AnkiLock vs Habits First
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
AnkiLock
Build consistent study habits by locking distracting apps until daily learning goals are met. Integrate with existing study decks and visualize progress with widgets. Compete with friends on leaderboards for added motivation.
- Lock distracting apps
- Set daily study goals
- Integrate with existing decks
- Visualize progress with widgets
- Social features and leaderboards
- Customizable barriers
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AnkiLock helps you build a consistent study habit by locking your favorite distracting apps until you finish your daily cards. Whether you're grinding for the MCAT/USMLE or mastering a new language, AnkiLock ensures your active recall happens before your social media fix. How it works: Set Your Goal: Choose how many cards you need to complete to unlock your apps. Pick Your Distractions: Select the specific apps you want to restrict. Sync & Study: AnkiLock integrates directly with your existing decks for a seamless experience. Key Features: Customizable Barriers: You decide the stakes and the limits. Visualize Progress: Stay motivated with heatmap widgets and consistency graphs right on your home screen. Build Your Streak: Keep a daily streak alive and earn badges. Watch & Widgets: Check your progress from your wrist, Home Screen, or Lock Screen. Siri & Shortcuts: Check your progress hands-free. Social & Leaderboards: Add friends, compete on daily leaderboards, and send cheers to motivate each other. Requires the free AnkiLock add-on for Anki on desktop to sync your reviews. Terms of Service: https://ankilock.com/terms.html Privacy Policy: https://ankilock.com/privacy.html
Habits First
This app helps you build healthy habits by blocking distracting social media apps until you complete your daily goals. It uses the Premack principle to reinforce desired behaviors, offering flexible tracking and commitment options. The core functionality is free, with an optional one-time purchase for advanced integrations.
- Blocks social media apps
- Tracks custom habits (walks, workouts, reading)
- Integrates with health trackers
- Flexible blocking schedules and locations
- Commitment locks for long-term goals
- Optional one-time purchase for advanced features
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Do the thing, then scroll. Habits First is the most effective way to reduce your screen time - distracting apps stay blocked until your habits are done for the day. No accounts required and no subscriptions, forever. Willpower shouldn’t cost a monthly fee. HABITS SUPPORTED - Walk 10,000 steps, or any number you like - Work out 45 minutes - integrates with Apple Watch, WHOOP, Garmin, Oura, or any tracker - Meditate 10 minutes, from Calm, Headspace, Insight Timer, or any meditation app - Use an app you pick: read or use Duolingo for 20 minutes - Built in Pomodoro timer or manual habit check off - Review your Anki flashcards (Habits Pro) - Listen or read books on Audiobookshelf (Habits Pro) - Finish a game on Chess.com (Habits Pro) - Apple Shortcuts automations (Habits Pro) - More coming A block can ask for one habit, all of them, or any two of three. HOW IT WORKS Habits are automatically tracked via integrations such as with Apple Health. Apps you select are blocked until you finish your habits. When you're done, open the app to activate your unlock. WHY IT WORKS The idea is based off the Premack Principle - things you do often can help reinforce things that you do rarely. By habit stacking a difficult habit before an app you often use, you also hijack the addictive nature of distracting apps and turn that motivation towards your daily habits. WHEN IT APPLIES All day until your habits are done, on a schedule, only in certain places, or near a device you pick. Habits First helps you wake up into a calm phone screen, only unlocked after you finish your most important habits of the day. PRICING This app will never have a subscription fee. The core app is free forever: Apple Health goals, app timers, schedules, places, commitment locks, widgets, and as many blocks as you like. One small one-time purchase adds the extra integrations. More will be added in the future (feel free to request them SYNCING You can make an account if you would like to sync your habits and blocks across devices. This is not required. Created by @reysu on YouTube
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Habits First at weekly against AnkiLock's every 3 weeks. Habits First also leads on ratings volume (170 vs 13). On price, rating, review sentiment 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
Both are free to download. AnkiLock sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Habits First sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for AnkiLock against 4.9 for Habits First. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Habits First has 170 ratings behind it against 13, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 100% of AnkiLock's written reviews are positive against 94% of Habits First's.
AnkiLock ships an update every 3 weeks, Habits First weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | AnkiLock | Habits First |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (13 ratings) — better | 4.9 (170 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 94.4% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 13 | 170 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | 18.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 40 MB | 19 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Milan Sajeev George | Eric Su |
Customer experience
AnkiLock
Habits First
In-app purchases
AnkiLock
- Kind Tip$2.99
- Amazing Tip$4.99
- Generous Tip$9.99
Habits First
- Habits Pro$9.99








