Comparison

Blank Spaces Launcher vs Chess Shield

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Blank Spaces Launcher

This app transforms your smartphone into a minimalist tool by decluttering your home screen. It removes distracting badges and icons, allowing you to focus on essential apps and regain control of your attention. Designed for simplicity and privacy, it helps you use your phone intentionally.

Highlights
  • Simplified home screen widget
  • Mutes badges and app icons
  • Focus on essential apps
  • Intuitive and easy to use
  • Privacy-focused design
  • 7-day free trial
Features
Read full description

Blank Spaces is a minimalist launcher that turns your iPhone into a dumb phone. It swaps a home screen full of icons for a simple list of the apps you actually need. We believe technology should empower us, not take our attention. • Simplify your home screen Your most important apps in a clean text list. No icons, no badges, no clutter. • Take back your focus Blank Spaces interrupts distracting apps before they open, so you can reclaim your time and attention. Use your phone as a tool and focus on what matters in life. • Lock what pulls you back Lock distracting apps on a schedule or with a time limit. Unlock them with a breathing exercise or a set of push-ups. • Make it yours Choose your theme, colors, and wallpaper. • Build lasting habits Track your streak and keep your focus for the long term. • Easy to use The app is completely intuitive, and setup takes 60 seconds. • Private by design We believe in openness, privacy, and 100% data ownership. See our privacy policy at blankspaces.app/privacy. BLANK SPACES SUBSCRIPTION Full access to Blank Spaces requires a subscription (monthly, annual, or lifetime). Subscriptions auto-renew unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the period. Terms of Use - www.blankspaces.app/terms Privacy Policy - www.blankspaces.app/privacy Join Us - www.blankspaces.app/cult

About

Chess Shield

This app helps chess players improve by blocking distracting apps and replacing them with chess puzzles. Solve puzzles to advance your ELO and identify tactical weaknesses. It offers a free tier with basic features and a Pro version for advanced tactics and unlimited app blocking.

Highlights
  • Blocks distracting apps
  • Replaces app opens with chess puzzles
  • Puzzles matched to ELO
  • Tracks ELO in real-time
  • Tactical insights
  • Unlimited puzzles (Free)
  • Block multiple apps (Pro)
Features
Read full description

For chess players who want to actually get better. Endless scrolling steals the hours you'd rather spend improving. Chess Shield blocks the apps that eat your chess time. Try to open one, and a puzzle takes over the screen. Solve it to get past. Every solve moves your ELO. HOW IT WORKS Pick the apps you reach for when you meant to study. Instagram, TikTok, X, whatever's eating you. When you try to open them, a puzzle takes over. Solve it to unlock the app for a few minutes. The puzzles match your level. Type your chess.com or Lichess ELO and we'll start there. Or skip the input and we'll test you with three puzzles. From then on, every puzzle is challenging enough to make you think, solvable enough that you'll get there. Insights show you which tactics keep tripping you up. Your ELO moves in real time on every solve. FREE INCLUDES – Unlimited puzzles, matched to your ELO – 6 starter tactics: Fork, Pin, Skewer, Mate-in-1, Mate-in-2, Back-rank – 1 shielded app – Full ELO tracking – Insights into what you solve and what you miss PRO UNLOCKS – All 52 advanced tactics. Mate-in-3, Discovered Attack, Zwischenzug, endgames. The full library, not just the starters. – See every blind spot. Insights unlocks every theme. Your full weakness map, no locked tiles. – Block every app you want, not just one. Plenty to start on Free. Pro is where you stop guessing what to study. 7-day free trial on the yearly plan. $4.99/month or $39.99/year. WHY IT'S DIFFERENT Most focus apps are guilt machines. Most chess apps want your scroll. Chess Shield does both jobs at once. Every minute in here is measurable progress, not just dopamine. If you've ever wished the time you waste scrolling could be real chess time, this is it. PRIVACY We don't collect anything. No accounts, no analytics, no backend. The apps you block are opaque tokens iOS hands us. We literally can't see them. Everything stays on your device. ——— Subscription details Chess Shield Pro is offered as a monthly ($4.99/month) or yearly ($39.99/year) auto-renewing subscription. The yearly plan includes a 7-day free trial for new subscribers. Payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation. The subscription auto-renews unless turned off at least 24 hours before the period ends. Manage or cancel anytime in iPhone Settings → Apple ID → Subscriptions. Privacy Policy: https://chessshield.com/privacy Terms of Use: https://chessshield.com/terms

Screenshots

Blank Spaces Launcher4 screens
Chess Shield4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Blank Spaces Launcher at 4.6 against Chess Shield's 3.5. Blank Spaces Launcher also leads on ratings volume (8.6K vs 4) and chart position (#93 vs unranked). Chess Shield's advantage is monetization model (freemium vs subscription) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.0). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Blank Spaces Launcher sells 15 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days and Chess Shield sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Blank Spaces Launcher holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Blank Spaces Launcher has 8.6K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 27% of Blank Spaces Launcher's written reviews are positive against 33% of Chess Shield's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Blank Spaces Launcher ships an update every 2 weeks, Chess Shield every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
Blank Spaces Launcher versus Chess Shield: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBlank Spaces LauncherChess Shield
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (8.6K ratings) — better3.5 (4 ratings)
Positive reviews27.2% of reviews33.3% of reviews — better
Number of ratings8.6K — better4
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 9 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationSubscriptionFreemium — better
Best chart rank#93 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS18.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size164 MB54 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperEcstasis LLCAlejandro Trevino Saldana

Customer experience

Blank Spaces Launcher

All ratings8,530 ratings
Positive90.2%
Neutral2.0%
Negative7.8%
Written reviews864 reviews
Positive27.2%
Neutral9.7%
Negative63.1%

Chess Shield

All ratings4 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral25.0%
Negative25.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive33.3%
Neutral33.3%
Negative33.3%

Bugs and requests

Blank Spaces Launcher

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Widgets not showing up or disappearing
  • Inconsistent behavior when adding/removing apps
  • Shortcuts not working as expected
  • Wallpaper customization issues
  • App crashing or freezing during setup

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add more supported apps, including default iOS apps
  • Allow custom shortcuts without going through Shortcuts app
  • Improve widget customization options
  • Provide a free or one-time purchase version
  • Add ability to rename app labels in widgets

Chess Shield

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

15 purchases

Blank Spaces Launcher

Subscriptions9
  • 1 Week$1.997 Days
  • 1 Month$3.991 Month
  • 1 Month1 Month trial$3.991 Month
Show 6 more
  • 1 Month$4.991 Month
  • Monthly Plan$7.991 Month
  • 12 Months$17.991 Year
  • Special Offer (1 Year)$18.991 Year
  • Yearly Plan2 variants$19.991 Year
  • Yearly Plan$24.991 Year
One-time6
  • Lifetime Subscription (Reward)Free
  • Blank Lifetime Subscription$11.99
  • Blank Lifetime Subscription$23.99
Show 3 more
  • Blank Lifetime Subscription$24.99
  • Lifetime Plan$29.99
  • Lifetime Plan$39.99
2 purchases

Chess Shield

Subscriptions2
  • Chess Shield Pro7 Days trial$4.991 Month
  • Chess Shield Pro$39.991 Year

Questions

Is Blank Spaces Launcher free?
Blank Spaces Launcher is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Chess Shield free?
Chess Shield is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Blank Spaces Launcher or Chess Shield?
Blank Spaces Launcher is rated higher. Blank Spaces Launcher averages 4.6 out of 5 from 8.6K ratings, while Chess Shield averages 3.5 from 4 ratings.
Do Blank Spaces Launcher or Chess Shield have ads?
Neither Blank Spaces Launcher nor Chess Shield shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Blank Spaces Launcher or Chess Shield?
Blank Spaces Launcher ships an update every 2 weeks, and Chess Shield every 9 days. Most recently, Blank Spaces Launcher was updated on October 28, 2026 and Chess Shield on October 24, 2026.

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