Head-to-head — Smart locks

August Smart Lock (5th gen) vs Yale Assure Lock 3 Keypad: which should you buy?

Our #1 overall against the set-and-forget keypad pick — one keeps your existing deadbolt, one replaces it entirely.

The August Smart Lock 5th gen installed over an existing deadboltWins overall8.8

August Smart Lock (5th gen)

Best overall — Smart locks

Buy it to keep your keys and your landlord happy — 12-minute install over your existing deadbolt, and the fastest unlock we've timed.

The Yale Assure Lock 3 Keypad installed on a front doorWins on batteries8.6

Yale Assure Lock 3 Keypad

Best keypad — Smart locks

Buy it for the keypad and 9-month batteries — the set-and-forget choice for homeowners who want guest codes built in.

3 rondas — August Smart Lock (5th gen)
9 duelos de especificaciones
2 rondas — Yale Assure Lock 3 Keypad

Especificación por especificación

Ganador marcado en cada fila · cada número enlaza a su prueba en la metodología completa.

Performance — measured
Unlock timeapproach → open, s
0.9s
1.4s
Auto-unlock reliability100 approaches
97%
93%
ANSI/BHMA gradedurability class
Grade 2
Grade 2
Practicality
Install type
Retrofit — inside only
Full replacement
Install timetimed, one person
12 min
25 min
Battery lifemeasured, months
3 mo
9 mo
Physical key backup
Yes — original key works
None — keypad + app only
Cost & policy
Street pricetracked weekly
$229
$189
Warranty
1 yr
2 yr

Las mediciones, en gráfica

Ambos productos frente a la categoría, lado a lado. Ámbar = ganador de la fila.

Unlock timemás bajo es mejor · seconds
August0.9
Yale1.4
August is the fastest auto-unlock we've timed on either bench
Battery lifemás alto es mejor · months
August3
Yale9
Yale runs roughly 3× longer between battery changes
Street pricemás bajo es mejor · $
August229
Yale189
$40 apart at street price

Lo que de verdad cuesta tenerlo

El precio de etiqueta es solo un número. Aquí están las cuentas completas.

Street pricetracked weekly
$229
$189
Cost per year10-year horizon
$22.90 /yr
$18.90 /yr
Batteries per year4× AA
~16 changes
~5 changes
Install costDIY, either way
Free — screwdriver
Free — drill required
Backup if electronics fail
Original key still opens it
None — no cylinder to fall back on

*Both inherit their ANSI/BHMA Grade 2 rating from the underlying hardware — August from your existing deadbolt, Yale from its own replacement cylinder-less body.

Ronda por ronda

Los mismos datos, narrados como un partido.

Speed at the door

0.9s from approach to open is the fastest we've timed on either bench — Yale's own auto-unlock lands roughly half a second later.

August Smart Lock (5th gen)
Keeping your key

The August clips over your existing deadbolt from the inside. Your original key, and your landlord's peace of mind, are untouched.

August Smart Lock (5th gen)
Guests & codes

A built-in keypad means a code for the dog walker or the in-laws without buying anything extra. August's keypad accessory is an $80 add-on.

Yale Assure Lock 3 Keypad
Battery anxiety

9 months and 2 days on four AAs against August's 3 — you'll be changing August's batteries roughly three times as often.

Yale Assure Lock 3 Keypad
The install

12 minutes with a screwdriver versus 25 minutes and a drill for a full deadbolt swap.

August Smart Lock (5th gen)
The call

Renters, and anyone who values keeping the original key: August, without hesitation. Homeowners who want a keypad baked in and don't mind losing the cylinder: Yale.

Depende de ti
¿Ya te decidiste?Consulta el precio actual

¿Sigues indeciso? Responde tres preguntas.

Nuestra recomendación guiada, con la misma lógica que usan nuestros editores
Do you rent, or want to keep your existing key?
How do guests get in?
How do you feel about changing batteries?

De quienes ya los tienen

Opiniones de propietarios verificados que recogimos al volver a probar: lo que las fichas técnicas no te dicen.

RMRhea M.August owner · 4 months

"It genuinely unlocks before I've finished reaching for the handle. My landlord loves that the outside of the door looks untouched."

DKDevraj K.Yale owner · 7 months

"Codes for the cleaner, the in-laws, and the dog walker — nobody has a key, nobody needs the app. Install took a full evening though."

Preguntas sobre esta comparativa

Can I install the August myself?
Yes — it's a 12-minute inside-only job with a screwdriver, and your existing exterior hardware and keys are untouched. It's the one we'd hand to a renter.
Is Yale's missing cylinder a security risk?
No — it removes a physical attack surface (nothing to pick) at the cost of a physical backup (nothing to fall back on if the electronics fail). Our pick test passed cleanly either way.
Do both work with Apple Home / Google / Alexa?
Yes, both support Matter, HomeKit, Alexa and Google Assistant out of the box — smart-home compatibility isn't a differentiator here.
What about the Schlage Encode Plus?
Schlage's Grade 1 rating and physical vault-like build (8.4) beat both here on raw security, at a $70–110 premium. See where it lands in the full ranking.
Want a third option in this fight?Add the Schlage Encode Plus (8.4) or any of 18 tested locks
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