Comparison

Essential vs HRLocker

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

Head to head
About

Essential

Features
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The Essential App allows you to use your company’s Magnet Voice PBX system from any iPhone or iPad to Make and Receive Calls, chat with colleagues individually or in groups and access your Magnet Voicemail box. •Professional, modern and intuitive app design. •Making use of Apple’s Callkit Technology makes for familiar call handling, integration with iPhone contacts / recents lists and easy use of Bluetooth headsets and carkits. •Making use of Apple’s Push technology ensures you are contactable whilst preserving battery life. •Single number for both fixed and mobile devices. •Incoming calls to your fixed desk phone are automatically routed to your iPhone/iPad. •Incoming calls to the App show the number of the caller, not the PBX. •All outgoing calls from your App show the company number, not your mobile number. •Make calls from your iPhone/iPad contact list or from the company central address book in the PBX. In either case you present the CLI number of the company PBX. •Busy on mobile device status is indicated to other users. •Call history - missed calls, received calls, dialled calls. •Listen to and manage your business voicemails. •Chat with colleagues either individually or in groups. •Presence … You can change your own DND Message and you can also see the status and availability of your Colleagues •The PBX may be programmed to send all your app calls over IP or to the GSM network when you are off site and over Wifi on your LAN. •The Essential App uses Voice over IP (VoIP) technology over both Wifi and 4G networks. Call quality is dependent on the quality of your 4G network or available WiFi network.

About

HRLocker

Features
Read full description

All-in-one complete HR Software that will transform your people management, saving you money and time!

Screenshots

Essential4 screens
HRLocker4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Essential at every 4 months against HRLocker's every 11 months. HRLocker's advantage is iOS requirement (12.2 vs 15.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Essential ships an update every 4 months, HRLocker every 11 months. The most recent releases landed on September 10, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 4 level
Essential versus HRLocker: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterEssentialHRLocker
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 4 months — betterEvery 11 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS15.012.2 — better
Further details — not scored
Size67 MB45 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMDS GatewaysHRLocker

In-app purchases

None

Essential

No in-app purchases

None

HRLocker

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Essential free?
Essential is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is HRLocker free?
HRLocker is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Essential or HRLocker have ads?
Neither Essential nor HRLocker shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Essential or HRLocker?
Essential ships an update every 4 months, and HRLocker every 11 months. Most recently, Essential was updated on September 10, 2026 and HRLocker on September 18, 2026.

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