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IoT & Smart Home · head to head

August Smart Lock vs Grain

August Smart Lock logo

August Smart Lock

IoT & Smart Home

Smart locks that work with your existing deadbolt

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Grain logo

Grain

Remote Work

AI meeting highlights and clips

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Grain 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; Grain no concurrent recording - only one meeting per account at a time
  • They diverge on capability: August Smart Lock covers Retrofit Design, Grain covers Auto-recording.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which August Smart Lock and Grain actually diverge.

Attributes where August Smart Lock and Grain differ
AttributeAugust Smart LockGrain
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelone-timeUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsIOS, Android, WebWeb, Chrome Extension, Desktop Audio Capture
CategoryIoT & Smart HomeRemote Work
Founded20122018

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Grain

  • Auto-recording
  • AI highlights
  • Video clips
  • Transcription
  • Zoom
  • Google Meet
  • Notion
  • Slack

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

August Smart Lock

  • Keyless entrynot Grain
  • Guest accessnot Grain
  • Remote unlocknot Grain
  • Activity monitoringnot Grain

Grain

  • ai tools managementnot August Smart Lock
  • Workflow automationnot August Smart Lock
  • Reportingnot 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

Grain

  • No concurrent recording - only one meeting per account at a time
  • No automatic slide capture for presentations
  • Limited video demo context - audio-focused with poor video file support
  • Cannot record in-person meetings
  • No native mobile app
  • Limited admin controls for company-wide automatic recording
  • Free plan limited to 20 recordings if using personal email
  • No automatic file uploads on free tier
  • Lacks advanced sales analytics features of enterprise competitors
  • Limited CRM integration compared to higher-end platforms

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

Grain

Free
  • Free ForeverFree
    • Unlimited meetings up to 45 minutes each
    • AI transcription and notes
    • 90-day history
  • Starter$15/month
    • Unlimited meeting length
    • Unlimited AI highlights
    • Video clip creation
  • Business$33/month
    • All Starter features
    • Advanced team coaching
    • Deeper analytics

Which should you pick?

Choose August Smart Lock if

  • You need retrofit design.
  • You work on IOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want auto-unlock.
August Smart Lock review

Choose Grain if

  • You need auto-recording.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Chrome Extension, Desktop Audio Capture.
  • You also want ai highlights.
Grain review

Questions people ask

Is August Smart Lock or Grain better?
Neither clearly leads. August Smart Lock starts at On request and Grain at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, August Smart Lock or Grain?
Grain has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for August Smart Lock and Free for Grain.
Does August Smart Lock or Grain run on more platforms?
August Smart Lock runs on IOS, Android, Web. Grain runs on Web, Chrome Extension, Desktop Audio Capture.
Can I use Grain for free?
Yes. Grain 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 Grain is typically brought in for.
What can August Smart Lock do that Grain cannot?
August Smart Lock covers Retrofit Design, Auto-Unlock, Guest Access, Activity Log. Grain covers Auto-recording, AI highlights, Video clips, Transcription. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Grain: Is Grain free?

Grain offers a Free Forever plan with unlimited meetings up to 45 minutes each and 90-day history. Paid plans start at $15/month per user for unlimited meeting length and advanced AI features.

Source
Grain: Does Grain require a bot in meetings?

No. Grain uses bot-less transcription to capture meeting audio without requiring a bot participant, though video recording requires bot participation if you want recording visible.

Source
Grain: What platforms does Grain work with?

Grain integrates with Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and supports desktop audio capture. It exports to Claude, ChatGPT, Slack, and CRM platforms like HubSpot and Salesforce.

Source
Grain: Can Grain record multiple meetings at once?

No. Grain does not support concurrent meeting recordings, meaning only one meeting per account can be recorded at a time.

Source
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