# App Lock vs Starling

App Lock and Starling are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

Both are free to download. App Lock sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and Starling sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

App Lock ships an update monthly, Starling every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | App Lock | Starling |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/app-lock-secure-folder/id6456267824/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **7** | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 31 MB | 19 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.6** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Chetna Nakrani](https://appshunter.io/developer/1680941411) | [Rene Fandida](https://appshunter.io/developer/1884296483) |

## What reviewers say

### App Lock

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/app-lock-secure-folder/id6456267824)

This app offers a secure, offline solution for protecting your private photos, contacts, passwords, and notes. It prioritizes user privacy by keeping all data stored locally on your device without any internet connection or cloud synchronization.

**Highlights:** Offline photo and video vault, Contact backup and restore, Secure password manager, Encrypted notes storage, Local data storage only, Intuitive user interface

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Upgrade Premium Version | $3.99 | per month |
| Upgrade Premium Version | $24.99 | per year |
| Upgrade Premium Version | $29.99 | one-time |


### Starling

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starling-kids-routine-chart/id6802281640)

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Starling Plus Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Starling Plus Annual | $29.99 | per year |
| Starling Lifetime | $49.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is App Lock free?

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

### Is Starling free?

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

### Do App Lock or Starling have ads?

Neither App Lock nor Starling shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, App Lock or Starling?

App Lock ships an update monthly, and Starling every 6 weeks. Most recently, App Lock was updated on October 27, 2026 and Starling on October 31, 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.*