Unlockr
Free
$0
Free forever
Download free- 1 rule protecting 1 app
- Every challenge, with your own target and reward
- Schedules, streak and stats
- Daily Breathe bonus
Unlockr vs ScreenZen An honest comparison
vs
Looking for a
ScreenZen alternative?
Unlockr is a ScreenZen alternative for people who find a wait too easy to sit through. ScreenZen makes you wait before an app opens; Unlockr makes you do something: 20 squats, a plank or a quick Math round earns minutes that only count while you use the app. ScreenZen is free; Unlockr is free for one app.
Unlockr vs ScreenZen at a glance
| Feature | Unlockr | ScreenZen |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free for 1 app; Premium $34.99/yr | Free, optional tips |
| What you do to get in | Finish a challenge | Wait out a delay |
| Delay that grows each open | No | Yes |
| Exercise to unlock | Yes, counted on device | No |
| Strict block | No, you can always earn your way in | Yes |
| Schedules | Yes, up to 8 rules | Yes, per day and app |
| Breathing while you wait | Daily Breathe, once a day | Yes |
Pricing and features checked November 2026. Sources: ScreenZen on the App Store.
What ScreenZen does well
- It is free, with no plan limits. Tips are optional.
- Very fine control: delays that grow with each open, limits, strict blocks by time range or number of opens, and per-day schedules.
- Locks on its own settings, so you can't quietly loosen them in a weak moment.
- Loved by its users: 4.9 stars from more than 53,000 ratings on the US App Store.
When ScreenZen is the better choice
If you want a capable, completely free tool and you are happy to fine-tune delays and limits, ScreenZen is hard to beat. Unlockr is worth a look if waiting has stopped working for you, and you would rather spend those seconds moving or thinking than staring at a timer.
Why try Unlockr
- Effort, not willpower — a set of squats, push-ups or a plank, or a Math or Memory round, stands between you and the app. Much harder to tap past on autopilot.
- Time that only counts while you use it — earned minutes tick down only while the app is open, so locking your phone never wastes them. They reset at midnight.
- Rules that follow your day — up to 8 rules for work hours, evenings or your own schedule, each with its own apps, challenge and reward.
- The camera stays on your iPhone — reps are counted on device. No frame is saved or uploaded, and Math, Memory and Breathe don't need the camera at all.
- Built and answered by one developer — Unlockr is made by Tin in Da Nang, Vietnam. When you email support, he answers.
Frequently asked questions
Is ScreenZen really free?
Yes. ScreenZen's features are free and tips are optional. Unlockr is free for one rule protecting one app, with Premium for more.
Which one is stricter?
It depends on your settings. ScreenZen can strictly block apps for time ranges or after a number of opens. Unlockr always lets you back in, but only after a challenge.
What people say about Unlockr.
★★★★★
Really help me reduce screen time 🥹
★★★★★
Very helpful app. Should use this to improve your health and reduce using your phone every day.
★★★★★
This app is very useful. It offers different ways to improve your health, and it also helps curb overusing your phone for entertainment.
★★★★★
Really suited to helping cut down daily phone use.
Pricing
Premium Best value: yearly
$34.99/year
3-day free trial for eligible users · or $5.99/month, $2.99/week, $69.99 once
Start free trial- Multiple apps, whole categories and websites
- Up to 8 rules for different times of day
- Everything in Free
- If Premium ends, your rules stay saved
Prices in US dollars. The App Store shows your local price before you buy.
More comparisons
Ready to earn your screen time?
Start free with one protected app. It takes a minute to set up.
Download on theApp Store