Comparison

MonkeyLock vs Workout Lock

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

Head to head
About

MonkeyLock

This app helps you regain control of your phone usage by requiring physical activity or brain games to earn screen time. It locks distracting apps until you complete tasks like push-ups or walking, making screen time a reward for movement.

Highlights
  • Earn screen time through workouts
  • Unlock apps with physical activity
  • Camera-tracked exercise detection
  • Integrates with Apple Health steps
  • Brain game challenges for credits
  • Habit tracking and gamification
Features
Read full description

Your phone locks the apps you choose. Your body opens them. Pick the apps that eat your day. When your minutes run out, MonkeyLock locks them — really locks them, using Apple's Screen Time system. To open them again, you move: push-ups, squats, sit-ups, lunges, jump rope. Your camera counts the reps on device. Every rep buys minutes back. That's the whole idea. No willpower required, because willpower is the thing that keeps failing. FREE TO USE The wall works free. Block as many apps as you like, earn as many minutes as you like, keep your streak, keep your history. There is no trial timer and nothing expires. HOW IT WORKS • Choose the apps to put behind the wall • When your balance hits zero, they lock • Do the reps — your camera counts them, nothing is recorded or uploaded • Minutes go back in the bank and your apps open • Brain games and Apple Health steps earn a little on the side THE WALL IS HONEST ABOUT ITSELF An app you add to the wall goes on instantly. Taking one off waits until the next morning. That delay is deliberate: it means the wall does not move at the exact moment you most want it to. And when you genuinely need in — an airport, a wedding, a message that will not wait — Break Glass gives you five minutes for a ten-second hold. Three a day. No reps, no cost, nothing owed tomorrow. A blocker that only ever says no is a blocker people delete. BUILT TO STAY OUT OF YOUR WAY • Everything happens on your device. No account, no sign-up, no servers. • Camera frames are processed live and thrown away. Nothing is saved or sent. • No ads. No tracking. WHAT YOU GET FOR SHOWING UP Ranks, streaks with a couple of mercy days, and a Sunday page that shows the week you actually had — how many days the wall held, and what changed. Requires iPhone with iOS 17 or later. Screen Time permission is needed for blocking to work; MonkeyLock asks for it during setup and explains why.

About

Workout Lock

Read full description

Does your phone keep distracting you during workouts? -> Yes Do your workouts take longer because you get stuck doomscrolling? -> Yes Then Workout Lock is for you. Workout Lock blocks distracting apps while you train, and helps you stay on pace. Your time at the gym stays focused on training, and your workouts finish on time. TRACK WORKOUTS HOW YOU LIKE ------------------------------------ Workout Lock supports multiple ways of tracking your workout sessions: 1. Timed (simplest) You define a plain time block for your workout. Distracting apps stay blocked until your workout time is up. 2. Checklist (most flexible) You list the exercises or tasks you have to complete for a day's workout and check them while you go through them. Apps stay blocked until the checklist is finished. 3. Guided (most professional) You define the exact exercises, sets, reps and rest times for your training session. Workout Lock guides you through the session, keeps track of your progress and helps you stay on pace with alerts, timers and progress indicators. BLOCK THE APPS GRAB YOUR ATTENTION ------------------------------------------- Choose the distracting apps and categories you tend to open at the gym. During your workout, Workout Lock keeps them blocked so checking your phone does not turn into another scrolling session. Keep your phone with you for the things you actually need at the gym, while keeping social media and other distractions out of the way. STAY ON PACE --------------- Guided workouts help you see whether you are ahead of or behind your target pace. Workout Lock tracks your progress through exercises, sets and rests, so you can notice when a workout is starting to drift before it runs long. BUILT WITH PRIVACY IN MIND ------------------------------ Workout Lock uses Apple’s Screen Time technology to block the apps and categories you choose during your workouts. This means Workout Lock doesn't see the actual apps you have installed and select to block, only Apple does. More about privacy at https://workout-lock.public-apps.com/privacy. TERMS Of USE --------------- https://workout-lock.public-apps.com/terms https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ HAVE FEEDBACK / IDEAS? -------------------------- Workout Lock is actively being improved. If you have an idea for a workout mode, feature or improvement that would help you stay focused and finish on time, send us a message.

Screenshots

MonkeyLock4 screens
Workout Lock4 screens

Verdict

The call

MonkeyLock and Workout Lock are too close to call on the numbers: across 5 compared parameters — price, ads, in-app purchases and device support among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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. MonkeyLock sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $64.99 per year and Workout Lock sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
MonkeyLock versus Workout Lock: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMonkeyLockWorkout Lock
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (4 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings4 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 10 days—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS17.016.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size60 MB43 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRYAN DAVID BURNSLudolf Takens

In-app purchases

1 purchases

MonkeyLock

Subscriptions1
  • MonkeyLock Pro Annual7 Days trial$64.991 Year
4 purchases

Workout Lock

Subscriptions3
  • Workout Lock$4.997 Days
  • Workout Lock Monthly3 Days trial$14.991 Month
  • Workout Lock Annual7 Days trial$69.991 Year
One-time1
  • Workout Lock Lifetime$179.99

Questions

Is MonkeyLock free?
MonkeyLock is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Workout Lock free?
Workout Lock is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do MonkeyLock or Workout Lock have ads?
Neither MonkeyLock nor Workout Lock shows ads.

Other comparisons