# Freedom vs Stay Focused

The clearest difference is rating: Stay Focused at 5.0 against Freedom's 4.4. Stay Focused also leads on monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and review sentiment (100% vs 64%). Freedom's advantage is ratings volume (5.9K vs 1) and chart position (#200 vs unranked). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Freedom sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per month and Stay Focused sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Stay Focused holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Freedom has 5.9K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 64% of Freedom's written reviews are positive against 100% of Stay Focused's.

Freedom ships an update every 2 weeks, Stay Focused every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Freedom | Stay Focused |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (5.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/freedom-screen-time-control/id1269788228/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stay-focused-countdown-timer/id1581256145/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **5.9K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 64.2% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#200** | — |
| Size | 93 MB | 10 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.1 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Eighty Percent Solutions](https://appshunter.io/developer/960372430) | [Volodymyr Lisovyi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1497420593) |

## What reviewers say

### Freedom

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

**Currently charting:** #200 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)


### Stay Focused

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stay-focused-countdown-timer/id1581256145)

This app helps you stay focused on tasks by using a motivational system where you deposit money. If you stay focused for the chosen time, you get your money back; otherwise, you lose it. It allows brief app switching with limits.

**Highlights:** Monetary motivation for focus, Customizable focus duration, Deposit and refund system, Limited app switching, Styled and powerful interface

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Stay Focused 500 coins | $4.99 | one-time |
| Stay Focused 1000 coins | $9.99 | one-time |
| Stay Focused 2000 coins | $19.99 | one-time |
| Stay Focused 5000 coins | $49.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Freedom free?

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

### Is Stay Focused free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Freedom or Stay Focused?

Stay Focused is rated higher. Freedom averages 4.4 out of 5 from 5.9K ratings, while Stay Focused averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Freedom or Stay Focused have ads?

Neither Freedom nor Stay Focused shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Freedom or Stay Focused?

Freedom ships an update every 2 weeks, and Stay Focused every 3 weeks. Most recently, Freedom was updated on October 15, 2026 and Stay Focused on October 3, 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.*