# IRL: Take Your Time Back — Lock your phone. Earn back. > App locker and phone habit tracker that rewards reduced screen time. (iPhone/iPad app by Nathaniel Kramer.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/irl-take-your-time-back/id6784917287 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Nathaniel Kramer](https://appshunter.io/developer/1845591937) - Category: Productivity - Price: Free with in-app purchases - Rating: 5.00/5 from 1 App Store ratings - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 17.0 · 3 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2026-07-02 - Data updated: 2026-08-27 - Monetization: freemium - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/irl-take-your-time-back/id6784917287/reviews.md ## What is IRL? Take your time back. Take your power back. IRL locks the apps that pull you in for real focus sessions, tracks your phone habits over time, and turns being off your phone into a social flex. Hit your daily goal six of seven days — phone genuinely locked, no slips — and IRL becomes free. The flex isn't your screen time. It's how little of it you have. WHAT MAKES IRL DIFFERENT - Real shielding, not just a timer. IRL uses Apple's Family Controls to block the apps you choose during a session. iOS shows a shield screen when you reach for them. - What still gets through, in plain sight. Calls, texts, Maps, your lifelines, and Emergency SOS are never blocked. - Sit with the urge. Tap "I need out" and IRL gives you a 15-second cooldown before the session ends — long enough for the craving to pass. - Real friends, real accountability. Add friends by handle or contacts (numbers hashed locally — we never see them). See who's locked in right now. React to each other's sessions. Schedule squad sessions where you all lock in together. - "What did you do instead?" After a session, post one line about the real-life thing you did. Friends see it. Celebrates the moment, not the absence. - Solo mode. Some people want the social pressure. Others are doing this for themselves. Both work. Flip Solo mode in Settings and you're invisible to everyone, your data stays yours. - The science, cited. Every claim links to a real study — Brain Drain (UChicago), notification attention costs (PLOS), the PNAS Nexus mobile-internet blocking trial, NIH sleep research. EARN IT FREE — HONESTLY Hit your daily goal six of seven days, phone genuinely locked, no slips, and we credit your next subscription period back via Apple. The only people who pay are the people who don't use it. To keep the promise honest, you pick a sleep window of at least 8 hours in onboarding. Sessions started during sleep don't count. We need to know it was a real choice, not a phone on a nightstand. PRIVACY YOU CAN VERIFY - We never see which apps you chose to shield. iOS keeps them private. - We never see your real phone number. Contact matches are SHA-256 hashed on your device before anything is sent. - We never sell, share, rent, or advertise against your data. No third-party trackers. No IDFA. - Every social toggle is enforced server-side. Off means off. - Delete your account from inside the app at any time. Permanent. SUBSCRIPTION - Monthly: $4.99 with 3-day free trial - Yearly: $39.99 with 7-day free trial (saves 33%) - Cancel anytime in iOS Settings, Apple ID, Subscriptions - Earn it free credits future periods via Apple's subscription extension API Privacy: irl.app/privacy Terms: irl.app/terms Support: hi@irl.app ## Key features - App blocking with Apple's Family Controls - Phone habit tracking - Social accountability with friends - Scheduled group focus sessions - Post-session real-life activity sharing - Solo mode for private use - Science-backed claims ## Pricing and in-app purchases Base price: Free. **Subscriptions** | Subscription | Price | Period | | --- | --- | --- | | IRL Plus Monthly | $4.99 | per month | | IRL Plus Yearly | $39.99 | per year | ## Frequently asked questions about IRL ### What is IRL: Take Your Time Back? IRL is a productivity app designed to help you reclaim your time by locking distracting apps, tracking your phone habits, and encouraging real-life activities. It offers social features for accountability and a unique model where consistent use can earn you the service for free. ### How does IRL: Take Your Time Back block apps? IRL utilizes Apple's Family Controls to provide real shielding, displaying a shield screen when you attempt to access blocked apps during a focus session. Essential lifelines like calls, texts, and Maps are never blocked. ### Can I earn IRL: Take Your Time Back for free? Yes, you can earn IRL for free by hitting your daily goal six out of seven days, with your phone genuinely locked and no slips. This earns you a credit for your next subscription period via Apple's subscription extension API. ### What are the subscription costs for IRL: Take Your Time Back? IRL offers a monthly subscription for $4.99 with a 3-day free trial, and a yearly subscription for $39.99 with a 7-day free trial, saving you 33%. You can cancel anytime through iOS Settings. ### Does IRL: Take Your Time Back have ads? No, IRL: Take Your Time Back does not contain advertisements. The app is committed to a user experience free from ads and third-party trackers. ### How does IRL: Take Your Time Back protect my privacy? IRL never sees which apps you choose to shield, as iOS keeps them private. Your phone number is hashed locally, and the app explicitly states it never sells, shares, or rents your data. ### What devices does IRL: Take Your Time Back support? IRL: Take Your Time Back is currently supported on iPhone devices. ### How often is IRL: Take Your Time Back updated? The latest version of IRL: Take Your Time Back is 1.0.2, which was last updated on July 3, 2026. This indicates regular updates to improve functionality and reliability. ## Version history (last 2 releases) ### 1.0.3 — 2026-08-25 Fixes the core of the app. • App blocking now actually engages. A bug meant IRL forgot it had Screen Time permission every time you reopened it, so locking in timed you without blocking anything. • The timer no longer pauses while you're in another app. Your session now runs on real elapsed time. • Slip counting is accurate. Pulling down Control Center or glancing at a notification no longer counts as leaving. • If a session can't be shielded for any reason, IRL now tells you instead of implying you're protected. ### 1.0.2 — 2026-07-03 No release notes. ## More apps by Nathaniel Kramer - [Hold the Standard](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hold-the-standard/id6776402977) - [D.I.Y. DAD](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/diy-dad/id6784103201) All apps by Nathaniel Kramer: https://appshunter.io/developer/1845591937 --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-27.*