# Study Guard vs ReadUp

The clearest difference is rating: Study Guard at 4.6 against ReadUp's 4.1. Study Guard also leads on ratings volume (390 vs 12). ReadUp's advantage is review sentiment (50% vs 26%). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Study Guard sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and ReadUp sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Study Guard holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Study Guard has 390 ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 26% of Study Guard's written reviews are positive against 50% of ReadUp's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Study Guard ships an update every 2 weeks, ReadUp every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Study Guard | ReadUp |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (390 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/study-guard-study-and-focus/id6744607430/reviews)** | [4.1 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/readup-read-for-screen-time/id6790545729/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **390** | 12 |
| Positive reviews | 26.5% of reviews | **50.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Subscription | Subscription |
| Size | 73 MB | 56 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.4 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Jason Mayo](https://appshunter.io/developer/1808403182) | [Nedas Mikucionis](https://appshunter.io/developer/6790545731) |

## 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 by requiring flashcard mastery to unlock phone access. It offers AI-powered flashcard generation from notes and PDFs, custom creation, and progress tracking to boost focus and academic success.

**Highlights:** Social media leverage for study motivation, Flashcard mastery unlocks phone access, AI flashcard generator from notes/PDFs, Custom flashcard creation, Temporary social media blocking, 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 |


### ReadUp

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/readup-read-for-screen-time/id6790545729)

This app encourages reading by temporarily blocking distracting applications. Users set reading goals and unlock their apps only after completing their reading sessions. It offers a curated library and tracks reading progress to help users reduce screen time and finish more books.

**Highlights:** Block distracting apps, Set reading goals, Unlock apps after reading, Curated book library, Track reading progress, Reading streaks, Replace scrolling time

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Access (Weekly) | $8.99 | per 7 days |
| Full Access (Discounted Yearly) | $24.99 | per year |
| Full Access (Yearly) | $39.99 | per year |
| Full Access (Yearly) | $39.99 | per year |
| Full Access (Yearly) | $49.99 | per year |
| Full Access (YearlyNT) | $49.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Study Guard free?

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

### Is ReadUp free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Study Guard or ReadUp?

Study Guard is rated higher. Study Guard averages 4.6 out of 5 from 390 ratings, while ReadUp averages 4.1 from 12 ratings.

### Do Study Guard or ReadUp have ads?

Neither Study Guard nor ReadUp shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Study Guard or ReadUp?

Study Guard ships an update every 2 weeks, and ReadUp every 10 days. Most recently, Study Guard was updated on November 8, 2026 and ReadUp on November 10, 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.*