# Dale vs Amber Lock

The clearest difference is rating: Amber Lock at 5.0 against Dale's 4.2. Amber Lock also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 67%). Dale's advantage is ratings volume (14 vs 2) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Dale sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Amber Lock sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Amber Lock holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Dale has 14 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of Dale's written reviews are positive against 100% of Amber Lock's.

Dale ships an update weekly, Amber Lock every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Dale | Amber Lock |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dale-countdown-and-year-tracker/id6757920298/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/amber-lock-screen-time-limit/id6800528861/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **14** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Weekly | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 44 MB | 53 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Sanjay Pathak](https://appshunter.io/developer/1863884296) | [Gnomestead Collective LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1842522057) |

## What reviewers say

### Dale

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dale-countdown-and-year-tracker/id6757920298)

This app helps you visualize your year's progress and count down to important events. It offers customizable widgets and smart notifications to ensure you never miss a milestone. Track birthdays, vacations, and more with a clean, privacy-focused interface.

**Highlights:** Year progress visualization, Event countdowns, Home screen widgets, Smart notifications, Customizable color themes, Privacy-focused, local data storage

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Dale Lifetime | $3.99 | one-time |


### Amber Lock

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/amber-lock-screen-time-limit/id6800528861)

This app locks distracting applications behind a unique challenge: you must walk to unlock them. Earn screen time by increasing your daily steps and reclaiming your focus.

**Highlights:** Seal distracting apps, Unlock apps by walking, Customize step-to-time ratio, Set unlock duration limits, Track reclaimed screen time, Home screen widget for quick access

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1,000 Step Power Bank (1x) | $0.99 | one-time |
| 1,000 Step Power Bank (3x) | $1.99 | one-time |
| 1,000 Step Power Bank (10x) | $4.99 | one-time |
| Premium Step Tank | $7.99 | one-time |
| Premium Burn | $7.99 | one-time |
| Premium Settings Bundle | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Dale free?

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

### Is Amber Lock free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Dale or Amber Lock?

Amber Lock is rated higher. Dale averages 4.2 out of 5 from 14 ratings, while Amber Lock averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Dale or Amber Lock have ads?

Neither Dale nor Amber Lock shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Dale or Amber Lock?

Dale ships an update weekly, and Amber Lock every 5 days. Most recently, Dale was updated on November 5, 2026 and Amber Lock on November 6, 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.*