Shoo! vs AppLocker: which one actually locks your Mac apps?
AppLocker is the most downloaded app locker for Mac — it shares a single App Store listing with its iPhone and iPad versions, which is exactly how it keeps a 4.1★ average on the Mac tab. Look it up on an independent site instead, and MacUpdate users rate it 2.6★. Here's the gap between the two numbers, in plain facts.
| Shoo! | AppLocker | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $17.99 once, every app | $2.99/mo, $11.99/yr, or $17.99 lifetime — free tier covers 1 app |
| Locking mechanism | Kills the app's process the moment it's locked | Checks only at launch — an already-open app stays unlocked |
| Backup credential | PBKDF2, 210,000 iterations, rate-limited, any length | 4-digit code, no recovery if lost |
| If the locker app is deleted | Multiple layers stop the lock coming off this way | Every lock is removed instantly, no authentication asked |
| Independent rating | New — no independent rating yet | 2.6★ on MacUpdate (vs. 4.1★ on the App Store's combined iPhone/iPad/Mac listing) |
What's actually broken
These aren't opinions — they're documented in AppLocker's own App Store and MacUpdate reviews, and in some cases confirmed by the developer:
AppLocker
- Deleting the app removes every lock — no authentication asked. The developer's own workaround, "Deny all apps removal," ships turned off by default, and at least one user reported finding a way around it too.
- Editing the target app's Bundle ID in Info.plist removes the lock entirely.
- Backup password is 4 digits, full stop.
- Only checks at launch. If the app is already open and you come back to it, it's still unlocked.
- No password recovery — several reviewers describe being permanently locked out of their own apps.
- Free tier covers exactly 1 app. Everything past that needs $2.99/mo, $11.99/yr, or $17.99 lifetime.
Shoo!
- Kills the app's process when it's locked. There's no lock sitting on top of the app to strip out — the app simply isn't running.
- Doesn't watch the app's icon or bundle metadata — it watches the running process. Renaming or editing the app doesn't help.
- Backup password is your own length and complexity, hashed with PBKDF2 (210,000 iterations) and rate-limited against guessing.
- Re-locks the moment you return to an app you left open — not just at first launch.
- Lost your key? Recover it by email, tied to your original purchase.
- $17.99 once. One tier, every app, no recurring charge.
"So this app is probably useless, unless you want to protect your stuff against people you know have no clue about the inner workings of macOS." — a MacUpdate reviewer, on AppLocker
The core difference
Every workaround above exists because AppLocker locks the way almost every app locker on the Mac does: it puts something in front of the app, or checks a password once when the app opens. Anyone who can close that overlay, edit a file, or simply delete the app is past it.
Shoo! ends the app's process the moment it's locked. There is no overlay to click through and no launch-time gate to slip past on the way back in — the app has to actually start again, and starting again asks for Touch ID.
Try the difference yourself — free for 7 days, full functionality, no credit card.
Frequently asked questions
Does deleting AppLocker really remove the lock with no authentication?
Yes — that’s documented behavior. AppLocker’s own “Deny all apps removal” safeguard ships turned off by default, and at least one user reported a way around it even when enabled. Shoo! has no equivalent gap: removing it requires confirming your identity first.
Can Shoo! be bypassed by editing the app’s files or Bundle ID?
No. Shoo! watches the running process, not the app’s icon or bundle metadata, so renaming or editing the target app doesn’t help — unlike AppLocker, where editing Info.plist's Bundle ID removes the lock entirely.
What happens if I forget my Shoo! backup password?
You can set an optional hint that’s shown next to the password field without revealing the password itself. AppLocker, by contrast, has no password recovery — several reviewers describe being permanently locked out.
How much does Shoo! cost compared to AppLocker?
Shoo! is $17.99 once, covering every app with no recurring charge. AppLocker’s free tier covers only 1 app; anything past that needs $2.99/mo, $11.99/yr, or $17.99 lifetime.