# Message Lock vs PH

The clearest difference is review sentiment: PH at 54% against Message Lock's 8%. PH also leads on rating (4.6 vs 2.1) and ratings volume (1.1K vs 50). Message Lock's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs fortnightly) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 16). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Message Lock sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $2.99 per month and PH sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

PH holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 2.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PH has 1.1K ratings behind it against 50, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 8% of Message Lock's written reviews are positive against 54% of PH's.

Message Lock ships an update every 5 days, PH fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Message Lock | PH |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.1 (50 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/message-lock-hide-messages/id1303088165/reviews) | **[4.6 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ph-app-locker-for-your-iphone/id6477697867/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 50 | **1.1K** |
| Positive reviews | 8.3% of reviews | **53.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 35 MB | 38 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 16 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [国媚 张](https://appshunter.io/developer/1504191475) | [Aliaksei Yarmalovich](https://appshunter.io/developer/1510324387) |

## What reviewers say

### Message Lock

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/message-lock-hide-messages/id1303088165)

Secure your private conversations by locking them with a password or fingerprint. Easily export and back up chats to keep them hidden. Access archived conversations only after authentication.

**Highlights:** Lock messages with password, Fingerprint authentication, Export chats, Backup conversations, Archive chats, Ad-free experience

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Chat Locker With Free Trial | $2.99 | per month |


### PH

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ph-app-locker-for-your-iphone/id6477697867)

Secure your digital life with this comprehensive privacy tool. It allows you to hide sensitive photos and videos, lock individual apps with a password, and browse the web privately without leaving a trace. Advanced security settings offer further control over your device.

**Highlights:** Photo and video vault, App lock with password protection, Private web browser, Prevent app deletion, Restrict app installations, User-friendly interface

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Access | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Full Access | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Full Access | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Full Access | $9.99 | per month |
| Full Access | $9.99 | per month |
| Full Access | $29.99 | per year |
| Full Access | $29.99 | per year |
| Full Access | $49.99 | per year |
| Full Access | $49.99 | per year |
| Full Access | $29.99 | one-time |
| Full Access | $49.99 | one-time |
| Full Access | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Works very well
- 🔒 Provides privacy and security
- 💡 Useful app hiding features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Paid features required to unlock full functionality
- 🔒 Limited free features
- 🐛 Issues with subscription management

**Reported bugs**

- Subscription issues (unable to access paid features)
- Folders not working as expected

**Requested features**

- Make app hiding features free
- Improve pricing model (e.g., one-time purchase)
- Add more free features


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Message Lock free?

Message Lock is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is PH free?

PH is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Message Lock or PH?

PH is rated higher. Message Lock averages 2.1 out of 5 from 50 ratings, while PH averages 4.6 from 1.1K ratings.

### Do Message Lock or PH have ads?

Neither Message Lock nor PH shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Message Lock or PH?

Message Lock ships an update every 5 days, and PH fortnightly. Most recently, Message Lock was updated on October 29, 2026 and PH on October 27, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*