Comparison

Freedom vs Lifeback

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Freedom

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
Read full description

Block distracting apps and websites so you can focus, be more productive, and build better screen time habits. We've built the world's best app and website blocker, trusted by over 3 million individuals and teams to deliver focused attention for the things that matter most. During a Freedom session, when you attempt to open an app or website on your blocklist, Freedom blocks the app from opening and displays a peaceful green screen - reminding you that you're currently free of that distraction. Freedom users report gaining an average of 2.5 hours of productive time every day. They're more fulfilled, happier with work and family life, and have a healthier relationship with their technology. Schedule a Freedom app blocking session to start automatically when you need it – for complete, seamless control over distractions. Because Freedom works across all your devices, you'll feel confident knowing you're in complete control. We call it mindful productivity. There's no limit to the number of devices (including phones, tablets, and computers) you can connect to Freedom, so you can block apps and websites regardless of where you are or what you're doing. You'll stay focused, productive, and distraction-free. "Our favorite distraction-killing app blocker." – Lifehacker "One antidote to the always-on life is Freedom…" – Time Magazine "As Freedom shows, the solution to the problems created by technology isn't anti-technology, but more and better technology." – Huffington Post "Freedom has garnered celeb fans like Dave Eggers, Nick Hornby, Seth Godin, and Nora Ephron." – Mashable PEACE OF MIND - COVER EVERY DEVICE - For one price, Freedom covers all your devices (phones, tablets, and computers) with our powerful distraction-blocking technology. TURN OFF THE NOISE - BLOCK APPS and WEBSITES - Block distracting apps and websites for as long as you want. Select from a pre-made blocklist or create a custom blocklist of your time-consuming distractions. EXPERIENCE TOTAL PEACE - BLOCK THE INTERNET - Block the internet with a single button. Enjoy peace, quiet, and focus, away from all distractions. Freedom won't block important texts or calls, so you can enjoy offline time knowing you can be reached if need be! SMART COVERAGE - SYNC ACROSS YOUR DEVICES - Distractions aren't limited to your phone! Sync block sessions to your phones, tablets, and computers. There's no limit to the number of devices you can use. CREATE GOOD HABITS - USE POWERFUL SCHEDULING - Schedule your blocks now, later, or create recurring blocks to help make focus and productivity a habit. LOCKED MODE - Use Locked Mode to commit to breaking bad digital habits and addictions. FOCUS SOUNDS - Free audio tracks give you an assortment of music, café, office, and nature sounds to help you stay focused and productive, no matter where you are. We're excited about helping you be the best version of yourself. We're continually building new tools - and they're always included in your subscription. We've also got a great Perks program which offers discounts on top productivity products. SUBSCRIPTION PRICING AND TERMS We’re confident that you’ll love Freedom, but just so you can be sure, we offer a 7-day free trial of Freedom Premium. After that it’s only $39.99 per year. Many Freedom users tell us it pays for itself within a few days! These prices are for United States customers. Pricing in other countries may vary and actual charges may be converted to your local currency depending on the country of residence. Your Freedom subscription will automatically renew at the end of each term and your credit card will be charged through your iTunes account. Your subscription will automatically renew unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can turn off auto-renew at any time from your iTunes account settings. Terms and Conditions - https://freedom.to/terms Privacy Policy - https://freedom.to/privacy Thank you!

About

Lifeback

This app enhances your phone's screen time settings to help you focus better and achieve your goals. It offers app restrictions and time limits to reduce distractions and boost productivity. Many users report significant reductions in screen time and improved mental well-being.

Highlights
  • App restrictions and time limits
  • Focus reports and progress metrics
  • Instant app blocking
  • Scheduled blocking via calendar
  • Temporary unblocking for breaks
  • Hard mode for maximum protection
  • Shortcut integration for automation
Features
Read full description

Imagine if your Screen Time Settings on your phone were super powered. That's what we do. 5 hours. That’s the average time you’ll spend looking at your phone today. With a combination of app restrictions and hard time limits, you can begin to focus better and accomplish your dreams, just like our members. Many of the world's top teams and companies companies trust Lifeback. to help protect their focus. You can too. **This app cut my screen time by 3 hours per day – Senior Backend Dev at Google ** **Lifeback cuts off your apps’ internet access to help you stop doomscrolling – WSJ ** **Lifeback Helped Me Quit My Nightly TikTok Habit – Productivity Mag ** BENEFITS 98% of Lifeback members are less distracted 94% are more productive thanks to the app 91% experience improved mental health 82% save at least 2 hours *daily* thanks to the app Added benefits: - Better screen time management - Improve productivity at work - Reduce stress, be more mindful - Better manage ADHD - Set daily working hours, sleep, and routines - Unplug with family and friends - Stay in focus when you need it most - You're happy and in control of your screen time FEATURES - Focus Report: Diagnose your Focus and measure your progress with clear metrics, important context and compare with your peers. - #1 App Blocker: Instantly block apps you choose. - Sessions: Block apps from your phone while you’re focusing, and you can always take a break to unblock them temporarily. - Calendar: Set daily working hours, sleep and routines, block apps automatically, so you don’t have to remember. - Breaks: Use apps without mindless scrolling. Choose the app you want to use and set a timer. - Shortcut Integration: Connect iPhone shortcut automations to start/stop Focus Sessions based on app opens, time, location and more! - Hard Mode: Maximum protection, you can’t cancel or bypass the timer you set. CREATE A PERSONALIZED APP LIST You can customize your Control experience and block all apps and sites on your phone, including: - Facebook - Instagram - Snapchat - TikTok - Youtube - Netflix - Tinder - Hinge - Bumble - Many more: News, Messaging, Dating, Adult/Porn, Money apps etc. PRIVATE & SAFE We use Apple's Screen Time API in order to monitor and block apps you use. Installation is easy and takes a few seconds on your iPhone. Unlike most apps, Lifeback works entirely on your phone and personal browsing data never leaves your device. HEAR IT FROM THE COMMUNITY "Never in a bazillion years did I think I would be below 3 hours of screen time a day. My mood is SO much better." - Sam "Weird to think that an app would make me use my phone less but this app is the only thing helping me focus on deep work days" - Cody "Thanks Lifeback for being the only way my monkey brain can do homework for more than like 20 minutes" - Stevie TERMS, PRIVACY & CONDITIONS – https://lifeback.io/privacy – https://lifeback.io/terms

Screenshots

Freedom4 screens
Lifeback4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is monetization model: Lifeback at free with in-app purchases against Freedom's subscription. Freedom's advantage is ratings volume (5.9K vs 79) and chart position (#182 vs unranked). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Freedom sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per month and Lifeback sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $3.00 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for Freedom against 4.5 for Lifeback. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Freedom has 5.9K ratings behind it against 79, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 64% of Freedom's written reviews are positive against 53% of Lifeback's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Freedom ships an update every 9 days, Lifeback every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and August 26, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
Freedom versus Lifeback: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFreedomLifeback
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (5.9K ratings)4.5 (79 ratings) — better
Positive reviews63.6% of reviews — better52.6% of reviews
Number of ratings5.9K — better79
Update frequencyEvery 9 daysEvery 6 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationSubscriptionFree with in-app purchases — better
Best chart rank#182 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS16.1 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size90 MB43 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperEighty Percent SolutionsControl. Alt. Delete. LLC

Customer experience

Freedom

All ratings5,878 ratings
Positive85.3%
Neutral3.1%
Negative11.7%
Written reviews1,328 reviews
Positive63.6%
Neutral7.8%
Negative28.7%

Lifeback

All ratings79 ratings
Positive87.3%
Neutral2.5%
Negative10.1%
Written reviews19 reviews
Positive52.6%
Neutral10.5%
Negative36.8%

User reviews

Freedom

From 5.9K App Store ratings

What we love

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

Room to improve

  • 🐛 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

Lifeback

From 79 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Productivity boost
  • 👍 Helpful for focus
  • 🙌 Life-changing
  • 💪 Effective for reducing distractions

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Glitches and bugs
  • ⚠️ Unreliable app behavior
  • 💰 Subscription issues

Bugs and requests

Freedom

Reported bugs

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

Requested features

4 requests
  • 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)

Lifeback

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App closing unexpectedly
  • Focus mode not working as expected
  • Inconsistent app behavior

Requested features

2 requests
  • Better unblock functionality
  • Improved notification system

In-app purchases

6 purchases

Freedom

Subscriptions5
  • Monthly Subscription$8.991 Month
  • Freedom Monthly$12.991 Month
  • Freedom Yearly Subscription7 Days trial$39.991 Year
Show 2 more
  • Yearly Subscription1 Year trial$39.991 Year
  • Freedom Yearly7 Days trial$59.991 Year
One-time1
  • Freedom Forever$199.00
13 purchases

Lifeback

Subscriptions13
  • Monthly Plan$3.001 Month
  • Monthly Plan$4.001 Month
  • Monthly Plan$5.001 Month
Show 10 more
  • Monthly Plan3 Days trial$6.001 Month
  • Monthly Plan$7.001 Month
  • Monthly Plan$8.001 Month
  • Monthly Plan$9.001 Month
  • Monthly Plan$10.001 Month
  • Monthly Plan$11.001 Month
  • Monthly Plan$12.001 Month
  • Promo Yearly Plan7 Days trial$40.001 Year
  • Yearly Plan3 Days trial$40.001 Year
  • Yearly Plan3 Days trial$99.001 Year

Questions

Is Freedom free?
Freedom is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Lifeback free?
Lifeback is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Freedom or Lifeback?
Lifeback is rated higher. Freedom averages 4.4 out of 5 from 5.9K ratings, while Lifeback averages 4.5 from 79 ratings.
Do Freedom or Lifeback have ads?
Neither Freedom nor Lifeback shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Freedom or Lifeback?
Freedom ships an update every 9 days, and Lifeback every 6 days. Most recently, Freedom was updated on September 24, 2026 and Lifeback on August 26, 2026.

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