Shale App - iOS Flashcard Screen Time Blocker: Unlock your brain.
The Shale app blocks distracting apps like TikTok and Instagram until you finish quick flashcards. Earn your scroll through micro-learning.
Three steps. No willpower needed.
Built-in screen time limits are easy to dismiss with one tap. Shale replaces them with a simple trade.
Block what distracts you
Pick TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, mobile games, or literally any app on your phone. When you try to open them, Shale steps in.
Answer flashcards
Practice Spanish, review for an exam, or study custom decks right when you reach for your phone.
1 card = 1 minute
Every card you complete earns you 1 minute of screen time. Answer 5 cards to unlock 5 minutes of scrolling. You learn first, scroll after.
Apple Screen Time limits are easy to dismiss: one tap on “Ignore Limit” and you are back in the app.
Shale takes a different path: instead of a limit you can wave away, you earn your screen time by answering flashcards. 1 card = 1 minute.
Built For Students & Lifelong Learners
Language Learning
Practice Spanish, French, or German with premade decks, or generate a deck for any language you want to learn. Study in the moments you would have spent scrolling.
Med School & MCAT Prep
Make your own anatomy, pharmacology, or exam cards (or generate a deck from a prompt) and review them every time you reach for your phone.
Focus & Screen Time
Break automatic phone loops. A quick flashcard round adds a small pause between the impulse and the scroll.
Latest Guides
How to Block TikTok While Studying (Without Relapsing)
Why default screen time limits are easy to ignore, and practical ways to keep short-form video away from your study sessions.
How to Study Flashcards Consistently Every Day
Anchor your flashcard reviews to something you already do all day: checking your phone.
Screen Time Apps Compared
A side-by-side look at Opal, One Sec, Forest, Freedom, and Shale, and what each one is best suited for.
Frequently Asked Questions
Find clear answers to common questions about Shale, app blocking, flashcard study goals, pricing, and privacy.
What is Shale?
Shale is an iOS app that blocks the apps you pick, like TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube, until you answer flashcards. Every card you complete earns 1 minute of screen time. Learn first, scroll after.
Which apps can Shale block?
Any app on your phone. You choose the apps (or whole categories) you want to block using Apple's Screen Time picker, so social media, video, games, and browsers are all possible.
Is Shale available now?
Yes. Shale is live on the iOS App Store. An Android version is not available yet. Join the Android waitlist on this page and we will let you know when it launches.
How does the flashcard unlock work?
1 card = 1 minute of screen time. When you open a blocked app, Shale asks you to answer flashcards. Each card you complete earns 1 minute, so answering 5 cards earns 5 minutes. When your earned minutes run out, your blocked apps lock again.
Can I use my own study materials?
Yes. Shale includes 14 premade decks (Basic Spanish, Basic French, Basic German, Human Bones, Human Muscles, Periodic Table, Psychology 101, Legal Terms 101, Statistics Terms, Python Basics, Personal Finance, World Countries, European Capitals, and Mythology). You can also build your own cards by hand, or describe any topic and let Shale's AI generate a custom deck for you in seconds. AI-generated cards can contain mistakes, so double-check anything important.
How much does Shale cost?
Shale is free to download and starts with a 14-day free trial. After the trial it costs 2.99€ per week or 40€ per year. You can cancel any time in your Apple ID subscription settings.
When is blocking active?
You set the Active Hours in the app, and apps are only blocked during those hours. You can change your Active Hours whenever you like.
Is my data private?
Shale uses Apple's Screen Time API (Family Controls). Information about which apps you block and how you use your phone stays on your device and is never sent to our servers. Your account, flashcards, and study progress are stored on our servers so they can sync, and when you use AI deck generation your prompt is sent to OpenAI. See our Privacy Policy for the full details.
How do I remove my email from the waitlist?
Email leinonen.elias@gmail.com with the address you used to sign up and we will delete it within 30 days in line with GDPR.
Coming soon on Android
Shale is currently available on iOS. Join the Android waitlist and we will let you know when it launches.
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