Smart Locks
August Home
Retrofit smart lock with native Airbnb integration
Best for Small Hosts
The right smart lock when you can't modify the door exterior
From $149.99 • No free trial
Comparison
August Home vs Sifely
Pricing, pros and cons, and buyer-fit side-by-side. Pick the one that matches your operation — or see why neither should.
Smart Locks
Sifely
Smart locks with auto-generated guest access codes for STR operators
Solid Option
Budget-friendly guest access automation with hardware reliability trade-offs
From $79.99 • No free trial
✓Editorial verdict
Which Should You Pick: August Home or Sifely?
Pick August Home if you can't modify the door exterior and need a reversible 10-minute retrofit over your existing deadbolt with native Airbnb code automation and broad smart-home support across Alexa, Google, and HomeKit. Pick Sifely if you want the lowest per-door hardware cost ($79.99) with five unlock methods including fingerprint and fob, plus direct Guesty and Hostaway integrations beyond just Airbnb.
Editorial perspective from the August Home side; factual claims about Sifely are drawn from its review.
Pricing Side-by-Side
August Home
Full pricing →From $149.99 • No free trial
August Smart Lock
$149.99 one-time
- Bluetooth keyless entry
- Auto-Lock and Auto-Unlock
- DoorSense for door open/closed detection
- Up to 6-month battery life on 2x AA
Smart Lock + Connect
$199.99 one-time
- All Smart Lock features
- Wi-Fi Bridge included for remote control
- Voice assistant integration (Alexa, Google, Siri)
Wi-Fi Smart Lock
$229.99 one-time
- Built-in Wi-Fi (no separate Bridge needed)
- Smaller form factor than Smart Lock + Connect
- Direct app and voice-assistant control
Sifely
Full pricing →From $79.99 • No free trial
Custom
Hardware-only pricing confirmed; individual lock prices range from approximately eighty dollars to two hundred dollars depending on model and finish. No subscription fees publicly disclosed. Auto Booking Code feature pricing not published — contact vendor for current terms.
Try SifelyWhat each tool does well — and where it falls short
What August Home does well
Non-invasive installation preserves original door appearance
August's retrofit design installs over an existing deadbolt without changing the exterior — SafeWise describes it as "perfect for rentals with HOA restrictions or landlord requirements" with a 10-minute install.
Native Airbnb integration automates guest access codes
Linking August and Airbnb accounts means the lock automatically generates a unique access code when a guest books, eliminating manual code management per The Connected Shop.
Works with every major smart home platform
August's official Works With page lists Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit, Samsung SmartThings, IFTTT, SimpliSafe, Control4, and ecobee among supported integrations.
Keeps physical key functionality as a backup
The retrofit-over-deadbolt design means the original key still works — useful for owner access, maintenance, or when batteries die unexpectedly.
What Sifely does well
Auto Booking Code pulls reservation data and generates time-limited passcodes automatically
The feature integrates with Airbnb, Guesty, Hostaway, and other platforms to create guest codes without manual entry — a meaningful time-saver at 5+ properties.
Five unlock methods give guests multiple fallback options
Fingerprint, code, fob, smartphone, and physical key mean a single failure mode rarely locks a guest out entirely. The reversible handle simplifies installation on any door.
Configurable auto-lock prevents the common STR problem of unsecured doors
The lock re-engages after a set delay, removing reliance on guests remembering to lock up — a frequent pain point flagged in STR operator forums.
Where August Home falls short
Shorter battery life increases maintenance burden
Smart Home Perfected notes CR123 batteries last 3-6 months versus 9-12 for Yale or Schlage — a notable drawback when managing multiple properties at distance.
Keypad for backup access sold separately
The external keypad is a separate accessory at around $59, adding 25-40% to the effective per-door cost before shipping or installation.
Less proven for high-volume commercial rentals
RedAwning notes Yale Assure Lock 2 is deployed across 50,000+ RedAwning-managed properties with a 99.7% uptime rate, and recommends Yale or Schlage Encode Plus for high-traffic rentals.
No comprehensive public API documentation
Integrations are available through official partners and supported platforms, but August does not publish a documented public API — limiting custom PMS/automation integrations.
Where Sifely falls short
Touchpad responsiveness is inconsistent, working roughly 90% of the time
User reviews report intermittent touchpad failures. For high-turnover STRs where every check-in matters, a 10% failure rate creates real guest friction and support burden.
Remote management requires purchasing a separate WiFi gateway
The base lock is Bluetooth-only. Remote code management — the core value for multi-property hosts — is locked behind an additional hardware purchase at undisclosed pricing.
Fingerprint scanner reliability is a recurring user complaint
Reports describe the scanner reading correctly (green light) but failing to unlock. For hosts relying on biometric access as the primary unlock method, this undermines the convenience promise.
Which Should You Pick
Pick August Home if
Properties with HOA restrictions or landlord requirements prohibiting exterior door modifications, where a reversible 10-minute install matters.
Skip August Home if
You run high-volume commercial properties and need maximum battery life and the most proven track record for smart-lock reliability.
Pick Sifely if
STR hosts managing multiple properties who need automated passcode generation tied to booking platforms like Airbnb, Guesty, or Hostaway — and want to avoid monthly lock software fees.
Skip Sifely if
You need guaranteed 24/7 hardware reliability for high-turnover properties, require integrations with PMS platforms beyond the currently supported list, or need enterprise-grade remote fleet management.
Where August Home and Sifely actually differ
- August Smart Lock starts at $149.99 (Wi-Fi model $229.99) preserving the existing deadbolt and physical key; Sifely starts at $79.99 per lock as a full lock replacement — Sifely is $70+ cheaper per door before accessories.
- August installs over the existing deadbolt in ~10 minutes preserving the original exterior — meaningful for HOA/landlord-restricted properties; Sifely requires a full lock replacement, though its reversible handle fits both left- and right-hand configurations.
- August works with Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit, Samsung SmartThings, IFTTT, and SimpliSafe; Sifely has no documented smart-home ecosystem connectivity beyond its own app.
- Sifely offers five unlock methods (fingerprint, code, fob, smartphone, physical key); August is limited to app and Airbnb-generated codes, with the external keypad sold separately at ~$59 and no biometric or fob options.
- Sifely integrates natively with Airbnb, Guesty, and Hostaway for auto-generated codes; August's only confirmed native OTA integration is Airbnb, with no documented native Guesty or Hostaway connection.
Common objections
- Sifely is roughly half the hardware cost with more unlock methods — why pay the August premium?
- If you can swap the lock freely and your PMS is on Sifely's list, Sifely's $79.99 entry price and five unlock methods are genuinely better value per dollar. August's premium buys two specific things: a reversible retrofit that preserves the original deadbolt and physical key (critical for HOA/landlord restrictions), and broad smart-home ecosystem coverage. If neither matters for your properties, Sifely is the more economical pick.
- Sifely connects natively to Guesty and Hostaway — doesn't August's Airbnb-only integration limit multi-platform hosts?
- Yes — if you list on Guesty or Hostaway and want auto-generated codes without a PMS-side workaround, Sifely's broader native integrations are a real advantage. August's headline automation is Airbnb-specific, so multi-channel hosts often end up managing Vrbo and Booking.com codes manually or through their PMS. For Airbnb-first hosts the gap doesn't matter; for multi-channel hosts it does.
- August's CR123 batteries only last 3-6 months — isn't Sifely's Bluetooth-first design more maintenance-friendly?
- Sifely's Bluetooth-first architecture does typically last longer per battery cycle, which is a real operational advantage at scale. But Sifely's reported ~10% touchpad failure rate and fingerprint read-but-fail issues create their own field-maintenance burden — different failure mode, not an absent one. August trades shorter battery life for the proven retrofit form factor and broader smart-home support; Sifely trades hardware quirks for lower cost and longer battery cycles.
Keep Digging
August Home
The right smart lock when you can't modify the door exterior
Sifely
Budget-friendly guest access automation with hardware reliability trade-offs