Comparison

PushUp Time vs Chess Shield

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

Head to head
About

PushUp Time

Transform screen time into workout time by doing exercises to unlock distracting apps. On-device AI accurately counts your reps for push-ups, squats, and sit-ups. Choose your unlock duration and make mindless scrolling a thing of the past.

Highlights
  • AI rep counting on-device
  • Block distracting apps
  • Customizable unlock windows
  • Unlock single or multiple apps
  • Offline functionality
  • Supports push-ups, squats, sit-ups
Features
Read full description

Turn screen time into workout time. Do push-ups, squats, or sit-ups to unlock distracting apps. On-device AI counts your reps. HOW IT WORKS Try opening TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, or X -> You'll need to do reps first -> Finish your set -> Get timed access (15-120 minutes). Transform mindless scrolling into active movement. FEATURES - AI counts your reps on-device – Push-ups, squats, sit-ups - Block the apps that distract you most - Choose your unlock window – 15, 30, 60, or 120 minutes - Unlock one app or all at once - No internet needed - Works on iPhone and iPad BUILD BETTER HABITS Every time you reach for social media, you'll do something good for your body instead. Great for anyone trying to cut down on phone time while staying active. PREMIUM PLANS Monthly: $12.99/month Yearly: $29.99/year Auto-renews unless you cancel 24+ hours before the period ends. Manage in Settings > Apple ID > Subscriptions. QUESTIONS? Email us: support@pushuptimeapp.com Terms: https://pushuptimeweb.vercel.app/terms Privacy: https://pushuptimeweb.vercel.app/privacy EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Chess Shield

This app helps chess players improve by blocking distracting apps and replacing them with chess puzzles. Solve puzzles to advance your ELO and identify tactical weaknesses. It offers a free tier with basic features and a Pro version for advanced tactics and unlimited app blocking.

Highlights
  • Blocks distracting apps
  • Replaces app opens with chess puzzles
  • Puzzles matched to ELO
  • Tracks ELO in real-time
  • Tactical insights
  • Unlimited puzzles (Free)
  • Block multiple apps (Pro)
Features
Read full description

For chess players who want to actually get better. Endless scrolling steals the hours you'd rather spend improving. Chess Shield blocks the apps that eat your chess time. Try to open one, and a puzzle takes over the screen. Solve it to get past. Every solve moves your ELO. HOW IT WORKS Pick the apps you reach for when you meant to study. Instagram, TikTok, X, whatever's eating you. When you try to open them, a puzzle takes over. Solve it to unlock the app for a few minutes. The puzzles match your level. Type your chess.com or Lichess ELO and we'll start there. Or skip the input and we'll test you with three puzzles. From then on, every puzzle is challenging enough to make you think, solvable enough that you'll get there. Insights show you which tactics keep tripping you up. Your ELO moves in real time on every solve. FREE INCLUDES – Unlimited puzzles, matched to your ELO – 6 starter tactics: Fork, Pin, Skewer, Mate-in-1, Mate-in-2, Back-rank – 1 shielded app – Full ELO tracking – Insights into what you solve and what you miss PRO UNLOCKS – All 52 advanced tactics. Mate-in-3, Discovered Attack, Zwischenzug, endgames. The full library, not just the starters. – See every blind spot. Insights unlocks every theme. Your full weakness map, no locked tiles. – Block every app you want, not just one. Plenty to start on Free. Pro is where you stop guessing what to study. 7-day free trial on the yearly plan. $4.99/month or $39.99/year. WHY IT'S DIFFERENT Most focus apps are guilt machines. Most chess apps want your scroll. Chess Shield does both jobs at once. Every minute in here is measurable progress, not just dopamine. If you've ever wished the time you waste scrolling could be real chess time, this is it. PRIVACY We don't collect anything. No accounts, no analytics, no backend. The apps you block are opaque tokens iOS hands us. We literally can't see them. Everything stays on your device. ——— Subscription details Chess Shield Pro is offered as a monthly ($4.99/month) or yearly ($39.99/year) auto-renewing subscription. The yearly plan includes a 7-day free trial for new subscribers. Payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation. The subscription auto-renews unless turned off at least 24 hours before the period ends. Manage or cancel anytime in iPhone Settings → Apple ID → Subscriptions. Privacy Policy: https://chessshield.com/privacy Terms of Use: https://chessshield.com/terms

Screenshots

PushUp Time3 screens
Chess Shield4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: PushUp Time at 4.7 against Chess Shield's 3.7. PushUp Time also leads on ratings volume (12K vs 3). Chess Shield's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and in-app purchases 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. PushUp Time sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days and Chess Shield sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

PushUp Time holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PushUp Time has 12K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 45% of PushUp Time's written reviews are positive against 50% of Chess Shield's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
PushUp Time versus Chess Shield: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPushUp TimeChess Shield
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (12K ratings) — better3.7 (3 ratings)
Positive reviews44.8% of reviews50.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings12K — better3
Update frequencyWeeklyWeekly
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS1715.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size131 MB53 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMutasim IbrahimAlejandro Trevino Saldana

Customer experience

PushUp Time

All ratings11,548 ratings
Positive92.1%
Neutral3.2%
Negative4.7%
Written reviews473 reviews
Positive44.8%
Neutral3.8%
Negative51.4%

Chess Shield

All ratings3 ratings
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

Bugs and requests

PushUp Time

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App stuck in a loop
  • Endless login loop
  • App doesn't work as advertised

Requested features

1 request
  • Make the app free to download

Chess Shield

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

7 purchases

PushUp Time

Subscriptions7
  • Weekly Premium$1.997 Days
  • Weekly$7.997 Days
  • Yearly Limited Time Offer$14.991 Year
Show 4 more
  • Monthly Premium$14.991 Month
  • Yearly$24.991 Year
  • Yearly Premium$29.991 Year
  • Yearly+$59.991 Year
2 purchases

Chess Shield

Subscriptions2
  • Chess Shield Pro7 Days trial$4.991 Month
  • Chess Shield Pro$39.991 Year

Questions

Is PushUp Time free?
PushUp Time is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Chess Shield free?
Chess Shield is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, PushUp Time or Chess Shield?
PushUp Time is rated higher. PushUp Time averages 4.7 out of 5 from 12K ratings, while Chess Shield averages 3.7 from 3 ratings.
Do PushUp Time or Chess Shield have ads?
PushUp Time shows ads; Chess Shield does not.
Which is updated more often, PushUp Time or Chess Shield?
PushUp Time ships an update weekly, and Chess Shield weekly. Most recently, PushUp Time was updated on October 14, 2026 and Chess Shield on October 7, 2026.

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