# Study Guard vs Monk Mode

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Monk Mode at none against Study Guard's 6. Monk Mode also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.6) and update cadence (every 2 days vs every 2 weeks). Study Guard's advantage is ratings volume (376 vs 2). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Study Guard sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Monk Mode asks for nothing beyond the download.

Monk Mode holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Study Guard has 376 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Study Guard ships an update every 2 weeks, Monk Mode every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Study Guard | Monk Mode |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (376 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/study-guard-study-and-focus/id6744607430/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/monk-mode-block-distractions/id6755029966/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **376** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 28.1% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Freemium** |
| Size | 59 MB | 66 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.4 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jason Mayo](https://appshunter.io/developer/1808403182) | [Aura Technologies LLC (U.S.)](https://appshunter.io/developer/1819107796) |

## What reviewers say

### Study Guard

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/study-guard-study-and-focus/id6744607430)

This app transforms social media habits into a learning tool. It uses flashcard mastery to unlock social media access, ensuring focused study sessions. Create custom flashcards or generate them automatically from notes and PDFs.

**Highlights:** Social media leverage for motivation, Flashcard accountability for phone access, Custom flashcard creation, AI flashcard generator from notes/PDFs, Social media blocking during study, Progress tracking and insights, Unlimited flashcard sets

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Study Guard (Weekly) | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Study Guard Plus | $5.99 | per month |
| Pro Plan (Yearly) | $19.99 | per year |
| Study Guard Plus Yearly | $24.99 | per year |
| Study Guard (Yearly) | $34.99 | per year |
| Study Guard (Lifetime) | $79.99 | one-time |


### Monk Mode

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/monk-mode-block-distractions/id6755029966)

This app helps you reclaim your time by blocking distracting apps and websites. It offers focus sessions with ambient sounds, progress tracking, and gamified challenges to encourage productivity. Smart interventions add friction to accessing blocked apps, promoting mindful usage.

**Highlights:** Strict app and website blocking, Focus sessions with ambient sounds, Progress tracking and usage insights, Friction-based unlock flows, Gamified focus challenges, Pomodoro timer

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Study Guard free?

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

### Is Monk Mode free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Study Guard or Monk Mode?

Monk Mode is rated higher. Study Guard averages 4.6 out of 5 from 376 ratings, while Monk Mode averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Study Guard or Monk Mode have ads?

Neither Study Guard nor Monk Mode shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Study Guard or Monk Mode?

Study Guard ships an update every 2 weeks, and Monk Mode every 2 days. Most recently, Study Guard was updated on October 17, 2026 and Monk Mode on September 25, 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.*