# Screen Time Parental Control vs Circle Parental Controls App

The clearest difference is rating: Circle Parental Controls App at 4.2 against Screen Time Parental Control's 1.5. Circle Parental Controls App also leads on ratings volume (13K vs 184). Screen Time Parental Control's advantage is review sentiment (29% vs 10%) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 13.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Screen Time Parental Control sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days and Circle Parental Controls App sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Circle Parental Controls App holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 1.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Circle Parental Controls App has 13K ratings behind it against 184, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 29% of Screen Time Parental Control's written reviews are positive against 10% of Circle Parental Controls App's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 6 weeks. Both last shipped on October 22, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Screen Time Parental Control | Circle Parental Controls App |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.5 (184 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/screen-time-parental-control/id1055315077/reviews) | **[4.2 (13K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/circle-parental-controls-app/id1440668949/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 184 | **13K** |
| Positive reviews | **28.8% of reviews** | 10.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 31 MB | 144 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Screen Time Labs](https://appshunter.io/developer/1055315076) | [Circle Media Incorporated](https://appshunter.io/developer/950202222) |

## What reviewers say

### Screen Time Parental Control

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/screen-time-parental-control/id1055315077)

This app helps parents monitor and manage their children's device usage. It allows for setting time limits, blocking apps, tracking location, and assigning chores to earn extra screen time. The free version offers monitoring, while the premium version provides proactive control and advanced features.

**Highlights:** Monitor screen time, Block apps, Set time limits, GPS location tracking, Assign chores for screen time, Pause devices remotely, Set usage schedules

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Screen Time Premium | $0.99 | per 7 days |
| Web Filtering - Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Geolocation - Monthly | $2.49 | per month |
| Premium Plan - Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Geo & Web Filtering - Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Premium Plan - Monthly | $6.49 | per month |
| Everything Plan - Monthly | $8.99 | per month |
| Geolocation - Annual | $11.99 | per year |
| Premium Plan - 6 Months | $32.99 | per 6 months |
| Everything Plan - 6 Months | $39.99 | per 6 months |
| Premium Plan - Annual | $51.99 | per year |
| Everything Plan - Annual | $64.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent parental controls
- 📊 Detailed usage metrics
- ⏱️ Flexible scheduling options
- 🎁 Ability to reward kids with extra time

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and unreliable
- 🔒 Difficult to uninstall or bypass
- 🤯 Frustrating for kids
- 🤔 Confusing setup and usage

**Reported bugs**

- Randomly deleting or rearranging apps
- Failing to properly block or unblock access
- Inconsistent behavior across devices
- Connectivity issues and syncing problems

**Requested features**

- Ability to restrict specific apps instead of all-or-nothing approach
- Remote access and control from parent device
- Better integration with iOS and Android platforms
- More transparent and user-friendly interface


### Circle Parental Controls App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/circle-parental-controls-app/id1440668949)

This app helps parents manage their children's online activity and screen time. It allows for content filtering, setting time limits, pausing internet access, and monitoring usage across devices. Parents can also set bedtimes, reward good behavior, and schedule focus time for schoolwork.

**Highlights:** Content filtering by age, Set daily screen time limits, Pause internet access, Monitor browsing history and usage, Set device bedtimes, Reward extra online time, Schedule focus time

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Yearly | $89.99 | per year |
| Annual | $89.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Effective at blocking content
- ⏱️ Helpful for setting time limits
- 👍 Allows monitoring of device usage

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐢 Slows down internet speed
- 🔒 Privacy concerns with monitoring
- 🔍 Lack of control/customization
- 🤬 Causes family conflict
- 💔 Damages parent-child relationship

**Reported bugs**

- Inconsistent behavior
- Connectivity issues
- Difficulty setting up and managing

**Requested features**

- More flexible time/content controls
- Ability to whitelist/blacklist apps/sites
- Better notification system
- Improved performance and reliability


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Screen Time Parental Control free?

Screen Time Parental Control is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Circle Parental Controls App free?

Circle Parental Controls App is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Screen Time Parental Control or Circle Parental Controls App?

Circle Parental Controls App is rated higher. Screen Time Parental Control averages 1.5 out of 5 from 184 ratings, while Circle Parental Controls App averages 4.2 from 13K ratings.

### Do Screen Time Parental Control or Circle Parental Controls App have ads?

Neither Screen Time Parental Control nor Circle Parental Controls App shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Screen Time Parental Control or Circle Parental Controls App?

Screen Time Parental Control ships an update every 6 weeks, and Circle Parental Controls App every 6 weeks. Most recently, Screen Time Parental Control was updated on October 22, 2026 and Circle Parental Controls App on October 22, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*