Qurb vs Quran Gate: two ways to read Quran before you scroll
Both apps use Apple's Screen Time to lock distracting apps and send you to the Quran. Quran Gate starts from time limits: when you hit your daily limit, reading is the way back in, and it's on iPhone and Android. Qurb starts from your reading goal: apps lock at your reading time and unlock when today's goal is done, and it tracks every verse until you complete the Quran. Qurb's locking is iPhone only.
Quran Gate and Qurb share an idea: your phone should send you to the Quran, not away from it. They’re both young apps from small teams, and they go about it differently. Here’s a fair comparison. We make Qurb; facts about Quran Gate come from its App Store listing, Google Play listing and website, checked on 3 November 2026.
At a glance
| Qurb | Quran Gate | |
|---|---|---|
| When apps lock | At your chosen reading time | When you reach a daily time limit you set |
| What unlocks them | Finishing your own daily goal (verses, a page, a juz, any amount) | Reading Quran. Its website describes a reading sized to your daily goal, from half a page to three pages, unlocked after you scroll through the verses |
| Blocks websites and categories | Apps and app categories | Apps, categories and websites (premium) |
| Reader | Arabic, translations, transliteration, audio recitation, offline | Customisable reader, transliteration, translations, six reciters with word-by-word highlighting |
| Completing the Quran | Tracks every verse, shows progress and an on-track date on Home, celebrates when you finish | Remembers your place and reads on through the Quran in order; dashboard, calendar, streaks and lifetime reading stats |
| Free plan | Full reader, no ads (no locking) | Blocks one app, full reader |
| Premium | App locking; 7-day free trial on yearly | Unlimited apps, categories and websites; Family Sharing; 7-day free trial |
| Platforms | iPhone | iPhone and Android |
| Extras | Gentle reminders at your reading time, week at a glance | Ayah of the Day, Home Screen widget |
What Quran Gate does well
- A free tier that locks. You can lock one app without paying, which is a generous way to try the idea.
- Android. It runs on Android as well as iPhone.
- Websites and families. Premium blocks websites too, and one subscription covers the family.
- Follow-along recitation. Word-by-word highlighting as the reciter reads is lovely if you’re learning to read Arabic.
What Qurb does differently
- Reading comes first in the day, not after the limit. Qurb locks at the time you chose to read, so the Quran comes before the scrolling rather than after you’ve used up your allowance.
- Any amount you choose. Whether it’s a few verses or a whole juz, your apps open when today’s amount is done. Quran Gate also sizes its reading to a goal, from half a page to three pages.
- A finish date for the whole Quran. Both apps keep your place as you read through the Quran. Qurb also shows which juz you’re in and the day you’re on track to finish, insha’Allah, helps you catch up on anything you skipped, and celebrates with you when you read the last verse.
- Locking is premium only. Like Quran Gate, Qurb’s reader is free with no ads. Unlike Quran Gate, Qurb has no free app lock: locking is part of Premium.
Which should you choose?
- Choose Quran Gate if you think in time limits (“no more than an hour of Instagram”), you want to block websites too, you’re on Android, or you’d like to try locking one app for free.
- Choose Qurb if you want a set reading time each day, a lock that waits for your real goal, and an on-track finish date for completing the Quran.
Planning for Ramadan? Use the completion planner to find a daily goal, or read Ramadan with Qurb.
Sources
Competitor details change. We checked each source on the date shown; if something here is out of date, email us and we'll fix it.
- Quran Gate: Focus & Read Quran (App Store) (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- Quran Gate website (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- Quran Gate on Google Play (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- Qurb on the App Store (checked 3 Nov 2026)
Last reviewed 3 November 2026.
Questions
What's the main difference between Qurb and Quran Gate?
What triggers the lock. In Quran Gate, apps lock when you reach a daily time limit. In Qurb, apps lock at your chosen reading time and stay locked until your daily Quran goal is done.
Do both have a free version?
Yes. Quran Gate's free version blocks one app and includes its Quran reader (per its App Store listing, 3 November 2026). Qurb's free version is the full Quran reader with no ads; app locking is premium, with a 7-day free trial on the yearly plan.
Which one works on Android?
Quran Gate is on Google Play as well as the App Store. Qurb's locking is iPhone only for now.