Comparison

Key Retrieve vs Mechanic App

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side โ€” with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Key Retrieve

Features
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***Important: Key Retrieve requires a login each and every time before using. The login will generate a random lock code in which the correct bitting will need to be provided. If you are not in the locksmith industry you will be unable to use this app.*** Have a customer who lost the combination to their push button lock box? Then this tool will help you retrieve your customer's keys and allow the ability to reuse their lock box. This tool was made specifically for the style lock boxes that have mechanical push buttons numbered one through five along the left side, 6 through zero along the right side, a vertical slider in the top-middle to open, and a vertical slider in the bottom-middle to clear all the buttons that may have been pressed. These lock boxes allow any combination of the ten numbers to be set from simply no combination at all to using all ten numbers, barring that no number can be repeated and the order in which the numbers are pressed do not matter. There are two different methods in which Key Retrieve uses: lock boxes that cannot be manipulated and lock boxes that can. This tool will not help manipulate nor will it show which method to use, but instead facilitates the process by eliminating wasted attempts and removes possibilities that would never exist. Overview: Key Retrieve consists of two different methods for opening which are simply named System 1 and System 2. You can toggle between the systems using the switch in the upper right hand corner. Both systems are executed using the controls at the bottom: Eject resets everything to default. Left Arrow moves back a step. Play begins the sequence automatically. Pause stops the sequence. And Right Arrow moves forward a step. (moving back a step is infinite for System 1 but limited to one step for System 2). Right above the controls is a progress bar that displays the amount of combinations tried out of the combinations available, as well at the very top is a slider to control the speed when using the automatic sequence (play control). Lastly, in the middle displays the combination to be tried in text as well as a graphic representation of the lock where the corresponding numbers/buttons will highlight to help as a visual aid. System 1: This system is only used on locks that cannot be manipulated and/or when no prior knowledge exists. Use System 2 if any part of the combination is known. Because these locks do not care about order and numbers cannot be repeated, there are only 1,024 possibilities (including no combination). This system will exhaust all 1,024 if needed, which with no strategy amounts to pressing over 7,000 buttons. However, only about a third of this 7,000+ total will be required for this system's method.โ€จโ€จ To start, press Play or use the Next control repeatedly. The app will tell you one by one which button to press that you will simply copy onto the lock. You can set your speed by using the slider at the top if utilizing the Play control to run automatically. Tip: Before starting set the speed at various settings to calibrate your comfort. System 2: This system is only used when you have at least one known number in the combination, which is typically achieved from manipulation. Every number that is known in advance cuts the total possibilities in half. To start, tap on each number that is known and one at a time the number will be highlighted with a blue halo (tap again to turn off). After all known numbers have been selected, begin by using the Play or Next controls similar to System 1, except instead of a single button being displayed, the entire combination followed by Open and Clear will result as a single cycle. Remember that order does not matter: if the combination displayed contains a 1, 5, and an 8, then pressing 8 then 1 then 5 will result the same. Tip: Take your time manipulating the lock before using the app. Spending an extra minute or two up front can save much more later on.

About

Mechanic App

Features
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Productivity App for Mechanics on EMC Platforms. This app helps EMC Mechanics to do the following: capture breakdown jobs, capture work logs, capture inventory / parts used on a job, capture travel details to and from a job.

Screenshots

Key Retrieve4 screens
Mechanic App4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Mechanic App at Free against Key Retrieve's $9.99. Mechanic App also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 12 months). Key Retrieve's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 14.0). On ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Mechanic App is free to download; Key Retrieve costs $9.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Key Retrieve ships an update every 12 months, Mechanic App monthly. Both last shipped on October 26, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences ยท 3 level
Key Retrieve versus Mechanic App: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterKey RetrieveMechanic App
Price$9.99Free โ€” better
Update frequencyEvery 12 monthsMonthly โ€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod โ€” better
Requires iOS12.0 โ€” better14.0
Further details โ€” not scored
Size12 MB25 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperFarren DomeniciASD Solutions Pty Ltd

In-app purchases

None

Key Retrieve

No in-app purchases

None

Mechanic App

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Key Retrieve free?
Key Retrieve costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Mechanic App free?
Mechanic App is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Key Retrieve or Mechanic App have ads?
Neither Key Retrieve nor Mechanic App shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Key Retrieve or Mechanic App?
Key Retrieve ships an update every 12 months, and Mechanic App monthly. Most recently, Key Retrieve was updated on October 26, 2026 and Mechanic App on October 26, 2026.

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