# Essential vs HRLocker

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.

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

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Essential | HRLocker |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 months** | Every 11 months |
| Size | 67 MB | 45 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **12.2** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [MDS Gateways](https://appshunter.io/developer/462823425) | [HRLocker](https://appshunter.io/developer/1497732670) |

## What reviewers say

### Essential

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essential/id1358671889)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Siri integration

**In-app purchases:** none


### HRLocker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hrlocker/id1547408725)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


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