Comparison

CardGate vs Math Shield

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

Head to head
About

CardGate

Features
Read full description

CardGate turns your phone's distractions into study motivation. Pick the apps that waste your time, bring your flashcards (or let AI generate them), and your phone won't open those apps until you pass a quiz. BUILT FOR β€’ Students grinding Anki for exams (USMLE, MCAT, A-levels, Abitur, bar prep) β€’ Language learners building vocab in Spanish, Japanese, German, and more β€’ Anyone trying to cut screen time β€” but tired of apps that just nag HOW IT WORKS 1. Pick the apps that distract you β€” Instagram, TikTok, games, anything 2. Add flashcards: import an Anki .apkg, paste a CSV, generate with AI, or use the built-in starter deck 3. Open a blocked app β€” tap "Take Quiz" on the shield. Pass to unlock the app 4. Track your streak and watch your screen time drop FLASHCARDS YOUR WAY β€’ Import Anki decks (.apkg) with full media β€” images, audio, cloze deletions, image occlusion, LaTeX/MathJax β€’ Paste CSV or TSV from Quizlet, Excel, or any spreadsheet β€’ Create cards directly in the app β€’ AI flashcard generator β€” paste your notes (or upload a .txt or .pdf) and get a deck back. Free with your own ChatGPT/Claude account using paste-back, or one-tap Direct AI with affordable credit packs (no subscription required) β€’ Built-in starter deck on first launch QUIZ MODES β€’ Flip β€” read the answer, self-grade β€’ Multiple Choice β€” AI-generated distractors or smart on-device fallbacks SMART STUDYING β€’ Card selection prioritizes cards you struggle with and haven't seen recently β€’ Wrong answers re-queue until you get them right EARN TIME MODE Don't want hard blocks? Switch on Earn Time β€” answer cards to bank screen-time minutes, then spend them on the apps you've blocked. PER-APP CONTROL β€’ Cooldowns so passing a quiz buys you 0–60 minutes of access before the shield returns β€’ Halfway and 1-minute-warning notifications before the shield comes back β€’ Set the card count required per app TRACK YOUR PROGRESS β€’ Daily streak β€’ Weekly and monthly study stats β€’ Recent quiz history FREE VS PREMIUM β€’ Free: 1 blocked app + 1 deck (up to 500 cards), Flip and Multiple Choice modes, paste-back AI generation, cooldowns, Earn Time mode, all stats β€’ Premium: unlimited blocked apps, unlimited decks, unlimited cards per deck, recurring AI credits each period β€’ Plus: pay-as-you-go AI credit packs for one-tap Direct AI generation β€” no subscription required PRIVACY FIRST All your data stays on your device. No accounts, no analytics, no ads, no tracking. AI generation only sends the text you choose to generate from β€” never your decks, browsing data, or anything else. ABOUT FAMILY CONTROLS (SCREEN TIME) CardGate uses Apple's official Family Controls / Screen Time APIs to block apps. You'll be asked to grant permission once during setup. Apps you select are tokenized by Apple β€” CardGate never sees the actual list of apps you've installed and never reads your screen. SUBSCRIPTION TERMS Premium is offered as Weekly, Monthly, Yearly auto-renewable subscriptions and a one-time Lifetime purchase. Subscriptions auto-renew unless canceled at least 24 hours before the period ends. Manage or cancel any time in Settings β†’ Apple ID β†’ Subscriptions. Privacy policy and terms linked below. EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Math Shield

Features
Read full description

Stay Focused with Math Shield Math Shield helps you reduce distractions and build better focus habits by placing a math challenge between you and your most distracting apps. Instead of mindlessly opening social media, games, or other time-wasting apps, you'll need to solve a math problem before gaining temporary access. This simple barrier helps break automatic habits and encourages intentional screen time. Key Features Block Distracting Apps: Choose the apps you want to limit and keep them locked during focus sessions. Unlock with Math Challenges: Solve math problems before accessing blocked apps. Temporary App Access: Gain limited access after successfully completing a challenge. Stay Productive: Create friction between impulses and distractions to help maintain focus. Easy Setup: Select apps, choose your preferences, and let Math Shield help you stay on track. Perfect For - Students who want to focus on studying - Professionals who need distraction-free work sessions - Anyone looking to reduce screen time - People building healthier digital habits Whether you're studying, working, reading, or spending time with family, Math Shield helps you take control of your attentionβ€”one challenge at a time. Download Math Shield and make every app unlock a conscious decision. To enjoy the full experience and to gain all the premium features, you can always purchase our Monthly, Yearly or Lifetime premium subscription pack. Math Shield will automatically charge your iTunes Account at the end of your subscription unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of your current period. Subscriptions renew at the original price. You can turn off auto-renew at any time and still receive full functionality until the end of your current period, but no refund can be provided for unused portions of the subscription. Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication, where applicable. All your previous purchases can be easily restored using the **Restore Purchase** option in the app. This will provide you access to all the premium features. You can view Math Shield Terms of Use & Privacy Policy. Terms of Use (EULA):Β  https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://github.com/vinothvino42/app-privacy-policy/blob/main/math-shield.md

Screenshots

CardGate4 screens
Math Shield4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Math Shield at every 2 days against CardGate's every 10 days. CardGate's advantage is iOS requirement (16.4 vs 26.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Both are free to download. CardGate sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days and Math Shield 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

CardGate ships an update every 10 days, Math Shield every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on September 13, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences Β· 4 level
CardGate versus Math Shield: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCardGateMath Shield
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 10 daysEvery 2 days β€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad β€” betteriPhone
Requires iOS16.4 β€” better26.0
Further details β€” not scored
Size6 MB20 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAdrian ScheibelhutVinoth Ramajeyam

In-app purchases

8 purchases

CardGate

Subscriptions3
  • Weekly Premium$1.997 Days
  • Monthly Premium$3.991 Month
  • Yearly Premium$24.991 Year
One-time5
  • Extra App Slot$0.69
  • Extra Deck Slot$0.69
  • 10 AI Credits$0.99
Show 2 more
  • 100 AI Credits$4.99
  • Lifetime Premium$34.99
3 purchases

Math Shield

Subscriptions2
  • Math Shield Pro Monthly$3.991 Month
  • Math Shield Pro Yearly3 Days trial$12.991 Year
One-time1
  • Math Shield Pro - Lifetime$19.99

Questions

Is CardGate free?
CardGate is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Math Shield free?
Math Shield is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do CardGate or Math Shield have ads?
Neither CardGate nor Math Shield shows ads.
Which is updated more often, CardGate or Math Shield?
CardGate ships an update every 10 days, and Math Shield every 2 days. Most recently, CardGate was updated on September 13, 2026 and Math Shield on September 20, 2026.

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