# Opal vs Locked

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Locked at 100% against Opal's 62%. Locked also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 18) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). Opal's advantage is ratings volume (88K vs 2) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 2 weeks). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Opal sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Locked asks for nothing beyond the download.

Locked holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Opal has 88K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 62% of Opal's written reviews are positive against 100% of Locked's.

Opal ships an update every 5 days, Locked every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and August 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Opal | Locked |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (88K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/opal-screen-time-control/id1497465230/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/locked-less-screen-time/id6742744610/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **88K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 62.1% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Best chart rank | **#43** | — |
| Size | 303 MB | 17 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **16.4** |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Opal OS](https://appshunter.io/developer/1497465229) | [SocialMate Pty Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1799698906) |

## What reviewers say

### Opal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/opal-screen-time-control/id1497465230)

**Currently charting:** #43 Top Grossing · Productivity, #87 Top Free · Productivity (US App Store)

This app helps you regain control of your digital life by limiting app usage, blocking distractions, and improving focus. It provides tools and insights to reduce screen time, boost productivity, and enhance well-being.

**Highlights:** Screen time control, App blocker, Set app limits, Focus modes, Productivity reports, Block apps and websites, Mindful block screens

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Plan | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Plan | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Opal Student Weekly | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Plan | $19.99 | per month |
| Monthly Plan | $19.99 | per month |
| Opal Pro Subscription | $49.99 | per year |
| Yearly Plan | $69.99 | per year |
| Yearly Plan | $89.99 | per year |
| Yearly Plan | $99.99 | per year |
| Yearly Plan | $99.99 | per year |
| Opal Pro Yearly | $99.99 | per year |
| Yearly Plan | $129.99 | per year |
| Yearly Plan | $179.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Helps reduce screen time
- 🚀 Effective at blocking distracting apps
- 💡 Customizable blocking schedules
- 🎨 Aesthetically pleasing design
- 🔒 Difficult to bypass blocks

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🐛 Buggy and unreliable at times
- 🔓 Easy to bypass blocks in some cases
- 🤯 Can be frustrating when blocks don't work as expected
- 🕰️ Longer wait times to take breaks

**Reported bugs**

- Blocks apps that are not selected
- Inconsistent behavior when ending focus sessions
- Crashes when trying to manage blocked apps
- VPN issues causing other connectivity problems

**Requested features**

- Allow more customization of blocked apps
- Integrate with more productivity tools
- Provide more granular time tracking and reporting
- Offer a one-time purchase option
- Improve stability and reduce bugs


### Locked

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/locked-less-screen-time/id6742744610)

This app uses a physical NFC tag to create friction and help you break phone addiction. Set app limits and lock them until you scan the tag, encouraging focus and reducing distractions.

**Highlights:** NFC-powered physical tag app blocker, Deep Focus Mode with no override, Customizable app blocking, Works with Apple Screen Time API, Minimal interface for easy setup, No data collection or cloud sync

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Opal free?

Opal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Locked free?

Locked is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Opal or Locked?

Locked is rated higher. Opal averages 4.7 out of 5 from 88K ratings, while Locked averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Opal or Locked have ads?

Neither Opal nor Locked shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Opal or Locked?

Opal ships an update every 5 days, and Locked every 2 weeks. Most recently, Opal was updated on September 24, 2026 and Locked on August 3, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*