Comparison

Tether vs Goals Lock

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

Head to head
About

Tether

This app helps you break free from excessive screen time by introducing friction to app usage. It allows you to block apps, websites, and categories with customizable difficulty levels for ending sessions, promoting stronger phone habits.

Highlights
  • App and website blocking
  • Customizable session difficulty
  • Focus modes (indefinite, countdown, Pomodoro)
  • Scheduled sessions
  • Reusable blocklists
  • Strict Mode to prevent loopholes
  • Live Activity and Dynamic Island integration
Features
Read full description

You open your phone for "just a second" and lose 45 minutes to scrolling. Tether is an app blocker built to break that loop with real friction. Block apps, websites, and categories, then choose how hard it should be to stop: tap out, scan an NFC tag, scan a QR code, or get approval from someone you trust. Focus modes for real life - Indefinite sessions when you just need to stay locked in - Countdown sessions for deep work, study, and sprints - Pomodoro sessions with built-in breaks - Scheduled sessions for work hours, bedtimes, and daily routines Why Tether works - Create reusable blocklists for work, study, sleep, and weekends - Use Allow Mode to block everything except what you need - Turn on Strict Mode to prevent easy loopholes mid-session - Keep emergency overrides for genuine exceptions - See your session with Live Activity and Dynamic Island - Sync across devices so your rules stay consistent Tether is for people who want less screen time, stronger phone habits, and a system that's harder to cheat. Make distractions harder to reach, make quitting harder to justify, and make focus easier to keep. Terms of Use: https://www.tetherto.me/terms Privacy Policy: https://www.tetherto.me/privacy

About

Goals Lock

Features
Read full description

Reclaim your focus, break the scroll loop, and get active. Goals Lock is the ultimate screen time controller that transforms physical movement into digital freedom. Instead of locking yourself out of apps with passive passwords, Goals Lock challenges you to earn your screen time through physical exercises like pushups and squats, tracked in real-time by advanced on-device Vision AI. Whether you want to limit social media scrolling, lock distracting gaming apps during work hours, or build a healthier daily routine, Goals Lock bridges the gap between digital wellness and physical fitness. HOW IT WORKS: CHOOSE YOUR LIMITS: Group distracting apps and categories (social media, entertainment, games) that you want to restrict. SQUAT OR PUSHUP TO UNLOCK: When you need access, place your phone down. The front camera and private, on-device Vision AI will track and count your reps automatically. ENJOY GUILT-FREE ACCESS: Successfully hitting your rep goal unlocks a custom timer session. Once the timer expires, the apps lock back up automatically. ACCUMULATE IN THE VAULT: Don't want to use your minutes immediately? Save your earned exercise minutes in your personal Vault to redeem them whenever you need them. KEY FEATURES: ON-DEVICE VISION AI TRACKER: No manual input or cheating. Place your phone down and let our smart Vision AI count your squats and pushups automatically using your front camera. FOCUS MODE WITH AMBIENT AUDIO: Need to study or work? Start a Focus Session. Block all distractions completely and listen to offline ambient sounds like Rain, Ocean, or Forest to keep you in the zone. STRICT MODE: Prevent impulsive decisions. When Strict Mode is active, you cannot bypass or disable locks instantly, forcing you to stick to your goals. BONUS MINUTES BANK: Convert extra workouts into a reserve of unlockable screen time. NATIVE SCREEN TIME SHIELDING: Powered by Apple's Screen Time API (ManagedSettings) for system-level locking that you cannot simply swipe away or force close. PRIVACY-FIRST AND SECURE: Your privacy is our highest priority: Vision AI processing is executed 100% on-device. Camera frames are analyzed in real-time and immediately discarded. No video, image, or personal data ever leaves your device or is sent to any server. No sign-ups, accounts, or internet connection required. Stop scrolling mindlessly. Turn screen time into healthy habits with Goals Lock. Download now and start earning your digital freedom!

Screenshots

Tether4 screens
Goals Lock4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Goals Lock at none against Tether's 7. On price, update cadence, ads 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. Tether sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $5.49 per month. Goals Lock asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Tether ships an update every 10 days, Goals Lock every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Tether versus Goals Lock: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTetherGoals Lock
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (8 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings8 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 10 days — betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS17.617.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size44 MB10 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperUndrift LLCSahil Kamble

In-app purchases

7 purchases

Tether

Subscriptions5
  • Tether Pro Monthly Member$5.491 Month
  • Tether Pro Free Trial3 Days trial$6.991 Month
  • Tether Pro Monthly$6.991 Month
Show 2 more
  • Tether Pro Yearly Member$24.491 Year
  • Tether Pro Yearly$34.991 Year
One-time2
  • Tether Pro Lifetime Member$79.99
  • Tether Pro Lifetime$99.99
None

Goals Lock

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Tether free?
Tether is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Goals Lock free?
Goals Lock is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Tether or Goals Lock have ads?
Neither Tether nor Goals Lock shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Tether or Goals Lock?
Tether ships an update every 10 days, and Goals Lock every 2 weeks. Most recently, Tether was updated on October 22, 2026 and Goals Lock on October 28, 2026.

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