Comparison

Recode vs FocusLock

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

Head to head
About

Recode

This app helps you regain focus by physically preventing access to distracting applications. It requires scanning a QR or barcode to unlock apps, creating friction that discourages reflex checking and promotes productivity.

Highlights
  • Physical app blocking via QR/barcode scan
  • Accountability through intentional unlocking
  • Reduces reflex app checking
  • Promotes focus and productivity
  • Customizable app blocking schedules
Read full description

Stop scrolling. Start living. Recode is the only screen time app that requires you to physically scan a QR code or barcode to unlock your blocked apps. No easy bypass. No cheating. Just real accountability. How it works: 1. Choose which apps to block and set your schedule. 2. Pick any QR code or barcode as your unlock key — a book on your shelf, a code at your desk, anything. 3. When you want to unblock, you have to physically go scan it. That friction is what makes Recode work. Why it's different: Other screen time apps let you bypass limits with a single tap. Recode doesn't. The physical requirement of scanning a code creates real resistance between you and your distracting apps. You can't cheat from the couch. Track your progress with Streaks: Build a daily streak by keeping your break time under 30 minutes. Watch your calendar fill with green as you take back control of your habits. Built from personal experience: I built Recode because I was losing myself in endless scrolling — distracted all day, drained at night, ashamed of how little I got done. Even in its demo version, the simple act of requiring a scan to unblock completely shifted my habits. Knowing I couldn't unblock until I got home kept me off my phone. Over time, I reclaimed focus, confidence, and the satisfaction of being productive. Take control of your time. Download Recode today. Available subscription options: Recode Pro – Monthly or Annual auto-renewable subscription. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

FocusLock

Features
Read full description

FocusLock is a simple focus timer with app blocking — completely free. No subscription, no account, no ads. WHAT MAKES FOCUSLOCK DIFFERENT Instead of a pause button you'll tap the moment your willpower wavers, you end a session by scanning a QR code — on packaging, on a book, on a poster, or on your own code stashed somewhere across the room. This forces you to physically step away from your phone before resuming Set a timer, start your session, and your screen locks. To unlock early, you need to scan any QR code. That small physical barrier is enough to break the reflex of picking up your phone — and actually get work done. HOW IT WORKS — Set your focus duration and choose a mode — FocusLock takes over your screen — Your timer runs as a Live Activity, visible even on the lock screen — To exit early: scan any QR code (print one, use one you already have) — When your session ends, you're free BUILT-IN POMODORO SYSTEM Set your work interval, break length, and number of rounds. FocusLock guides you through structured focus sessions automatically. APP BLOCKING Choose which apps to block during your session. Social media, news, games — gone until your timer ends. EMERGENCY UNLOCK Life happens. A limited number of emergency unlocks per week let you break out when you truly need to — with a deliberate 5-press confirmation to prevent impulse use. STATS & STREAKS Track your focus history, see your weekly progress, and build a streak that keeps you coming back. PRIVATE BY DESIGN No account required. No analytics. No tracking. Everything stays on your device. FocusLock is for people who know they work better without their phone — and want a tool that enforces it. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Recode4 screens
FocusLock4 screens

Verdict

The call

Recode and FocusLock are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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. Recode sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and FocusLock sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Recode ships an update weekly, FocusLock every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
Recode versus FocusLock: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRecodeFocusLock
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (5 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews66.7% of reviews—
Number of ratings5 — better—
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 10 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS17.617.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size3 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAlexander HartiganDavid Pape

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Recode

Subscriptions2
  • Pro Monthly7 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Pro Yearly7 Days trial$19.991 Year
1 purchases

FocusLock

One-time1
  • Buy me a coffee$2.99

Questions

Is Recode free?
Recode is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is FocusLock free?
FocusLock is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Recode or FocusLock have ads?
Neither Recode nor FocusLock shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Recode or FocusLock?
Recode ships an update weekly, and FocusLock every 10 days. Most recently, Recode was updated on October 5, 2026 and FocusLock on October 6, 2026.

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