to BS 3621, or a night latch (Yale-type rim lock) for the front door. Neither of these has an interior thumb-turn in the same sense as an American deadbolt. August does sell an adaptor kit that covers some European and UK lock thumb-turn profiles, but compatibility is not universal. Before buying, you should:
- Measure your existing door lock type carefully — mortice deadlock, rim latch, or multipoint lock
- Check the August compatibility checker on their website (august.com) against your specific lock model
- Consider that British Standard insurance-compliant locks (BS 3621) may not be replaceable with a non-certified alternative without affecting your home insurance
For many UK buyers, a lock designed specifically for European and British doors — such as those from Yale, Nuki, or Danalock — may be a more practical choice. We cover the alternatives in our best smart locks in the UK guide.
Smart Home Integration
Where August does shine is in its breadth of smart home platform support. Both models work with:
- Apple HomeKit — full integration including automations and the Home app; Siri voice control works well
- Amazon Alexa — lock and status check via voice (Alexa will not unlock by voice by default as a security measure)
- Google Assistant — similar voice control to Alexa
- August app — iOS and Android; access logs, guest access, auto-lock scheduling, and DoorSense notifications
The Smart Lock Pro additionally supports Z-Wave Plus, which means it can integrate with platforms like SmartThings, Wink, or — with the right Z-Wave controller — a broader home security setup. Home Assistant users can integrate August locks via the HomeKit Controller integration or, for the Pro, via Z-Wave JS.
DoorSense
DoorSense is genuinely useful. It uses a small door-mounted sensor to detect whether the door is physically closed and latched, not just whether the lock has been engaged. This matters because auto-lock is only triggered when the door is confirmed shut — the lock will not attempt to motor-close a door that has been left ajar, which prevents damage and gives you a reliable notification that the door is actually secure.
Auto-Lock and Auto-Unlock
Auto-lock engages the deadbolt after a configurable delay (30 seconds to 30 minutes) once the door is closed and latched. Auto-unlock uses your phone's GPS to detect when you arrive home and triggers the unlock — in practice this is reliable if your phone's location services are consistently enabled, though it occasionally requires a few seconds after arriving before triggering. Both features work across iPhone and Android.
Installation
On a compatible lock, installation takes around 15–20 minutes and requires no specialist tools — August provides a set of adaptors and a screwdriver. The mechanism clips over the interior thumb-turn. On an incompatible UK mortice lock, installation is simply not possible without changing your lock entirely, at which point you would likely choose a different smart lock designed for the UK market.
Build Quality and App Experience
The hardware is solid — premium-feeling plastic and metal with a satisfying motor action. The August app is well-designed and straightforward, with a clean activity log and guest access management. Firmware updates have been consistent. Battery life on AA batteries is quoted at around 3–6 months depending on usage, and the lock gives advance warning via app notification before the batteries run out.
Price and Value
At around £180–£220 on Amazon.co.uk, August locks are priced broadly in line with UK-native alternatives such as the Yale Conexis L2 or the Nuki Smart Lock. However, given the compatibility uncertainty for UK mortice locks and the fact that UK-focused alternatives offer certainty of fit, the premium is harder to justify unless you specifically want the HomeKit ecosystem integration and have confirmed compatibility. For a comparison with a strong UK-native option, read our Yale smart lock review.
Verdict
August smart locks are excellent products — well-built, feature-rich, and deeply integrated with major smart home platforms. For UK buyers with a compatible lock (or those willing to replace their lock mechanism), the Wi-Fi Smart Lock in particular is a compelling choice. The built-in Wi-Fi, HomeKit support, and DoorSense are genuine differentiators. But the mortice lock compatibility issue is a real barrier for most British homes, and you must verify compatibility before buying. If your home has a standard UK five-lever mortice deadlock, look at the UK-specific alternatives first.
Related: best smart locks UK, Yale smart lock UK review, and best smart doorbells UK.
