# Useless vs LockPact

The clearest difference is monetization model: LockPact at free with in-app purchases against Useless's subscription. LockPact also leads on review sentiment (50% vs 36%). Useless's advantage is rating (4.5 vs 4.0) and ads (none vs shown). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Useless sells 15 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days and LockPact sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Useless holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Useless has 287 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 36% of Useless's written reviews are positive against 50% of LockPact's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Useless ships an update every 10 days, LockPact every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Useless | LockPact |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (287 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/useless-screen-time-control/id6755298184/reviews)** | [4.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lockpact-screen-time-pact/id6759302382/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **287** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 35.6% of reviews | **50.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 10 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 131 MB | 27 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18 | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [DaDaMa Ug (haftungsbeschränkt)](https://appshunter.io/developer/1852993941) | [Rotate, LLC.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1435998437) |

## What reviewers say

### Useless

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/useless-screen-time-control/id6755298184)

This app leverages social accountability to help users reduce screen time. Instead of relying solely on personal willpower, friends control access to apps when daily limits are reached, fostering a collaborative approach to digital well-being.

**Highlights:** Friend accountability for app usage, Set daily app time limits, No snooze button on limits, Friends vote on time extension requests, Public 'Walk of Shame' for requests, Weekly leaderboards and progress tracking

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (15)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Monthly | $5.99 | per month |
| Monthly Sub | $6.99 | per month |
| Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Monthly | $11.99 | per month |
| Monthly | $11.99 | per month |
| Yearly | $24.99 | per year |
| Yearly | $24.99 | per year |
| Yearly | $34.99 | per year |
| Yearly | $39.99 | per year |
| Yearly | $49.99 | per year |
| Lifetime | $69.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime | $99.99 | one-time |


### LockPact

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lockpact-screen-time-pact/id6759302382)

This app pairs you with a trusted partner for mutual screen time accountability. You both select apps to lock on your own devices, and only your partner can approve unlocking them. It's designed to help users reduce phone usage through shared responsibility.

**Highlights:** Mutual app locking with a partner, Unlock requests require partner approval, Bypass notifications sent to partner, Private screen time data processing, Solo lock timer for practice, Pairing via 6-digit code

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Spark | $2.99 | one-time |
| Steady | $6.99 | one-time |
| Willpower Waiver | $9.99 | one-time |
| Torch | $14.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Useless free?

Useless is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is LockPact free?

LockPact is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Useless or LockPact?

Useless is rated higher. Useless averages 4.5 out of 5 from 287 ratings, while LockPact averages 4.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Useless or LockPact have ads?

LockPact shows ads; Useless does not.

### Which is updated more often, Useless or LockPact?

Useless ships an update every 10 days, and LockPact every 3 weeks. Most recently, Useless was updated on October 18, 2026 and LockPact on October 14, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*