Comparison

WritersLock vs Boring Widget

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

Head to head
About

WritersLock

This app helps you reduce screen time by requiring you to write a journal entry before unlocking distracting apps. It offers various writing modes and tracks your progress to build a consistent habit.

Highlights
  • Blocks distracting apps
  • Requires daily writing entry
  • Multiple writing modes
  • Tracks streaks and progress
  • Vacation mode
  • Handwriting recognition
Features
Read full description

Write first. Scroll later. WritersLock is the writing app that makes daily writing a breeze by locking your apps until you've written. At the writing times you choose, your most distracting apps lock themselves and they stay locked until you write 20+ words. Once you've written, everything opens back up. THE PROBLEM ISN'T WILLPOWER The thoughts you keep meaning to write down lose to the feed every morning. Most screen time and app blocker tools just take your phone away—and willpower alone rarely lasts past the first hard day. WritersLock takes a different path. Instead of only saying "no," it gives you a small, meaningful thing to do first: write. It turns "stop scrolling" from a daily battle into a habit you actually keep. HOW IT WORKS 1. Your apps lock. At your chosen writing times, the apps you picked lock—no way past them but to write. 2. You write today's entry. Free journal, gratitude log, dream diary, or a guided prompt. Hit a small, repeatable word goal. 3. Your apps unlock. The words are down, your apps open, and your streak grows. FOUR WAYS TO WRITE - Free Journal — a blank page for whatever's on your mind - Gratitude Log — note what you're grateful for in seconds - Dream Diary — capture last night's dream before it fades - Creative Prompt — a fresh daily writing prompt so you never face a blank page BUILT TO ACTUALLY STICK - Per-app blocking — lock only the apps that pull you away (social media, news, games). Everything else keeps working. - Your writing times — set when the locks hold the line: morning, midday, night, or all three. - Streaks & momentum — track entries, words written, and your daily streak with a writing-days view. A simple habit tracker for your writing practice. - Vacation mode — take a day off without breaking your habit. It's practice, not punishment. - Snap to journal — write by hand and photograph the page; WritersLock reads it on-device and counts it as today's entry. No typing required. WHY IT WORKS Big changes rarely survive contact with a busy morning. Small ones do. WritersLock is built around tiny, repeatable wins: a few minutes of writing, tied to the moment you'd normally reach for the feed. Do it once and you've journaled. Do it daily and you've built a practice. The streak keeps you honest; the word goal keeps it easy. GREAT FOR - Reducing screen time and doomscrolling without a full digital detox - Building a daily journaling, gratitude, or dream-logging habit - Anyone who keeps meaning to start journaling but never quite does - Writers, students, and creatives who want a daily writing practice - Supporting mindfulness, self care, and mental wellbeing through reflective writing PRIVATE BY DESIGN Your writing is yours. Entries never leave your device—we only ever see anonymous metadata like word count, duration, streak, and which mode you used. We never read or track what you write. WritersLock uses Apple Screen Time only to lock and unlock the apps you choose. WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING "My days start with clarity. I know what I want and I know how I feel. It's already changing me." "Actually helped me build the habit—small daily wins that add up over months and years." Trade endless scrolling for a writing habit that finally sticks — starting tomorrow morning. WritersLock is a subscription with a 3-day free trial. No payment is due up front, and you can cancel anytime. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://getwriterslock.com/privacy

About

Boring Widget

Read full description

Boring Widget turns your Home Screen into something you actually enjoy looking at — minimal, monochrome-first widgets with real customization, not endless clutter. WIDGETS • Clock — a clean, distraction-free time display • Date — day and date at a glance • Battery — an elegant charge ring • Photo — your own picture, beautifully framed • Countdown — track days until anything that matters • Quote — a rotating line of inspiration, every day MAKE IT YOURS Every widget supports multiple themes and fonts, from soft neutrals to bold monochrome, so your Home Screen matches your style — not the other way around. SIMPLE TO ADD Design your widget in the app, then add it to your Home Screen in a few taps. Change your mind anytime — edit any widget's look whenever you like. GO PREMIUM Unlock every widget type, all theme palettes, and every premium font with a single subscription or one-time purchase — no ads, ever. Boring Widget is built for people who want their phone to feel calm, clean, and entirely their own. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

WritersLock4 screens
Boring Widget4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Boring Widget at every 2 days against WritersLock's weekly. 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. WritersLock sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and Boring Widget sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

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

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
WritersLock versus Boring Widget: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterWritersLockBoring Widget
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (10 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings10 — better—
Update frequencyWeeklyEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS16.416.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size59 MB4 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperDevin StarksSatyam Tiwari

In-app purchases

3 purchases

WritersLock

Subscriptions2
  • WritersLock Pro — Monthly$5.991 Month
  • WritersLock Pro — Yearly3 Days trial$29.991 Year
One-time1
  • WritersLock Pro — Lifetime$79.99
3 purchases

Boring Widget

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Premium$2.991 Month
  • Annual Premium$19.991 Year
One-time1
  • One Time Purchase$39.99

Questions

Is WritersLock free?
WritersLock is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Boring Widget free?
Boring Widget is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do WritersLock or Boring Widget have ads?
Neither WritersLock nor Boring Widget shows ads.
Which is updated more often, WritersLock or Boring Widget?
WritersLock ships an update weekly, and Boring Widget every 2 days. Most recently, WritersLock was updated on November 5, 2026 and Boring Widget on October 31, 2026.

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