Nuki vs August
Nuki is a European alternative to August — same consumer products use case, built under EU data-protection law.
By the EU Alternatives team Last updated
Austrian smart locks that retrofit existing door cylinders for keyless smartphone access
- Jurisdiction
- EU / EEA
- GDPR by default
- Yes
- US CLOUD Act exposure
- No
- Open source
- No
- Free tier
- No
August by Assa Abloy.
- Jurisdiction
- US
- GDPR by default
- Requires DPA + TIA
- US CLOUD Act exposure
- Yes
About Nuki
What Nuki does
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.
Product line
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.
Differentiators
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 US, 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 a Austria-based provider, it operates natively under GDPR, and data stays inside the EU/EEA by default. For regulated sectors — health, public administration, 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 non-EU jurisdiction that can change the rules without warning.