# Study Circle vs StudyLock

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Study Circle at none against StudyLock's 3. Study Circle also leads on ratings volume (50 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). StudyLock's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). On price, update cadence, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. StudyLock sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Study Circle asks for nothing beyond the download.

StudyLock holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Study Circle has 50 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 90% of Study Circle's written reviews are positive against 100% of StudyLock's.

Study Circle ships an update fortnightly, StudyLock monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Study Circle | StudyLock |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (50 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/study-circle-the-focus-app/id6453023919/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/studylock-block-distractions/id6744610901/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **50** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 90.5% 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 with in-app purchases |
| Size | 188 MB | 85 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Hikaru Hanada](https://appshunter.io/developer/1619728671) | [Mikita Shpak](https://appshunter.io/developer/1756756027) |

## What reviewers say

### Study Circle

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/study-circle-the-focus-app/id6453023919)

This app helps users boost motivation and make studying enjoyable by connecting them with friends. It offers a focus timer, progress visualization, and a community feature for mutual support and encouragement during study sessions.

**Highlights:** Virtual study circles with friends, Intuitive study timer, Send encouragement and support messages, Visualize study progress with charts, Track daily, weekly, and monthly progress

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### StudyLock

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/studylock-block-distractions/id6744610901)

This app helps users stay focused by blocking distracting applications during study sessions. It uses AI to summarize materials and generate quizzes, unlocking apps only after a passing score is achieved. Users can also contribute to educational causes.

**Highlights:** AI-powered study buddy, Distraction blocking with Focus Mode, AI-generated summaries and quizzes, Study presence and community features, Progress tracking and statistics, Donations to educational causes

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| StudyLockPRO Weekly | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| StudyLockPRO Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| StudyLockPRO Lifetime | $24.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Study Circle free?

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

### Is StudyLock free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Study Circle or StudyLock?

StudyLock is rated higher. Study Circle averages 4.7 out of 5 from 50 ratings, while StudyLock averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Study Circle or StudyLock have ads?

Study Circle shows ads; StudyLock does not.

### Which is updated more often, Study Circle or StudyLock?

Study Circle ships an update fortnightly, and StudyLock monthly. Most recently, Study Circle was updated on October 15, 2026 and StudyLock on October 4, 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.*