Comparison

Digital Detox vs Vigil Lock

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

Head to head
About

Digital Detox

This app helps users break free from mobile dependency by setting tasks, rewards, and usage limits for apps. It offers various modes to foster healthy screen habits, track progress, and establish digital discipline for a balanced lifestyle.

Highlights
  • Task and reward system for healthy habits
  • App usage time limits
  • Focus and limit modes
  • Scheduled daily plans
  • App blacklisting and whitelisting
  • Disable in-app purchases
  • Password protection and anti-cheat
Features
Read full description

Are you unable to resist swiping through short videos? Struggling to focus while your phone constantly distracts you? Are your kids immersed in games, making purchases without control? Let 'Digital Detox' come to your aid! Set tasks and rewards to foster healthy screen habits, tailor rules to limit usage time and disable apps, gradually breaking free from mobile dependency. Regularly lock your phone to establish a digital discipline, track changes automatically, and reclaim a balanced and healthy lifestyle. *Effortless Mobile Detox with Multiple Modes* Task Mode: Significantly improves the duration and quality of educational app usage. Limit Mode: Effectively manages usage of short videos and other apps. Focus Mode: Promote a focused mind. *Establish Habits with a Set Schedule* Automatically initiates the daily plan, tracks records, and visualizes changes, guiding you to develop positive screen habits without even realizing it. *User-Friendly and Intuitive* Simple rule definitions, setting up app blacklists, whitelists, and limits is a breeze. Disable in-app purchases with a click, eliminating worries about kids spending excessively on games. Provides password protection and an anti-cheat function to ensure a smooth journey toward your goals! Terms of Use: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wiEsLW4YOGxSyU_kAUfqdJ_RwieeO-3bgE8tylpH_Z4/edit#heading=h.dz3gkposgr3r Privacy Policy: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1W3rpOp2RgzDLz_iKIAfcoUR9dnL3JvgdpO28kYVdd0g/edit#heading=h.8kf8hyi7csob

About

Vigil Lock

This app blocks distracting applications at the system level to help users focus on deep work and study. It offers multiple difficulty levels, a focus ritual, and scheduled blocking to enforce discipline. Users receive session receipts to track their progress.

Highlights
  • System-level app blocking
  • Three difficulty levels
  • Ignition ritual for focus
  • Pomodoro and Timed Focus modes
  • Scheduled blocking
  • Session receipts
  • Discipline protocols
Features
Read full description

Vigil Lock is a hard-focus app blocker that locks distracting apps at the system level, so you can finish real study and deep-work sessions. Built for serious learners and disciplined users, it helps you shut out TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, games, browsers, and other distractions when it matters most. No cute rewards. No fake focus. No gamified fluff. Just real blocking, harder sessions, and proof that you showed up. REAL APP BLOCKING Vigil Lock uses Apple’s Screen Time system to block distracting apps and categories at the system level. Social media, games, streaming, and browsers can be locked the moment your session begins. THREE DIFFICULTY LEVELS Choose how strict your session should be: Easy — 3 emergency unlocks per session Hard — 0 unlocks Hell — 0 unlocks, and leaving early voids the session THE IGNITION RITUAL Every session begins with a 3-step focus ritual designed to help you lock in before the timer starts: Schulte Grid to sharpen attention Box breathing to calm mental noise Identity priming to reinforce intent You do not just start a timer. You enter a state. FOCUS MODES Use Pomodoro Timer for structured work and rest intervals, or Timed Focus for one goal, one duration, and no easy escape. PROTOCOLS Choose a discipline style that fits your day: The Monk The Executive The Scholar The Athlete Apply one and your blocking rules are set automatically. SCHEDULED BLOCKING Define the hours of your day that belong to study or deep work. Vigil Lock enforces them automatically, so you do not have to rely on willpower every time. SESSION RECEIPTS Every session ends with a record of what happened: time focused, unlocks used, and a discipline score. Keep proof of the session you actually completed. Vigil Lock is for people who already know what they should be doing — and want a tool that makes it harder to escape. Start with a 3-day free trial. A subscription is required for continued access after the trial. Subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled in App Store settings before renewal. Terms of Use: https://joshua-sigurdurson.github.io/focusapp-site/term.html

Screenshots

Digital Detox4 screens
Vigil Lock4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Vigil Lock at 5.0 against Digital Detox's 4.5. Vigil Lock also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 64%). Digital Detox's advantage is monetization model (freemium vs subscription) and ratings volume (15 vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads 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. Digital Detox sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days and Vigil Lock sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Vigil Lock holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Digital Detox has 15 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 64% of Digital Detox's written reviews are positive against 100% of Vigil Lock's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Digital Detox ships an update every 3 weeks, Vigil Lock every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Digital Detox versus Vigil Lock: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDigital DetoxVigil Lock
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (15 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews64.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings15 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 5 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemium — betterSubscription
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.016
Further details — not scored
Size61 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSihoooo Network Technology Co LtdFENGXIA REN

Customer experience

Digital Detox

All ratings15 ratings
Positive86.7%
Neutral6.7%
Negative6.7%
Written reviews25 reviews
Positive64.0%
Neutral8.0%
Negative28.0%

Vigil Lock

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Digital Detox

Subscriptions2
  • App Nanny Pro$2.997 Days
  • App Nanny Pro (Annual)7 Days trial$19.991 Year
3 purchases

Vigil Lock

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Premium$4.991 Month
  • Yearly Premium3 Days trial$14.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Premium$49.99

Questions

Is Digital Detox free?
Digital Detox is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Vigil Lock free?
Vigil Lock is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Digital Detox or Vigil Lock?
Vigil Lock is rated higher. Digital Detox averages 4.5 out of 5 from 15 ratings, while Vigil Lock averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Digital Detox or Vigil Lock have ads?
Neither Digital Detox nor Vigil Lock shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Digital Detox or Vigil Lock?
Digital Detox ships an update every 3 weeks, and Vigil Lock every 5 weeks. Most recently, Digital Detox was updated on October 23, 2026 and Vigil Lock on October 7, 2026.

Other comparisons