Self vs Gratlock
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Self
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Most apps track what you do. Self helps you become who you are. This isn't about streaks or productivity. It's about witnessing your transformation, one authentic action at a time. Define the identity you're becoming. Choose the actions that feel true to you. Show up gently, without force or resistance. Over time, you'll see yourself evolve - not through pressure, but through presence. Self is a mirror for your becoming. No guilt. No gamification. Just you, growing into yourself. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula
Gratlock
This app transforms your existing app usage into a gratitude practice. Before opening selected apps, you're prompted to write one sentence about what you're grateful for. Your entries are saved in a private journal, and your apps unlock for a chosen duration.
- App usage as gratitude prompt
- One-sentence journal entries
- Private on-device journal
- Customizable app blocking
- Timed app unlock windows
- Plain-text journal export
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Gratitude journals are easy to start and hard to keep. Gratlock turns the urge to scroll into a one-sentence gratitude habit. Choose the apps that pull you in. Before one opens, Gratlock asks what felt good today. Write one grateful sentence and your apps open for the window you chose. The sentence joins a private journal that grows with the little things from your real life. No extra reminder to remember. No long entry to finish. The habit you already have becomes the cue for the one you want. HOW IT WORKS 1. Pick the apps that pull you in, using Apple's own Screen Time picker. 2. When you open one, a quiet block screen stands in the way. 3. One grateful sentence opens them, and every sentence lands in a private journal you keep. BUILT FOR REAL LIFE Gratlock pairs a habit you want less of with a practice you want more of. The prompt is intentionally small enough to answer honestly, even on a busy day. Your apps then open for 15 minutes, 30 minutes, an hour, or the rest of the day. When the window ends, the lock returns automatically. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Journal entries are stored on your device and are never sent to Gratlock. There is no account or sign-in. Blocking runs on Apple's Screen Time system, which keeps your app choices hidden even from us. Screen Time data is never used for advertising and never shared. WHAT YOU GET • Unlimited app and category locking, enforced by iOS itself • A gratitude journal that grows one honest sentence at a time • Unlock windows you control, with automatic re-locking • Plain-text journal export, anytime • No ads and no feed, just your words Gratlock is free for 3 days, then a paid subscription with yearly and weekly options. Prices are shown in the app before you pay anything, and you can cancel anytime in your Apple subscription settings. Terms of Use: https://www.gratlock.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://www.gratlock.com/privacy
Screenshots
Verdict
Self and Gratlock 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
Both are free to download. Self sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Gratlock sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $7.00 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Self ships an update every 10 days, Gratlock weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Self | Gratlock |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Number of ratings | — | 1 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 10 days | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | — | Subscription |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 18.5 | 17.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 12 MB | 11 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Michel Pinto | QRACKED LLC |
In-app purchases
Self
- Self pro monthly$4.991 Month
- Self pro yearly$39.991 Year
Gratlock
- Pro Weekly$7.007 Days
- Pro Yearly Offer$24.991 Year
- Pro Yearly3 Days trial$49.991 Year









