# Friction vs PushLock

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Friction | PushLock |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (329 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/friction-reduce-screen-time/id6758893858/reviews)** | [4.2 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pushlock-push-ups-and-blocker/id6759161936/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **329** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | 23.1% of reviews | **57.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 days** | Weekly |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 65 MB | 119 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **17.6** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [TalkUp LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1767264111) | [Noah Ferre](https://appshunter.io/developer/1850917129) |

## What reviewers say

### Friction

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/friction-reduce-screen-time/id6758893858)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

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

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $5.99 | per month |
| Monthly Subscription | $7.99 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription | $14.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription | $19.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription | $19.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription | $19.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription | $39.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription | $39.99 | per year |


### PushLock

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pushlock-push-ups-and-blocker/id6759161936)

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.

**Highlights:** Block applications, Unlock apps with exercise, Perform push-ups, squats, sit-ups, Convert addiction to motivation, Gain screen time, Reduce scrolling

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro | $8.99 | per month |
| Pro | $17.99 | per year |
| Pro | $22.99 | per year |
| Pro | $24.99 | per year |
| Pro | $39.99 | per year |
| pro | $24.99 | one-time |
| Pro | $34.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Friction free?

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

### Is PushLock free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Friction or PushLock?

Friction is rated higher. Friction averages 4.6 out of 5 from 329 ratings, while PushLock averages 4.2 from 5 ratings.

### Do Friction or PushLock have ads?

Neither Friction nor PushLock shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Friction or PushLock?

Friction ships an update every 6 days, and PushLock weekly. Most recently, Friction was updated on October 28, 2026 and PushLock on October 28, 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.*