# Hourglass vs App Lock

The clearest difference is price: App Lock at Free against Hourglass's $0.99. App Lock also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 7 months) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 26.0). Hourglass's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

App Lock is free to download; Hourglass costs $0.99 up front. Hourglass sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and App Lock sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Hourglass ships an update every 7 months, App Lock fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hourglass | App Lock |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $0.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | — | **[4.5 (5.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/app-lock/id6448239603/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **5.3K** |
| Positive reviews | — | 57.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | — | Subscription |
| Size | 11 MB | 43 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [SNEH NILESH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1642734403) | [Lilucat](https://appshunter.io/developer/1676061700) |

## What reviewers say

### Hourglass

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hourglass-countdown-widget/id1642734401)

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Small Tip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Medium Tip | $2.99 | one-time |
| Large Tip | $5.99 | one-time |


### App Lock

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/app-lock/id6448239603)

Secure your sensitive applications and personal data with this privacy tool. Easily lock any app to prevent unauthorized access and keep your information out of sight from prying eyes. Enjoy enhanced device security and peace of mind.

**Highlights:** Lock any application, Hide sensitive apps, Block websites, Intuitive interface, Prevent unauthorized access, Enhance device privacy

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| App Lock | $4.99 | per month |
| App Lock | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| App Lock | $9.99 | per month |
| App Lock | $14.99 | per year |
| App Locker for iPhone | $29.99 | per year |
| App Lock | $59.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Helpful app
- 🔒 Provides app security
- 🔒 Locks apps with Face ID/Touch ID/PIN
- 👍 Great for keeping private information secure
- 👍 Useful for parents to restrict child access

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Home screen layout gets scrambled when app is turned off
- 🐛 App Blocker resets widget stacks
- 💰 Aggressive subscription push
- 🔒 Locked apps only unlocked for a limited time
- 🐛 Doesn't persist app blocking across phone restarts

**Reported bugs**

- Buttons at the bottom of the screen are inaccessible on some devices
- Prompts are not legible with larger font settings
- Locked apps can still be accessed by restarting the phone

**Requested features**

- Allow concealing the app locker
- Add scheduling/time-based locking
- Provide separate unlock code from phone passcode
- Improve usability when Dynamic Island is in use


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hourglass free?

Hourglass costs $0.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is App Lock free?

App Lock is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Hourglass or App Lock have ads?

App Lock shows ads; Hourglass does not.

### Which is updated more often, Hourglass or App Lock?

Hourglass ships an update every 7 months, and App Lock fortnightly. Most recently, Hourglass was updated on October 26, 2026 and App Lock on October 25, 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.*