Comparison

OnLock vs LockIn

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

Head to head
About

OnLock

This app enforces focus by locking distracting applications at the operating system level. It uses AI to verify study sessions with photos, ensuring your progress is genuine and building an earned streak. Features include scheduled blocks, intent journaling, and focus intelligence insights.

Highlights
  • OS-level distraction blocking
  • AI-verified study sessions
  • Streak building
  • Scheduled recurring blocks
  • Intent journaling
  • Focus intelligence insights
  • Home screen widgets
Features
Read full description

Studying doesn't fail because you're lazy. It fails because Instagram is one swipe away, and willpower is not a strategy. OnLock is the block you can't talk yourself out of. When a session starts, OnLock locks your distractions at the operating system level using Apple's Family Controls. No "5 more minutes." No uninstall trick. The shield holds until you finish. But blocking is the easy part. The hard part is proving the work was real. Before any session counts toward your streak, OnLock's AI reviews a photo of what you did. No proof, no credit. THE SHIELD • Un-bypassable OS-level enforcement built on Apple's Family Controls • Locks the apps that derail you: social, games, browsers, anything • Holds through restarts, app deletion, and panic uninstalls • Schedule recurring blocks for the hours you always slip AI PROOF • Submit a photo of your notes, work, or finished problem set • AI verifies the session was genuine study before your streak counts • Catches the "I just sat there" sessions you'd rather forget • Builds a streak you actually earned THE INTERVENTION • A quiet pause before every session to ask if this is really study time • Journal your intent so distraction has to argue with your own words • Reflect after to see what is actually working THE WHY ON A TIMER • Plot your exams on a real countdown • Every session lands against the clock • See what each lost hour costs you FOCUS INTELLIGENCE • Learns your peak hours, worst blockers, and patterns • Tells you when to study and when to stop pretending • Your data, your insight, never shared ALWAYS ON • Home screen widgets in three sizes • Lock screen complications for glanceable streaks • Quick Study: one tap and you're locked in THE AESTHETIC A calm, editorial interface designed to feel nothing like the apps it replaces. No infinite scroll. No screaming notifications. No dopamine arcade. Just focus. PRIVACY • Screen time data stays on your device • Built on Apple's native Family Controls and Screen Time APIs • Photos for AI proof are reviewed and discarded • No tracking, no sale, no leak FREE Every feature above is included, free. No subscription, no upsells, no locked tools. Stop trying harder. Start being unable. OnLock. The focus you can't undo. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://onlock-api.joshuawang2048.workers.dev/legal/privacy

About

LockIn

Discover quiet and productive spaces like cafes, libraries, and coworking spots. Get real-time updates on noise levels, crowdedness, and amenities. Track your focus time and find your ideal work or study environment.

Highlights
  • Live map of study spots
  • Real-time noise and crowd reports
  • WiFi and outlet availability
  • Study session tracker
  • Trending quiet spots
  • User-submitted reports
  • Favorite spot saving
Features
Read full description

LockIn helps you find the perfect place to focus — whether you're a student, remote worker, freelancer, or anyone who needs to escape distractions. KEY FEATURES: - Live map of nearby study-friendly cafes, libraries, and coworking spots - Real-time noise levels and crowdedness reports from real users - WiFi quality, outlet availability, and bathroom access info - Study session tracker to log your focus time - Trending tab to discover the quietest spots in your area - Submit reports to help fellow students find the best places - Save your favorite spots for quick access LockIn Pro ($4.99/mo or $39.99/yr — 3-day free trial on annual): - Unlimited venue views per day - Advanced filters (quiet hours, study-only spots, and more) - Bathroom codes shared by other students - 7-day noise & crowd trend charts - Time-of-day insights (quietest hours, best WiFi times) - Full study analytics (streaks, total hours, top spots) - Unlimited favorites - Ad-free experience Whether you're cramming for finals, working remotely, or just need a quiet place to think — LockIn finds your spot. Subscription auto-renews unless canceled 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage your subscription in your App Store account settings. Created by Theo Seitzman Terms of Use: https://sites.google.com/view/lockinterms/home

Screenshots

OnLock4 screens
LockIn4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: OnLock at none against LockIn's 2. LockIn's advantage is update cadence (every 8 days vs every 5 weeks) and ratings volume (8 vs 1). On price, rating, ads 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. LockIn sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. OnLock asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for OnLock against 5.0 for LockIn. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: LockIn has 8 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

OnLock ships an update every 5 weeks, LockIn every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
OnLock versus LockIn: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOnLockLockIn
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (8 ratings)
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings18 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksEvery 8 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size48 MB40 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTing Ting XuEllen Rapoport

Customer experience

OnLock

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

LockIn

All ratings8 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

OnLock

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

LockIn

Subscriptions2
  • LockIn Pro Monthly$4.991 Month
  • LockIn Pro Yearly3 Days trial$39.991 Year

Questions

Is OnLock free?
OnLock is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is LockIn free?
LockIn is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, OnLock or LockIn?
OnLock and LockIn are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 8 ratings respectively.
Do OnLock or LockIn have ads?
Neither OnLock nor LockIn shows ads.
Which is updated more often, OnLock or LockIn?
OnLock ships an update every 5 weeks, and LockIn every 8 days. Most recently, OnLock was updated on October 2, 2026 and LockIn on September 30, 2026.

Other comparisons