Comparison

Ripples vs Focus Lock

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

Head to head
About

Ripples

This app helps you build and maintain new habits and achieve your goals. It offers a visual calendar grid to track your progress, detailed metrics, and the ability to log specific amounts for each action. You can also add notes, use Siri shortcuts, and view your progress with widgets.

Highlights
  • Visual calendar grid progress tracking
  • Vital metrics and analytics
  • Track specific amounts and custom units
  • Notes and journal entries
  • Siri shortcuts and automation
  • Interactive widgets
Features
Read full description

Build habits with a visual tracker that makes daily progress easy to see—and easier to continue. Ripples turns every check-in into a clear, color-coded picture of your routines, goals, and consistency. SEE THE PATTERN Use flexible calendar grids to spot streaks, gaps, and trends at a glance. Organize habits into dashboards and create a view that fits your routine. TRACK MORE THAN CHECKMARKS Record simple check-ins or quantities such as pages, minutes, water, distance, money, and custom units. Add a note to any entry and review your history in the Journal. STAY CONSISTENT WITH LESS FRICTION Set multiple reminders, check in from interactive widgets, and build Shortcuts or Siri automations for the routines you repeat every day. UNDERSTAND YOUR PROGRESS See current and best streaks, consistency metrics, totals, averages, and daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly charts. Compare years to understand what changed and where you are improving. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Your habits and goals remain visible only to you and sync through end-to-end encrypted iCloud. Start with one habit. Watch the pattern grow. Privacy Policy: https://www.ripples.day/privacy Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Focus Lock

This app helps you stay focused by automatically blocking distracting applications during designated work or study sessions. It's designed to eliminate willpower reliance, ensuring your chosen apps remain inaccessible until your session concludes. Track your progress and celebrate your focus achievements.

Highlights
  • Automatic app blocking during sessions
  • Customizable focus session durations
  • Streak system for consistency
  • Badge progression for motivation
  • Session celebrations and rewards
  • Daily and weekly focus statistics
  • iCloud sync across devices
Features
Read full description

FOCUS FIRST. EARN YOUR SCROLL. Focus Lock combines a Pomodoro timer with Screen Time app blocking. Choose your distracting apps, complete a focus session, and earn time to use them. Built by someone with ADHD who was tired of losing hours to doomscrolling. TWO WAYS TO FOCUS Lock In mode keeps your selected apps locked until you earn an unlock window by completing a focus session. Earned time is measured by actual app usage. Three five-minute emergency unlocks are available each day. Prefer session-based blocking? Turn off Lock In and block distractions only during focus sessions, with optional blocking during breaks. BUILT FOR IPHONE DUO On the inner display, the countdown and session controls sit on opposite sides of the fold. Half-folded on your desk, the timer stays visible above the controls. Open it like a book, fold it closed, or use Split View: your session keeps going. BUILD A FOCUS HABIT - Start with 25- or 45-minute focus sessions. - Tag your work and see where your focus time goes. - Track daily and weekly progress, streaks, and badges. - Share your focus cards and milestones. - Follow the timer with Live Activities and completion alerts. AlarmKit alarms are available on supported iOS versions with your permission. FREE AND PREMIUM Start free with up to three app or category selections for blocking. Premium adds unlimited selections, custom focus durations from 15 to 120 minutes, and custom tags. Optional subscriptions are available in the app; prices and trial availability are shown before purchase. Screen Time permission is required for app blocking. Privacy Policy: https://sleepybytes.com/privacy-policy/ Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Ripples4 screens
Focus Lock4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Ripples at 237 against Focus Lock's 2. Focus Lock's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.7). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads 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. Ripples sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Focus Lock sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Focus Lock holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ripples has 237 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 93% of Ripples's written reviews are positive against 100% of Focus Lock's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Ripples ships an update fortnightly, Focus Lock every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Ripples versus Focus Lock: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRipplesFocus Lock
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (237 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews92.8% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings237 — better2
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS18.618.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size43 MB35 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMykola HarmashSleepyBytes SIA

Customer experience

Ripples

All ratings235 ratings
Positive93.6%
Neutral1.3%
Negative5.1%
Written reviews138 reviews
Positive92.8%
Neutral2.2%
Negative5.1%

Focus Lock

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Ripples

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Notifications not working reliably
  • UI bugs causing app to become unusable
  • Restore purchases not functioning
  • Pro features not unlocking after purchase
  • Lifetime purchase redemption not working

Requested features

12 requests
  • Check-in reminders/notifications
  • Apple Watch app and complications
  • iCloud sync across devices
  • Weekly and monthly habit tracking
  • Filtering by categories or tags
Show 7 more
  • Smaller board sizes for better screen visibility
  • Easier bulk check-in for past dates
  • Notes field for individual check-ins
  • Habit reordering functionality
  • Compact main menu view
  • Track amounts with custom units (e.g., pages read)
  • Square widgets

Focus Lock

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

5 purchases

Ripples

Subscriptions2
  • Plus Monthly$2.991 Month
  • Plus Yearly$9.991 Year
One-time3
  • Powerpack$9.99
  • Powerpack Family$17.99
  • Ripples Plus Lifetime$24.99
5 purchases

Focus Lock

Subscriptions4
  • Focus Pro$1.997 Days
  • Focus Pro$4.991 Month
  • Focus Pro3 Days trial$19.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Yearly Plan1 Month trial$19.991 Year
One-time1
  • Focus Pro$17.99

Questions

Is Ripples free?
Ripples is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Focus Lock free?
Focus Lock is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Ripples or Focus Lock?
Focus Lock is rated higher. Ripples averages 4.7 out of 5 from 237 ratings, while Focus Lock averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Ripples or Focus Lock have ads?
Neither Ripples nor Focus Lock shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Ripples or Focus Lock?
Ripples ships an update fortnightly, and Focus Lock every 2 weeks. Most recently, Ripples was updated on November 8, 2026 and Focus Lock on October 30, 2026.

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