Comparison

Prey vs VAT CheckMachine

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • Device tracking
  • Geolocation
  • Screen lock
  • Remote alarm
  • Mark as missing/recovered
  • Geofences
  • Custom wipe
Read full description

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.

About

VAT CheckMachine

This free utility app validates EU VAT numbers instantly and calculates VAT amounts for all EU states. It offers on-the-fly correctness testing and keeps a history of checked numbers for easy reference and sharing.

Highlights
  • Instant EU VAT number validation
  • On-the-fly correctness testing
  • VAT and Net/Gross amount calculation
  • Supports all 28 EU states
  • History of checked numbers
  • Sharing of checked numbers
Read full description

The Ultimate VAT check machine! Comprehensive • Powerful • Flexible • Beautiful • Free! • Replaces 2 or more apps, keeps your iPhone tidy • On-the-fly correctness test of VAT numbers of all 28 EU states • Checks European VAT numbers (28 states) with EU authorities (VIES) • Calculates VAT and Net/Gross amounts for all rates of all 28 EU states • Keeps checked numbers history for reference and sharing What is it? CheckMachine is a free (ad-supported) iPhone app that encompasses a wealth of VAT-related functions within a single app: Instantly* validates all EU VAT numbers, so that you can safely issue zero-VAT invoices to entities entitled to VAT exoneration according to EU laws. Instantly calculates VAT and Net/Gross amounts for any amount you type, as you type it, and it does this for all VAT rates of all 28 EU states! Checked numbers can be added to History either automatically or manually, for reference and sharing with other apps or people. Auto-add is enabled through the app's Settings page. * Depending on availability of the VIES web service. Whom is it for? This app is a valuable free resource for business and pleasure. It serves those in the European Union involved with invoicing intra-EU transactions, and those in need of a handy and speedy VAT calculator that works in all EU states. How does it work? As the user types a VAT number of any EU state, the app examines its correctness ("well-formedness") on-the-fly using the actual algorithms of each EU state, not just the number and type of digits! This step ensures usability and keeps traffic and fees low. EU VAT numbers (from any of the 28 EU states) are checked using the official web service maintained by the European Commission's VAT Information Exchange System (VIES). Attention: Not all correct VAT numbers are valid, therefore you must always check the validity of all VAT numbers before actually using them in invoices.

Screenshots

Prey4 screens
VAT CheckMachine4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Prey at 57% against VAT CheckMachine's 0%. VAT CheckMachine's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.6). On price, update cadence, ads 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. Prey sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $29.99 per year. VAT CheckMachine asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Prey ships an update every 4 weeks, VAT CheckMachine every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and June 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Prey versus VAT CheckMachine: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPreyVAT CheckMachine
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (4.1K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews56.6% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings4.1K — better—
Update frequencyEvery 4 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.69.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size12 MB11 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPrey, Inc.Escape Tech Ltd

Customer experience

Prey

All ratings4,044 ratings
Positive90.3%
Neutral3.7%
Negative6.0%
Written reviews242 reviews
Positive56.6%
Neutral3.7%
Negative39.7%

VAT CheckMachine

Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

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

VAT CheckMachine

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Prey

Subscriptions1
  • Starter plan, 1 year$29.991 Year
One-time2
  • Starter plan, 1 year$29.99
  • Personal plan, 1 year$54.99
None

VAT CheckMachine

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Prey free?
Prey is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is VAT CheckMachine free?
VAT CheckMachine is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Prey or VAT CheckMachine have ads?
Neither Prey nor VAT CheckMachine shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Prey or VAT CheckMachine?
Prey ships an update every 4 weeks, and VAT CheckMachine every 2 months. Most recently, Prey was updated on September 21, 2026 and VAT CheckMachine on June 5, 2026.

Other comparisons