Comparison

JustPause vs Arc Lock

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

Head to head
About

JustPause

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Block distracting apps. Complete a quick check. Track real usage. JustPause helps you control distracting apps without deleting them. Choose apps to restrict, complete a short breathing or exercise check, unlock access for a selected time, and track your usage over time. HOW IT WORKS Choose distracting apps: TikTok • Instagram • YouTube Open a restricted app → Complete breathing or exercise → Choose unlock duration → Use the app → Track results BLOCK DISTRACTING APPS Control the apps that consume most of your time. Apply restrictions to social media, entertainment apps, games, and other distracting apps using Screen Time technologies. Supported scenarios: • Single app unlock • Multiple app unlock • Timed access sessions UNLOCK METHODS Breathing Unlock durations: 1 min • 3 min • 5 min • 7 min Exercise Unlock durations: 15 min • 30 min • 1 hour • 2 hours Exercises: • Push-ups • Squats Exercise counting runs locally on-device. No videos are stored. SMART USAGE TIMER Unlock time decreases only while restricted apps are actively used. Example: 15 min unlocked Instagram used for 3 min Remaining access: 12 min Time does not decrease while restricted apps stay closed. Only actual app usage counts. CONTROLLED REMOVAL To remove an app from your restricted list, complete 30 push-ups or squats. Only one restricted app can be removed per day. TRACK RESULTS Monitor: • Restricted app time • Unlock activity • Daily and weekly usage • Progress over time WORKS ON • iPhone • iPad Core restrictions work locally on your device. PREMIUM Premium includes subscription and lifetime access options. Billing is handled by Apple App Store. QUESTIONS? Email: justpause.contact@gmail.com Terms: https://justpause.notion.site/Terms-of-Service-35cef6714d8980caaf91e60cafc7967d Privacy: https://justpause.notion.site/Privacy-Policy-317ef6714d898092a508d247fa78b1a9 EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Arc Lock

Features
Read full description

Companies fight for every second of your time to keep you distracted. Taking control of your screen time should be a human right, not something locked behind a paywall. Arc Lock blocks the apps and websites that eat your day, and once a block starts, it stays on. Every feature is free for everyone: no subscription, no account, no ads, no in-app purchases. SCHEDULES Pick apps, app categories and websites, choose the hours and days, and they lock on their own. Overnight windows like 11 PM – 7 AM work too (up to 22 hours). DAILY LIMITS Allow yourself a set time each day, from 5 minutes to 8 hours. See exactly how many minutes are used and left. When the time is used up, those apps lock until the limit resets: at midnight, or at the time you pick (say 4:00 AM, for late nights). A heads-up comes 5 minutes before. TIME-OUTS Not a full block, a pause. After a stretch of use, the apps take a short break, then open again. For example: after 20 minutes of short videos, a 10-minute break. It repeats all day and starts fresh at its reset time. BLOCK NOW Lock distractions right away, from 15 minutes to 12 hours. The Block now button is always one tap away. PLACES Pick one or more places on the map, like the library, your school or the gym, and the apps lock when you arrive. Each place block ends when you leave, or after a set time, whichever you choose, and starts only on the days you pick. Location access is asked for only when you set up a place block, and Arc Lock never sends your location anywhere. STRICT LOCK Every block can have Strict lock, and it's on by default. While a strict block runs: • it can't be stopped, loosened or deleted in Arc Lock • the date and time can't be changed by hand • the block screen has a single button: Close Daily limits and time-outs are locked in until they reset: you can make one stricter once a day, but looser settings only start at its next reset. Want a gentler block? Switch Strict lock off for that block, and you can stop it whenever you like. Switching Strict lock off for the whole app works right away: a block that's running or counting stays strict only until its own reset, or until it ends. DELETION PROTECTION On by default: no app can be deleted from your iPhone, Arc Lock included. Switching it off waits only until your strict blocks reset or end. LOCK-IN Freeze every rule for 1 to 30 days, even between blocks: no loosening, no deleting rules, no deleting apps. Changes you queued before it wait until it ends. WEBSITES BY ADDRESS Type a site like youtube.com and it's blocked in Safari and every other browser, in schedules, daily limits, time-outs and Block now. APPLE'S OWN LOOK Native lists and a compact Liquid Glass tab bar: Home, Blocks and Settings. Names are optional: a block without one is shown by its first app. Five themes (Navy, Graphite, Forest, Plum and Paper), each with a matching app icon. The phone-and-lock mark in the app closes while something is blocked. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Arc Lock works through Apple's Screen Time. Apple keeps your activity on your iPhone; Arc Lock never learns which apps you use and sends nothing anywhere. No account, no analytics, no tracking. OPEN SOURCE The complete source code is on GitHub under the MIT license: github.com/WeldingArc/arc-lock

Screenshots

JustPause4 screens
Arc Lock4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Arc Lock at none against JustPause's 3. On price, update cadence, ads 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. JustPause sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days. Arc Lock asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

JustPause ships an update every 2 weeks, Arc Lock every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 7 level
JustPause versus Arc Lock: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterJustPauseArc Lock
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 8 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.6 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size64 MB7 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperErmek TanikulovJUN HYUK CHOI

In-app purchases

3 purchases

JustPause

Subscriptions2
  • JustPause Weekly$0.997 Days
  • JustPause Annual$9.991 Year
One-time1
  • JustPause Lifetime$24.99
None

Arc Lock

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is JustPause free?
JustPause is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Arc Lock free?
Arc Lock is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do JustPause or Arc Lock have ads?
Neither JustPause nor Arc Lock shows ads.
Which is updated more often, JustPause or Arc Lock?
JustPause ships an update every 2 weeks, and Arc Lock every 8 days. Most recently, JustPause was updated on October 28, 2026 and Arc Lock on October 31, 2026.

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