IoT & Smart Home · head to head
August Smart Lock vs Amazon Alexa
August Smart Lock
IoT & Smart Home
Smart locks that work with your existing deadbolt
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
Amazon Alexa
IoT & Smart Home
Amazon's voice-controlled smart home ecosystem
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Amazon Alexa has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: August Smart Lock entry-level August Smart Lock ($149.99) has no built-in Wi-Fi and requires a separate Connect Wi-Fi Bridge for remote functionality; Amazon Alexa amazon Alexa is a free consumer app (per Apple App Store listing under AMZN Mobile LLC) with no subscription required for core voice assistant functionality; premium content and some skills route through separate Amazon subscriptions such as Prime and Amazon Music
- They diverge on capability: August Smart Lock covers Retrofit Design, Amazon Alexa covers Voice Control.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which August Smart Lock and Amazon Alexa actually diverge.
| Attribute | August Smart Lock | Amazon Alexa |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | On request | Free |
| Pricing model | one-time | free |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | IOS, Android, Web | Echo devices, Fire TV, Android, IOS |
| Founded | 2012 | 1994 |
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (IoT & Smart Home).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in August Smart Lock
- Retrofit Design
- Auto-Unlock
- Guest Access
- Activity Log
- Alexa
- Google Home
- HomeKit
- SmartThings
Only in Amazon Alexa
- Voice Control
- Skills Library
- Routines
- Multi-Room Audio
- 100,000+ skills
- Ring
- Blink
- Fire TV
Both cover
- IOS support
- Android support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
August Smart Lock
- Keyless entrynot Amazon Alexa
- Guest accessnot Amazon Alexa
- Remote unlocknot Amazon Alexa
- Activity monitoringnot Amazon Alexa
Amazon Alexa
- Voice-controlled homenot August Smart Lock
- Smart shoppingnot August Smart Lock
- Entertainmentnot August Smart Lock
- Home securitynot August Smart Lock
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
August Smart Lock
- Entry-level August Smart Lock ($149.99) has no built-in Wi-Fi and requires a separate Connect Wi-Fi Bridge for remote functionality
Amazon Alexa
- Amazon Alexa is a free consumer app (per Apple App Store listing under AMZN Mobile LLC) with no subscription required for core voice assistant functionality; premium content and some skills route through separate Amazon subscriptions such as Prime and Amazon Music
Pricing, plan by plan
August Smart Lock
On request- Smart Lock$149/month
- Auto-lock
- Auto-unlock
- Guest access
- WiFi Smart Lock$249/month
- Built-in WiFi
- Remote access
- DoorSense
Amazon Alexa
Free- FreeFree
- Voice control
- Skills
- Smart home control
- Alexa Guard Plus$4.99/month
- Emergency response
- Hands-free calling
- Enhanced alerts
Which should you pick?
Choose August Smart Lock if
- You need retrofit design.
- You work on IOS, Android, Web.
- You also want auto-unlock.
Choose Amazon Alexa if
- You need voice control.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Echo devices, Fire TV, Android, IOS.
- You also want skills library.
Questions people ask
- Is August Smart Lock or Amazon Alexa better?
- Neither clearly leads. August Smart Lock starts at On request and Amazon Alexa at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, August Smart Lock or Amazon Alexa?
- Amazon Alexa has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for August Smart Lock and Free for Amazon Alexa.
- Does August Smart Lock or Amazon Alexa run on more platforms?
- August Smart Lock runs on IOS, Android, Web. Amazon Alexa runs on Echo devices, Fire TV, Android, IOS.
- Can I use Amazon Alexa for free?
- Yes. Amazon Alexa has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. August Smart Lock starts at On request.
- What is August Smart Lock best used for?
- August Smart Lock is most often used for keyless entry, guest access, remote unlock, activity monitoring. Of those, keyless entry and guest access are not what Amazon Alexa is typically brought in for.
- What can August Smart Lock do that Amazon Alexa cannot?
- August Smart Lock covers Retrofit Design, Auto-Unlock, Guest Access, Activity Log. Amazon Alexa covers Voice Control, Skills Library, Routines, Multi-Room Audio. Both handle IOS support, Android support.