Comparison

Cala vs LockTimer

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

Head to head
About

Cala

Read full description

You pick up your phone for "just a second" โ€” and 45 minutes disappear. Cala stops that cycle with real app blocking and a ten-second breath that turns impulse into intention. When you open a blocked app, Cala holds a shield. You breathe, then choose how long you need โ€” 5, 15, or 30 minutes. When time's up, the app locks itself again. You decided in advance, so the moment doesn't get a vote. WHAT CALA DOES โ€ข Blocks any app or website with Apple's Screen Time shields โ€” real blocking, not reminders โ€ข No Shortcuts to wire up and no workarounds to maintain โ€” grant Screen Time access once and you're protected โ€ข Protects on your schedule: work hours, evenings, overnight, or all day โ€ข A short breathing exercise before every unlock โ€” a pause, not a punishment โ€ข Timed access that re-locks automatically when you're done โ€ข Three strictness levels โ€” Standard, Strict, and Locked. As firm as you need. โ€ข Habits and tasks live inside your protected hours, so the shield offers a better option, not just a wall โ€ข A Focus Score that measures the time you protected and the wins you stacked โ€” not your failures โ€ข A weekly review of your wins, ready every Monday AS FIRM AS YOU NEED Standard asks for a calm ten-second breath before each unlock. Strict makes each unlock cost a little more. Locked holds the line completely โ€” with a once-a-day emergency pass, because life happens. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Cala never sees which apps you open or for how long. Apple's Screen Time design keeps that on your device, and we like it that way. FREE TO START One schedule, unlimited blocked apps, two habits, your Focus Score, and the full breathing unlock โ€” free. Cala Pro adds unlimited schedules and habits, Strict and Locked levels, and your complete history. Your phone, your rules. Cala keeps them. Terms of Use: https://heycala.com/terms

About

LockTimer

Features
Read full description

LockTimer lets you choose how long apps remain available and how long they stay locked afterward. Instead of blocking apps immediately, set a limited amount of time to use them first. When time is up, the selected apps lock automatically. Access returns when the lock duration ends. Use it before bed, during breaks, before work, or whenever you want to step away from your phone after using it briefly. How It Works 1. Choose the apps to lock 2. Set the time until lock 3. Set the lock duration and start the timer You can also create schedules that lock apps automatically on selected days and times. Timers take priority while running, and active schedules resume afterward. Features โ€ข Set the time until apps lock โ€ข Set the lock duration โ€ข Choose apps to lock โ€ข Create schedules by weekday and time โ€ข View the remaining lock time โ€ข Check timers with Live Activity โ€ข Manage multiple timers and schedules The free version lets you create up to two timers and start one timer per day. Pro removes timer creation and daily start limits and enables schedules. Terms of Use https://apps.mishimadesign.com/locktimer/legal.html#terms-en

Screenshots

Cala4 screens
LockTimer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: LockTimer at every 2 days against Cala's every 2 months. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. Cala sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month and LockTimer sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Cala ships an update every 2 months, LockTimer every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference ยท 5 level
Cala versus LockTimer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCalaLockTimer
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 days โ€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad โ€” better
Requires iOS18.017.0 โ€” better
Further details โ€” not scored
Size26 MB5 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSpark Digital IncorporatedMishima Design

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Cala

Subscriptions2
  • Cala Pro โ€” Monthly7 Days trial$7.991 Month
  • Cala Pro โ€” Yearly7 Days trial$59.991 Year
3 purchases

LockTimer

Subscriptions2
  • LockTimer Pro Monthly$3.991 Month
  • LockTimer Pro Yearly$39.991 Year
One-time1
  • LockTimer Pro Lifetime$99.99

Questions

Is Cala free?
Cala is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is LockTimer free?
LockTimer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Cala or LockTimer have ads?
Neither Cala nor LockTimer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Cala or LockTimer?
Cala ships an update every 2 months, and LockTimer every 2 days. Most recently, Cala was updated on September 29, 2026 and LockTimer on September 20, 2026.

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