Comparison

Align vs Deadbolt

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

Head to head
About

Align

Read full description

Most of the time you open Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube, you didn't decide to. Your hand just moved. Align is the pause between the impulse and the app: a moment to notice what you're about to do, and choose on purpose instead. ## HOW IT WORKS Choose the apps you want to use more intentionally. Each time you try to open one, Align pauses for a moment and asks whether this is what you really want to do. If you choose to continue, you can exchange your Energy Points for access to that app. If you don't have enough Energy Points, you'll earn them by completing a short habit. • Choose the apps that distract you most • Pause before opening them • Exchange Energy Points for app access • Complete short habits whenever you need to earn more Energy Points • Build healthier habits without giving up the apps you enjoy THE LOOP Pick a habit, start the timer, and follow it through. When it's done, you earn energy, and energy converts into unlock time for the apps you've protected. Healthy habits come first. Scrolling comes second, and on purpose. DESIGNED TO FEEL CALM Align isn't built to gamify your attention or guilt you into "less screen time." It's quiet and minimal, built around reflection: short moments to notice your triggers, your patterns, and what you actually want your time to go toward. YOUR DATA STAYS YOURS Align uses Apple's Screen Time and Family Controls frameworks directly on your device. We never see which apps you use or when. That stays on your phone. Align is for anyone tired of reaching the end of the day without knowing where their attention went, and who wants a calmer, more intentional relationship with their phone. Terms of Use (EULA): https://align-website-cyan.vercel.app/terms

About

Deadbolt

Features
Read full description

Your phone works for you now. Deadbolt locks away the apps that eat your day — Instagram, TikTok, whatever your poison is — for exactly as long as you choose. Turn the dial, tap "Bolt it", and they're gone until the timer runs out. NO WILLPOWER REQUIRED That's the point. When you try to open a blocked app, Deadbolt turns you away — with a dry one-liner instead of a lecture. STRICT MODE No early exit, no "just five minutes." Sessions end when they end. AN EMERGENCY EXIT THAT COSTS YOU Really need out early? Request an emergency exit — then wait out a 10-minute cooldown while Deadbolt asks if you're sure. Impulses don't survive ten minutes. Emergencies do. DAILY BLOCKS Lock the same hours automatically, every day. Nights, work mornings, study blocks — they run even when Deadbolt is closed. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Built on Apple's Screen Time framework. The apps you block and how you use your phone never leave your device — we can't see them, and we never track them. No account required. Deadbolt is free to start — bolt your apps for 15 minutes, twice a day, no account needed. Deadbolt Pro unlocks everything: sessions up to 8 hours, Strict Mode with its exit challenges, daily schedules, location locks, allow-only mode, and your full focus history. The exact price and billing period are shown in the app before you subscribe. Subscriptions are billed to your Apple ID and renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel anytime in your App Store account settings. Terms of Use (EULA): https://trydeadbolt.app/terms Privacy Policy: https://trydeadbolt.app/privacy

Screenshots

Align4 screens
Deadbolt4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Deadbolt at every 2 days against Align's every 3 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. Align sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month and Deadbolt sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Align ships an update every 3 weeks, Deadbolt every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 7 level
Align versus Deadbolt: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAlignDeadbolt
PriceFreeFree
Rating1.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS16.2 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size44 MB17 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAlisher AbdulinAkshit Kanaujia

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Align

Subscriptions2
  • Align Premium Monthly$7.991 Month
  • Align Premium Yearly7 Days trial$39.991 Year
3 purchases

Deadbolt

Subscriptions3
  • Deadbolt Pro$4.991 Month
  • Deadbolt Pro Yearly$14.991 Year
  • Deadbolt Pro$29.991 Year

Questions

Is Align free?
Align is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Deadbolt free?
Deadbolt is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Align or Deadbolt have ads?
Neither Align nor Deadbolt shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Align or Deadbolt?
Align ships an update every 3 weeks, and Deadbolt every 2 days. Most recently, Align was updated on October 24, 2026 and Deadbolt on October 25, 2026.

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