August vs Level Bolt: The Two Locks That Keep Your Keys

Most smart locks replace your deadbolt. These two do not. The August Wi-Fi Smart Lock and the Level Bolt both leave the outside of the door and the keyway alone, which is why they are the locks we recommend for condos, rentals and anyone who likes their existing hardware. They get there by very different routes, and the route decides which one belongs on your door.

What do the two locks have in common?

Both are retrofits for a single-cylinder deadbolt: a keyway on the outside, a thumb-turn on the inside. Both keep the exterior deadbolt, the cylinder and every key exactly as they were. Your landlord’s key works, the building’s emergency key works, and from the street nothing has changed.

Both auto-lock behind you, share access with other people through an app, and work with Apple Home. Both come off at move-out with the original parts refitted. And both rely on the deadbolt you already own, so if that deadbolt is worn, get it serviced or rekeyed at the same visit. The brand-by-brand rekey picture is in Can a Smart Lock Be Rekeyed?

How does the August Wi-Fi Smart Lock work?

The August replaces the thumb-turn on the inside of the door. A mounting plate goes over the deadbolt’s tailpiece, an adapter matches the tailpiece shape, and the round lock body snaps on. Turning the August by hand still works like a thumb-turn.

• Wi-Fi built in. No bridge. Connect it to your home Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz, and 5 GHz on current firmware) and remote control, notifications and shared access work from anywhere.
• DoorSense. A small magnet on the frame tells the app whether the door is actually closed, not just whether the bolt is thrown.
• Auto-lock and auto-unlock. It locks after a delay you choose and can unlock as you walk up using your phone’s location.
• Keypad accessory. The August Smart Keypad mounts beside the door so cleaners and guests can use a code.
• Batteries. Two CR123 cells inside the lock body.

The trade-off is visibility. The August is a round body about the size of a hockey puck on the inside of the door. Nobody outside sees it, but you will. Details and fit on our August page.

How does the Level Bolt work?

The Level Bolt goes further. It replaces the bolt mechanism inside the door edge, with the motor and battery sealed inside the bolt body. Then your original exterior cylinder and your original interior thumb-turn go back on over it. From either side the door looks exactly as it did.

• Bluetooth first. Your phone talks to the lock at the door through the Level app.
• Remote access via bridge or hub. Remote access needs the Level Connect bridge plugged into a nearby outlet or, on the current Matter model, a Matter hub.
• Battery. A single CR2 cell inside the bolt body.
• Apple Home. Supported over Bluetooth, with remote control through a home hub.
• No visible electronics. No keypad on the door, no puck inside.

Invisible has a cost. There is no built-in Wi-Fi, no door sensor in the base package, and fewer features to manage from the app. Our Level page covers the Bolt and its full-deadbolt siblings, the Level Lock and Lock Pro.

August vs Level Bolt: side by side

Which one fits your door?

Both need a single-cylinder deadbolt with standard bore holes. Neither fits a double-cylinder deadbolt with a key on both sides, a mortise lock set into the door edge, or an interconnected lever set that retracts the bolt and latch together.

Beyond that they diverge. The August only has to grip the tailpiece, and it ships with adapters for the common deadbolt brands, so it fits most Kwikset, Schlage and similar deadbolts without fuss. The Level Bolt replaces the bolt itself, so the backset, the door thickness and the shape of your existing cylinder’s tailpiece all have to match Level’s fit list. Builder-grade deadbolts on newer doors usually pass. An older or unusual deadbolt on a Hillcrest walk-up may not, and the fix is a standard single-cylinder deadbolt installed first.

The HOA and renter angle

This is where both locks earn their keep. Condo associations in Downtown San Diego and University City often control the corridor face of your door. A keypad deadbolt needs approval; a retrofit that leaves the outside untouched usually needs none. HOA and condo lock rules has the detail.

Renters have the same logic with a landlord instead of a board. Both locks keep the landlord’s key working and both come off at move-out. The Level Bolt has one extra advantage in buildings where management inspects inside the unit: there is nothing to see. Our renter-friendly smart locks guide walks through getting the yes in writing.

Alignment matters more on a retrofit

Both motors are small. A full-replacement smart lock has some room to muscle a slightly rubbing bolt; these two do not. If you have to lift or pull the door to lock it by hand, the August will strain and the Level Bolt will stall, and either will eat batteries in weeks.

The fix is the strike plate, the hinges or the weatherstrip, not the lock. Checking that with the door closed is the first thing we do on any smart lock installation, and it is the reason most retrofits that “never worked right” were installed on a door that never closed right.

What do they cost?

Hardware for the two sits in the same general tier as a mid-range keypad deadbolt, with the Level Bolt often a little higher and the Level Connect bridge or the August keypad adding to either. Prices move with sales and generations, so check current listings before you decide on price alone.

Labor for a retrofit on a well-aligned door is at the lower end of the typical San Diego range of $100 to $250 for a smart lock install, because there is no drilling and the exterior stays. Our own numbers are on the pricing page.

Which one should you pick?

• Choose August if you want Wi-Fi without a bridge, a door sensor, auto-unlock, an easy keypad add-on, or the simpler install. Most renters and most families land here.
• Choose Level Bolt if the lock must be invisible, your association or landlord inspects the inside as well as the outside, or you already run Apple Home and are happy with Bluetooth at the door.
• Choose Level Lock Pro instead if you want Apple Home Key and are allowed to replace the deadbolt. It is a full lock that comes with its own keys.

If you inherit either lock with a home or a unit, have it reset and the deadbolt override rekeyed; that is our smart lock rekey and reset service.

Next step

Send us a photo of the inside of your deadbolt. From that we can tell you whether an August or a Level Bolt will fit, fix the alignment so the batteries last, and set up the app before we leave. Both are usually a same-day install anywhere in San Diego County.