Dark Reader for Safari vs Amber Lock
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Dark Reader for Safari
This Safari extension transforms websites into dark themes, reducing eye strain and improving readability. It offers customizable brightness, contrast, and color themes, and seamlessly integrates with system dark mode. Enjoy a comfortable browsing experience, especially in low light conditions.
- Creates dark themes for websites
- Adjustable brightness and contrast
- Multiple color theme presets
- Customizable background and text colors
- Enable/disable for specific websites
- Syncs with system dark mode
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Dark Reader is an eye-care Safari extension that enables night mode by creating dark themes for websites on the fly. It inverts bright colors to make web pages high contrast and easier to read. Dark Reader integrates seamlessly with system dark mode. Adjust brightness and contrast to match your display and ambient lighting. Enable dark mode on every web page or give websites a sepia tone. Select from multiple color theme presets or create your own by customizing background and text colors. Enable or disable Dark Reader for specific websites, automatically sync with system dark mode, or detect already dark websites and leave them unchanged. Developed by the original creators of Dark Reader. Since 2014, we continuously evolve alongside modern web technologies to deliver fast and reliable dark mode support for people sensitive to bright light. A single purchase includes access to the macOS version (Safari browser) when using the same iCloud account. Dark Reader contains no ads and does not collect user data. Enable Dark Reader in Safari preferences and disable similar extensions to prevent conflicts. Enjoy browsing!
Amber Lock
This app locks distracting applications behind a unique challenge: you must walk to unlock them. Earn screen time by increasing your daily steps and reclaiming your focus.
- Seal distracting apps
- Unlock apps by walking
- Customize step-to-time ratio
- Set unlock duration limits
- Track reclaimed screen time
- Home screen widget for quick access
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Amber Lock seals your most distracting apps in digital amber. To get them back, you have to stand up and walk. Whether your goals are to reduce screen time, increase your daily steps, or both, Amber Lock has got you covered! THE LEGEND Gnomish stories tell of a distracted worker whose candied berries were sealed in tree sap until he finished plowing the fields. Amber Lock applies the same friction to your phone. HOW IT WORKS 1. Seal your distractions. Pick your worst offenders (social media, games, news) and lock them inside the amber. 2. Set your own rules. Decide how many steps buy one minute, how many steps the tank can hold, and how long a single unlock is allowed to run. 3. Walk. Put the phone in your pocket and go. Your real steps charge the Melter. 4. Melt the amber. Spend that charge whenever you choose, up to the limit you set. 5. Watch it re-seal. When the charge runs dry, the amber locks your apps again. BUILT FOR YOUR SCREEN TIME, NOT SOMEONE ELSE'S A 4am doomscroller and a gamer who wants one clean hour at night need opposite things from a blocker. Most apps give them the same one. If your problem is the slow drip (five minutes here, twenty there) run a small tank and a short unlock cap. A slip costs you five minutes, not the entire evening. If your problem is that you want your hour before bed and you want it uninterrupted, use the deep tank instead. Bank steps all day, then spend them in one sitting without the app locking you out halfway through. SEE WHAT YOU GET BACK Amber Lock tracks your time in sealed apps week over week, so you can watch the hours come back. ON YOUR HOME SCREEN A widget sits beside your locked apps showing the time you have left, so you can melt or re-seal without opening anything. PRIVACY Amber Lock uses Apple's Screen Time API to block apps directly on your device. Your app usage data never leaves your phone. It isn't sent to us or to anyone else. Your step data stays on your device too. NO SUBSCRIPTION Amber Lock is free, and it's fully usable that way. One optional upgrade is available as one-time purchases. This gives you access to premium settings which allow you to further customize your Amber Melter! Take back your time. Seal the distractions. Earn your screen time. Terms & conditions of use: https://www.gnomesteadcollective.com/terms?app=amber-lock#amber-lock
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Amber Lock at Free against Dark Reader for Safari's $4.99. Amber Lock also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.3) and review sentiment (100% vs 64%). Dark Reader for Safari's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 6) and ratings volume (285 vs 2). On ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Amber Lock is free to download; Dark Reader for Safari costs $4.99 up front. Amber Lock sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Dark Reader for Safari asks for nothing beyond the download.
Amber Lock holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Dark Reader for Safari has 285 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 64% of Dark Reader for Safari's written reviews are positive against 100% of Amber Lock's.
Dark Reader for Safari ships an update every 2 months, Amber Lock every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Dark Reader for Safari | Amber Lock |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.3 (285 ratings) | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 64.2% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 285 — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 5 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Best chart rank | #21 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 4 MB | 53 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Dark Reader Ltd | Gnomestead Collective LLC |
Customer experience
Dark Reader for Safari
Amber Lock
Bugs and requests
Dark Reader for Safari
Reported bugs
3 issues- Extension stops working after Safari has been open for a while
- Fails to load on certain websites
- Inverts colors incorrectly on some websites
Requested features
5 requests- Per-site settings for Dynamic vs Filter modes
- Automatic dark mode based on time of day
- Ability to customize accent colors
- Support for PDF documents
- Sync settings across devices
Amber Lock
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Dark Reader for Safari
No in-app purchases
Amber Lock
- 1,000 Step Power Bank (1x)$0.99
- 1,000 Step Power Bank (3x)$1.99
- 1,000 Step Power Bank (10x)$4.99
Show 3 moreShow fewer
- Premium Step Tank$7.99
- Premium Burn$7.99
- Premium Settings Bundle$9.99
Questions
Is Dark Reader for Safari free?
Is Amber Lock free?
Which has better reviews, Dark Reader for Safari or Amber Lock?
Do Dark Reader for Safari or Amber Lock have ads?
Which is updated more often, Dark Reader for Safari or Amber Lock?
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