Smart Locks · owner-verdict comparison

August Wi-Fi Smart Lock (4th Gen) vs Schlage Encode Plus Smart WiFi Deadbolt: what real owners say

Real owners lean toward the Schlage Encode Plus Smart WiFi Deadbolt: 75% of 130 owners recommend it, vs 35% of 37 for the August Wi-Fi Smart Lock (4th Gen).

Verdicts aggregated from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube owner comments — affiliate reviews excluded. Sample sizes differ; judge accordingly. How we score

August Wi-Fi Smart Lock (4th Gen)

35%of 37 owners recommend
35% recommend · 16% neutral · 49% don't
Full owner report →

Schlage Encode Plus Smart WiFi Deadbolt

75%of 130 owners recommend
75% recommend · 7% neutral · 18% don't
Owners praise
  • Rock-solid and reliable, it just works
  • Apple Home Key tap-to-unlock with iPhone or Apple Watch
  • Long battery life, often many months between changes
Owners complain about
  • Goes offline or shows no response, can't control it remotely
  • Works best only with a strong Thread network or Apple hub nearby
  • Drops sometimes need a router restart, factory reset, or re-pairing
Full owner report →

What August Wi-Fi Smart Lock (4th Gen) owners say

“One thing i love is i have it running thru z wave to my alarm panel AND HomeKit/alexa simultaneously.”
— tgoz13 on Reddit
“Setting up notifications was a breeze. Alexa setup was a breeze. HomeKit works great. I have had zero issues and have been very impressed.”
— blampen on Reddit
“It hasn’t been as reliable as my old August Pro + Connect. It’s been disconnecting from Wi-Fi frequently and the original batteries had gone completely flat in less than 2 months.”
— d3rw1n on community.home-assistant.io

What Schlage Encode Plus Smart WiFi Deadbolt owners say

“I have the Schlage Encode Plus HomeKey lock. HomeKey fucking rocks. I love having my house key in wallet. It is so unbelievably slick.”
— seaessbee on Reddit
“Replaced our August Smart Lock Pro with a Schlage Encode Plus. It’s been rock solid for about 6 months now. Works quickly. Supports Homekey.”
— smorrison0 on Reddit
“This is crap you all need to record the WiFi setup”
— @dnldnl4880 on YouTube