# Shale - Block and Study — Unlock your brain

> Unlock your brain (iPhone/iPad app by Elias Leinonen.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shale-block-and-study/id6799409520 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Elias Leinonen](https://appshunter.io/developer/1893625652)
- Category: Education, Productivity
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 16.4 · 55 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2026-09-14
- Data updated: 2026-10-11
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shale-block-and-study/id6799409520/reviews.md

## What is Shale?

You already spend hours on your phone. What if that time was earned by learning something that actually matters?

Shale locks your most distracting apps and only unlocks them after you study. Every flashcard you complete earns you one minute of screen time. When your time runs out, the apps lock again.

No willpower needed. Just a simple deal: learn first, scroll later.

HOW IT WORKS
1. Pick the apps you want blocked (TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and more)
2. Tell Shale what you want to learn. Our AI creates a personalized flashcard deck in seconds
3. Study your cards and earn screen time. 1 card = 1 minute
4. Your apps unlock. When time's up, learn a few more cards to keep going

AI-POWERED FLASHCARDS
Just describe what you want to learn in plain English: "Help me study for my biology exam" or "Teach me basic Japanese phrases." Shale's AI generates a complete deck tailored to your level. You can also create cards manually or expand any deck with more AI-generated content at any time.

SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN LEARNING
Shale uses spaced repetition to show you the right cards at the right time. Cards you struggle with appear more often. Cards you already know fade into the background. You learn faster with less effort.

REAL APP BLOCKING
This isn't a gentle reminder you can dismiss. Shale uses Apple's Screen Time API to actually block your selected apps until you've earned enough screen time. It works in the background, even when the app is closed.

SCHEDULED BLOCKING
Set daily blocking hours so Shale only steps in when you want it to. Block apps from 8am to 10pm, or keep them locked around the clock.

LEARN ANYTHING
Exam prep, new languages, job interview questions, coding concepts, history facts, or any topic you can think of. If you can describe it, Shale can teach it.

START YOUR FREE TRIAL
Try Shale Pro free for 14 days. Cancel anytime.

Terms of Use: https://joinshale.com/terms
Privacy Policy: https://joinshale.com/privacy

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**Subscriptions**

| Subscription | Price | Period |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Shale Pro Weekly | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Shale Annual Plan | $34.99 | per year |

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Shale Pro Lifetime | $99.99 | one-time |



## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 1.1.0 — 2026-10-06

- Made it clearer how much time you bank as you swipe. 
- Ensured you keep all your earned minutes even if you exit a session early. 
- Fixed a few bugs and improved iOS 18 compatibility for a smoother experience.

### 1.0.4 — 2026-10-02

Updated the onboarding to make the experience smoother!

### 1.0.3 — 2026-09-29

Added pre-made decks and polished the onboarding!

### 1.0.2 — 2026-09-21

Made cards swipeable and animations smoother. 
Also fixed a notification bug.

### 1.0.1 — 2026-09-15

Minor bug fixes and performance improvements

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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 2026-10-11.*