Comparison

Lockdown Privacy vs Photon Access

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

Head to head
About

Lockdown Privacy

This app provides comprehensive privacy protection by blocking trackers and badware across all your applications. It offers both an on-device firewall to stop hidden trackers and a secure VPN to keep your data and browsing private.

Highlights
  • On-device firewall
  • Blocks ads and trackers in all apps
  • Secure VPN for private browsing
  • Hides IP address and location
  • Open source and audited
  • Customizable block lists
Features
Read full description

Lockdown blocks trackers and badware in all your apps, blocking an estimated 100 million trackers per month for over 300,000 people. — Comprehensive Protection — Lockdown has two privacy features: Firewall and Secure Tunnel VPN. Each feature protects you from different threats, creating the complete solution for protecting your personal data, browsing history, and sensitive connections. FIREWALL — Blocks Hidden Trackers: The world's first on-device, open source blocker that stops ads, trackers, and badware in all your apps. SECURE TUNNEL VPN — Keep Your Data and Browsing Private: It's the no-logs, blazing-fast, privacy-first VPN. The only VPN to prove its Privacy Policy and be fully audited. — BASIC FIREWALL FEATURES — - Simple, one-tap to get protected against thousands of trackers for most users - Fully customizable blocking for advanced users: block any domain / service - Works for all apps, not just the browser - Useful preconfigured block lists that are updated every week - Blocking works "on-device" meaning it does all of its blocking without sending all your data to a third party server, unlike other blocking apps

 —ADVANCED FIREWALL FEATURES— - Import and create your own custom lists - Export your custom lists to share with others and save offline - Block thousands more trackers - Access to advanced curated lists and app specific block lists (e.g. TikTok, iFunny, Junes Journey) — SECURE TUNNEL VPN FEATURES — - Hide your location and unique IP address with one tap - Keeps you safe on public wi-fi hotspots and sites - Stops spying from snoopers and your ISP or cellular provider - Ultrafast with over a dozen regions globally — TRANSPARENCY YOU CAN TRUST — - Other privacy apps lie on their Privacy Policy and secretly sell user data, even if they promise not to - To solve this issue, the Openly Operated certification requires apps to *prove* their Privacy Policy - Lockdown is Openly Operated certified with a public 38-page audit report, and audited multiple times by security professionals — UNPARALLELED PRIVACY — - Open Source: Since firewalls have access to *everything* you do, it's critical that any firewall you use should be open source. Lockdown is 100% open source. - On-Device: Lockdown Firewall doesn’t connect to any servers. No logs of your browsing are sent to third parties or to our servers when using Lockdown Firewall. — PRESS COVERAGE — - The Washington Post - Business Insider - Forbes - FastCompany - MacRumors - 9to5Mac - ZDNet - Cult of Mac - The Mac Observer - iCulture - iClarified - AppAdvice

About

Photon Access

Features
Read full description

Photon Access turns your phone into the key for your building. Open the gate and the lift with a tap — or turn on touchless and let the door open as you walk up, without taking your phone out. EVERY DOOR YOU'RE ALLOWED, IN ONE PLACE Your buildings, and the doors you've been granted in each, on a single screen. Tap to open. If you're out of range, the app tells you plainly instead of leaving you guessing. WALK UP AND IT OPENS Turn on touchless and Photon Access notices when you arrive at your own doors and opens them for you. It stays off until you switch it on, it only ever watches for your own doors, and you can turn it off at any time. LET A VISITOR OR A COURIER IN Send one link. It opens your doors for a single visit and then expires, and it works even if they have never installed the app. Afterwards your history shows what actually happened at the door, so you know whether they got in. JOIN YOUR BUILDING IN SECONDS Invited by your building manager? Your access appears on its own. Invited by phone number? Enter the code you were sent. FOR BUILDING MANAGERS Set up access controllers, add and remove residents, issue and revoke cards, and manage units across every building you look after — from the same app. ENGLISH AND ARABIC Fully localised, including right-to-left layout. PRIVACY Photon Access uses Bluetooth to reach the controller at your door, and location only if you turn touchless on. Your location is never sold, shared, or used for advertising, and the app contains no tracking or advertising SDK. You can delete your account from Settings at any time. Photon Access works with Photon Smart access controllers installed in your building. If you are not sure whether yours are supported, ask your building manager.

Screenshots

Lockdown Privacy4 screens
Photon Access4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Photon Access at none against Lockdown Privacy's 18. Lockdown Privacy's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 18.0). On price, update cadence and ads 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. Lockdown Privacy sells 14 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days. Photon Access asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Lockdown Privacy ships an update monthly, Photon Access every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Lockdown Privacy versus Photon Access: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLockdown PrivacyPhoton Access
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (9.8K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews33.2% of reviews—
Number of ratings9.8K — better—
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 5 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.6 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size90 MB41 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCELESTIAN GOLDEN APPSMark Ragaee

Bugs and requests

Lockdown Privacy

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Firewall randomly turns off
  • VPN forces itself to be enabled
  • Blocks essential system apps

Requested features

4 requests
  • Ability to view/manage blocked connections
  • Custom domain/app whitelisting
  • Import/export of block lists
  • Separate firewall and VPN functionality

Photon Access

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

14 purchases

Lockdown Privacy

Subscriptions14
  • One Week of Lockdown VPN Pro3 Days trial$0.997 Days
  • One Week of Lockdown VPN Pro2 variants$0.997 Days
  • Lockdown iOS Firewall Monthly$4.991 Month
Show 11 more
  • One Week of Lockdown VPN Pro3 Days trial$4.997 Days
  • One Month of Lockdown VPN7 Days trial$12.991 Month
  • One Month of Lockdown VPN Pro7 Days trial$14.991 Month
  • Lockdown iOS Firewall Annual7 Days trial$29.991 Year
  • One Year of Lockdown VPN Pro3 variants$29.991 Year
  • One Year of Lockdown VPN Pro2 variants$39.991 Year
  • One Year of Lockdown VPN Pro3 Days trial$39.991 Year
  • Lockdown Pro Annual LTO$59.991 Year
  • One Year of Lockdown VPN7 Days trial$59.991 Year
  • One Year of Lockdown VPN Pro3 Days trial$59.991 Year
  • One Year of Lockdown VPN Pro7 Days trial$99.991 Year
None

Photon Access

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Lockdown Privacy free?
Lockdown Privacy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Photon Access free?
Photon Access is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Lockdown Privacy or Photon Access have ads?
Neither Lockdown Privacy nor Photon Access shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Lockdown Privacy or Photon Access?
Lockdown Privacy ships an update monthly, and Photon Access every 5 weeks. Most recently, Lockdown Privacy was updated on October 19, 2026 and Photon Access on October 8, 2026.

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