Comparison

Forge vs Up Lock

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

Head to head
About

Forge

This app locks your distracting applications and requires you to complete physical exercises, like squats, to earn back screen time. It gamifies fitness by tracking reps automatically and offers features like daily streaks and leaderboards to motivate users.

Highlights
  • App blocking
  • Automatic rep counting via camera
  • Gamified progress tracking
  • Daily streaks and leaderboards
  • Customizable screen time rules
  • Multiple exercise modes (Pro)
Features
Read full description

Your apps are locked. Your body is the key. Forge blocks the apps that eat your day and makes you earn every minute of screen time with real exercise. Squats in front of the camera, counted automatically on your iPhone. No equipment, no gym, no excuses. HOW IT WORKS 1. Pick the apps that steal your time: social media, video, games. 2. Choose how many minutes you want. 3. Do your squats. The camera counts every rep on device. 4. Your apps unlock. When time runs out, the shield comes back. WHY IT WORKS Willpower fails because quitting is free. Forge adds a price: movement. You stop scrolling on autopilot because every minute now costs effort, and the effort makes you stronger. EARN IT LIKE A GAME Forge Ranks: climb from Spark to Titan of the Forge as your lifetime score grows. Daily streaks keep you honest. A worldwide leaderboard of doers, by country. A FORGED stamp every time you finish a set. YOU SET THE RULES Free minutes per day if you want them: strict, balanced, or generous. Everything beyond that is earned. A three stage friction gate stops rage quitting. PRO, ONCE, FOREVER Squats are free forever. Forge Lifetime adds push up mode, walking mode (100 steps = 1 minute), full statistics, and encrypted backup. One purchase, family sharing included, no subscription. PRIVATE BY DESIGN The camera never records: pose detection runs entirely on your iPhone. No video is stored or uploaded. Ad-supported: the one-time Pro purchase removes every ad forever. No account required. Forge yourself stronger.

About

Up Lock

Read full description

Stop losing hours to apps designed to keep you hooked. Up Lock puts your most distracting apps behind a quick workout — so every time you reach for the scroll, you earn it back with your body. HOW IT WORKS • Choose the apps that eat your day — social media, games, whatever pulls you in. • When you open one, Up Lock asks for a few reps: push-ups, squats, or jumping jacks. • Your camera counts them live, on your device. Hit the target and the app unlocks for a timed window. • When the time's up, it locks again. Move to scroll — every time. BUILT TO ACTUALLY WORK • Real blocking. Up Lock uses Apple's Screen Time controls for genuine, system-level locking — not an honor system. • Counts reps for you. On-device pose detection tracks every rep with a live skeleton overlay. No manual tapping, no cheating. • Scaled to you. Tell Up Lock how many push-ups you can do and it tunes every target to your fitness level — challenging, never impossible. • Daily limits & streaks. Set how much unlock time you get per app each day, build a streak, and keep it alive. • See your progress. A stats page tracks time reclaimed, calories burned, workouts done, and total reps — "3,500 jumping jacks this year" hits different. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Everything runs on your device. The camera never records or uploads anything, there's no account to create, and we don't track you. Full policy at up-lock.app/privacy. WHO IT'S FOR Anyone tired of doomscrolling, breaking a phone habit, or up for trading screen time for real movement. Turn the thing that wastes your time into the thing that gets you moving. Earn your screen time. Rep by rep. — Up Lock Premium is an auto-renewing subscription (weekly or annual) that unlocks the full app. • Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase. • It renews automatically unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. • Manage or cancel anytime in your Apple Account settings. Terms of Use: https://up-lock.app/terms Privacy Policy: https://up-lock.app/privacy

Screenshots

Forge4 screens
Up Lock4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Forge at every 2 days against Up Lock's monthly. 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. Forge sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Up Lock sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Forge ships an update every 2 days, Up Lock monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 8 level
Forge versus Up Lock: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterForgeUp Lock
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 days — betterMonthly
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationAd-supported—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS17.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size21 MB19 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTaoufik JabbariMatt Baker

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Forge

One-time1
  • Forge Lifetime$39.99
2 purchases

Up Lock

Subscriptions2
  • Premium Access - Weekly$7.997 Days
  • Premium Access - Yearly$34.991 Year

Questions

Is Forge free?
Forge is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Up Lock free?
Up Lock is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Forge or Up Lock have ads?
Both Forge and Up Lock show ads.
Which is updated more often, Forge or Up Lock?
Forge ships an update every 2 days, and Up Lock monthly. Most recently, Forge was updated on October 28, 2026 and Up Lock on October 25, 2026.

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