# Normal vs OpenAppLock

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: OpenAppLock at none against Normal's 9. Normal's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs weekly) and ratings volume (44 vs 9). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Normal sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $5.00 per month. OpenAppLock asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Normal against 5.0 for OpenAppLock. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 44 and 9 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

Normal ships an update every 2 days, OpenAppLock weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Normal | OpenAppLock |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.9 (44 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/normal-screen-time-control/id6768861415/reviews) | **[5.0 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/openapplock/id6780259647/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **44** | 9 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 days** | Weekly |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 5 MB | 13 MB |
| Requires iOS | **18.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Normal Engineering Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896611331) | [Brendan Chen](https://appshunter.io/developer/1610821430) |

## What reviewers say

### Normal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/normal-screen-time-control/id6768861415)

This app helps you reduce phone usage by blocking selected applications by default. To access blocked apps, you must physically scan an NFC tag, QR code, or barcode, or be at a specific location. It offers granular control, timed unblocks, and scheduling to help you regain control of your screen time.

**Highlights:** Block apps via NFC, QR codes, and barcodes, Use any NFC tag, QR code, or barcode, Unblock/block specific apps, Timed unblocks, Scheduling, Granular control, Bypass prevention options

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Support | $5.00 | per month |
| Monthly Support | $10.00 | per month |
| Monthly Support | $20.00 | per month |
| One-time Donation | $5.00 | one-time |
| One-time Donation | $10.00 | one-time |
| One-time Donation | $20.00 | one-time |
| One-time Donation | $50.00 | one-time |
| One-time Donation | $100.00 | one-time |
| One-time Donation | $200.00 | one-time |


### OpenAppLock

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/openapplock/id6780259647)

This app helps you regain control of your screen time by blocking specific applications. You can set schedules, time limits, or open limits for apps, and even create custom rules to prevent unwanted usage.

**Highlights:** Block apps on a schedule, Set time or open limits, Preset and custom rules, Lock rule edits

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Normal free?

Normal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is OpenAppLock free?

OpenAppLock is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Normal or OpenAppLock?

OpenAppLock is rated higher. Normal averages 4.9 out of 5 from 44 ratings, while OpenAppLock averages 5.0 from 9 ratings.

### Do Normal or OpenAppLock have ads?

Neither Normal nor OpenAppLock shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Normal or OpenAppLock?

Normal ships an update every 2 days, and OpenAppLock weekly. Most recently, Normal was updated on November 5, 2026 and OpenAppLock on October 31, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*