App lock vs Android Private Space and Samsung Secure Folder

This comparison is based on public documentation and store listings as they were on 15 September 2026. If something has changed or is wrong, email info@applore.io and we will check it.

At a glance

Where an app lock is different

• Nothing moves. An app lock puts a lock screen in front of the apps you choose. Your apps, their data and their notifications stay where they are, so you do not reinstall anything or sign in again.
• Works on more phones. Applore’s App Lock runs on Android 8.0 and up, on phones from any maker. Private Space needs Android 15 or later, and Secure Folder needs a Samsung Galaxy phone.
• A different code from your screen lock. You can use a PIN or pattern that only you know, even if other people know your phone’s screen lock. Fingerprint unlock is available too.
• Extra locks if you want them. With Applore Pro, Advance Lock can keep Settings and the Play Store behind your lock and hold notifications from locked apps until you unlock.

Where Private Space and Secure Folder are different

• Built into the phone. Both are part of the phone’s system software, so there is no extra app to install.
• Apps are hidden, not just locked. Google states that the Private Space container can hide every time the space is locked. [1] Samsung states that you can remove the Secure Folder icon from the Apps screen. [2] An app lock does not hide the app’s icon.
• Separate copies with separate accounts. Private Space installs a new copy of an app, and “the previous instance isn’t copied or modified”. [1] Samsung states that you can sign in to the copy in Secure Folder with a different account. [2]
• Apps stop completely while locked. Google states that apps in a locked Private Space “can’t perform foreground or background activities, like showing notifications”. [1]

Google also lists some limits of Private Space. You cannot add its apps to your home screen as widgets or shortcuts. You cannot move an app’s data from your main space into it. And if you delete the space, its apps and data are deleted with no backup. [1]

Using them together

These tools do not rule each other out:

• Use Private Space or Secure Folder for apps you want out of sight, such as a second account for a messaging app.
• Use an app lock for apps that should stay on your home screen but need a second check, such as your gallery, email or banking app, when you hand your phone to someone.
• If your phone is older than Android 15 and is not a Samsung Galaxy, an app lock is the option that is available to you.

The step-by-step guide on how to lock apps on Android covers each route.

Privacy and permissions

Private Space and Secure Folder are system features, so they are not listed on Google Play with a Data safety section. Samsung states that Secure Folder uses the Samsung Knox security platform. [2]

Applore App Lock asks for usage access so it can notice when a locked app opens. You can also turn on the optional accessibility service so the lock screen appears faster. App Lock uses only the name of the app in the foreground. Your lock settings, PIN and pattern stay on your phone. Protect from uninstall (Pro) uses Android’s device admin permission, and you can turn it off at any time in Settings. Read how App Lock uses the accessibility service.