Comparison

Refocus vs RelockIn

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

Head to head
About

Refocus

This app helps you regain control of your digital life by blocking distracting apps and websites. It offers various methods to limit screen time, set schedules, and track your usage, promoting better focus and productivity.

Highlights
  • Block any app or website
  • Strict Mode with multiple unblocking challenges
  • Set app timers and time limits
  • Schedule blocking for specific times
  • Location-based blocking
  • Screen time analytics
  • macOS app available
Features
Read full description

Refocus is an app blocker & website blocker that helps you limit screen time on apps! Refocus is easy to use, yet has powerful screen time control features: ▶ Various ways to restrict or lock apps and block websites. Choose what helps you focus! Block any app or site — from social media and games to messaging and news. ▶ "Strict Mode" feature prevents you from unblocking. Set a passcode, or use an NFC tag, or wait a duration (ex. 30 seconds), or do a copy text challenge, or utilize Pomodoro (limit unblocking to 5 times per day, for 25 minutes each, with a 5-minute cooldown between each unblock). ▶ Block for a specific duration (ex. app timer for 30 minutes). ▶ Block at specific times (ex. every weekday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM). ▶ Set app limits (ex. after 10 minutes of using Instagram, block it). Set an app time limit! ▶ Hide Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts in Safari. ▶ Block at the location you pick — whether it be home, work or school. ▶ View your daily, weekly and monthly Screen Time analytics. Use Refocus as a screen time tracker! ▶ Mac app that also lets you block apps and websites on macOS. ▶ And more! --- Visit www.refocusapp.co for more information. Terms of Use: - https://refocusapp.co/terms-of-use

About

RelockIn

This app helps you reclaim your time by removing distractions from social media and YouTube. Set custom time limits for apps and websites to ensure intentional scrolling and protect your focus.

Highlights
  • Remove Shorts, Reels, and ads
  • Set timed unlock sessions
  • Create schedules for focus/sleep
  • Block clickbait and algorithmic feeds
  • Customize social media content
  • Use custom challenges for focus
  • Private and ad-free browsing
Features
Read full description

Remove Shorts, Reels, ads, and other distractions from YouTube, Instagram, and more. Plus, set up time limits for any app or website, so you put your phone down when you mean to, not three hours later. RelockIn is a web browser AND screen time app, for people serious about reclaiming their time. It lets you customize social media and YouTube to cut out the addictive stuff and keep only the parts you want. Then, protect your focus with time limits for apps and websites, to make every minute of scrolling intentional. FEATURES • Timed unlock sessions - set a time goal before visiting a blocked app or website. Get pulled out when it's done. • Schedules - protect your sleep, focus, or work times by making it hard or impossible to open distracting apps. • Hide YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, and more • Block clickbait and endless algorithmic feeds • Hide social media posts from people you don't follow. Remove ragebait, ads, and AI slop. • Protect your setup with custom challenges - like doing math, typing a paragraph, entering a password, or sending an embarrassing accountability email to a friend. • Private and safe. No AI, no ads. The RelockIn browser blocks trackers and we never sell or upload your browsing data. • Active Discord community where you can request new features DEFANG THE WEB We've all been there. You open YouTube planning to watch just 1 video before you go to bed, or open Instagram to quickly check your messages. Then before you know it, hours have passed, and you're left feeling like crap. It's not an accident, and it's not your fault: tech companies have poured billions into designing the most addictive algorithms to steal as much of your time as possible. RelockIn lets you flip the script: you can customize websites to make them boring, functional, and easy to put down. Choose from over 40 options across top sites including YouTube, Instagram, Reddit, LinkedIn, and X. RELOCKIN WORKS BETTER Other screen time apps rely on willpower or rigid blocks you end up switching off. RelockIn adds just enough friction: every time you open a distracting app, you choose how long you'll stay. When time's up, you're out. Want more? Start a new session on purpose. That small pause breaks the dopamine loop, so every minute you spend is YOUR choice, not the algorithm's. It's not about restriction - it's about control. You decide when. You decide how long. You decide what content you see. Not the algorithm, and not the big tech CEOs. RelockIn helps you lock out distractions, and lock in to your best future. TERMS, PRIVACY, & CONDITIONS Read at https://relockin.com/terms-of-service and https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula. Privacy policy: https://relockin.com/privacy-policy

Screenshots

Refocus4 screens
RelockIn4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Refocus at 4.8 against RelockIn's 3.7. Refocus also leads on ratings volume (12K vs 3). RelockIn's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and in-app purchases 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. Refocus sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month and RelockIn sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Refocus holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Refocus has 12K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 93% of Refocus's written reviews are positive against 100% of RelockIn's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Refocus ships an update weekly, RelockIn every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Refocus versus RelockIn: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRefocusRelockIn
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (12K ratings) — better3.7 (3 ratings)
Positive reviews93.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings12K — better3
Update frequencyWeeklyEvery 5 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS16.016.0
Further details — not scored
Size51 MB277 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperLabi, LLCJoel Happ

Customer experience

Refocus

All ratings11,734 ratings
Positive95.1%
Neutral1.9%
Negative2.9%
Written reviews2,242 reviews
Positive93.0%
Neutral2.9%
Negative4.1%

RelockIn

All ratings3 ratings
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Refocus

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Blocking issues after phone restart
  • Inconsistent behavior when pausing/unpausing sessions
  • Crashing when trying to block apps in certain categories

Requested features

5 requests
  • Passcode or biometric lock to prevent bypassing
  • More advanced blocking options (e.g., math problems to unblock)
  • Ability to purchase a one-time license instead of subscription
  • Notification warnings before blocking sessions end
  • Search function to find apps to block more easily

RelockIn

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

13 purchases

Refocus

Subscriptions9
  • Refocus Pro3 Days trial2 variants$7.991 Month
  • Refocus Pro3 Days trial$8.991 Month
  • Refocus Pro3 Days trial$9.991 Month
Show 6 more
  • Refocus Pro (Family)7 Days trial$12.991 Month
  • Refocus Pro$49.991 Year
  • Refocus Pro1 Month trial2 variants$49.991 Year
  • Refocus Pro7 Days trial2 variants$49.991 Year
  • Refocus Pro1 Year trial$49.991 Year
  • Refocus Pro7 Days trial$59.991 Year
One-time4
  • Reset Strict Mode$1.00
  • Reset Strict Mode$5.00
  • Reset Strict Mode$10.00
Show 1 more
  • Reset Strict Mode$50.00
2 purchases

RelockIn

Subscriptions2
  • RelockIn Pro - Monthly7 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • RelockIn Yearly7 Days trial$44.991 Year

Questions

Is Refocus free?
Refocus is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is RelockIn free?
RelockIn is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Refocus or RelockIn?
Refocus is rated higher. Refocus averages 4.8 out of 5 from 12K ratings, while RelockIn averages 3.7 from 3 ratings.
Do Refocus or RelockIn have ads?
Refocus shows ads; RelockIn does not.
Which is updated more often, Refocus or RelockIn?
Refocus ships an update weekly, and RelockIn every 5 days. Most recently, Refocus was updated on October 27, 2026 and RelockIn on October 24, 2026.

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