Comparison

The Commons vs CLocked App

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

Head to head
About

The Commons

This app helps students stay focused during school hours by pausing access to distracting apps like social media and games. It automatically activates at school and deactivates when the day ends, ensuring essential academic and communication apps remain accessible. It prioritizes privacy with no tracking or data collection.

Highlights
  • Automatic focus activation at school
  • Blocks distracting apps during school hours
  • Keeps essential academic apps accessible
  • Privacy-first with no tracking
  • Builds stronger tech habits
Features
Read full description

The Commons™ – Airplane Mode For Schools Let’s be real phones are amazing. But at School? They can be a total distraction. The Commons helps students stay focused during the school day without giving up their phones. No pouches. No locks. Just fewer distractions. Built with privacy first, The Commons automatically pauses access to distracting apps like social media, games, and other non-academic content during school hours while keeping school-approved, medical, and essential communication apps available. The result? More focus. Better learning. Stronger habits. Features • Automatically activates when you arrive at school • Restricts distracting apps during school hours • Keeps approved educational and essential apps available per your school's phone policy • Automatically turns off when the school day ends Privacy First Your privacy matters. The Commons never accesses your messages, browsing history, photos, social media content, or location history. Learn more about our privacy commitment: the-commons.app/privacy-policy

About

CLocked App

This app helps students focus during class by limiting access to non-essential applications. Schools and teachers can customize allowed apps, while individual accommodations are supported. It uses a QR code system for easy activation and automatically lifts restrictions after class.

Highlights
  • QR code clock-in for class mode
  • Teacher-defined allowed app lists
  • Individual student accommodations
  • Automatic restriction removal
  • Secure, privacy-focused design
Features
Read full description

CLocked helps schools create focused, distraction-free classrooms without taking away the tools students actually need to learn. With a single QR scan, students "clock in" to class mode. While clocked in, only the apps your school or teacher approves stay available. When class ends, full access returns automatically. No manual setup. No confusing settings. WHY SCHOOLS CHOOSE CLOCKED - Built on Apple Screen Time. Restrictions are applied securely and on-device using Apple's own framework, not workarounds. - Teachers stay in control. Allowed apps are defined by class, period, or schedule. - Inclusive by design. IEP and 504 accommodations are fully supported, so students who need specific apps keep access at all times. - Phone calls always work. Students can reach emergency contacts even while clocked in. - Hands-off for students. Just scan and go. HOW IT WORKS 1. Your school provides a school code to get started. 2. Students scan a QR code in class to activate class mode. 3. Only approved apps are available while clocked in. 4. When the day ends or the student clocks out, normal use resumes. PRIVACY YOU CAN TRUST CLocked collects no data from this app. App rules apply only during school hours and only when a student clocks in. Your device is yours the rest of the time. Designed for grades 6 to 12 and higher education that want fewer distractions without blocking essential learning tools. CLocked requires a school code to use. Ask your school if CLocked is part of their program.

Screenshots

The Commons3 screens
CLocked App4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: CLocked App at every 9 days against The Commons's every 3 weeks. The Commons's advantage is review sentiment (13% vs 5%) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 1.3 for The Commons against 1.2 for CLocked App. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 327 and 142 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 13% of The Commons's written reviews are positive against 5% of CLocked App's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

The Commons ships an update every 3 weeks, CLocked App every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
The Commons versus CLocked App: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterThe CommonsCLocked App
PriceFreeFree
Rating1.3 (327 ratings) — better1.2 (142 ratings)
Positive reviews12.6% of reviews — better4.5% of reviews
Number of ratings327 — better142
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 9 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.6 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size55 MB9 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperThe Commons, Inc.CLocked Mobile

Customer experience

The Commons

All ratings327 ratings
Positive5.5%
Neutral1.5%
Negative93.0%
Written reviews103 reviews
Positive12.6%
Neutral1.0%
Negative86.4%

CLocked App

All ratings142 ratings
Positive3.5%
Neutral0.7%
Negative95.8%
Written reviews22 reviews
Positive4.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative95.5%

Bugs and requests

The Commons

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • VPN doesn't work properly when traveling
  • Slows down messaging and other apps

Requested features

3 requests
  • Allow access to certain apps during school hours
  • Improve VPN functionality when traveling
  • Provide more transparency on data collection and usage

CLocked App

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

The Commons

No in-app purchases

None

CLocked App

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is The Commons free?
The Commons is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is CLocked App free?
CLocked App is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, The Commons or CLocked App?
The Commons is rated higher. The Commons averages 1.3 out of 5 from 327 ratings, while CLocked App averages 1.2 from 142 ratings.
Do The Commons or CLocked App have ads?
Neither The Commons nor CLocked App shows ads.
Which is updated more often, The Commons or CLocked App?
The Commons ships an update every 3 weeks, and CLocked App every 9 days. Most recently, The Commons was updated on October 17, 2026 and CLocked App on October 14, 2026.

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