# Nucleus vs aLock

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Nucleus at none against aLock's 3. Nucleus also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. aLock sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Nucleus asks for nothing beyond the download.

Nucleus ships an update every 9 days, aLock every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Nucleus | aLock |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.6 (31 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alock-app-lock/id1663668785/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **31** |
| Positive reviews | — | 75.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | — | Freemium |
| Size | 15 MB | 7 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Yekta Sarioglu](https://appshunter.io/developer/1633831532) | [裕涛 兰](https://appshunter.io/developer/1624361053) |

## What reviewers say

### Nucleus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nucleus/id1633831530)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### aLock

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alock-app-lock/id1663668785)

Manage your screen time effectively by setting usage limits for apps and automatically restricting them when limits are reached. This app helps users, including children, focus better by blocking distractions and inappropriate content. A free trial is available for premium features.

**Highlights:** Set app usage limits, Automatic app restriction, Manual app restriction/restoration, Focus enhancement for children, Distraction blocking, Free trial for premium features

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| App Lock for 1 week | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| App Lock for 1 year | $9.99 | per year |
| App Lock Premium | $19.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Nucleus free?

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

### Is aLock free?

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

### Do Nucleus or aLock have ads?

Neither Nucleus nor aLock shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Nucleus or aLock?

Nucleus ships an update every 9 days, and aLock every 3 weeks. Most recently, Nucleus was updated on October 8, 2026 and aLock on October 16, 2026.

---

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