Comparison

App Block vs ReadLock

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

Head to head
About

App Block

Features
Read full description

Make distraction earn its place in your day. Read to Unlock blocks the apps that usually win your attention, and gives them back only once you have read for them. Every page is worth 1 minute. Pass a short quiz to prove you understood it, and those minutes go into your balance — spend them on TikTok, Instagram or YouTube whenever you want. HOW IT WORKS 1. Pick the apps to block — the ones that usually get the first tap 2. Read inside the app — every page you read earns 1 minute 3. Pass the quiz — answer 3 questions, get 2 right, and the minutes are banked 4. Spend your balance — activate minutes whenever you want your apps back There is no daily goal and no minimum. Read as much or as little as you want. Your balance carries across days, so nothing you earned is ever lost at midnight. FEATURES • Blocks distracting apps through iOS Screen Time • 1 page = 1 minute, with a balance that carries over between days • A built-in book library, so you can start reading in the first minute • Import your own EPUB and PDF files (Pro) • A 3-question comprehension quiz written by AI from the pages you just read • Track pages read, minutes earned and your reading streak • Fully translated into 25 languages, switchable at any time FREE AND PRO Free gives you one blocked app, one book from the library and the full earning loop. Pro unlocks every distracting app, the whole library, EPUB and PDF imports, and one shared minute balance across everything you read. From $4.99 per month, or $29.99 per year. Works on iPhone with iOS 17 or later. Reading is the price of the feed. Download Read to Unlock and read first. Privacy Policy: https://readtounlock.org/privacy Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

ReadLock

This app requires users to read a page from a selected text before granting access to blocked apps, categories, or websites. It utilizes Apple's Screen Time system to enforce focus and offers a library of public-domain classics for reading material.

Highlights
  • Earn app access through reading
  • Block apps, categories, and websites
  • Schedule reading locks
  • Manual app locking
  • Built-in reader with public-domain classics
  • Track local reading progress
Features
Read full description

ReadLock makes you read before you scroll. If app blockers are too easy to ignore, ReadLock gives your phone a real forcing function: your selected apps, categories, and websites stay blocked until you read one page. Choose what you want to block, set your reading times, then let ReadLock hold the line. When it is time to read, ReadLock uses Apple's Screen Time and Family Controls system to shield your selected distractions. Finish one page in the built-in reader, and your apps unlock. Why people use ReadLock: - Earn access instead of relying on willpower - Block chosen apps, app categories, and websites - Schedule reading locks for morning, midday, or evening - Lock apps manually when you need a reset - Read bundled public-domain classics like Pride and Prejudice, Frankenstein, Crime and Punishment, and Sherlock Holmes - Track local reading progress in a simple library - Get optional reading reminders and unlock notifications ReadLock is for the moment when you catch yourself opening the same app again and again, even though you meant to do literally anything else. Instead of another dismissible reminder, it turns one page of reading into the key that gets you back in. Read first. Scroll later. Notes: - App blocking requires Screen Time permission and a selected app, category, or website. - Blocking behavior can vary based on iOS, device settings, and the selections you choose. - Full access requires an auto-renewing subscription. Trial, price, and renewal details are shown before purchase. - Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

App Block4 screens
ReadLock3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: ReadLock at every 5 days against App Block's every 4 weeks. On price, ads, in-app purchases 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. App Block sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and ReadLock sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

App Block ships an update every 4 weeks, ReadLock every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 8 level
App Block versus ReadLock: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterApp BlockReadLock
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Number of ratings—2 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 weeksEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Free with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size24 MB27 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperAskhat BakitovMATTHEW HENRY FOSTER

In-app purchases

2 purchases

App Block

Subscriptions2
  • Read to Unlock Pro$4.991 Month
  • Read to Unlock Pro$29.991 Year
2 purchases

ReadLock

Subscriptions2
  • Read Lock Pro Monthly7 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Read Lock Pro Yearly7 Days trial$39.991 Year

Questions

Is App Block free?
App Block is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ReadLock free?
ReadLock is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do App Block or ReadLock have ads?
Neither App Block nor ReadLock shows ads.
Which is updated more often, App Block or ReadLock?
App Block ships an update every 4 weeks, and ReadLock every 5 days. Most recently, App Block was updated on October 8, 2026 and ReadLock on October 7, 2026.

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