# App Lock vs ZoneZen

The clearest difference is ads: ZoneZen at none against App Lock's shown. ZoneZen also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.0). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

App Lock ships an update every 3 weeks, ZoneZen every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | App Lock | ZoneZen |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (377 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/app-lock-lock-apps/id6458880741/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **377** | — |
| Positive reviews | 77.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | — |
| Size | 29 MB | 24 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [碧 郑](https://appshunter.io/developer/1633389687) | [Abdul Khaled](https://appshunter.io/developer/1602313857) |

## What reviewers say

### App Lock

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/app-lock-lock-apps/id6458880741)

This tool helps parents manage children's smartphone usage, preventing social media and game addiction. It offers features to lock apps, set focus modes, and prevent unwanted deletions or installations, promoting responsible digital habits and privacy.

**Highlights:** Parental control for social media and games, App lock for private apps, Focus mode for concentration, Password protection for apps, Prevent app deletion, Limit app installations

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 🔒 Effective app locking
- 💰 Free to use
- 🌟 Highly recommended

**What reviewers complain about**

- ⚠️ Annoying ads
- 🐛 App locks everything
- 🐛 Unlocking button not working
- 🐛 Ads are intrusive
- 🐛 App locks for a set time

**Reported bugs**

- Unlocking button not working
- App locks all apps instead of selected ones
- App locks for a set time and opens automatically
- App only locks for one time
- No persistent locking, requires re-locking manually

**Requested features**

- Reduce ads
- Add password lock with words
- Option to hide apps including Settings
- Apps should automatically lock again when exiting
- Improve time lock settings


### ZoneZen

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zonezen/id6749650925)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is App Lock free?

App Lock is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is ZoneZen free?

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

### Do App Lock or ZoneZen have ads?

App Lock shows ads; ZoneZen does not.

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

App Lock ships an update every 3 weeks, and ZoneZen every 2 weeks. Most recently, App Lock was updated on October 25, 2026 and ZoneZen on October 11, 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.*