Comparison

Freedom vs Readme Later

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

Readme Later

Features
Read full description

Readme Later is a read-later and reading-list app for iPhone. Save article links or import PDFs, then open them in a clean, distraction-free reader—with AI summaries, translations, and offline reading when you need them. WHAT IS README LATER? A personal library for everything you mean to finish. Paste a URL or drop in a PDF. We fetch and clean the content so you can read without ads, clutter, or endless browser tabs. WHO IT’S FOR • Readers who save more articles than they finish • Students and professionals collecting essays, papers, and short PDFs • Anyone who wants a calm place to catch up—on the train, offline, or later tonight WHAT YOU CAN DO • Save web articles from any link in seconds • Import PDFs from your device into the same reading list • Read in a clean, immersive reader (light & dark mode) • Generate AI summaries when you don’t have time for the full piece • Translate articles into the language that works for you • Edit, share, or export when you need to pass something on • Search your library by title to find what you saved • Read offline and sync across devices with Premium HOW IT WORKS 1. Paste an article URL or upload a PDF 2. Readme Later prepares a clean reading version 3. Open it anytime from your reading list 4. Summarize, translate, share, or keep reading offline FREE VS PREMIUM Free: create an account and start a starter reading list. Premium: unlimited saves, full access to what you save, AI summaries & clean reading tools, translations, offline reading, and sync across your devices. Choose weekly, monthly, or yearly—no free trial required to subscribe. WHY PEOPLE SWITCH TO A READ-LATER APP Browser bookmarks and open tabs are easy to ignore. Readme Later turns “I’ll read this later” into a focused list with a real reader—so catching up feels doable, not guilty. TRUST & PRIVACY Sign in with email. Your library is yours. We built Readme Later for people who want fewer distractions and clearer reading—not another noisy feed. FAQ What can I save? Article links from the web and PDFs from your device (within supported size/page limits). Does it work offline? Yes—Premium includes offline reading for saved articles so you can open them without a connection. Is there an AI summary? Yes—ask for an AI summary when you want the gist before (or instead of) reading the full article. Can I translate articles? Yes—translate saved content into languages you prefer. Is it free? Yes to start. Free includes a starter reading list. Upgrade anytime for unlimited saves, offline reading, AI tools, and sync. Download Readme Later and give every “read later” a real home. TERMS & PRIVACY (required for subscriptions) Privacy Policy: https://impartial-barracuda-992.convex.site/privacy-policy.html Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Freedom4 screens
Readme Later4 screens

Verdict

The call

Freedom and Readme Later are too close to call on the numbers: across 5 compared parameters — price, ads, in-app purchases and device support among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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 Readme Later sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
Freedom versus Readme Later: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFreedomReadme Later
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (5.9K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews64.2% of reviews—
Number of ratings5.9K — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationSubscription—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.1 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size93 MB66 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperEighty Percent SolutionsSikarin Punsawat

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)

Readme Later

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

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
3 purchases

Readme Later

Subscriptions3
  • Weekly$2.997 Days
  • Monthly$9.991 Month
  • Yearly$79.991 Year

Questions

Is Freedom free?
Freedom is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Readme Later free?
Readme Later is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Freedom or Readme Later have ads?
Neither Freedom nor Readme Later shows ads.

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