Comparison

DharmaLock vs Unguided Meditation Timer

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

Head to head
About

DharmaLock

Features
Read full description

Replace scrolling with mindful presence. Every time you reach for social media, DharmaLock steps in with a moment of awareness. Instead of mindless scrolling, you engage with Buddhist teachings — reading a sutta from the Pali Canon, reflecting on the Dharma, or sitting in brief meditation. Cultivate right attention with every unlock. WHAT YOU GET: - Lock any app behind Buddhist teachings — choose Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, Reddit, or any app - Multiple unlock methods — sutta reading, fill-in-the-blank, word selection, and timed meditation - Mood-based teaching selection — receive passages matched to your present state of mind - Smart scheduling — set daily practice times or create custom lock periods - Mala bead counter — track your meditation and chanting practice - Family-friendly — uses Apple Screen Time to enforce locks reliably FREE + PREMIUM: DharmaLock requires a Premium subscription for app access. Eligible subscriptions start with Apple's 1-week introductory free trial and unlock unlimited app unlocks, unlimited schedules, advanced challenge types, and the full premium Buddhist library. BUDDHIST TEACHINGS: DharmaLock includes an extensive Buddhist text library with over 5,700 entries: - Pali Canon — suttas from the Digha, Majjhima, Samyutta, and Anguttara Nikayas - Vinaya Pitaka — monastic discipline and ethical teachings - Dhammapada — 423 verses of the Buddha's essential teachings - Jataka Tales — stories of the Buddha's previous lives - Theravada & Mahayana texts — spanning multiple traditions Content is organized by theme: compassion, equanimity, impermanence, loving-kindness, mindfulness, wisdom, suffering, liberation, and more. TRADITION SUPPORT: DharmaLock supports various Buddhist traditions: - Theravada: Pali Canon suttas, Vipassana meditation focus - Zen: Koans, zazen practice, Shikantaza - Tibetan: Tonglen, refuge prayers, Bodhicitta - Secular Buddhism: Mindfulness-based teachings without religious framing HOW IT WORKS: 1. Choose which apps to lock (social media, games, entertainment — anything) 2. Set your schedule (morning sits, evening reflection, or all day) 3. When you open a locked app, DharmaLock presents a teaching or meditation 4. Read, reflect, and unlock — choosing presence over distraction PRIVACY FIRST: DharmaLock processes everything on your device. No reading habits, no meditation data, and no personal information ever leaves your phone. We use Apple's built-in Screen Time framework — no tracking, no ads, no accounts required. LEGAL: Privacy Policy: https://apps.nereusdata.io/privacy-policy Terms of Use (Apple Standard EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Let the Dharma guide your attention. Choose presence over distraction.

About

Unguided Meditation Timer

This app offers a unique meditation timer that uses AirPods motion sensors to monitor your posture during sits. It provides gentle cues to help you maintain your baseline, focusing on unguided practice with a minimalist interface. Unlock advanced insights and unlimited history with a one-time purchase.

Highlights
  • AirPods posture monitoring
  • Configurable sensitivity
  • Multiple session durations
  • Detailed sit history
  • User practice statistics
  • Unguided practice focus
  • Minimalist UI
Features
Read full description

Stillness is a quiet meditation timer that uses your AirPods to notice when your head drifts. Sit, close your eyes, and press start. The screen goes dark and stays out of the way. The motion sensor inside your AirPods feels when your head starts to drop forward, lean back or tilt, the way it does when attention fades or sleepiness creeps in. A soft sound in your ears brings you back. Then silence again. No voice. No music. No buzzing phone. Just you, a timer and a gentle cue when you need it. HOW IT WORKS • Find your center: sit the way you meditate and stay still for 8 seconds. Stillness learns where your head rests. • Sit for 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 45 or 60 minutes, or open-ended. • When your head drifts past your threshold, a soft cue plays in your AirPods. • A bell marks the start and the end of every sit. MADE FOR UNGUIDED PRACTICE Silent meditation, zazen, shikantaza, vipassana, centering prayer or simple mindfulness. Whatever brings you to the cushion, Stillness keeps time and keeps watch, and nothing more. CUES YOU CAN TUNE • Sensitivity: Gentle, Balanced or Precise • Sound cues on or off, with a preview • Set the time between cues • Quiet first 3 minutes, so you can settle in • Optional interval bells YOUR JOURNAL • Every sit, day by day, for the last 5 weeks and beyond • After each sit: how long your head stayed steady, your longest drift and how many cues played • Your 30-day trend, total hours and day streak • Share or export any sit STILLNESS+ A one-time purchase, with Family Sharing. No subscription. After 10 sits, Stillness+ reads your own practice and shows five calm insights: • Drift timing: the minute your head tends to lower • Trend: whether you are getting steadier • Duration sweet spot: the length that suits you best • Side tilt: whether you lean to one side • Time of day: when your sits are steadiest PRIVATE BY DESIGN Your sessions and motion data stay on your iPhone. No account, no ads, no tracking. Only anonymous usage statistics are shared. WORKS WITH AirPods Pro, AirPods Max and AirPods (3rd generation) and later. No compatible headphones? You can still sit with bells, without cues. Available in English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese and Catalan. Sit down. Put your AirPods in. Stay.

Screenshots

DharmaLock4 screens
Unguided Meditation Timer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Unguided Meditation Timer at every 3 days against DharmaLock's every 3 months. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. DharmaLock sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Unguided Meditation Timer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

DharmaLock ships an update every 3 months, Unguided Meditation Timer every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
DharmaLock versus Unguided Meditation Timer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDharmaLockUnguided Meditation Timer
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Free with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS16.0 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size28 MB66 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPatrick DeutschBrothapps, SL

In-app purchases

2 purchases

DharmaLock

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Premium$4.991 Month
  • DharmaLock Premium Yearly$29.991 Year
1 purchases

Unguided Meditation Timer

One-time1
  • Stillness+ Lifetime$9.99

Questions

Is DharmaLock free?
DharmaLock is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Unguided Meditation Timer free?
Unguided Meditation Timer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do DharmaLock or Unguided Meditation Timer have ads?
Neither DharmaLock nor Unguided Meditation Timer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, DharmaLock or Unguided Meditation Timer?
DharmaLock ships an update every 3 months, and Unguided Meditation Timer every 3 days. Most recently, DharmaLock was updated on October 24, 2026 and Unguided Meditation Timer on October 15, 2026.

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