# Locked vs IRL

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Locked at none against IRL's 2. Locked also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. IRL sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Locked asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Locked against 5.0 for IRL. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 2 respectively.

Locked ships an update every 2 weeks, IRL every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Locked | IRL |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/locked-less-screen-time/id6742744610/reviews) | [5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/irl-take-your-time-back/id6784917287/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Freemium |
| Size | 17 MB | 3 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.4** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [SocialMate Pty Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1799698906) | [Nathaniel Kramer](https://appshunter.io/developer/1845591937) |

## What reviewers say

### Locked

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/locked-less-screen-time/id6742744610)

This app uses a physical NFC tag to create friction and help you break phone addiction. Set app limits and lock them until you scan the tag, encouraging focus and reducing distractions.

**Highlights:** NFC-powered physical tag app blocker, Deep Focus Mode with no override, Customizable app blocking, Works with Apple Screen Time API, Minimal interface for easy setup, No data collection or cloud sync

**In-app purchases:** none


### IRL

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/irl-take-your-time-back/id6784917287)

This app helps you regain focus by locking distracting applications and tracking your phone usage. It encourages real-life activities and offers social accountability features to help you achieve your goals. You can earn the service for free by consistently meeting your usage targets.

**Highlights:** App blocking with Apple's Family Controls, Phone habit tracking, Social accountability with friends, Scheduled group focus sessions, Post-session real-life activity sharing, Solo mode for private use, Science-backed claims

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| IRL Plus Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| IRL Plus Yearly | $39.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Locked free?

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

### Is IRL free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Locked or IRL?

Locked and IRL are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 3 and 2 ratings respectively.

### Do Locked or IRL have ads?

Neither Locked nor IRL shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Locked or IRL?

Locked ships an update every 2 weeks, and IRL every 2 months. Most recently, Locked was updated on October 30, 2026 and IRL on October 31, 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.*