keymate
App blocker · a friend holds the key

You lock your apps.
Someone else holds the key.

Keymate blocks TikTok, Instagram and the rest for real. To open one, you ask your guardian. They say yes. Or they say no.

Coming soon on theApp StoreHow it works
The moment of truth
No.

Your guardian just said no. Your thumb stops. You put the phone down. That is exactly why Keymate exists.

How it works

Three steps. Then it’s no longer your call.

01

Pick your apps

TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, whatever eats your evenings. Keymate locks them with Apple’s Screen Time: no “Ignore limit” button.

02

Hand over your key

Your partner, your roommate, your sister. One link is all it takes. Your guardian gets the app for free, and can hand you their key too.

03

They say yes. Or no.

You ask, they get a notification and grant 5, 15 or 30 minutes without opening the app. When time’s up, everything locks again by itself.

Why it works

You can lie to yourself. Not to someone else.

Social friction

Texting “can I open an app?” at 1 a.m. makes you think twice. Often you don’t even ask. That’s the whole point.

Nothing to bypass

Regular blockers are one tap away from off, and your brain knows it. Here there’s no “15 more minutes”: the decision isn’t in your hands.

Up to 3 guardians

First to answer decides.

Your request goes to all your guardians at once. The others see it’s been handled. Nobody is on call all night.

The joker

A real emergency? One joker a day.

5 minutes without waiting for anyone, to find an address or reply to a message. Your guardians see that you used it.

Pricing

7 days free. Your guardians pay nothing.

One subscription: yours. Being a guardian is free, no matter how many people you look after.

Best value

Yearly

$17.99 / year
  • Just $1.50 a month
  • 7-day free trial
  • Guardians are free

Monthly

$2.99 / month
  • 7-day free trial
  • Cancel anytime
  • Guardians are free

US prices. The App Store shows the price for your country. Billing and cancellation are handled by Apple, in your iPhone settings.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

Does my guardian need an iPhone?
Yes, Keymate is iPhone-only for now. Your guardian downloads the app for free and doesn’t need a subscription to look after you.
What if my guardian doesn’t answer?
Add a 2nd or 3rd guardian: your request goes to all of them, and the first to answer decides. An unanswered request expires after one hour, and your daily joker is there for real emergencies.
What does my guardian see?
Your first name, your requests (“Tom wants to open an app”, without saying which one), the answers, your joker, and an alert if you turn Keymate off. They never see your apps, your screen time or your messages: all of that stays on your iPhone.
Can I cheat?
You can always remove the Screen Time permission in iOS Settings: it’s your phone. But your guardians are notified. The point isn’t to lock you in, it’s that someone knows.
Is this parental control?
No. Keymate is made for adults. You choose your apps and your guardian, and you can stop whenever you want. Your guardian can’t block anything on your behalf.
Can I be someone’s guardian too?
Yes. When you accept an invitation, Keymate offers to hand over your own key. You look after each other, and one subscription is enough to be looked after.

Hand over your key. Take back your time.

Coming soon on theApp Store