Barrier vs LockIn
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Barrier
This app helps you break free from social media distractions by blocking access to social apps. It encourages healthier digital habits by requiring users to watch an ad or wait before accessing them, promoting mindful usage and digital wellness.
- Block social media apps
- Limit app access
- Promote healthier digital habits
- Incentivize reduced scrolling
- Digital wellness assistant
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Are you tired of wasting precious hours scrolling through social media apps? Do you want to break free from the cycle of constant distractions? Barrier is here to help. Our app acts as a blocker for social media apps, limiting your access and promoting healthier digital habits. With Barrier, you can only open your social media apps if you watch an ad or wait our 30 second load times, creating an incentive to reduce the amount of time you spend scrolling mindlessly. But Barrier is more than just a blocker. It's a digital wellness assistant, helping you take control of your digital life Don't let social media control your life. Take back control with Barrier!
LockIn
This app helps high-achievers regain control of their day by blocking distracting apps and websites. It uses AI-assisted planning and unique verification methods like photo proof and AI fitness tracking to ensure task completion and habit formation.
- AI-assisted scheduling
- Hard app and website blocking
- ML-powered fitness verification
- Photo proof verification
- 21-day habit architect
- Integration with Apple Health
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Your phone is stealing your day. LockIn helps you take it back. Open Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube and one quick check turns into a lost hour. LockIn blocks the apps that distract you - and makes you earn your screen time back with real actions. HOW IT WORKS Block your worst apps. Set a daily limit for each one. When you want screen time, you earn it. Do something real, get coins, then spend coins to unlock your apps for a while. EARN YOUR MINUTES Move your body. LockIn counts your reps in real time with your camera, so you can't fake it. Pushups, squats, pull-ups, planks, jumping jacks, lunges, crunches, shoulder press, leg raises, high knees, wall sits, and side planks. Prove your habits. Snap a photo to show you touched grass, read a book, cleaned your room, or got outside. SET HARD LIMITS Give each app a daily limit it can't go over. Add an app to your block list and earn coins. Want to take one off? That costs you. It's built to keep you honest. STAY ON A STREAK Show up every day, keep your streak alive, and collect bonus coins. Focus becomes a game you actually want to win. MADE FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT MORE The student beating the TikTok trap during finals. The founder who needs real focus. The athlete turning screen time into a workout. Anyone who wants to end the day proud, not guilty. YOUR PRIVACY STAYS YOURS LockIn uses Apple's official Screen Time API and works right on your phone. Your photos, camera, and data never leave your device. Stop scrolling. Start living. LockIn today. Free to start. Upgrade anytime for full access. Questions? lockin@fibipals.com Terms: https://lockin.fibipals.com/terms-of-service Privacy: https://lockin.fibipals.com/privacy-policy
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Barrier at none against LockIn's 3. Barrier also leads on ratings volume (343 vs 3) and update cadence (fortnightly vs monthly). LockIn's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (100% vs 80%). On price, rating, device support 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
Both are free to download. LockIn sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. Barrier asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Barrier against 4.7 for LockIn. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Barrier has 343 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 80% of Barrier's written reviews are positive against 100% of LockIn's.
Barrier ships an update fortnightly, LockIn monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Barrier | LockIn |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (343 ratings) | 4.7 (3 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 80.3% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 343 — better | 3 |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly — better | Monthly |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 42 MB | 40 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Haplo, LLC | Tymofii Hrynchuk |
Customer experience
Barrier
LockIn
Bugs and requests
Barrier
Reported bugs
14 issues- Blocking does not work at correct times or remains blocked at incorrect times
- Blocking stops working after a while
- Apps remain unlocked after unlocking
- Streak keeps breaking for no reason
- Custom schedule does not unlock when it's supposed to
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- Last iOS release caused issues with re-locking after unlocking
- Timer resets but apps remain unlocked after unlocking
- Instagram and TikTok not always blocked
- App stops working after a few days, requires re-download
- Editing screen for blocked apps crashes sometimes
- Custom schedule setting does not work for overnight blocking (end time before start time)
- Does not unlock apps half the time after watching an ad
- Cannot make edits to timer or unlock time
- Cannot unlock apps without reinstalling after deleting the app before unlocking
Requested features
7 requests- Ability to set different apps to lock during different times
- More flexibility in setting multiple check-in times
- Option to customize the duration after watching an ad
- Fix for custom schedule not working for overnight blocking
- Option to have a daily time limit per app
Show 2 moreShow fewer
- Ability to set a certain amount of time per day and then block apps
- Update to end the 10-minute screentime after the ad finishes
LockIn
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Barrier
No in-app purchases
LockIn
- Weekly Subscription$3.997 Days
- Monthly Subscription LockIn3 Days trial$7.991 Month
- Annual Subscription LockIn$29.991 Year
