Comparison

InwardFocus vs OpenAppLock

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

Head to head
About

InwardFocus

This app helps you regain control of your screen time by blocking distracting applications on a set schedule. It replaces access to blocked apps with daily affirmations, promoting intentionality and habit change. Blocking is enforced by your device's built-in screen time technology.

Highlights
  • Scheduled app blocking
  • Customizable focus schedules
  • Daily affirmation replacement
  • Home screen widget
  • Temporary access requests
  • On-device privacy
Read full description

Focus app blocker free. You don't have a discipline problem. You have a phone designed to steal your attention. InwardFocus blocks distracting apps on iphone with a schedule you set. Protect your morning, before bed time and after work from your distracted apps. every time you reach for a blocked app out of habit, it pauses you from accessing the apps. Come with widget that shows you a daily affirmation instead of your feed. You don't just block the scroll. You replace it with who you're becoming. HOW IT WORKS 1. Create a focus schedule e.g. mornings, work hours, evenings, or all day 2. Choose which apps to block (social media, work related apps) 3. When the schedule starts, those apps are locked behind a shield screen. No more notifications, no messages from those apps during the schedule 4. Open a blocked app by habit? You see an affirmation, not a feed Blocking is enforced by Apple's Screen Time technology, the same system behind iOS parental controls. No willpower needed, the apps simply won't open. NEED A REAL BREAK? Life happens. Tap "Request 15 Minutes" on the block screen for a short window, then blocking resumes automatically. Enough flexibility to stay realistic, not enough to relapse into a two-hour scroll. AFFIRMATIONS THAT REWIRE THE HABIT Choose from 10 identity themes — I Am Disciplined, I Am Present, I Am Creator, I Am Enough, I Trust Myself, and more. Affirmations rotate throughout the day, so every pickup becomes a small moment of intention instead of a lost half hour. HOME SCREEN WIDGET Put your current affirmation right on your home screen, so the first thing you see is a reminder of who you are — not a notification badge. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Your schedules and blocked-app choices never leave your iPhone. All blocking happens on-device through Apple's Screen Time framework. We can't see which apps you block, and we don't want to. WHO IT'S FOR • You lose hours to social media, short videos, or mobile games without meaning to • You're tried of notifications and messaging from work related apps when it reach out side of office hours. • You've tried Screen Time limits but always tap "Ignore Limit" • You want your mornings and evenings back • You believe changing your habits starts with changing your identity InwardFocus is free. Take your time and power back. — InwardFocus requires iOS 18 or later and Screen Time permission (used only to block the apps you choose, on your device). Questions or ideas? support@inwardfocus.app

About

OpenAppLock

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
Read full description

Block apps and reclaim your screen time! - Block apps on a schedule, or add a time/open limit - Choose from preset rules, or create your own - Lock rule edits to prevent changes while blocking

Screenshots

InwardFocus4 screens
OpenAppLock4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: OpenAppLock at weekly against InwardFocus's every 3 months. OpenAppLock also leads on ratings volume (6 vs 1). InwardFocus's advantage is iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for InwardFocus against 5.0 for OpenAppLock. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: OpenAppLock has 6 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

InwardFocus ships an update every 3 months, OpenAppLock weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
InwardFocus versus OpenAppLock: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterInwardFocusOpenAppLock
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (6 ratings)
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings16 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS17.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size15 MB10 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNattha WarapasakulBrendan Chen

Customer experience

InwardFocus

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

OpenAppLock

All ratings6 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

InwardFocus

No in-app purchases

None

OpenAppLock

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is InwardFocus free?
InwardFocus is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is OpenAppLock free?
OpenAppLock is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, InwardFocus or OpenAppLock?
InwardFocus and OpenAppLock are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 6 ratings respectively.
Do InwardFocus or OpenAppLock have ads?
Neither InwardFocus nor OpenAppLock shows ads.
Which is updated more often, InwardFocus or OpenAppLock?
InwardFocus ships an update every 3 months, and OpenAppLock weekly. Most recently, InwardFocus was updated on October 14, 2026 and OpenAppLock on October 9, 2026.

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