# Barrier vs LockIn

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Barrier | LockIn |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (343 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/barrier-screen-time-for-focus/id6448244443/reviews) | **[4.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lockin-screen-time-control/id6756734456/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **343** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 80.3% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 42 MB | 40 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Haplo, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1476210690) | [Tymofii Hrynchuk](https://appshunter.io/developer/1833879471) |

## What reviewers say

### Barrier

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/barrier-screen-time-for-focus/id6448244443)

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.

**Highlights:** Block social media apps, Limit app access, Promote healthier digital habits, Incentivize reduced scrolling, Digital wellness assistant

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Highly effective at reducing screen time
- 💰 Free to use with valuable features
- 😂 Funny and smart methods (Goblin Mode)
- 💡 Creates resistance to mindless scrolling
- 🚀 Simple and easy to use interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and glitches causing unreliability
- 🐛 Blocking not always consistent
- 🐛 Custom schedules not working correctly
- 🐛 Ads can be long and annoying
- 🐛 Violent ads in some cases

**Reported bugs**

- 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

**Requested features**

- 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


### LockIn

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lockin-screen-time-control/id6756734456)

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.

**Highlights:** AI-assisted scheduling, Hard app and website blocking, ML-powered fitness verification, Photo proof verification, 21-day habit architect, Integration with Apple Health

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Subscription | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Subscription LockIn | $7.99 | per month |
| Annual Subscription LockIn | $29.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Barrier free?

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

### Is LockIn free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Barrier or LockIn?

LockIn is rated higher. Barrier averages 4.7 out of 5 from 343 ratings, while LockIn averages 4.7 from 3 ratings.

### Do Barrier or LockIn have ads?

Barrier shows ads; LockIn does not.

### Which is updated more often, Barrier or LockIn?

Barrier ships an update fortnightly, and LockIn monthly. Most recently, Barrier was updated on October 27, 2026 and LockIn on October 24, 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.*