# Photo/Message Lock vs Hidden Message Dot App

The clearest difference is monetization model: Hidden Message Dot App at free with in-app purchases against Photo/Message Lock's subscription. Hidden Message Dot App also leads on review sentiment (77% vs 43%) and update cadence (every 5 days vs monthly). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Photo/Message Lock sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and Hidden Message Dot App sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for Photo/Message Lock against 4.5 for Hidden Message Dot App. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 796 and 431 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 43% of Photo/Message Lock's written reviews are positive against 77% of Hidden Message Dot App's.

Photo/Message Lock ships an update monthly, Hidden Message Dot App every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Photo/Message Lock | Hidden Message Dot App |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (796 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photomessage-lock-safecloud/id1339555230/reviews) | **[4.5 (431 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hidden-message-dot-app/id1569991023/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **796** | 431 |
| Positive reviews | 43.2% of reviews | **76.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 54 MB | 3 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **14.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Shesek LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1339555229) | [i4islam](https://appshunter.io/developer/301048985) |

## What reviewers say

### Photo/Message Lock

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photomessage-lock-safecloud/id1339555230)

Securely store private photos, videos, and messages in a personal cloud vault. Protect your sensitive data with multi-factor authentication and biometric unlock options. Easily import chats from popular messaging apps.

**Highlights:** Multi-factor authentication, Cloud storage for private data, Import chats from WhatsApp and Line, Biometric unlock (TouchID, FaceID), Optional cloud syncing, Password recovery via multi-factor authentication

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Subscription | $9.99 | per month |
| Premium subscription | $59.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🔒 Secure data protection
- 💡 Innovative features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Unreliable app performance
- 💔 Password recovery issues
- 🚫 Doesn't work as advertised

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on launch
- Data loss issues
- Subscription management problems

**Requested features**

- Expand chat app support beyond WhatsApp
- Add password recovery option


### Hidden Message Dot App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hidden-message-dot-app/id1569991023)

Send secret messages that appear normal to others but reveal a hidden part only to your intended recipient. Protect your conversations with an optional passcode for enhanced privacy. Supports numerous messaging platforms and email.

**Highlights:** Hidden message functionality, Passcode protection, Supports iMessage, WhatsApp, Telegram, and more, Works with emails and websites, No server or internet usage, Data privacy focused

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Lock Feature | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Innovative concept for secret messaging
- 👍 Easy to use once understood
- ✨ Cool and hidden messaging alternative
- ✍️ Good for writing private letters
- 🤫 Effective for hiding messages

**What reviewers complain about**

- ❌ App is completely useless
- 🐛 Jank and defective
- 🐛 Lags a lot
- 🐛 Not compatible with VoiceOver
- 🐛 Paid feature not working

**Reported bugs**

- Paid passcode feature does not work
- Messages lead to 'no server found' error
- App is not compatible with VoiceOver
- App lags significantly

**Requested features**

- Add support for older devices (iPhone 6, iOS 12)
- Add password protection between parties
- Consider encryption through steganography (hidden messages in pictures with password protection)


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Photo/Message Lock free?

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

### Is Hidden Message Dot App free?

Hidden Message Dot App is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Photo/Message Lock or Hidden Message Dot App?

Hidden Message Dot App is rated higher. Photo/Message Lock averages 4.4 out of 5 from 796 ratings, while Hidden Message Dot App averages 4.5 from 431 ratings.

### Do Photo/Message Lock or Hidden Message Dot App have ads?

Neither Photo/Message Lock nor Hidden Message Dot App shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Photo/Message Lock or Hidden Message Dot App?

Photo/Message Lock ships an update monthly, and Hidden Message Dot App every 5 days. Most recently, Photo/Message Lock was updated on October 24, 2026 and Hidden Message Dot App on October 21, 2026.

---

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