# Liberate vs Freedom

The clearest difference is monetization model: Liberate at free against Freedom's subscription. Liberate also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.4). Freedom's advantage is review sentiment (64% vs 46%) and chart position (#192 vs unranked). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Liberate sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Freedom sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Liberate holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Freedom has 6K ratings behind it against 868, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 46% of Liberate's written reviews are positive against 64% of Freedom'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 2 weeks. Both last shipped on October 20, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Liberate | Freedom |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (868 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/liberate-screen-time-control/id1214636633/reviews)** | [4.4 (6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/freedom-screen-time-control/id1269788228/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 868 | **6K** |
| Positive reviews | 45.9% of reviews | **64.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free** | Subscription |
| Best chart rank | — | **#192** |
| Size | 11 MB | 94 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **16.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jordan Carney](https://appshunter.io/developer/549518152) | [Eighty Percent Solutions](https://appshunter.io/developer/960372430) |

## What reviewers say

### Liberate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/liberate-screen-time-control/id1214636633)

This app helps users reduce web distractions by blocking access to specified websites for a set period. It offers a simple, three-step process to create a blacklist and set an end date for blocking, encouraging users to be more productive.

**Highlights:** Block websites in Safari, Set end dates for blocking, Create custom blacklists, Reduce web distractions, Increase productivity

**Features:** Safari Extension

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Coffee Tip | $1.99 | one-time |
| Burrito Tip | $4.99 | one-time |
| Pizza Tip | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💻 Simple app
- 💰 Cheap
- ✅ Works well
- 🔒 Blocks websites effectively
- 📆 Allows setting time limits

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔧 Limited customization options
- 🔓 Easy to bypass
- 🚫 Doesn't block in Chrome
- 🚫 Doesn't block apps
- 🚫 Only blocks in Safari

**Reported bugs**

- Not blocking websites as configured
- Stopped working after iOS 18.4 update
- Incompatible with iOS 18.4

**Requested features**

- Allow setting different block times for each website
- Add password protection
- Implement allow lists instead of block lists
- Add iCloud sync and automation features
- Provide more blocking options (e.g. block by keyword)


### Freedom

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/freedom-screen-time-control/id1269788228)

**Currently charting:** #192 Top Grossing · Productivity (US App Store)

This app helps you block distracting apps and websites to improve focus and productivity. Schedule blocking sessions across all your devices to build better screen time habits and reclaim productive hours.

**Highlights:** Block distracting apps and websites, Schedule blocking sessions, Sync across all devices, Block the internet, Locked Mode for habit commitment, Focus sounds

**Features:** Safari Extension, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $8.99 | per month |
| Freedom Monthly | $12.99 | per month |
| Freedom Yearly Subscription | $39.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription | $39.99 | per year |
| Freedom Yearly | $59.99 | per year |
| Freedom Forever | $199.00 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Effective at blocking distractions
- 👍 Customizable blocklists
- 🔒 Locked mode prevents bypassing
- 💡 Cross-device sync
- 👍 Helpful for productivity and focus

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inconsistent blocking, doesn't always work as expected
- 🐛 Scheduled sessions don't always start automatically
- 🐛 Buggy, crashes frequently
- 🔒 Easy to bypass by disabling VPN or deleting app
- 👎 Limited app blocking on iOS

**Reported bugs**

- Blocks unintended apps/websites
- Fails to block certain apps like Facebook, Instagram
- Doesn't work in low power mode on iOS

**Requested features**

- Allow specific app whitelisting
- Add time limit/usage tracking features
- Improve scheduling options (e.g. by day, not just time)
- Better integration with mobile OS features (e.g. iOS Screen Time)


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Liberate free?

Liberate is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Freedom free?

Freedom is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Liberate or Freedom?

Liberate is rated higher. Liberate averages 4.7 out of 5 from 868 ratings, while Freedom averages 4.4 from 6K ratings.

### Do Liberate or Freedom have ads?

Neither Liberate nor Freedom shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Liberate or Freedom?

Liberate ships an update every 2 weeks, and Freedom every 2 weeks. Most recently, Liberate was updated on October 20, 2026 and Freedom on October 20, 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.*