Comparison

Trace Privacy vs Hero Sweep

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

Hero Sweep

Read full description

Hero Sweep turns your phone into four real scanners and walks you through checking a room, one step at a time. It is free, and it is built to tell you the truth about what it can and cannot see. FOUR CHECKS, IN THE RIGHT ORDER Wi-Fi. Finds devices on the network you are on, then asks them directly whether they stream video. Bluetooth. Listens for nearby devices broadcasting names used by common hidden cameras. Lens. A camera lens throws light straight back at you. A window or a chrome fitting does not. The scanner strobes your torch and watches for a reflection that answers it. Infrared. Night-vision cameras light a dark room with infrared your eyes cannot see. Hero Sweep works out which of your cameras can see it, then looks. Manual check. The places cameras are actually hidden: smoke detectors, chargers, clocks, vents, anything with power facing where you sleep or undress. WHY FOUR, AND NOT ONE Each check reaches something the others cannot, which is the whole point of doing all of them. The lens check does not care whether a camera is online. A lens reflects light whether the camera is powered, unplugged, recording to a memory card, or sitting on its own hidden network. What it needs is a clear line of sight. Infrared finds a camera that is watching in the dark, but only while it is powered and lighting the room. The Wi-Fi check only sees the network you are on, so a camera on a network of its own will not answer there. The lens and infrared checks still might. EVERY SWEEP ENDS WITH A COVERAGE MAP You get a plain list: what was checked, what was not, and what a phone cannot reach at all. Every scanner shows its limits in one line, on screen, while you use it. Findings are only ever Possible or Likely. There is no confirmed-camera verdict, because a phone cannot establish that. YOUR SWEEP STAYS ON YOUR PHONE Sweeps, photos and reports never leave this device. There is no account and nothing to sign into. No ads, no paywall, and every scanner is free. SAVE AND SHARE A REPORT Each sweep can be saved with photos and notes, and shared as a report if you need to hand one to a host, a hotel or the police.

Screenshots

Trace Privacy4 screens
Hero Sweep4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Hero Sweep at none against Trace Privacy's 2. Trace Privacy's advantage is device support (3 vs 1). On price, ads and iOS requirement 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. Hero Sweep asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
Trace Privacy versus Hero Sweep: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTrace PrivacyHero Sweep
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 9 days—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.1 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size48 MB5 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperClark AllenPrepared Hero

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Trace Privacy

Subscriptions2
  • Pro Monthly7 Days trial$6.991 Month
  • Pro Annual7 Days trial$39.991 Year
None

Hero Sweep

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Trace Privacy free?
Trace Privacy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Hero Sweep free?
Hero Sweep is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Trace Privacy or Hero Sweep have ads?
Neither Trace Privacy nor Hero Sweep shows ads.

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