Comparison

Gaze vs Block Apps & Focus | AcornLock

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

Head to head
About

Gaze

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Delete those cute little Pomodoro timers. They politely remind you. We execute you. Gaze is not a productivity app - it's a digital prison cell. The moment you hit Start, the countdown begins. Your only job on this device is absolute focus. Switch apps, reply to a text, even swipe down for notifications - instant FAIL. No exceptions. No excuses. No second chances. [CORE TORTURE & DARK AESTHETICS] Absolute Stare: Pure minimalist void-black design. Screen stays awake forever, becoming the coldest cyber-warden on your desk. Brutal Execution: Leave the app and a massive blood-red FAILED stamp slams the screen + heavy haptic blast. A real physical slap for your weakness. Deep Space Brainwash (Pro): Not birds or rain. This is a crushing, mechanical spaceship drone that drowns reality and welds your brain to the desk. Desk Monitor Mode: Native iPad full-screen optimized. Turn your idle tablet into an intimidating cyberpunk surveillance toy. Built for: Chronic procrastinators, exam warriors, ADHD minds, and dark aesthetic addicts. Pricing: Zero subscription BS. One-time purchase. Lifetime unlock of all premium dark wardens and intense isolation tracks. Think your focus is unbreakable? Prove it.

About

Block Apps & Focus | AcornLock

Features
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For everyone who can't stop saying "just one more scroll." AcornLock is a self-control app that uses Apple's official Screen Time API to genuinely block the apps you choose. What makes it different from typical app blockers? There's a real cost to unlocking. When you crave the apps you've locked, just shake your phone. They'll unlock for a set time—but at a price. The acorns your squirrel has been quietly collecting? Some of them vanish at random. "Wait, did I just lose my rare one…?" That moment of loss puts a gentle brake on your impulses. Tired of apps that only ask you to grit your teeth and resist? AcornLock turns the time you don't spend on your phone into something worth collecting. Built for people who: ・Lose hours to Instagram, TikTok, X, or YouTube ・Want to change habits through gameplay, not pure willpower ・Love collecting cute things CORE FEATURES ■ Real blocking with Screen Time control Powered by Apple's official Family Controls API, your chosen apps are blocked the moment you hit your limit. No relying on willpower alone. ■ A squirrel that collects for you While your selected apps are under restriction, a squirrel quietly gathers acorns in the background. They pile up while you live your life. ■ Shake to unlock = lose your acorns To unlock, just shake your phone. But 50% of your unjarred acorns vanish at random. ■ Collect acorns From everyday brown acorns to legendary rainbow ones, every drop is a small surprise. ■ Seal them in jars for permanent safekeeping Reach 50 acorns and you can seal them in a jar. Jarred acorns are safe forever, even when you shake to unlock. ■ A wooden shelf of your wins Completed jars line up on your wooden shelf, a visible record of your self-discipline. One jar = about a week of staying strong. REWARDS FOR STICKING WITH IT ・Streaks: Every day you stay under the limit adds to your streak ・Tier 0 to 5: Climb the tiers as your streak grows, boosting your odds of rare acorns FLEXIBLE LIMIT SETTINGS ・Pick multiple apps and categories with Apple's Family Activity Picker ・Set your daily time limit however you want ・Adjust how long the unlock lasts before the block returns ・Choose between Shake or Scratch unlock methods PREMIUM For people serious about changing: ・Hard Mode: Triple the unlock barrier. Lose 100% of your unjarred acorns on every unlock. ・Streak Protection: Auto-saves your streak once a month if you slip ・Larger Acorn Stock: Hold up to 500 acorns instead of the free 50 ・Unlimited Shelf Display: See every jar you've ever made ・Choose from three plans: weekly, yearly, or one-time purchase MORE FEATURES Keep an eye on your acorn count and streak right from your Home Screen widget. Take back the distance between you and your phone, one acorn at a time. About Premium Plan Purchase • After the trial ends, the subscription will automatically renew as a paid plan. • The Premium Plan is an auto-renewing subscription. • Unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period, the subscription will automatically renew. • Renewal charges will be billed within 24 hours before the end of the current period. • Payment will be charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase. • You can manage or cancel auto-renewal in your Apple ID settings. Terms of Use https://acornlock.app/terms-and-conditions/ # LICENSE OtoLogic

Screenshots

Gaze3 screens
Block Apps & Focus | AcornLock4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is device support: Gaze at 3 against Block Apps & Focus | AcornLock's 1. Gaze also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). On price, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Gaze sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Block Apps & Focus | AcornLock sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Scorecard2 real differences · 4 level
Gaze versus Block Apps & Focus | AcornLock: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGazeBlock Apps & Focus | AcornLock
PriceFreeFree
Update frequency—Every 10 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS13.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size26 MB21 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer祥孟 李Shibapp LLC

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Gaze

One-time1
  • PRO Lifetime Unlock$3.99
3 purchases

Block Apps & Focus | AcornLock

Subscriptions2
  • Premium Weekly$1.997 Days
  • Premium Yearly7 Days trial$19.991 Year
One-time1
  • AcornLock Premium Lifetime$49.99

Questions

Is Gaze free?
Gaze is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Block Apps & Focus | AcornLock free?
Block Apps & Focus | AcornLock is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Gaze or Block Apps & Focus | AcornLock have ads?
Neither Gaze nor Block Apps & Focus | AcornLock shows ads.

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