# Freedom vs RescueTime

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Freedom at 64% against RescueTime's 21%. Freedom also leads on ratings volume (5.9K vs 3) and update cadence (every 9 days vs every 4 weeks). RescueTime's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.4) and monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Freedom sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per month and RescueTime sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $9.00 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

RescueTime 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 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 64% of Freedom's written reviews are positive against 21% of RescueTime's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Freedom ships an update every 9 days, RescueTime every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Freedom | RescueTime |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (5.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/freedom-screen-time-control/id1269788228/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rescuetime/id1629924958/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **5.9K** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | **64.0% of reviews** | 21.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Every 4 weeks |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#171** | — |
| Size | 90 MB | 61 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.1** | 17.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Eighty Percent Solutions](https://appshunter.io/developer/960372430) | [RescueTime, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/860773794) |

## What reviewers say

### Freedom

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

**Currently charting:** #171 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)


### RescueTime

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rescuetime/id1629924958)

Understand and manage your time automatically. This app helps you block distractions, track activities on your mobile and desktop, and set productivity goals. Gain insights into your workday and improve focus.

**Highlights:** Automatic time tracking, Distraction blocking (Focus Sessions), Activity categorization, Task timers, Offline activity logging, Home screen widgets, Productivity goals and alerts

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Solo Monthly | $9.00 | per month |
| Solo+ Monthly | $15.00 | per month |
| Solo Yearly | $84.00 | per year |
| Solo+ Yearly | $143.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Freedom free?

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

### Is RescueTime free?

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

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

RescueTime is rated higher. Freedom averages 4.4 out of 5 from 5.9K ratings, while RescueTime averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do Freedom or RescueTime have ads?

Neither Freedom nor RescueTime shows ads.

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

Freedom ships an update every 9 days, and RescueTime every 4 weeks. Most recently, Freedom was updated on September 28, 2026 and RescueTime on September 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.*