Comparison

Focus Lock vs SubPal

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

Head to head
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/

About

SubPal

Easily track all your recurring payments, from streaming services to gym memberships. Get smart reminders before renewals to avoid unwanted charges and manage your budget effectively. Gain full visibility into your subscriptions to make informed spending decisions.

Highlights
  • Track all subscriptions
  • Custom renewal reminders
  • Avoid unwanted charges
  • Monitor costs in real-time
  • Export subscription reports
  • Manage unlimited payments (Pro)
Features
Read full description

MANAGE ALL YOUR SUBSCRIPTIONS: SubPal is the ultimate subscription manager for tracking monthly subscriptions, annual memberships, and recurring payments. Whether you're managing streaming services, software subscriptions, gym memberships, or cloud storage, track everything in one subscription tracker app NEVER MISS A RENEWAL: Set custom renewal reminders for each subscription. Get notified days before your payment is due so you can review, cancel, or keep your subscriptions. Smart alerts help you avoid unwanted charges and forgotten subscriptions that drain your budget. COMPREHENSIVE SUBSCRIPTION TRACKING: Track unlimited recurring payments with SubPal Pro Manage monthly, yearly, and custom billing cycles Monitor subscription costs in real time Cancel subscriptions you no longer need Export subscription reports for budgeting PERFECT FOR: Streaming subscription management Software and app subscriptions Gym and fitness memberships News and magazine subscriptions Cloud storage and productivity tools Any recurring payment or monthly subscription TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR RECURRING EXPENSES: SubPal's subscription manager helps you identify which subscriptions are worth keeping and which ones are draining your wallet. Our subscription tracker gives you complete visibility into your recurring payments so you can make informed decisions about your monthly expenses. Download SubPal, the best subscription tracker and manager for iOS. Terms of Use: https://subpal.app/terms

Screenshots

Focus Lock4 screens
SubPal4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Focus Lock at none against SubPal's shown. SubPal's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs every 2 weeks) and iOS requirement (15.5 vs 18.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume 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. Focus Lock sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days and SubPal sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Focus Lock against 5.0 for SubPal. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Focus Lock ships an update every 2 weeks, SubPal every 2 days. Both last shipped on October 30, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Focus Lock versus SubPal: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFocus LockSubPal
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings2 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 2 days — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPod — better
Requires iOS18.015.5 — better
Further details — not scored
Size35 MB89 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSleepyBytes SIAFemi Akindehinde

Customer experience

Focus Lock

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

SubPal

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

In-app purchases

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
2 purchases

SubPal

Subscriptions2
  • SubPal Pro Monthly3 Days trial$3.991 Month
  • SubPal Pro Annual3 Days trial$29.991 Year

Questions

Is Focus Lock free?
Focus Lock is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is SubPal free?
SubPal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Focus Lock or SubPal?
Focus Lock and SubPal are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2 and 1 ratings respectively.
Do Focus Lock or SubPal have ads?
SubPal shows ads; Focus Lock does not.
Which is updated more often, Focus Lock or SubPal?
Focus Lock ships an update every 2 weeks, and SubPal every 2 days. Most recently, Focus Lock was updated on October 30, 2026 and SubPal on October 30, 2026.

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