Stephen Schenck / Android Authority
TL;DR When Nuki launched its Smart Lock in the US, in introduced a $5.90/month Nuki Premium subscription.
Some critical connectivity features like Wi-Fi support and notifications were paywalled behind Premium.
Nuki has now decided to do away with Premium subscriptions, instead selling the Smart Lock for a slightly higher upfront cost.
Installing a smart lock is one of those changes you don’t necessarily fully appreciate until you actually do it — being able to leave the house without carrying a set of keys is just so weirdly freeing. And if you haven’t tried it yet, now’s as good a time as any to do so. Products like Nuki’s Smart Lock make it quick and easy to add these smarts to an existing lock without needing to replace all your hardware. We’ve already been a fan of Nuki’s solutions for locks in Europe, and this past summer saw the company open its doors to US shoppers, as well — but with one key difference. And today we’ve got a critical update on that.
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With Nuki’s lock business in Europe, the hardware starts at €269 — over $300. But when you bought in, that was a one-time deal, and you didn’t have to worry about any additional, ongoing costs.
For the US launch of the Nuki Smart Lock, the company drastically slashed that upfront price, letting you take home the lock alone for $159, or the lock with its wireless keypad for $229. For that, you could connect with the Nuki app over Bluetooth, and operate the lock locally with your phone.
But if you wanted to connect to the lock over Wi-Fi, and operate it or change settings when you were away from your home network, you’d now have to sign up for a $5.90/mo ($70.80/yr) Nuki Premium subscription.
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