Comparison

NumLock vs CalcGate | App Lock with Math

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

Head to head
About

NumLock

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Your phone unlocks over 150 times a day. What if each unlock made you smarter? NumLock turns your screen time into brain time. Before you can open your blocked apps, solve a set of mental math problems. It takes seconds, keeps your mind sharp, and adds just enough friction to break the mindless scrolling habit. HOW IT WORKS Choose which apps to block. When you try to open one, NumLock presents math problems you solve on a number pad. Get them all right and your apps unlock for your chosen grace period. Simple, fast, and surprisingly satisfying. ADAPTIVE DIFFICULTY NumLock starts easy and gets harder as you improve. The 25-level system tracks your accuracy and speed, automatically adjusting to keep you challenged. Start with basic addition. Work your way up to multi-step equations, percentages, and large multiplication. You'll be amazed how fast your mental math improves. GRACE PERIODS THAT FIT YOUR LIFE After solving, your apps stay unlocked for a window you choose — 5 minutes for a quick check, 30 minutes for a balanced session, 1 hour for extended use, or until midnight for a full day off. When time's up, the lock comes back automatically. STREAKS AND STATS Build a daily streak by solving at least one session per day. Track your accuracy, average solve time, current level, and total problems solved. Watch yourself get faster and sharper over time. Your best streak is always recorded — can you beat it? DESIGNED FOR ADULTS NumLock isn't a parental control. It's a tool for people who want to take back control of their own screen time while training their brain. Think of it as a gym membership for your mind that activates every time you reach for a distraction. FEATURES — Block any app on your iPhone — Mental math challenges on a clean number pad — 25 levels of adaptive difficulty — Streak tracking with best-streak records — Accuracy and speed stats dashboard — Configurable grace periods (5 min to all day) — Light and dark mode — No ads, no data collection, fully private SUBSCRIPTION NumLock requires an active subscription to use. — Monthly: $4.99/month — Annual: $39.99/year (7-day free trial) Payment is charged to your Apple ID. Subscriptions auto-renew unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage subscriptions in Settings → Apple ID → Subscriptions. Terms of Use (EULA): https://apptato.github.io/numlockapp/terms.html Privacy Policy: https://apptato.github.io/numlockapp/privacy.html

About

CalcGate | App Lock with Math

Features
Read full description

CalcGate is a screen time control app designed for people who want to break the habit of opening distracting apps without thinking. Have you ever opened social media “just for a minute,” only to lose track of time? Do you find yourself checking your phone when you should be studying, working, or focusing? Do app limits feel too easy to ignore or turn off? CalcGate adds a simple but effective moment of friction before you can reopen restricted apps. Choose the apps or app categories you want to limit, start a lock, and CalcGate will require you to solve math challenges before access can be restored early. Unlike blockers that can be dismissed instantly, CalcGate is designed to make you pause and ask yourself: “Do I really want to open this app right now?” To unlock early, every math problem must be answered correctly. If you make a mistake, your progress resets and the challenge starts again from the beginning. This small hurdle helps interrupt automatic habits like repeatedly opening social media, video apps, games, or other distractions without thinking. CalcGate is useful for study sessions, deep work, productivity, reading, reducing late-night scrolling, managing screen time, and building healthier digital routines. Key features: ・Restrict selected apps or app categories ・Start instant locks anytime ・Create recurring daily lock schedules ・Unlock early by solving math challenges ・Customize challenge difficulty and question count ・Reset progress after incorrect answers CalcGate is not about completely avoiding your phone. It is about using your phone more intentionally. Whether you want to improve focus, study without distractions, reduce social media overuse, build better habits, or create a healthier relationship with your device, CalcGate helps you pause before you tap. Start using CalcGate today and build the habit of thinking before unlocking.

Screenshots

NumLock4 screens
CalcGate | App Lock with Math4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: CalcGate | App Lock with Math at none against NumLock's 2. NumLock's advantage is iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.2). On price, 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. NumLock sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. CalcGate | App Lock with Math asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard2 real differences · 4 level
NumLock versus CalcGate | App Lock with Math: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNumLockCalcGate | App Lock with Math
PriceFreeFree
Update frequency—Every 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS17.0 — better26.2
Further details — not scored
Size2 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPeter LiHIDEYUKI INAGAKI

In-app purchases

2 purchases

NumLock

Subscriptions2
  • NumLock Pro Monthly$4.991 Month
  • NumLock Pro Annual7 Days trial$39.991 Year
None

CalcGate | App Lock with Math

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is NumLock free?
NumLock is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is CalcGate | App Lock with Math free?
CalcGate | App Lock with Math is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do NumLock or CalcGate | App Lock with Math have ads?
Neither NumLock nor CalcGate | App Lock with Math shows ads.

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