Comparison

Interlude vs MonkeyLock

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

Head to head
About

Interlude

Features
Read full description

Interlude offers engaging activities that help you: • Wait better • Reduce stress • Improve focus WAIT WITHOUT GETTING BORED Set a timer and enjoy quick, purposeful breaks without losing track of time. Interlude offers short, playful games and activities designed to keep boredom and stress away — perfect for waiting rooms or brief moments between tasks. It’s also an ideal companion for refreshing pauses during your workday. RELIEVE STRESS EFFORTLESSLY Let go of what’s stressing you. Interlude takes care of both timing and activity selection, so you can fully immerse yourself in the moment. You’ll be surprised how quickly stress fades. Every activity you complete successfully builds your confidence, step by step. STAY FOCUSED Interlude’s activities are short, varied, and playful — keeping your mind gently engaged. Unlike endless scrolling, Interlude helps you stay mentally active and centered. It’s the perfect app to use before an exam, a job interview, or any high-stakes moment. ENJOY A WIDE VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES From solving jigsaw puzzles and stacking blocks to matching emoji pairs and sorting shapes, Interlude offers a rich selection of short, calming games. Each activity features subtle haptic feedback to keep you grounded in the present moment. INTERLUDE ON APPLE WATCH Keep your phone in your pocket and avoid unnecessary distractions. Enjoy handcrafted activities designed specifically for Apple Watch. INTERLUDE PREMIUM Unlock the full experience with Interlude Premium, including access to all activities and features like choosing your next game. Available as a one-time purchase or a monthly subscription. Privacy Policy: https://sites.google.com/view/interlude-app/privacy Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

MonkeyLock

This app helps you regain control of your phone usage by requiring physical activity or brain games to earn screen time. It locks distracting apps until you complete tasks like push-ups or walking, making screen time a reward for movement.

Highlights
  • Earn screen time through workouts
  • Unlock apps with physical activity
  • Camera-tracked exercise detection
  • Integrates with Apple Health steps
  • Brain game challenges for credits
  • Habit tracking and gamification
Features
Read full description

Your phone locks the apps you choose. Your body opens them. Pick the apps that eat your day. When your minutes run out, MonkeyLock locks them — really locks them, using Apple's Screen Time system. To open them again, you move: push-ups, squats, sit-ups, lunges, jump rope. Your camera counts the reps on device. Every rep buys minutes back. That's the whole idea. No willpower required, because willpower is the thing that keeps failing. FREE TO USE The wall works free. Block as many apps as you like, earn as many minutes as you like, keep your streak, keep your history. There is no trial timer and nothing expires. HOW IT WORKS • Choose the apps to put behind the wall • When your balance hits zero, they lock • Do the reps — your camera counts them, nothing is recorded or uploaded • Minutes go back in the bank and your apps open • Brain games and Apple Health steps earn a little on the side THE WALL IS HONEST ABOUT ITSELF An app you add to the wall goes on instantly. Taking one off waits until the next morning. That delay is deliberate: it means the wall does not move at the exact moment you most want it to. And when you genuinely need in — an airport, a wedding, a message that will not wait — Break Glass gives you five minutes for a ten-second hold. Three a day. No reps, no cost, nothing owed tomorrow. A blocker that only ever says no is a blocker people delete. BUILT TO STAY OUT OF YOUR WAY • Everything happens on your device. No account, no sign-up, no servers. • Camera frames are processed live and thrown away. Nothing is saved or sent. • No ads. No tracking. WHAT YOU GET FOR SHOWING UP Ranks, streaks with a couple of mercy days, and a Sunday page that shows the week you actually had — how many days the wall held, and what changed. Requires iPhone with iOS 17 or later. Screen Time permission is needed for blocking to work; MonkeyLock asks for it during setup and explains why.

Screenshots

Interlude4 screens
MonkeyLock4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is device support: Interlude at 3 against MonkeyLock's 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. Interlude sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and MonkeyLock sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $64.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Interlude ships an update every 3 weeks, MonkeyLock every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Interlude versus MonkeyLock: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterInterludeMonkeyLock
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (4 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—4 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 10 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Freemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size11 MB60 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTimothee JouveRYAN DAVID BURNS

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Interlude

Subscriptions1
  • Premium Monthly7 Days trial$0.991 Month
One-time2
  • Premium Lifetime$1.99
  • Premium Lifetime$4.99
1 purchases

MonkeyLock

Subscriptions1
  • MonkeyLock Pro Annual7 Days trial$64.991 Year

Questions

Is Interlude free?
Interlude is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is MonkeyLock free?
MonkeyLock is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Interlude or MonkeyLock have ads?
Neither Interlude nor MonkeyLock shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Interlude or MonkeyLock?
Interlude ships an update every 3 weeks, and MonkeyLock every 10 days. Most recently, Interlude was updated on November 4, 2026 and MonkeyLock on October 31, 2026.

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