Comparison

readlock vs Held

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

Head to head
About

readlock

Read full description

Break the doomscrolling cycle with readlock, the app that locks your most distracting apps until you complete your daily reading. Choose which apps to block - social media, games, streaming - and readlock keeps them locked until you've read. Once you finish your daily reading, your apps unlock automatically for the rest of the day. How it works: β€’ Select the apps you want to block β€’ Set a daily lock time - your apps lock again each day at that time β€’ Complete your daily reading to unlock them β€’ Build a reading streak and track your progress over time Features: β€’ Curated library of 70+ book insights across topics like productivity, finance, science, and more β€’ Track your reading streak, total reads, and time spent reading β€’ Add books to your personal library to prioritize what you read next β€’ Set a daily reminder to read before your apps lock readlock turns screen time into reading time - one day at a time. Apple Standard EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Subscription Policy: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-7tooybCedT9l65kBVJSvekUcjIuPe8e_tEMcRB3Td0/edit?usp=sharing Privacy Policy: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pJuEopap3xDAhfAzuDXVd1DvLhZ6yzsxnAf3kMfYo2Q/edit?usp=sharing

About

Held

Features
Read full description

Held helps you turn intentions into repeatable focus rituals, then protects that time by blocking distracting apps while your ritual is active. Create rituals manually, by voice, or simply tell the in-app AI coach what you want to do and how long you have. Held turns it into a clear, step-by-step ritual you can follow. What you can do with Held Create focus rituals in seconds (manual, voice, or AI-guided) Block selected apps or block everything during a ritual (so you can’t β€œaccidentally” drift) Build streaks and stay consistent with gentle momentum Track your progress and see how your habits evolve over time Get coaching when you feel the urge to unlock, quick prompts, not essays Perfect for Deep work, studying, evening shutdown routines, workouts, reading, journaling, anything you want to protect from distractions. Make focus automatic. Protect your time. Build your streak. Privacy Policy URL: https://held-app.framer.website/legals/privacy-policy Terms of Service (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

readlock4 screens
Held4 screens

Verdict

The call

readlock and Held are too close to call on the numbers: across 5 compared parameters β€” price, ads, in-app purchases and device support among them β€” neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Both are free to download. readlock sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and Held sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
readlock versus Held: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterreadlockHeld
PriceFreeFree
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS17.6 β€” better18.0
Further details β€” not scored
Size202 MB22 MB
Age rating9+4+
DeveloperFoundry Apps LLCRelja Bulajic

In-app purchases

2 purchases

readlock

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Premium$9.991 Month
  • Yearly Premium3 Days trial$39.991 Year
2 purchases

Held

Subscriptions2
  • Held Premium$5.991 Month
  • Held Premium$49.991 Year

Questions

Is readlock free?
readlock is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Held free?
Held is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do readlock or Held have ads?
Neither readlock nor Held shows ads.

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