Nuki vs August
Nuki is a European alternative to August: same consumer products use case, headquartered in Austria and governed by EU GDPR, while August (Fortune Brands Innovations) is based in the United States.
By the EU Alternatives team Last updated
Austrian smart locks that retrofit existing door cylinders for keyless smartphone access
- Jurisdiction
- EU / EEA
- Primary privacy law
- EU GDPR
- US CLOUD Act exposure
- No
- Open source
- No
- Free tier
- No
Retrofit smart locks that keep your existing key and deadbolt, with auto-unlock and guest access in a subscription-free app; the Wi-Fi model currently sells for 199.99 dollars. Since June 2023 the US August and Yale lock business has belonged to Fortune Brands Innovations, a publicly traded company in Deerfield, Illinois, not Sweden's Assa Abloy, so door data remains American-run.
- Jurisdiction
- United States
- GDPR by default
- Requires DPA + TIA
- US CLOUD Act exposure
- Yes
Nuki vs August at a glance
| Nuki | August | |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | Austria | United States |
| Data jurisdiction | EU / EEA | United States |
| Primary privacy law | EU GDPR | Requires DPA + transfer assessment |
| US CLOUD Act exposure | No | Yes |
| Best for | Teams that need consumer products built for European data-protection requirements | Teams already invested in the Fortune Brands Innovations ecosystem |
Choose Nuki if…
- You want a provider governed by a European privacy regime
- GDPR or public-sector data-protection requirements apply to you
- You'd rather back the European tech ecosystem
Stick with August if…
- You depend on integrations only available in the Fortune Brands Innovations ecosystem
- Your organisation has no EU data-residency constraints
- Migration costs outweigh the jurisdiction benefits for now
About Nuki
Nuki Home Solutions is an Austrian smart-lock manufacturer that retrofits existing door cylinders with a connected motor, turning any standard European door lock into a smartphone-controlled one. Founded by Martin and Jürgen Pansy, the company manufactures in Europe and designs for privacy-conscious homes and short-term rental hosts who want keyless access without changing the door.
The current range includes three smart locks, Smart Lock Pro (flagship with WiFi and Matter over Thread), Smart Lock Go (entry-level) and Smart Lock Ultra (smallest form factor), plus accessories like keypads, door sensors, and an intercom opener that buzzes guests in remotely. Integrations cover Apple HomeKit, Google Home, and Amazon Alexa. Users can share time-restricted digital keys with family, cleaners, or Airbnb guests, and all access is logged.
Against August or Yale, Nuki's pitch is European manufacturing, tool-free retrofit installation (no locksmith, no door modification), and a well-rated mobile app (4.5/5). The Nuki Club offers free shipping, discounts, and flexible payment. It's a natural fit for Europe's predominantly Euro-profile cylinder locks, which most US-centric smart locks don't support.
Why choose Nuki over August?
The decisive argument is data jurisdiction. August is headquartered in the United States, which means personal data processed through it can be subject to non-EU legal regimes: the US CLOUD Act, FISA 702, or similar laws depending on the provider. After the 2020 Schrems II ruling, EU organisations must carry out a transfer impact assessment for every such data flow.
Nuki removes that overhead. As an Austria-based provider, it operates under EU GDPR, and data stays inside the EU/EEA by default. For regulated sectors such as health, public administration, and finance, that's not a nice-to-have but a requirement. For everyone else, it's concentration-risk insurance: you avoid depending on a single jurisdiction that can change the rules without warning.