Comparison

Trace Privacy vs Metadata Cleaner

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Trace Privacy

This app acts as a personal phone security guardian, detecting Bluetooth trackers and analyzing Wi-Fi networks for threats. It provides personalized recommendations to enhance your phone's security settings and offers a live threat feed for daily alerts.

Highlights
  • Bluetooth tracker detection
  • Wi-Fi network analysis
  • Live threat feed
  • Personalized security recommendations
  • Background tracker scanning
  • Security score trend tracking
Features
Read full description

Trace is your personal phone security guardian. Modern phones face constant threats — sketchy Wi-Fi networks, unknown Bluetooth trackers, and the looming question of who or what is nearby. Trace gives you instant visibility and clear actions, so you can move through the world feeling confident about your privacy. WHAT TRACE DOES - Bluetooth Tracker Detection Detect AirTags, Tile, Chipolo, and Samsung SmartTags around you — identified by brand. Trace's persistence engine watches devices over time and flags ones that keep reappearing as you move, even when they rotate identifiers to evade tracking. Alerts include how many times a device has been seen and whether it's following you across locations. - Wi-Fi Network Analysis + Speed Test Identify spoofed networks, evil-twin attacks, and unencrypted public Wi-Fi before you connect. Free built-in speed test measures download, upload, latency, jitter, and packet loss. Get clear "Safe / Caution / Dangerous" verdicts based on real threat intelligence. - Live Threat Feed Stay informed with curated alerts from CISA, Apple Security, Android Security, FTC scam warnings, data breach alerts from Have I Been Pwned, privacy news from the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and stalkerware research from the Coalition Against Stalkerware. Updated automatically. - Personalized Recommendations Get clear, step-by-step instructions to harden your phone's security settings. From two-factor authentication to lockdown mode, Trace tells you exactly what to do. - Background Tracker Scanning Trace keeps watching for trackers even when the app is closed. Get a notification if something persistent is following you — with brand and pattern details, not just a generic warning. - Trend Tracking Watch your security score evolve over time. See how your habits, environments, and choices affect your privacy posture. WHY TRACE IS DIFFERENT Most security apps either oversell what they do or focus on enterprise customers. Trace focuses on what's actually possible on iOS and gives you clear visibility into the rest. Built by an indie developer who believes privacy is a basic right. PRIVACY FIRST - No tracking, no ads, no data sales - Most data stays on your device - Optional Sign in with Apple for account backup - Your scan history is yours alone PRO SUBSCRIPTION Unlock the full toolkit with a 7-day free trial: - Technical Details mode — see raw protocol data on Bluetooth and Wi-Fi screens, including decoded Apple Continuity broadcasts - Direction finder — physically locate a suspicious tracker with warmer/colder guidance - Persistence tracking — see which devices keep appearing across scans - Smart device labeling and fingerprinting - Unlimited scan history and trend charts - Strict scanning mode for maximum sensitivity After trial: $6.99/month or $39.99/year ($3.33/month). Cancel anytime through your Apple ID settings. QUESTIONS? Email clark.a.allen@pm.me — I read every message. Privacy Policy: https://sponge-text-fc3.notion.site/Privacy-Policy-for-Trace-Privacy-34940d65d5f780d79d0ef8379f93f668 Terms of Service: https://sponge-text-fc3.notion.site/Terms-of-Service-for-Trace-Privacy-34940d65d5f780d5adaacea65f384111

About

Metadata Cleaner

Remove hidden metadata like GPS, EXIF, and AI markers from photos and videos before sharing. Create clean copies while keeping your original files safe on your device.

Highlights
  • Remove location metadata
  • Clean EXIF, XMP, C2PA, and AI markers
  • Edit or remove supported metadata
  • Export clean copies
  • Keep original files
  • Cross-device premium access
Features
Read full description

Share the file, not the trail. Metadata Cleaner is a private preflight for photos, Live Photos, videos, and documents. Inspect hidden data, choose what should stay, create a clean copy, then scan the result again before you send it. INSPECT WHAT IS HIDDEN - GPS coordinates and location names - EXIF, XMP, IPTC, camera, lens, device, and date fields - QuickTime and video container metadata - C2PA and Content Credentials provenance, including validation status - PDF, DOCX, XLSX, and PPTX document properties - An assistive on-device Visual Privacy Check for faces, contact details, addresses, and codes CLEAN WITH CONTROL - Keep the original unchanged while exporting a separate clean copy - Use Private Share, Creator Delivery, Archive Copy, or your own cleaning profile - Clean batches in the app or from the system Share Sheet - Use Shortcuts, the home-screen widget, Files, Finder, and drag and drop - Audit exact location exposure across your photo library with Privacy Posture - Cover selected visible regions with opaque redaction in a separate copy - Preserve a Live Photo pair when both rebuilt resources and pairing evidence verify; disclose a still-only fallback otherwise VERIFY THE RESULT Every completed export is re-scanned. The verification report shows what was removed, what remains, and whether media fidelity was preserved. A Privacy Receipt gives you a readable record of the result. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Your media stays on this device. No account is required, there are no ads, and media files are not sent to a cleaning server. The device quota service receives only the information needed to enforce the three free exports. PREMIUM Try three successful exports free. Premium unlocks unlimited exports on iPhone and Mac. Choose a one-time Lifetime purchase or the flexible Yearly plan. Existing Weekly subscribers keep their access. Please note: Metadata Cleaner does not remove visible watermarks and cannot guarantee whether an image was AI-generated. Provenance results describe embedded evidence and signature status; they are not a visual-content classifier. Privacy Policy: https://ai-label-cleaner-web.vercel.app/privacy Terms of Use: https://ai-label-cleaner-web.vercel.app/terms

Screenshots

Trace Privacy4 screens
Metadata Cleaner4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Metadata Cleaner at every 4 days against Trace Privacy's every 9 days. Trace Privacy's advantage is iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Trace Privacy sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month and Metadata Cleaner sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Trace Privacy against 5.0 for Metadata Cleaner. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Trace Privacy ships an update every 9 days, Metadata Cleaner every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
Trace Privacy versus Metadata Cleaner: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTrace PrivacyMetadata Cleaner
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings)
Number of ratings11
Update frequencyEvery 9 daysEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, Mac
Requires iOS15.1 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size48 MB33 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperClark AllenISMAIL HARMANDA

Customer experience

Trace Privacy

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Metadata Cleaner

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Trace Privacy

Subscriptions2
  • Pro Monthly7 Days trial$6.991 Month
  • Pro Annual7 Days trial$39.991 Year
3 purchases

Metadata Cleaner

Subscriptions2
  • Metadata Cleaner Weekly$0.997 Days
  • Metadata Cleaner Yearly$7.991 Year
One-time1
  • Metadata Cleaner Lifetime$19.99

Questions

Is Trace Privacy free?
Trace Privacy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Metadata Cleaner free?
Metadata Cleaner is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Trace Privacy or Metadata Cleaner?
Trace Privacy and Metadata Cleaner are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 1 ratings respectively.
Do Trace Privacy or Metadata Cleaner have ads?
Neither Trace Privacy nor Metadata Cleaner shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Trace Privacy or Metadata Cleaner?
Trace Privacy ships an update every 9 days, and Metadata Cleaner every 4 days. Most recently, Trace Privacy was updated on October 7, 2026 and Metadata Cleaner on October 23, 2026.

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