# Lockin Journal vs Screenguard

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Lockin Journal at none against Screenguard's 7. Screenguard's advantage is update cadence (every 6 days vs every 6 weeks). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Screenguard sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Lockin Journal asks for nothing beyond the download.

Lockin Journal ships an update every 6 weeks, Screenguard every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Lockin Journal | Screenguard |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.6 (28 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/screenguard-limit-screen-time/id6759247199/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **28** |
| Positive reviews | — | 85.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 6 days** |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Size | 9 MB | 121 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 18.2 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Lorenz Hackl](https://appshunter.io/developer/1876956021) | [Magicbase Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/523366256) |

## What reviewers say

### Lockin Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lockin-journal/id6759115351)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Screenguard

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/screenguard-limit-screen-time/id6759247199)

This app helps you manage screen time by earning it back through real-life tasks. Instead of just blocking apps, it allows you to complete activities like exercising or studying to unlock distracting apps for a limited duration.

**Highlights:** Earn screen time by completing real-life tasks, Spend earned time to unlock distracting apps, Set custom unlock durations for apps, Track weekly progress and daily averages, Identify top distracting apps, Integrates with Apple's Screen Time tools

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium | $29.99 | per year |
| Premium | $29.99 | per year |
| Premium | $29.99 | per year |
| Yearly (2-Week Free Trial) | $29.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Lockin Journal free?

Lockin Journal is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Screenguard free?

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

### Do Lockin Journal or Screenguard have ads?

Neither Lockin Journal nor Screenguard shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Lockin Journal or Screenguard?

Lockin Journal ships an update every 6 weeks, and Screenguard every 6 days. Most recently, Lockin Journal was updated on October 13, 2026 and Screenguard on October 24, 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.*