# Freedom vs Tapd

The clearest difference is rating: Tapd at 4.9 against Freedom's 4.4. Tapd also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 6) and review sentiment (96% vs 64%). Freedom's advantage is ratings volume (5.9K vs 37) and chart position (#200 vs unranked). On price, update cadence, ads 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. Tapd asks for nothing beyond the download.

Tapd holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Freedom has 5.9K ratings behind it against 37, 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 96% of Tapd's.

Freedom ships an update every 2 weeks, Tapd every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Freedom | Tapd |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (5.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/freedom-screen-time-control/id1269788228/reviews) | **[4.9 (37 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tapd-screen-time-control/id6748239381/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **5.9K** | 37 |
| Positive reviews | 64.2% of reviews | **95.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#200** | — |
| Size | 93 MB | 53 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.1** | 16.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Eighty Percent Solutions](https://appshunter.io/developer/960372430) | [TapTek LLC.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1824753763) |

## 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)


### Tapd

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tapd-screen-time-control/id6748239381)

This app helps you focus by blocking distracting applications with a simple NFC tag tap. It also allows you to form focus groups with friends for shared accountability and friendly competition, tracking your progress over time.

**Highlights:** NFC tag integration for focus sessions, Customizable app blocking presets, Group focus sessions with friends, Real-time 'Together Meter' for accountability, Leaderboards for competitive focus, Session analytics and streak tracking

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Freedom free?

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

### Is Tapd free?

Tapd is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

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

Tapd is rated higher. Freedom averages 4.4 out of 5 from 5.9K ratings, while Tapd averages 4.9 from 37 ratings.

### Do Freedom or Tapd have ads?

Neither Freedom nor Tapd shows ads.

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

Freedom ships an update every 2 weeks, and Tapd every 3 weeks. Most recently, Freedom was updated on October 16, 2026 and Tapd on October 5, 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.*