Prey vs Protect a Phone
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Prey
Protect your devices with advanced tracking and security features. Remotely locate, lock, and secure your laptops, phones, and tablets. Offers a comprehensive suite of tools for device monitoring and data protection.
- Device tracking
- Geolocation
- Screen lock
- Remote alarm
- Mark as missing/recovered
- Geofences
- Custom wipe
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Prey: Tracking & Security All-in-one device fleet management Enroll iPhones and iPads into Prey or manage your entire inventory on the go. With this iOS app, admins can monitor and secure their mobile fleet directly from their iPhone or iPad. Unified fleet monitoring Oversee your entire inventory regardless of the operating system. Trigger actions and track locations for devices running Android, ChromeOS, Windows, Ubuntu, and macOS, all from a single iOS dashboard. Note on OS compatibility: To ensure the highest security standards, available features are OS-specific. Capabilities such as Kill Switch, Remote Lock, or Missing Reports vary based on the target device’s operating system and permissions. Core capabilities - Always-on tracking: Precise location data and Geofences with automated alerts. - Remote security: Wipe, Lock, Reset, and Retrieve files to protect sensitive data. - Evidence: Gather network data, photos/screenshots (opt-in), and location history. - Fleet automation: Schedule security actions, manage device loans, and set custom team roles. Note: Features vary by plan. Please select the plan that best suits your organization’s needs. Security first: Authentication To provide the highest level of protection, Prey uses password-only authentication. Requiring full credentials instead of Face-ID or Fingerprints ensures that only authorized admins can execute sensitive security commands, eliminating risks associated with biometric bypasses. Why choose Prey? - 15+ Years of expertise: A global leader in device recovery. - Privacy & transparency: Open Source code ensures your data is only accessed when you explicitly request it. - Certified protection: We are SOC2 certified, meeting the highest standards for data security. Visit preyproject.com for more information.
Protect a Phone
This app helps protect your phone from theft and unauthorized access. It features an alarm that triggers if the charging cable is unplugged or if the device is moved. It can also capture a photo of anyone attempting to unlock your phone with incorrect credentials.
- Charging alarm
- Motion detection alarm
- Incorrect password photo capture
- Password-protected deactivation
- Adjustable motion sensitivity
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In this digital age, your phone holds almost everything about you. And hence keeping it secure is very important. There are multiple instances where you have to charge your phones at public places like airports, subways, railway stations, shopping malls etc. To alert you in case of any mobile theft attempts, the app has 3 simple features for protection and assistance: - App allows you activate the alarm after you plug it in for charging. Once activated, if the phone is unplugged, it would trigger the alarm. - App can also identify motion of the phone. When armed, any movement of the phone would trigger an alarm. You can calibrate the sensitivity of motion. - The final feature is to take a snap of the user with 3 consecutive incorrect password attempts and mailing it to you. The only way to deactivate the alarm is by entering the correct password.* So, go on and make the best use of the app wherever you are without worrying about your phone anymore. *Your phone must always be locked with iPhone passcode as terminating the app will turn off the alarm.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Prey at 4.6 against Protect a Phone's 4.0. Prey also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ratings volume (4K vs 6). Protect a Phone's advantage is update cadence (every 11 days vs every 4 weeks) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.6). On price, review sentiment, ads and monetization model 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
Both are free to download. Protect a Phone sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Prey asks for nothing beyond the download.
Prey holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Prey has 4K ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 70% of Prey's written reviews are positive against 67% of Protect a Phone's.
Prey ships an update every 4 weeks, Protect a Phone every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on November 12, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Prey | Protect a Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (4K ratings) — better | 4.0 (6 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 69.9% of reviews — better | 66.7% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 4K — better | 6 |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | Every 11 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 11.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 12 MB | 22 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Prey, Inc. | Technostacks Infotech Private Limited |
Customer experience
Prey
Protect a Phone
Bugs and requests
Prey
Reported bugs
4 issues- Frequent app crashes
- Login and account management issues
- Inaccurate location reporting
- Compatibility problems with newer OS versions
Requested features
4 requests- Live camera/video feed for remote monitoring
- Improved battery optimization
- Simplified onboarding and configuration
- Enhanced compatibility across iOS, Android, and desktop platforms
Protect a Phone
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Prey
No in-app purchases
Protect a Phone
- Remove Ads$1.99
Questions
Is Prey free?
Is Protect a Phone free?
Which has better reviews, Prey or Protect a Phone?
Do Prey or Protect a Phone have ads?
Which is updated more often, Prey or Protect a Phone?
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