# App Lock vs Secure Folder

The clearest difference is monetization model: Secure Folder at free with in-app purchases against App Lock's subscription. App Lock's advantage is review sentiment (58% vs 31%) and ratings volume (5.2K vs 439). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. App Lock sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Secure Folder sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for App Lock against 4.5 for Secure Folder. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: App Lock has 5.2K ratings behind it against 439, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 58% of App Lock's written reviews are positive against 31% of Secure Folder's.

App Lock ships an update fortnightly, Secure Folder every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on September 30, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | App Lock | Secure Folder |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (5.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/app-lock/id6448239603/reviews) | [4.5 (439 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/secure-folder-private-vault/id6471090693/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **5.2K** | 439 |
| Positive reviews | **57.6% of reviews** | 30.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 43 MB | 76 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Lilucat](https://appshunter.io/developer/1676061700) | [Khushal Vasani](https://appshunter.io/developer/1714420029) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### Secure Folder

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/secure-folder-private-vault/id6471090693)

Securely store and protect your private photos, videos, files, and apps with a password-protected vault. Features include intruder selfies, encrypted file sharing, and cloud backup for peace of mind.

**Highlights:** Password protection (PIN, pattern, biometric), Intruder selfie and break-in alerts, Encrypted file sharing, Cloud backup and restore, App lock, Fake PIN for decoy vault

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Week | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Month | $9.99 | per month |
| Year | $39.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🔒 Hides photos and passwords
- 👍 Extremely useful app
- 👍 App is perfect

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Videos not playing after update
- 🐛 Photos don’t upload
- 🐛 Lost all images and videos
- 🐛 Videos not viewing in the app
- 🐛 Ads are non-stop

**Reported bugs**

- Videos not playing after update
- Videos show as black thumbnails with only duration
- Photos do not upload
- Lost all images and videos
- Cannot view videos

**Requested features**

- Change photo orientation in the app
- Change video orientation in the app


## Frequently asked questions

### Is App Lock free?

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

### Is Secure Folder free?

Secure Folder is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, App Lock or Secure Folder?

App Lock and Secure Folder are both rated 4.5 out of 5 on the App Store, from 5.2K and 439 ratings respectively.

### Do App Lock or Secure Folder have ads?

Both App Lock and Secure Folder show ads.

### Which is updated more often, App Lock or Secure Folder?

App Lock ships an update fortnightly, and Secure Folder every 2 weeks. Most recently, App Lock was updated on September 30, 2026 and Secure Folder on September 30, 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.*