IoT & Smart Home · head to head
August Smart Lock vs Zigbee Alliance
August Smart Lock
IoT & Smart Home
Smart locks that work with your existing deadbolt
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
Zigbee Alliance
IoT & Smart Home
Low-power wireless standard for IoT and smart home
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Zigbee Alliance 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; Zigbee Alliance the Internet Archive's capture of the Connectivity Standards Alliance's Zigbee page on 4 January 2024 confirmed Zigbee is a protocol standard rather than a purchased product, with the Alliance's revenue coming from member dues and per-device certification fees rather than a software price list.
- They diverge on capability: August Smart Lock covers Retrofit Design, Zigbee Alliance covers Low Power.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which August Smart Lock and Zigbee Alliance actually diverge.
| Attribute | August Smart Lock | Zigbee Alliance |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | On request | Free |
| Pricing model | one-time | open-source |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | IOS, Android, Web | Zigbee devices, Mesh networks, Smart home hubs, IoT platforms |
| Founded | 2012 | 2002 |
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 Zigbee Alliance
- Low Power
- Mesh Networking
- Self-Healing
- Scalable
- Smart home devices
- Hubs
- Controllers
- Integration platforms
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
August Smart Lock
- Keyless entrynot Zigbee Alliance
- Guest accessnot Zigbee Alliance
- Remote unlocknot Zigbee Alliance
- Activity monitoringnot Zigbee Alliance
Zigbee Alliance
- Smart lightingnot August Smart Lock
- Sensor networksnot August Smart Lock
- Home automationnot August Smart Lock
- Industrial monitoringnot 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
Zigbee Alliance
- The Internet Archive's capture of the Connectivity Standards Alliance's Zigbee page on 4 January 2024 confirmed Zigbee is a protocol standard rather than a purchased product, with the Alliance's revenue coming from member dues and per-device certification fees rather than a software price list.
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
Zigbee Alliance
Free- Open SpecificationFree
- Low power mesh
- Self-healing
- Interoperable
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 Zigbee Alliance if
- You need low power.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Zigbee devices, Mesh networks, Smart home hubs, IoT platforms.
- You also want mesh networking.
Questions people ask
- Is August Smart Lock or Zigbee Alliance better?
- Neither clearly leads. August Smart Lock starts at On request and Zigbee Alliance at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, August Smart Lock or Zigbee Alliance?
- Zigbee Alliance has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for August Smart Lock and Free for Zigbee Alliance.
- Does August Smart Lock or Zigbee Alliance run on more platforms?
- August Smart Lock runs on IOS, Android, Web. Zigbee Alliance runs on Zigbee devices, Mesh networks, Smart home hubs, IoT platforms.
- Can I use Zigbee Alliance for free?
- Yes. Zigbee Alliance 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 Zigbee Alliance is typically brought in for.
- What can August Smart Lock do that Zigbee Alliance cannot?
- August Smart Lock covers Retrofit Design, Auto-Unlock, Guest Access, Activity Log. Zigbee Alliance covers Low Power, Mesh Networking, Self-Healing, Scalable.