When you are looking to secure your house you don’t want to mess around So which lock is the best for you?
Nest X Yale lock vs August Pro: what’s the best smart lock? The August Pro is the best smart lock in the market now. It has the best connectivity options allowing both Siri and Google assistant connectivity. It has features to auto lock and auto unlock the door when you come near it. And, it is one of the easiest smart locks to attach.
The Nest X Yale is by no means a bad lock but it just doesn’t really hold up when compared to the August pro. There are benefits and defects to both which I will cover below, so find what parts of each lock appeals to you and see if you agree that the best smart lock of the two is the August Pro.
| Nest X Yale | August Pro | |
| Technology | Weave | Apple HomeKit Z-Wave Plus |
| Installation | Interior and Exterior | Interior Only |
| Alarm | Built in | None |
| Privacy Mode | Built in | None |
| Auto Unlock | None | Built in |
| Door Sense | None | Built In |
| Shared Access | 20 codes max | unlimited |
| Keypad | built in | August smart keypad |
| Price | $280 | $280 |
| Delivery | None | August Access |
| Batteries | 4 AA batteries | 4 AA batteries |
Auto Unlocking
Winner- August Pro
This feature is the number one reason that the August pro is so highly regarded as better than the Nest Yale. It is simply too convenient to give up the option of having your door unlock for you.
What this means is that when you are approaching the door and your phone connects to the system that your smart lock is on the door will unlock when you step near it.
This means that whatever you are holding in your hands can stay in your hands all you need to do is throw an elbow or backhand at the doorknob and you can skirt on past the door of your home.
The processes involved in auto unlocking are a bit complicated but it all comes from communication between your phone with the A
The smart lock has two settings
When the lock enters away mode by you crossing a geofence, stepping more than 200 meters from your house, it will start to sense for the smart lock app. At this point when you step close to the door, about 20 to 30 feet away, it will sense the app and unlock the door automatically for you.
The effectiveness of this is amazing working somewhere between 90 and 100% of the time. Truly this is the most convenient option. And if it doesn’t work then you just have to type in the code or use the app like you would have to with every other smart lock on the market.
The convenience is just not an option in the Nest Yale which means you have to take to time to open the app, enter your code, or activate the code via Siri or another smartphone assistant. For more information about this auto unlocking feature check out August’s webpage on their product’s feature.
Other Smart Lock Brand Items
Winner- Nest X Yale
When talking about the connectivity between devices you can’t overlook the connectivity between other home products, especially home products that are the same brand, and therefore have built-in communication with items of the same brand.
When looking in that field Nest is the dominant player. We are talking about thermostats, alarms, smoke detectors, cameras, doorbells, and locks all under the same app. The secret to the connectivity is called Weave a wireless cross home connection network that emulates a wired system. So with everything set up you can access your whole system through one app.
Adding new units to an already existing weave is super easy you simply scan the QR code and you are connected. In this way, as soon as you have started down the Nest rabbit hole it is very convenient to continue just add new systems when you get them and scan them into the Weave that you have set up.
The caveat to this is that Nest doesn’t play well with other devices. So once your down the rabbit hole it is hard to dig yourself out. The August pro sort of lives on the other end of things. It’s not as convenient to connect to other devices, but you have a wider range that you can connect to without having to mess around with the designs of the devices.
Privacy Mode
Winner- Nest X Yale
If you want to ensure that no one can walk through your door during a
This feature is completely nonexistent in the August pro smart lock. So if you are a person that really needs their privacy than you may be swayed towards the Nest X Yale.
Security/Alarm
Winner- Nest X Yale
Locks are supposed to keep people out, but what if someone tries to force their way in. With the right tools no lock is going to hold up so what about security?
The August lock has not alarm system it is simply a lock and is not designed to provide an alarm for your home as well.
The Nest X Yale,
That way if the intruders weren’t already deterred by the alarm then you can take quick action to prevent any further action as well.
This advantage only grows as you get other Nest features such as the doorbell camera. That way you can better identify what is happening at your house so that you have the correct information to take quick action.
Deliveries
Winner- August Pro
When it comes to deliveries they don’t really fall under the guest categories most of the time. Which can be frustrating as no one wants their package ruined just because it was sitting on the front porch for longer than it should have been.
August has a service called August Access which allows the option of in home deliveries. This is only available from certain online retailers. But the concept is that the package handler will get a one time use pin to allow the delivery person one-time access to drop the package off.
So if you’re worried about package theft, this is a perfect way to deal with it. For more information on what retailers this works with as well as how it works check out the August website which has details on that subject and more.
Access Code Memory Capacity
Winner- August Pro with August smart keypad
A major benefit to having a smart lock is the ability to create custom codes for guests so that they can enter your home when they need to. This can be extra beneficial as you can track who entered your home based on the code that was used.
The Nest X Yale has a maximum capacity of 20 codes. This may seem like plenty but if you have a large number of guest that will need a code to enter it can get a little frustrating to see that each one can’t have a unique code to their name.
The August smart lock gets around this in two ways. First, the base August smart lock doesn’t have a code that you can use to punch in for entrance, that means guest will either have to download the app, on which you can assign an unlimited number of codes to guests.
Or you can set a specific scheduled time in which the door is programmed to unlock for people. So at 5:15 to 5:30 Suzie is going to walk the dog you can have the door unlock automatically at that time.
If neither of these options
Door Sense Technology
Winner- August Pro
The second best feature that the August has that is not available in the Nest X Yale is door sense technology.
When you leave your house and you don’t close the door all the way, but instead leave it slightly ajar, you normally are completely unaware of this fact with until you find the door unsuccessfully locked and open.
The August smart lock has a magnetic strip in the door where the deadbolt should be so that it will only register as locked when the magnetic strip is tripped.
So when you are leaving your house and click the button to lock the door behind you. You’ll know whether or not the door is truly locked. Purely for that convenience the August smart lock is worth it.
Difficulty of Setup
Winner- August Pro
When looking at devices and setting them up it can be a real deal breaker if they take too long to get everything ready. This gets more complicated with the detail of each lock generally.
The August smart lock is once again the clear winner here. It generally takes only ten to twenty minutes to get everything set up and it uses your old lock as the base components of the lock.
This means you get to keep your old key or passcode that you used previously intact. You simply have the added benefits of the Augusts unlocking system.
Setup for the Nest X Yale is not as simple it takes about an hour or two to attach and this comes from needing to remove the previous lock and attach the new lock.
This gets more complicated if the hole for the lock isn’t large enough to fit your new lock. Add to this the difficulty of needing to keep wire separate as you add the different plates to the lock and you’ll have quite the struggle getting this lock on.
Furthermore, the material used in the Nest X Yale is really low-grade material compared to what you would find in even other Nest Products. So not only is it more difficult to install but it is going to get you a less quality device.
Granted the software integration is super easy if you have other Nest units so at least that is a perk.
Design/Appearance
Winner-Nest X Yale
When it comes down to looks the Nest inside X Yale looks like a sleek lock that you would find on a normal door.
It is a little more sophisticated given the number pad that comes with it but overall it is elegant looking and seems to belong. There are a lot of really clunky options out there that just make the lock appear foreign in nature.
August is one of these options. It looks like a plastic hockey puck. No very appealing to look at, but since it uses the old format of the lock system that came with the door the only people who see the hockey puck are those on the inside, so from the outside it looks the same as always.
So overall the appearance goes to the Nest X Yale it is probably the best looking smart lock out there in the market. Overall, it is unobtrusive and doesn’t pull much attention to it. Which, with a lock, is what you want it to do.
Smart Home Integration
Winner- August Pro
While Weave is convenient to all devices that fall under that model it doesn’t work well with anything else, and that is where the August pro really start to shine.
Since you are able to pair it with some of the more well known smart home services the Nest X Yale can’t really compare. Even with the Nest devices that can be attached to it, the Nest X Yale pales when next to the smart home integration of the August lock.
The August works with both the Apple HomeKit and the Z-Wave hub. It can also connect to the voice control of Amazon’s Alexa the Google Assistant, and supports the Xfinity and Stringify home apps. The more features and options you have the stronger your smart home integration becomes.
Because of the wide array of systems that the August can integrate with it just takes the prize here with superior smart home integration. Anything the Nest X Yale has can be added to the August through another product. The reverse cannot be said for the Nest X Yale.
Price
Winner- Nest X Yale
Honestly, both devices cost around $280 so if you are just going for the core device, with the connect, you’ll have to pay the same amount. But since it’s really useful to add the August smart lock keypad that’s another $50 to add a feature that is already there in the Nest X Yale.
That’s why I would give the slight edge to the Nest X Yale for pricing because it is a little more complete without any extra accessories.
Things that Effect the Quality of Your Smart Lock
When looking into getting any form of smart lock there are a couple of factors that will affect all of them.
Smart locks only work on deadbolts. This can be a large issue especially if you’re going with a smart lock like an August that doesn’t come with its own locking mechanism. You need a deadbolt to use a smart lock if you don’t have one then you will need to replace the lock or the whole door is a deadbolt just isn’t going to work with the door you have.
The support between IOS products and smart locks had been known to be spotty. The difficulty here often lies in the IOS programming but the result is some weird combinations where to unlock the door you need your phone unlocked, but locking the door isn’t a problem or vice versa. Further problems arise as Apple products will ask you if you want something done even when it is set to be done automatically.
This doesn’t seem frustrating until your door isn’t locked because you didn’t give the Apple HomeKit permission to lock it yet. Frustrating.
Smart locks need Bluetooth. That’s the main tool most of them are using which allows you to use the app to open your door. This is also required for Augusts auto unlock feature. Which means if your internet or power is down so is that unlock feature.
If you have a touch code that should work, or the August has the old school option of a key, so not a problem there.
Finally, if your door isn’t well aligned neither is your lock. Which means a smart lock isn’t going to lock. Get a new door, fix the hinges, or realign how it has been screwed in cause otherwise you’ll have to put more effort into getting your door in the right position for the auto lock to work that is worth the smart lock.
Full Thoughts on Which is the Best Smart Lock
The August pro has major advantages that make it the best option for a smart lock option. Most of the time it is the auto-unlocking feature and the door sensing features that users point to for why this device is so well loved. In truth, there is a lot of options that just speak about the care and convenience that the August company has for
From unrestricted number of private passcodes to the easy setup the August pro was designed for a normal person that just wants to make the front door less of a hurdle to overcome. That’s why it is so well loved and appreciated in the community. The August Pro is number one for smart lock convenience.
On the other hand, the Nest X Yale assumes that you are building up your set of Nest products that you want full house integration, and they make it convenient for you to have this integration. If you already have the doorbell camera, and the smoke detector, and the security camera what’s the harm in getting a smart lock to match the set?
It’s this ideology that separates the Nest company from the August company. They assume that you are part of their system and want to continually use their products. Well if you are not part of there system than they don’t really benefit you. If you are then the Nest X Yale is a great option for you.
One final comment quite a few smart lock users have selected the August Pro over the Nest X Yale despite having several of the Nest smart home devices. Check out this Reddit thread on the subject.
Related Questions
What is the best smart lock of 2018? The second generation of the August pro smart lock is the best smart lock of 2018. Its convenience of auto unlocking using geofencing technology is currently unmatched in the market. With a couple of adaptation since its first generation, it’s even more convenient than previous generations.
Does Nest Hello work with the August smart lock? Only the Nest X Yale, Nest secure, and the Nest protect work with the Nest hello. There are alternatives that can be used with the August lock through the connection with IFTTT allowing the lock to connect with other devices you own within the home.
Can August pro smart locks be hacked? August has shown a heightened sense of durability against researchers that have attempted to break the locks during experiments. One research claims that he has hacked into the lock but August contests this as false.