Lock In vs why?
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Lock In
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How many times have you opened an app "just to check something" — and lost an hour? Screen Time, Focus modes, reminders… you've probably tried them all, and skipped every one with a single tap. The problem was never a lack of reminders. It's that skipping is too easy. Lock In gives you a lock you can't just tap past. Want to open a locked app? Wait out a cooldown first. Most urges don't survive ten minutes. HARD LOCK — STRONG ENOUGH TO STOP YOU (PRO) Opening a locked app means waiting out a 15, 30, or 60-minute cooldown first. Hardcore mode adds one more step: retype the note you wrote to yourself. Even deleting a commitment requires the same cooldown. No backdoor. SET IT ONCE, KEEP IT FOR AS LONG AS YOU CHOOSE Pick the apps you most want to quit and lock each one for a week, six months, or any number of days. Once a commitment starts, Lock In holds the line so "later" doesn't turn into "never." A GENTLE STOP EVERY TIME YOU REACH FOR IT Open a locked app and you'll first see a quote reminding you why you chose to focus — from timeless wisdom to iconic anime lines. A SELF-DISCIPLINE TOOL, NOT A CAGE There's always a way out when you truly need it: the soft lock lets you in for 15 minutes, and the hard lock opens once the cooldown ends. Lock In protects your decision — you stay in control. SEE YOUR PROGRESS Every urge you resist is turned into "time reclaimed," with a shareable weekly recap card. Not "how many times I held back," but "how much time I took back." STAYS ON YOUR PHONE No sign-up, no login, no servers. The apps you lock and your settings stay on your device — never uploaded, tracked, or sold. KEY FEATURES • Hard lock (Pro): wait out a 15/30/60-minute cooldown before opening • Hardcore mode (Pro): cooldown + retype your own note • Per-app lock periods: one week, six months, or custom • A quote appears every time you try to open a locked app • "Time reclaimed" stats and a shareable weekly recap • Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets • Fully on-device: no account, no tracking Lock In today and give your time back to what matters. Note: The app interface is currently available in Traditional Chinese. —————————— SUBSCRIPTIONS & PURCHASES Lock In is free to use with basic features (lock 1 app). Upgrade to unlock unlimited apps and all features: • Monthly subscription (auto-renewing) • Yearly subscription (auto-renewing) • Lifetime (one-time purchase, not a subscription) Prices vary by region and are shown in the app before purchase. • Payment is charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase. • Subscriptions renew automatically unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. • Your account is charged for renewal within 24 hours before the end of the current period. • Manage subscriptions or turn off auto-renew in your App Store account settings after purchase. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://lockweb-8fd2.vercel.app/
why?
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why? We don’t think your phone is the enemy. And we don’t think every minute on your screen is a minute wasted. Sometimes you open Instagram because you need to reply to someone. Sometimes you open YouTube because you want to watch something. Sometimes you just want to do nothing. That’s okay. The problem isn’t using your phone. The problem is using it without choosing to. We unlock. We tap. We scroll. And somewhere along the way, we stop knowing why we started. So we built why? Not to block you. Not to shame you. Not to tell you how many hours of your life you’ve wasted. Just one small question, at the moment it matters: Why? Why are you opening this? What are you looking for? What do you actually want to do? Sometimes, asking the question is enough. Sometimes, you’ll realize you do want to continue. Good. Continue. Sometimes you’ll realize you don’t. Good. Close it. Both are wins. Because the goal isn’t less screen time. The goal isn’t perfect discipline. The goal isn’t becoming someone who never scrolls. The goal is something much simpler: To put you back in the driver’s seat. A phone should be a tool you pick up, not a place you disappear into. So pause. Ask yourself. And choose. Why? FREE & PRO why? is free for two apps. Pro removes the two-app limit. The yearly plan includes a 7-day free trial. Monthly and yearly subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current subscription period. Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase and, for renewals, within 24 hours before the end of the current subscription period. You can manage or cancel your subscription in your Apple Account settings after purchase. Lifetime is a one-time purchase and does not renew. REQUIREMENTS why? requires Screen Time access, which iOS requests during setup. You can withdraw this permission at any time. Showing all three answers together requires iOS 26.4 or later. On earlier versions, the question still appears with one answer and a way back. Fifteen minutes is the shortest access window Apple’s system allows. PRIVACY No account. No sign-up. No ads. No tracking. Your data stays on your device. TERMS Privacy Policy: commalabs.co/why/privacy Terms of Use: commalabs.co/why/terms Apple Standard EULA: apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: why? at none against Lock In's shown. why? also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs fortnightly). Lock In's advantage is iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). On price, 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
Both are free to download. Lock In sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and why? sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Lock In ships an update fortnightly, why? every 5 days. Both last shipped on October 25, 2026.
| Parameter | Lock In | why? |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Every 5 days — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 104 MB | 9 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | CHIAYU SUN | Comma Labs |
In-app purchases
Lock In
- Premium 月繳$4.991 Month
- Premium 年繳$24.991 Year
- Premium 買斷$59.99
why?
- Monthly$2.991 Month
- Yearly$9.991 Year
- Lifetime$24.99









