Vocab First

Most vocabulary apps wait for you to open them. Vocab First works the other way round. It borrows a habit you already have, such as opening a social app without thinking, and puts a word in front of it. Apple's Screen Time frameworks show a shield over the apps you chose, and the way past it is a short lesson.

The loop has two parts. First you study a word, with its definition, pronunciation, example sentences and part of speech. The next time you hit the shield, you answer a question about that word before you get a new one. Because recall is part of the unlock, each session tests the last word as well as teaching the next. You can switch on a pause after a wrong answer if you want a moment to focus, but a miss doesn't lock you out.

The site is direct about its audience. It's for people who already speak English and want better words for meetings, writing or the books they read, and the FAQ says it isn't for learning English from scratch. A word library, streaks and recall accuracy show what has stuck.

The FAQ is also honest that the shield depends on Screen Time permission and iOS behavior. Revoke Screen Time access and the blocking stops.

The privacy policy is more specific than most. There's no account system and no advertising SDK, and your protected-app list and learning history stay on the phone. Firebase Analytics and Crashlytics collect aggregate usage and crash data, RevenueCat handles subscriptions, and the policy lists what its custom analytics events leave out, including app names, Screen Time tokens and quiz history.

You need a subscription after any eligible trial. The App Store lists $4.99 a month or $19.99 a year, and the app requires iOS 18.2 or later. The developer, Lab&Co, also makes the Lighter photo cleaner.