Padlock vs flotsom
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side β with what reviewers say about each.
Padlock
This app locks distracting applications on your iPhone by requiring a physical device to be tapped against your phone. Once locked, apps remain inaccessible until the physical device is tapped again to unlock them.
- Lock distracting apps
- Physical device integration
- App access control
- Phone distraction management
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Padlock will change the relationship you have with your phone. Tap it against your iPhone, stash the Padlock somewhere that's out of the way, and your distracting apps are locked up. If you need to unlock them, retrieve the padlock and tap it again. To use this app, a physical Padlock device is required.
flotsom
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Flotsom helps you quickly understand links you find anywhere online. Instead of opening long articles, save the link and generate a clean AI-powered summary inside the app. Perfect for links shared on social media, group chats, and messaging apps. How it works 1. Save a link you want to read later 2. Flotsom extracts the readable content from the page 3. Generate a concise AI summary Features β’ Save links from social media and the web β’ Generate clean summaries from long articles β’ Organise links in one place β’ Quickly review saved content later β’ Minimal, distraction-free reading experience Flotsom is designed for people who regularly encounter interesting links but donβt always have time to read full articles. Important note AI summaries require an API key from a supported AI provider. Flotsom will guide you through setting this up inside the app.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Padlock at every 2 weeks against flotsom's every 2 months. Padlock also leads on iOS requirement (16.0 vs 26.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Padlock ships an update every 2 weeks, flotsom every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Padlock | flotsom |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | 86.7% of reviews | β |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks β better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | β |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 β better | 26.0 |
| Further details β not scored | ||
| Size | 24 MB | 25 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Padlock Focus Technologies LTD | Joseph Taylor |
In-app purchases
Padlock
No in-app purchases
flotsom
No in-app purchases









