Comparison

OffScroll vs Arc Lock

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

Head to head
About

OffScroll

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Most screen time apps lock you out and leave you standing there. You see a block screen, close it, open the next app — and keep scrolling. OffScroll doesn't just take the feed away. It puts what you actually meant to do in its place. HOW IT WORKS 1. Set your limits Pick single apps or whole categories and give them a daily limit. OffScroll builds on Apple Screen Time, so it really blocks — it doesn't just remind you. 2. Write down what's waiting A plain list, no folders and no labels. Whatever is at the top is what matters most. 3. At your limit, you see that list When the time is used up, the block screen shows your three most important tasks. One tap takes you straight there. 4. You can unlock — but you have to explain yourself You can always get back into your apps. You just have to write down why. When the time runs out, OffScroll asks whether it was worth it. WHAT SETS OFFSCROLL APART The block screen isn't a dead end Other apps say "time's up" and that's that. OffScroll puts your open list in the same spot. You don't just lose something — you get something back. Unlocking costs you a sentence No password, no forced waiting period, no wall to fight against. Just one question: why now? That's the difference between a decision and a reflex — and it's why you can look back and see where your time actually went. Priority is simply the order No categories, no priority levels, no stars, no points. What's at the top matters. Drag to reorder, that's it. No leaderboards, no trophies The app reports, it doesn't cheer. You see your numbers — not your rank next to strangers. No account, no sign-up Download it, open it, go. There is nothing to register and no email address to hand over. EVERYTHING IT DOES Limits and blocking Ā· Daily limits for single apps or whole categories Ā· Real blocking through Apple Screen Time, not just a notice Ā· Block websites at all times — in Safari Ā· Cap your daily unlocks: 1 to 10 Ā· Choose how long an unlock lasts: 5, 10, 15 or 30 minutes Ā· A follow-up question after every unlock, asking whether it was worth it To-dos Ā· A list where the order is the priority — drag to reorder Ā· The top three appear on the block screen Ā· Completed items are struck through; one-off tasks disappear at the next day change, daily ones come back unchecked Ā· Swipe to pin Overview Ā· A ring with your real screen time and your daily goal Ā· Weekly overview with per-day bars and a goal line Ā· "Time saved" — measured against your screen time before OffScroll Ā· A streak for every day you kept your limits Ā· Unlocks taken and tasks completed per day Also Ā· Evening recap, Sunday weekly recap — both can be turned off Ā· Two colour worlds: Dark Blue or Black & Orange Ā· For iPhone and iPad PRIVATE, BECAUSE NOTHING LEAVES YOUR DEVICE OffScroll has no account, no sign-in, no server. Your limits, your to-dos and your usage data live on your iPhone only. Apple Screen Time doesn't even hand the app the names of the apps you block — we couldn't read them if we wanted to. SUBSCRIPTION Use OffScroll for free with one limit for an app, a category or a website, and up to 5 open to-dos. Pro unlocks unlimited limits (including whole groups of apps), daily to-dos, unlimited to-dos and the 7-day overview. Pro is available as a monthly or yearly subscription and starts with an immediate charge. Cancel any time in your App Store account settings. Privacy Policy: https://offscrollsupport-ship-it.github.io/offscroll-privacy/ Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Arc Lock

Features
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Companies fight for every second of your time to keep you distracted. Taking control of your screen time should be a human right, not something locked behind a paywall. Arc Lock blocks the apps and websites that eat your day, and once a block starts, it stays on. Every feature is free for everyone: no subscription, no account, no ads, no in-app purchases. SCHEDULES Pick apps, app categories and websites, choose the hours and days, and they lock on their own. Overnight windows like 11 PM – 7 AM work too (up to 22 hours). DAILY LIMITS Allow yourself a set time each day, from 5 minutes to 8 hours. See exactly how many minutes are used and left. When the time is used up, those apps lock until the limit resets: at midnight, or at the time you pick (say 4:00 AM, for late nights). A heads-up comes 5 minutes before. TIME-OUTS Not a full block, a pause. After a stretch of use, the apps take a short break, then open again. For example: after 20 minutes of short videos, a 10-minute break. It repeats all day and starts fresh at its reset time. BLOCK NOW Lock distractions right away, from 15 minutes to 12 hours. The Block now button is always one tap away. PLACES Pick one or more places on the map, like the library, your school or the gym, and the apps lock when you arrive. Each place block ends when you leave, or after a set time, whichever you choose, and starts only on the days you pick. Location access is asked for only when you set up a place block, and Arc Lock never sends your location anywhere. STRICT LOCK Every block can have Strict lock, and it's on by default. While a strict block runs: • it can't be stopped, loosened or deleted in Arc Lock • the date and time can't be changed by hand • the block screen has a single button: Close Daily limits and time-outs are locked in until they reset: you can make one stricter once a day, but looser settings only start at its next reset. Want a gentler block? Switch Strict lock off for that block, and you can stop it whenever you like. Switching Strict lock off for the whole app works right away: a block that's running or counting stays strict only until its own reset, or until it ends. DELETION PROTECTION On by default: no app can be deleted from your iPhone, Arc Lock included. Switching it off waits only until your strict blocks reset or end. LOCK-IN Freeze every rule for 1 to 30 days, even between blocks: no loosening, no deleting rules, no deleting apps. Changes you queued before it wait until it ends. WEBSITES BY ADDRESS Type a site like youtube.com and it's blocked in Safari and every other browser, in schedules, daily limits, time-outs and Block now. APPLE'S OWN LOOK Native lists and a compact Liquid Glass tab bar: Home, Blocks and Settings. Names are optional: a block without one is shown by its first app. Five themes (Navy, Graphite, Forest, Plum and Paper), each with a matching app icon. The phone-and-lock mark in the app closes while something is blocked. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Arc Lock works through Apple's Screen Time. Apple keeps your activity on your iPhone; Arc Lock never learns which apps you use and sends nothing anywhere. No account, no analytics, no tracking. OPEN SOURCE The complete source code is on GitHub under the MIT license: github.com/WeldingArc/arc-lock

Screenshots

OffScroll4 screens
Arc Lock4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Arc Lock at none against OffScroll's 2. On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Ā· Rating Ā· Positive reviews Ā· Number of ratings Ā· Update frequency Ā· Ads Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Monetization Ā· Best chart rank Ā· Devices Ā· Requires iOS

CostPrice Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Ads Ā· Monetization

Both are free to download. OffScroll sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Arc Lock asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

OffScroll ships an update weekly, Arc Lock every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference Ā· 5 level
OffScroll versus Arc Lock: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOffScrollArc Lock
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 8 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size7 MB7 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPaul Konrad BlumbergJUN HYUK CHOI

In-app purchases

2 purchases

OffScroll

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly7 Days trial$7.991 Month
  • Yearly7 Days trial$39.991 Year
None

Arc Lock

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is OffScroll free?
OffScroll is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Arc Lock free?
Arc Lock is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do OffScroll or Arc Lock have ads?
Neither OffScroll nor Arc Lock shows ads.
Which is updated more often, OffScroll or Arc Lock?
OffScroll ships an update weekly, and Arc Lock every 8 days. Most recently, OffScroll was updated on November 6, 2026 and Arc Lock on October 31, 2026.

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