Smart locks are some of the coolest, most beneficial smart home tech currently on the market. Today, we’ll take a look at the Kwikset Kevo vs. August Smart Lock Gen 3 to help you choose the better smart lock for your home.
About Kwikset Kevo and August Smart Lock
In 2018, smart locks are quick to become an essential part of any home. They bring safety and comfort that standard locks are missing. And both Kwikset and August are pretty good at making truly smart locks. Each company has a line of smart locks for you to choose from. Every lock has its own unique set of features that makes it perfect for certain households.
Kwikset offers three smart locks: Premis, Kevo Lock, and Kevo Convert. You can learn more about them in our in-depth comparison Kwikset Premis vs. Kevo Lock vs. Kevo Convert.
August also offers three very similar, yet different, smart locks: August Gen 2, August Gen 3, and August Pro. With new generation come new features, that make August smart locks even more secure and smart. Check out our take on August Gen 3 vs. Pro vs. Gen 2 to learn more about the locks and improvements on each generation.
For our today’s comparison, we’re focusing on the Kwikset Kevo Lock and the August Smart Lock Gen 3. Let’s see which one is a better fit for your home.
Kwikset Kevo vs. August Smart Lock Gen 3 — Things in Common
Both Kwikset Kevo and August Gen 3 are smart locks. – “Duh!” But, what actually makes them smart? Well, the locks utilize Bluetooth Low Energy technology to provide simple control of your smart lock via an app — so, whenever you’re in Bluetooth range of your smart lock, it’ll unlock the door for you.
The Kwikset Kevo is a Touch-to-Open smart lock. Just touch the exterior part of the lock to make Kevo unlock the door for you. And make sure you have your smartphone on you, because that’s how Kevo knows if it’s you who’s trying to open the door. You can also keep your phone in your pocket while opening the door because Kevo uses geofencing and bluetooth range to recognize you approaching your front door and so that its ready to unlock when touched.
The Kevo lock is also intelligent enough to recognize if you and your smartphone are inside or outside of your home. So, it’s not like anyone can come, touch the lock, and open the door; the Kevo smart lock knows when you’re at home, and keeps the door locked.
The August Smart Lock Gen 3 also uses geofencing to unlock the door as you arrive. Though, you don’t need to touch the lock — it just unlocks the door for you automatically when you approach.
Besides keyless entry, both locks keep record of who is coming and going, so you’ll never miss a visitor.
Now that we know what the two locks have in common and how they operate, let’s get to their differences.
Kwikset Kevo vs. August Smart Lock Gen 3 — Differences
- Difference #1: Remote Control – Even though both locks feature only Bluetooth technology (with ~ 30ft. range), there’s still a way to control them remotely. However, remote control comes at an additional cost.
If you want remote control over your smart lock, the lock needs to connect to your home’s Wifi network. With the Kwikset Kevo, you can use the Kwikset Plus as a bridge between the Kevo lock and your router. The Kwikset Plus is a combination of service and gateway. Once you upgrade to the Kevo Plus Service right from your Kevo account, the Kwikset will send you the gateway. Upgrading to Kevo Plus is a flat rate of $99.99 with no additional monthly fees to worry about.
Just make sure your router has one available Ethernet port for the Kevo Plus gateway. Once you set it up, you’ll be able to control your Kevo Smart Lock remotely, even while you’re far-far away.
The August Smart Lock Gen 3 has a few ways to offer remote control: via August Connect or August Doorbell Cam Pro. The August Connect, just like the Kevo Plus, is a bridge between your smart lock and router. However, the advantage of the August Connect over the Kevo Plus is that August Connect is wire-free. Just plug it into an outlet and pair everything together via the August app. Really simple.
The other option is the August Doorbell Cam Pro. It helps you connect your August Smart Lock to your router while also providing additional security at your doorsteps. With the August Doorbell Cam Pro you can see and speak with visitors — it’s an overall great addition to the August Smart Lock. So, if you plan on extending your home’s functionality, consider checking out the August Doorbell Cam Pro.
But, why don’t the Kwikset Kevo and August Smart Lock utilize Wifi to begin with? Is this one of those tricky ways for companies to make money off of you? Well, there’s actually a pretty good reason for the absence of Wifi in smart locks — it’d drain the battery of your smart lock lighting-fast. Bluetooth Low Energy requires way less power to operate than Wifi. So, the solution for remote control is gateways like the Kevo Plus and August Smart Lock is to accommodate the required power for Wifi.
- Difference #2: DoorSense Technology – While your smart lock status shows “Locked”, your front door might actually be ajar. How? Smart locks only report the status of the lock, not the door. And that’s when it can become an issue. Until recently, you’d never know if your door is both closed and locked. But now, with the new Gen 3 of August Smart Locks, August has added a DoorSense technology feature.
DoorSense technology uses magnetic fields to determine whether your door is ajar or not. The DoorSense feature is arguably one of the most important features when it comes to the safety of your home. And only August Gen 3 Locks have it: August Smart Lock Gen 3 and August Smart Lock Pro.
Unfortunately, Kwikset Kevo doesn’t offer anything similar to DoorSense Technology. And while you still can check the status of your Kevo lock, you’re left to guess if the door is actually closed.
- Difference #3: Installation – Both locks are pretty easy to install. However, with the Kwikset Kevo you’ll need to replace interior and exterior parts of your standard lock. Whereas, with the August Smart Lock Gen 3, you only replace the interior part.
As a result, the Kwikset Kevo’s installation is a little bit more time consuming. Plus, you need to make sure the new Kevo deadbolt is in the right place, otherwise it could cause a malfunction. So, it’s better to order Deadbolt Installation Service on Amazon for quick and smooth setup.
The August Smart Lock Gen 3 easily attaches to your existing deadbolt, so installation is a breeze. In addition to quick setup, everyone gets to keep their keys as a backup.
- Difference #4: Security – The Kwikset Kevo Smart Lock features a “SmartKey” deadbolt. It offers enhanced protection against lock picking and lock bumping. The SmartKey Security™ feature also allows you to re-key the Kevo Smart Lock yourself in seconds, so you can leave lost or unreturned keys obsolete.
All deadbolts are usually certified by ANSI — industry security standards to ensure the quality and durability of locks. There are three Grades for locks: Grade 3 for basic residential security, Grade 2 for intermediate level of residential security, and Grade 1 offering the highest level of protection.
The Kevo deadbolt is Grade 2, which is better than the basic Grade 3, but still not the best when it comes to security. So, if you’re looking for a smart lock with the highest security standard, you should check out the Schlage Connect or Schlage Sense, which are Grade 1 smart locks. (You might like our take on Schlage Connect vs. Sense vs. Connected Keypad.)
With the August Smart Lock Gen 3, security of the lock pretty much depends on the deadbolt you decide to go with. Since the smart lock only replaces the interior part of your standard lock, make sure you have at least a Grade 2 deadbolt in place to keep your home safe and secure.
- Difference #5: Shared Access – The Kwikset Kevo allows you to share access to your home with your family and friends straight from your phone. However, there’s a limit: you can share a maximum of 25 eKeys. The recipients of the eKeys need to have a compatible device and the Kevo app installed. Plus, they’ll need to register to create their personal Kevo accounts.
There are five different types of eKeys: owner eKey, admin eKey, anytime eKey, scheduled eKey, and guest eKey. Each type provides different levels of access to your home. You can lookup a detailed explanation of each eKey type on Kevo’s Support Forum.
With the August Smart Lock Gen 3 you can share access with as many people as you want — there are no limits to shared access, which makes it an overall better choice in this difference.
- Difference #6: Smart Home Integration – It’s important for your smart lock to integrate with your existing or future smart home setup. So, if you’re a HomeKit fan, you’d be better off checking smart locks with Apple HomeKit support, like the August Smart Lock Gen 2 or August Pro.
The Kwikset Kevo doesn’t support Apple HomeKit, however it plays well with other smart products from Ring, Nest, and Amazon. You can pair the Kwikset Kevo with a Ring Video Doorbell to check who is at your door and unlock/lock your Kevo remotely (assuming you’re within the Bluetooth range or use Kevo Plus).
The Kevo app also integrates well with your Nest account, so that your Nest thermostat can adjust the temperature based on your location pulled from the Kevo app.
You can also link the Kevo Smart Lock to your device with Alexa to get voice control over your Kevo lock. Just ask Alexa to check the status of your front door, or even to lock/unlock it. However, you’ll need to provide PIN verification for security purposes if you want to unlock your Kevo with a voice command, which totally makes sense.
The August Smart Lock Gen 3 also works with the Nest thermostat. You can set your Nest Learning Thermostat to change between home and away modes whenever you unlock or lock your door. Plus, the August Smart Lock Gen 3 works with the Nest Cam, so you can check the video of guests both inside and outside your home.
And when it comes to voice control, the August Smart Lock Gen 3 supports Amazon’s Echo™ and Google Home™ integration, however, you’ll need an August Connect Wi-Fi Bridge or August Doorbell Cam Pro to make the lock work with voice assistants.
Kwikset Kevo vs. August Smart Lock Gen 3 — Comparison Chart
| Kwikset Kevo Lock | August Smart Lock Gen 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Technology | Bluetooth | Bluetooth |
| Remote Control | via Kevo Plus | via August Connect or Doorbell Cam Pro |
| Installation | Exterior + interior | Interior only |
| “SmartKey” Deadbolt | Yes | N/A |
| DoorSense™ Technology | No | Yes |
| Shared Access | 25 eKeys max. | Unlimited |
| Lock Grade | Grade 2 | N/A |
Kwikset Kevo and August Smart Lock Accessories
Besides Kevo Plus, the Kwikset Kevo also works with Kevo Key Fobs. The fobs are perfect for guests with no smart phones. Just touch the Kevo lock with a Kevo key fob, and the door will magically unlocked. It’s a nice standard key alternative for guests who don’t have compatible devices to install the Kevo app. Whether you use eKeys or fobs, you still have a mixed limit equaling up to 25. So, if you share 20 eKeys, you’ll only be able to add 5 Kevo Key Fobs.
Even though Kevo Key Fobs are pretty convenient, you still need to carry around a fob with you, which totally contradicts the keyless idea of smart locks to begin with. August, on the other hand, has a way better approach to provide access to visitors with no smartphones — the August Smart Keypad.
With the August Smart Keypad in place, you can forget about carrying any type of keys/fobs with you whatsoever. You just need to have good memory to remember your personal, unique access code.
Create and share up to 220 unique access codes for yourself, family, visitors, your dog walker, or handyman to access your home. No wires during installation, no keys to carry around — just a unique code for every visitor to grant them access. The August Smart Keypad is a perfect complement accessory to any August Smart Lock.
And in case you want to extend your August Smart Lock Gen 3 functionality even further, get the August Connect. The August Connect Wifi Bridge will unlock remote control for your smart lock. Plus, you’ll be able to check the lock and door status at any moment, no matter where you are. The DoorSense feature makes it worth thinking about getting the August Connect. And, the price is quite attractive.
Kwikset Kevo vs. August Smart Lock Gen 3 — Our Thoughts
To sum it up, both locks offer convenient control over your front door. And each lock has its own unique features to offer.
The Kwikset Kevo is unique in the way it allows you to unlock your door. Touch-to-Open technology is pretty impressive when it works (it’s been getting a lot of criticism on Amazon recently). So, overall, we’d wait until the issues are fixed. Plus, there are better alternatives on the market in the same, or even lower, price range.
The August Smart Lock Gen 3, on the other hand, is a great, budget-friendly option. DoorSense Technology makes it stand out from the competition. It solves, arguably, the number one concern of smart locks’ security flaws. And the rest of August Smart Lock Gen 3 features just add to its awesomeness, like unlimited access sharing, simple installation, and optional remote control.
Last update on 2024-04-18 at 21:10 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Hi Iryna I.,
“August Home strengthens our residential smart door strategy with complementary smart locks, expansion into video doorbells and comprehensive solutions for home delivery,” says Thanasis Molokotos, executive vice president of ASSA ABLOY and Head of the Americas division.
Thanks for great article.