# Freedom vs AppLimit

The clearest difference is rating: Freedom at 4.4 against AppLimit's 1.0. Freedom also leads on review sentiment (64% vs 33%) and ratings volume (5.9K vs 1). AppLimit's advantage is monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 9 days). 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 AppLimit sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Freedom holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 1.0. 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 33% of AppLimit's.

Freedom ships an update every 9 days, AppLimit every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Freedom | AppLimit |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (5.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/freedom-screen-time-control/id1269788228/reviews)** | [1.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/applimit-app-usage-hard-stop/id6757147703/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **5.9K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | **64.0% of reviews** | 33.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#183** | — |
| Size | 90 MB | 18 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.1 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Eighty Percent Solutions](https://appshunter.io/developer/960372430) | [Shervin Koushan](https://appshunter.io/developer/1694799081) |

## What reviewers say

### Freedom

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

**Currently charting:** #183 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)


### AppLimit

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/applimit-app-usage-hard-stop/id6757147703)

This app enforces strict daily usage limits on selected applications or categories. Once a time limit is reached, access is blocked without any exceptions or extensions, helping users break habits and establish real boundaries.

**Highlights:** Set daily usage limits for apps/categories, Blocks access automatically when time limit is reached, No override, snooze, or grace periods, Minimal setup and clean interface, On-device only, no accounts or tracking, Utilizes Apple Screen Time APIs for true hard stops

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| AppLimit Pro | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| AppLimit Pro | $99.99 | per year |
| Unblock one app or category | $0.99 | one-time |
| Unblock all apps and categories | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Freedom free?

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

### Is AppLimit free?

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

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

Freedom is rated higher. Freedom averages 4.4 out of 5 from 5.9K ratings, while AppLimit averages 1.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Freedom or AppLimit have ads?

Neither Freedom nor AppLimit shows ads.

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

Freedom ships an update every 9 days, and AppLimit every 4 days. Most recently, Freedom was updated on September 26, 2026 and AppLimit on September 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.*