Comparison

Unlock vs Project Jar

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

Head to head
About

Unlock

This app helps you reduce screen time by requiring a custom phrase spoken into the front camera each time you open an app. It connects to your device's screen time data to enforce usage limits. Unlock Core offers full access to all features.

Highlights
  • Voice authentication for app access
  • Screen Time data integration
  • Customizable phrases
  • Subscription for full features
  • App locking functionality
Features
Read full description

Most people spend over 10 years of their life on their phone. What would you do with an extra 10 years? Find out with Unlock: 1) Download Unlock 2) Connect your Screen Time data 3) Set your custom phrase 4) Each time you open an app, look into the front camera and say your phrase. Questions? Email -> carter@carter.red Consider Unlock Core and enjoy full access to all features and content. If you choose an Unlock Core subscription, payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. The subscription will automatically renew unless turned off in your iTunes Account Settings at least 24 hours before the current period ends. From iTunes Account settings you can manage your subscription and turn off auto-renew. Your iTunes Account will be charged when the purchase is confirmed. If you subscribe before your trial ends, the remaining free trial period will be forfeited when your purchase is confirmed. App locking requires an active subscription. ----- Terms of service: https://unlock.carter.red/terms Privacy policy: https://unlock.carter.red/privacy Made by -> x.com/__carter

About

Project Jar

Features
Read full description

Too many ideas. No idea where to start. Project Jar is for people whose problem was never coming up with things to make - it's picking one. Drop every idea into the jar, and when you finally have a free evening, let the jar decide. CAPTURE IT BEFORE IT'S GONE • Add an idea in seconds - type it, or hold the mic and just talk • Tag it: music, app, video, writing, or categories you invent • Attach photos and reference shots • Search everything you've ever thrown in LET FATE PICK • Tap spin and watch your Spark pull a slip out of the jar • Seven animated draw scenes to pick from • Exclude the categories you're not in the mood for today • The decision is made. Go make something. ONE IDEA, ONE PAGE • Every idea opens as a document - notes, headings, bullets, photos and to-dos in one flow • Check things off as you go • Turn an idea into a real project the moment it's ready A COMPANION THAT NEVER GUILT-TRIPS YOU • Your Spark lives in a little room and reacts to what you make • Disappear for a week? It gets more encouraging, not less. This is the opposite of a guilt app. • Unlock new looks, posters and postcards the more you create • After 30 quiet days it moves out - and you can always bring it home TRACK SHOWING UP, NOT OUTPUT • A GitHub-style activity grid across every project you touch • Tap any day to see exactly what you did • Streaks that celebrate and never scold YOURS, AND ONLY YOURS • No account, no sign-up, no ads, no tracking • Everything lives on your iPhone • Optional daily reminder, entirely local OPTIONAL AI Voice capture works the moment you install it, using Apple's built-in speech recognition - free, no setup, nothing to configure. If you want Whisper-grade transcription plus automatic parsing of a rambling voice note into a clean, tagged idea, there are two ways to get it: 1. Bring your own keys — paste your OpenAI and Anthropic API keys in Settings. Free in the app; you pay your provider directly. 2. Subscribe to ProjectJar AI — no keys, no setup. ProjectJar AI · $1.99 per month, auto-renewing Whisper transcription and smart idea parsing with nothing to configure. Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase. The subscription renews automatically unless it is cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period; your account is charged for renewal within 24 hours of the period ending. Manage or cancel anytime in your Apple Account settings. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://gitlab.com/seisembay/projectjar/-/blob/main/privacy-policy.md App terms: https://gitlab.com/seisembay/projectjar/-/blob/main/terms.md Built by one person with far too many unfinished projects, who needed this to exist.

Screenshots

Unlock3 screens
Project Jar4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Unlock at 15.1 against Project Jar's 18.0. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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. Unlock sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $13.99 per month and Project Jar sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Unlock versus Project Jar: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterUnlockProject Jar
PriceFreeFree
Rating1.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 10 days—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.1 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size45 MB48 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperCarter AnnandaleIslam Seisembay

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Unlock

Subscriptions3
  • Unlock$13.991 Month
  • Unlock$19.991 Year
  • Unlock$49.991 Year
2 purchases

Project Jar

Subscriptions1
  • AI Voice Transcription/Parser$1.991 Month
One-time1
  • Revival$0.99

Questions

Is Unlock free?
Unlock is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Project Jar free?
Project Jar is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Unlock or Project Jar have ads?
Neither Unlock nor Project Jar shows ads.

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