# Prey vs VAT CheckMachine

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.

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Prey | VAT CheckMachine |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (4.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/prey-tracking-and-security/id456755037/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **4.1K** | — |
| Positive reviews | **56.6% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 12 MB | 11 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **9.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Prey, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1148060299) | [Escape Tech Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1435187355) |

## What reviewers say

### Prey

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/prey-tracking-and-security/id456755037)

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Starter plan, 1 year | $29.99 | per year |
| Starter plan, 1 year | $29.99 | one-time |
| Personal plan, 1 year | $54.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Accurate tracking
- 🔒 Helpful for recovering lost/stolen devices
- 👍 Easy to use
- 🤖 Effective remote monitoring and control
- 💡 Useful security features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Unreliable location tracking
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 👎 Difficult setup and configuration
- 🤔 Limited functionality on iOS
- 🤷‍♀️ Inconsistent performance across devices

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent app crashes
- Login and account management issues
- Inaccurate location reporting
- Compatibility problems with newer OS versions

**Requested features**

- Live camera/video feed for remote monitoring
- Improved battery optimization
- Simplified onboarding and configuration
- Enhanced compatibility across iOS, Android, and desktop platforms


### VAT CheckMachine

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vat-checkmachine/id522679811)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked 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.

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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.*