What is KanjiLock used for?

KanjiLock is an iOS app that locks distracting apps with Screen Time until you practice kanji, using spaced repetition and handwriting recognition. It is a good fit for cutting doomscrolling while learning Japanese, studying kanji by JLPT level and short daily kanji sessions between apps.

How much does KanjiLock cost?

KanjiLock is a paid product with no free plan.

Is KanjiLock open source?

No. KanjiLock is proprietary (closed-source) software. In the Productivity category, open-source options include Foqos, NetNewsWire and Moodist.

What are some alternatives to KanjiLock?

KanjiLock competes with Freedom and Forest.

KanjiLock: features, pricing and alternatives

About KanjiLock

KanjiLock combines an app blocker with Japanese kanji study. You pick the apps that drain your day and Apple Screen Time shields them, and to unlock you open KanjiLock and complete a short practice session. The idea is that time you would have lost scrolling becomes learning.

Practice sessions trade for unlock time: a two-minute sprint earns 15 minutes, a 10-minute practice 30 minutes and a 20-minute deep dive 45 minutes. You can draw kanji by hand with on-device recognition that checks strokes and shows stroke order, match a kanji to its reading, or recall the kanji for an English meaning. A scheduling system based on FSRS spaced repetition decides what to review.

Content covers all 2,136 Joyo kanji sorted by JLPT level, with ten theme packs and custom packs, plus a kanji of the hour widget for the Home and Lock Screen, streaks, stats and a weekly recap. The app is free with in-app purchases and supports 16 languages.

Key features

App blocking through Apple Screen Time
Unlock time earned by kanji practice
Handwriting practice with stroke order
Reading and meaning recall exercises
FSRS spaced repetition scheduling
All 2,136 Joyo kanji by JLPT level
Kanji widget for Home and Lock Screen

Good fit for

Cutting doomscrolling while learning Japanese
Studying kanji by JLPT level
Short daily kanji sessions between apps

Tags: ios; app-blocker; kanji; japanese; focus; spaced-repetition; screen-time

KanjiLock: questions and answers

What is KanjiLock used for?: KanjiLock is an iOS app that locks distracting apps with Screen Time until you practice kanji, using spaced repetition and handwriting recognition. It is a good fit for cutting doomscrolling while learning Japanese, studying kanji by JLPT level and short daily kanji sessions between apps.
How much does KanjiLock cost?: KanjiLock is a paid product with no free plan.
Is KanjiLock open source?: No. KanjiLock is proprietary (closed-source) software. In the Productivity category, open-source options include Foqos, NetNewsWire and Moodist.
What are some alternatives to KanjiLock?: KanjiLock competes with Freedom and Forest.