Published 2026-10-02 · 11 min read

August vs Lockly for Landlords (2026): Retrofit Simplicity or Biometric Tenant Access?

The smart lock is the highest-ROI gadget a landlord can install: no more rekeying between tenants, no more lockouts at 11pm, and an audit trail of who entered and when. The two brands landlords cross-shop most are August (retrofits your existing deadbolt, keeps your keys) and Lockly (full deadbolt replacement with fingerprint, face unlock, and a shifting PIN pad). Here's the full 2026 comparison for rental property.

General information only: This article is educational content for rental property owners, not legal, financial, or technical advice. Pricing, plans, and product specs change — confirm details with the manufacturer before buying.

Affiliate disclosure: we're an August affiliate via Yazing — signing up through our links may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. Read our full affiliate disclosure for how that works. Lockly is covered neutrally; we have no affiliate relationship with them.

The quick verdict

Choose August if you want the lowest-friction smart lock for rentals: it retrofits over your existing deadbolt (your current keys and any master-key system keep working), installs in about 10 minutes on the interior side only, and street prices run ~$190–$200 in 2026. Guest access, schedules, and auto-lock/unlock all run through the August app.

Choose Lockly Visage if you want the most tenant-friendly access experience: facial recognition, a 3D fingerprint reader, and a PIN Genie keypad whose digits shift position after every use (so smudge patterns can't reveal the code) — at a $349 list price. It replaces the entire deadbolt, so budget more install time and say goodbye to the old keyway.

Portfolio play: August is the standardization pick for most portfolios — retrofit means identical hardware across doors without touching cylinders, and your master keys survive. Lockly fits premium units where the biometric "wow" justifies the higher cost and full replacement.

At a glance: August vs Lockly for rental property

Prices are street figures from 2026 retail listings — they fluctuate with sales, so treat them as ranges, not quotes.

The landlord problems both solve

Problem 1: rekeying costs at every turnover. A physical rekey means a locksmith visit or your own Saturday — multiplied by every door, every turnover. Both locks replace that with digital access: revoke a virtual key or delete a PIN in seconds, and the old tenant's access is gone before the new tenant's lease starts.

Problem 2: 11pm lockouts. Tenants lose keys; it's a law of nature. With either lock, you unlock the door from your phone instead of driving across town — or the tenant uses their own code or fingerprint and never calls you at all.

Problem 3: who was in the unit, and when. Both apps keep an activity log — useful when a contractor swears they showed up Tuesday, or when you need to document access for a maintenance dispute. This is the feature landlords underestimate until the first time they need it.

August: the retrofit that respects your existing hardware

The August Wi-Fi Smart Lock (4th generation) attaches to the inside of your existing deadbolt — the exterior, the cylinder, and your keys don't change. That single fact makes it the landlord-friendliest smart lock on the market: in master-keyed buildings, your master key keeps working, and you never touch the keyway. Check current August pricing — street prices have been running ~$190–$200, well under the $249.99 list.

Installation takes about 10 minutes with a screwdriver, entirely on the interior side — no exterior changes means no curb-appeal debates and, in many leases, no "alteration" questions. Built-in Wi-Fi means remote control with no plug-in bridge (older August generations needed the August Connect module; the 4th gen doesn't).

The rental feature set is exactly what turnover needs: virtual keys with schedules (give the cleaner Tuesday 10–2 access, auto-expiring), auto-unlock as you approach, auto-lock on a timer, and DoorSense so you know whether the door is actually closed, not just locked. The activity log shows every lock/unlock event with the user attached.

The gaps: there's no keypad in the box — tenants who don't want the app need the separate August Smart Keypad (or you issue virtual keys only). And there's no biometric option — it's phone-or-code access, which is fine for most rentals but not the premium experience Lockly sells.

Lockly Visage: the biometric flagship

The Lockly Visage (Zeno Series) is the most advanced consumer smart lock in 2026: facial recognition, a 3D fingerprint reader, and a PIN Genie keypad whose digits physically shift position after every use, so the smudge pattern on the screen can't betray the code. List price is $349, available in the US.

For landlords, the Visage's superpower is tenant onboarding with zero app required: a tenant can unlock with their face or finger on day one, no smartphone setup, no code to memorize, no "I didn't get the invite email" support tickets. One-time and scheduled PINs cover guests, cleaners, and showings. It connects over Wi-Fi 2.4GHz plus Bluetooth, works with Alexa, Google, Apple HomeKit, and IFTTT, and ships with door-open sensors and a pair of rechargeable batteries rated for 8+ months.

The trade-offs are real. It's a full deadbolt replacement — the old cylinder goes, your master key goes with it, and installation is a real door-hardware job, not a 10-minute retrofit. At $349 it's roughly 75% more than a street-priced August. And it's US-only as of 2026, which matters if your portfolio or your tenants' expectations cross borders. Lockly also sells the Vision model (~$400) with a built-in video doorbell if you want camera + lock in one device, but for pure access control the Visage is the pick.

Where does Lockly win? Premium units where the access experience is part of the rent justification — high-end condos, executive rentals, short-term rentals where guests arrive at midnight with no patience for app setup. Fingerprint beats "download our app" every time with a tired traveler.

Head-to-head: the five things landlords actually decide on

1. Installation and existing hardware. August wins for portfolios. Retrofit means no cylinder changes, master keys survive, and a handyman can do ten doors in an afternoon. Lockly's full replacement is a per-door project — fine for one premium unit, painful at scale.

2. Tenant access experience. Lockly wins. Face or fingerprint unlock with no app needed is the best tenant UX in the category. August's app-based access is good but generates more onboarding friction, especially with less tech-comfortable tenants.

3. Turnover workflow. Tie. Both let you revoke access instantly — August via virtual keys, Lockly via deleted PINs and fingerprints. Either one eliminates the rekeying treadmill; pick based on the other factors.

4. Keypad for code-only access. Lockly wins — the PIN Genie keypad is built in. August needs the separate Smart Keypad accessory, an extra purchase per door.

5. Cost per door at portfolio scale. August wins decisively: ~$190–$200 street vs. $349 list, before you factor in the faster install. Across 20 doors, that's roughly a $3,000 difference — real money that buys a lot of keypads.

The bottom line

Choose August if: you want the lowest-friction smart lock for rentals — retrofit install that preserves your deadbolt, keys, and master-key system, virtual keys with schedules, DoorSense, and an activity log, at ~$190–$200 street. It's the standardization pick for portfolios. See current August deals.

Choose Lockly Visage if: you're outfitting premium units where the access experience justifies $349 — facial recognition, 3D fingerprint, and a shifting-digit PIN pad with no app required for tenants. Budget for full deadbolt replacement and the loss of your existing keyway.

Portfolio play: August on the standard doors (one app, one turnover procedure, master keys intact), Lockly on the flagship units where biometric access is a leasing feature. Never mix brands on the same property — one app per building keeps turnover sane.

FAQs

Is August or Lockly better for landlords?

For most portfolios, August: the retrofit install preserves your existing deadbolt, keys, and master-key system, and the ~$190–$200 street price scales affordably. Lockly's Visage ($349) wins on tenant experience — face and fingerprint unlock with no app needed — making it the pick for premium units where access convenience justifies the cost.

How much do they cost in 2026?

The August Wi-Fi Smart Lock lists at $249.99 but streets around $190–$200. The Lockly Visage (Zeno Series) lists at $349. August's keypad is a separate accessory; Lockly's PIN Genie keypad is built in.

Does August work with my existing deadbolt and master key?

Yes — that's its defining feature. August replaces only the interior thumb-turn; the exterior cylinder, your tenant keys, and any master-key system keep working untouched. Lockly replaces the entire deadbolt, so the old keyway (and your master key) goes away.

Can tenants still use a physical key?

With August, yes — the original key works exactly as before. With Lockly, the lock ships with 2 new keys for the new cylinder. Either way, keep a physical backup key in your own lockbox; batteries die at the worst moments.

How do I handle tenant turnover with each?

Revoke and reissue digitally — no rekeying. In the August app, delete the old tenant's virtual key and issue a new one; in the Lockly app, delete the old PINs and fingerprints and enroll the new tenant's. Do it the day the lease ends, before the new lease starts, and document it in your turnover checklist.

Which is better for guests, cleaners, and showings?

Both handle this well. August offers scheduled virtual keys (e.g., cleaner access Tuesdays 10–2, auto-expiring). Lockly offers one-time and scheduled PINs on the built-in keypad — no app needed for the guest, which is nicer for short-term rentals and midnight arrivals. Compare August's current pricing here if the app-based model fits your workflow.

Do these locks need Wi-Fi at the property?

For remote features, yes. August has built-in Wi-Fi (no bridge needed); Lockly uses Wi-Fi 2.4GHz plus Bluetooth. Bluetooth-only operation still locks/unlocks nearby, but remote guest access, schedules pushed from afar, and activity logs need the lock on Wi-Fi — put locks on YOUR network in common areas, and confirm the unit's Wi-Fi stays up.

Should I standardize on one brand across my units?

Yes — one brand per property at minimum. Identical hardware means one app, one turnover procedure, and one set of batteries to stock. August is the natural portfolio standard (retrofit + price); reserve Lockly for flagship units where biometric access is a leasing feature.

Related: our August vs Schlage Encode comparison, August vs Yale, August vs Kwikset, August vs Ultraloq, the best smart locks for rental property, the best home security systems for landlords, and Vivint vs ADT.