# App Lock vs Black Box

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Black Box at none against App Lock's 8. Black Box also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 3 days vs every 3 weeks). App Lock's advantage is ratings volume (1.2K vs 37) and review sentiment (76% vs 67%). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. App Lock sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Black Box asks for nothing beyond the download.

Black Box holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: App Lock has 1.2K ratings behind it against 37, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 76% of App Lock's written reviews are positive against 67% of Black Box's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

App Lock ships an update every 3 weeks, Black Box every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and August 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | App Lock | Black Box |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (1.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/app-lock-applock-apps/id6452721618/reviews) | **[4.8 (37 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/black-box-lock-restrict-apps/id6547836962/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.2K** | 37 |
| Positive reviews | **76.5% of reviews** | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 58 MB | 68 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [俊杰 刘](https://appshunter.io/developer/1634755293) | [俊涛 刘](https://appshunter.io/developer/1702439770) |

## What reviewers say

### App Lock

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/app-lock-applock-apps/id6452721618)

Secure your personal privacy by locking any app with a password. This app also offers parental controls to monitor child's phone activity, prevent app deletion, and restrict new installations. Enhance your device's security by restricting account and password changes.

**Highlights:** App Lock, Password Lock, Parental Controls, Prevent App Deletion, Disable New App Installation, Restrict Account Changes

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Membership | $4.99 | per month |
| Monthly Membership | $7.99 | per month |
| Yearly Membership | $9.99 | per year |
| Yearly Membership | $19.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Membership | $34.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🔒 Secure app locking
- 🚀 Efficient performance
- 💕 Provides peace of mind

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional issues with app unlocking
- 🔒 Concerns about settings changes
- ⚠️ Potential to lock out users

**Reported bugs**

- Locked apps not showing in settings
- Missed calls and messages when app is locked

**Requested features**

- Paid version with more features
- Ability to lock more than 50 apps


### Black Box

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/black-box-lock-restrict-apps/id6547836962)

Secure your phone by locking and restricting access to sensitive applications. Protect your private data with advanced password protection and prevent unauthorized app usage or in-app purchases. Enjoy comprehensive digital privacy with an easy-to-use interface.

**Highlights:** App locking with password protection, App disappearance for hidden access, App usage restrictions, Secure privacy with advanced passwords, Payment locking for in-app purchases, Intuitive interface

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is App Lock free?

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

### Is Black Box free?

Black Box is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, App Lock or Black Box?

Black Box is rated higher. App Lock averages 4.6 out of 5 from 1.2K ratings, while Black Box averages 4.8 from 37 ratings.

### Do App Lock or Black Box have ads?

App Lock shows ads; Black Box does not.

### Which is updated more often, App Lock or Black Box?

App Lock ships an update every 3 weeks, and Black Box every 3 days. Most recently, App Lock was updated on September 23, 2026 and Black Box on August 28, 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.*