Friction vs PushLock
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Friction
This app helps you break free from mindless scrolling by requiring you to complete quick physical challenges before accessing distracting apps. Earn scrolling time through exercise and build healthier digital habits with a privacy-first approach.
- Complete physical challenges to earn screen time
- Connect to Screen Time for app control
- Track progress and build discipline
- Privacy-first design with on-device detection
- Breaks impulsive scrolling loops
- Customizable app blocking
Read full descriptionHide full description
Friction helps you stop doomscrolling by making screen time intentional. Instead of opening distracting apps automatically, Friction asks you to complete a quick challenge first. Do a few push-ups, squats, or a plank, and earn scrolling time on purpose. How it works: • Connect Screen Time and choose the apps you want to control • Complete short physical challenges to unlock access • Earn minutes based on reps and track your progress • Build better habits through small, repeatable actions Why Friction: • Breaks impulsive scrolling loops • Turns “just 5 minutes” into a conscious choice • Helps you train discipline daily, not occasionally • Clean, fast flow designed for real-world use Privacy-first by design: • Exercise detection runs on-device • We do not collect, store, or share your Screen Time data • Challenge processing stays local to your device If you’re serious about reducing mindless scrolling and reclaiming your focus, Friction is built for you. Subscription notice: • Friction uses an auto-renewable subscription to access paid features • Payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation of purchase • Subscription renews automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period • You can manage and cancel your subscription in your App Store account settings If you’re serious about reducing mindless scrolling and reclaiming your focus, Friction is built for you. TERMS: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
PushLock
Take back control of your screen time by turning phone addiction into motivation. This app lets you block applications and only unlock them by completing physical exercises like push-ups, squats, and sit-ups. Spend less time scrolling and more time being active.
- Block applications
- Unlock apps with exercise
- Perform push-ups, squats, sit-ups
- Convert addiction to motivation
- Gain screen time
- Reduce scrolling
Read full descriptionHide full description
Take back control of your screen time. Spending too much time on your phone? Turn your addiction into motivation. This app lets you block your apps and unlock them only by working out: push-ups, squats, sit-ups. You earn screen time. You spend it whenever you want. Less scroll. More action. Terms of use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: PushLock at 57% against Friction's 23%. Friction's advantage is rating (4.6 vs 4.2) and ratings volume (329 vs 5). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Friction sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and PushLock sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Friction holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Friction has 329 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 23% of Friction's written reviews are positive against 57% of PushLock's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Friction ships an update every 6 days, PushLock weekly. Both last shipped on October 28, 2026.
| Parameter | Friction | PushLock |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (329 ratings) — better | 4.2 (5 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 23.1% of reviews | 57.1% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 329 — better | 5 |
| Update frequency | Every 6 days — better | Weekly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | 17.6 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 65 MB | 119 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | TalkUp LLC | Noah Ferre |
Customer experience
Friction
PushLock
In-app purchases
Friction
- Monthly Subscription$5.991 Month
- Monthly Subscription$7.991 Month
- Yearly Subscription$14.991 Year
Show 5 moreShow fewer
- Yearly Subscription7 Days trial$19.991 Year
- Yearly Subscription3 Days trial$19.991 Year
- Yearly Subscription$19.991 Year
- Yearly Subscription$39.991 Year
- Yearly Subscription7 Days trial$39.991 Year
PushLock
- Pro$8.991 Month
- Pro7 Days trial$17.991 Year
- Pro$22.991 Year
Show 2 moreShow fewer
- Pro7 Days trial$24.991 Year
- Pro7 Days trial$39.991 Year
- pro$24.99
- Pro$34.99








