# Read First — Lock apps until you read

> Lock apps until you read (iPhone/iPad app by Matt Lamborne.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/read-first/id6809058128 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Matt Lamborne](https://appshunter.io/developer/1894724703)
- Category: Productivity, Books
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 16.4 · 70 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2026-10-02
- Data updated: 2026-10-12
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/read-first/id6809058128/reviews.md

## What is Read First?

Your scrolling apps stay shut until you've read today's pages.

Read First uses Apple's Screen Time to lock the apps that eat your evenings. Read your pages, snap a photo of the page you're on, and they open back up. That's the whole deal.

HOW IT WORKS
1. Pick the apps that take your time
2. Add your book and the date you want to finish it
3. Read First works out today's page count
4. Read, snap the page, type where you got to. Your apps open.

FOCUS TIMER
Spin the dial, lock your apps for 5 minutes or 2 hours, and just read. A gentle tune plays when you're done, and the countdown shows on your Lock Screen.

MAKE IT YOURS
• All day: locked until you've read
• Reading hours: locked only during the hours you choose
• Relock rounds: read, get a few hours free, then a new page count
• Normal or Hard: decide whether the lock screen can be dismissed
• Reading reminders and a Home Screen widget for today's pages

A LIBRARY THAT GROWS
Covers pulled in automatically, an up-next shelf, your finished books and a daily streak. And Folio, a small book who is very happy when you read.

PRIVATE BY DESIGN
No account. Your books, pages and photos stay on your iPhone. Screen Time gives Read First anonymous tokens only, so it can't see which apps you picked or anything you do in them. We use anonymous analytics to improve the app, never your name, your books or which apps you lock.

SUBSCRIPTION
Read First requires a subscription. The plans, prices and any free trial are shown in the app before you subscribe. Payment is charged to your Apple ID at the end of a free trial, or when you subscribe if there is no trial. It renews automatically unless you cancel at least 24 hours before the end of the period. Manage or cancel in Settings › Apple ID › Subscriptions.

Terms of Use: https://read-first.app/terms
Privacy Policy: https://read-first.app/privacy

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**Subscriptions**

| Subscription | Price | Period |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Yearly | $49.99 | per year |
| Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Yearly | $49.99 | per year |
| Weekly | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Yearly | $29.99 | per year |



## Version history (last 2 releases)

### 1.1 — 2026-10-06

• Focus timer: spin the dial, your apps lock for that long, and a gentle tune plays when time's up, even on silent. The countdown sits on your Lock Screen.
• A Home Screen and Lock Screen widget for today's pages.
• A new start: a few quick questions, then a reading plan built around you.
• Reading reminders, if you want them.
• If your edition has more or fewer pages than we had, Read First now asks instead of getting stuck.
• Lots of smaller fixes and polish.

### 1.0 — 2026-10-02

No release notes.

## More apps by Matt Lamborne

- [Scrambled Eggs](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scrambled-eggs/id6762573946)
- [Twaka](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/twaka/id6805823954)

All apps by Matt Lamborne: https://appshunter.io/developer/1894724703

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*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 2026-10-12.*