# Picosoft vs Spool

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Picosoft at none against Spool's 7. Picosoft also leads on ads (none vs shown). Spool's advantage is update cadence (every 10 days vs every 2 months) and iOS requirement (17.6 vs 26.0). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Spool sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Picosoft asks for nothing beyond the download.

Picosoft ships an update every 2 months, Spool every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Picosoft | Spool |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.5 (171 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spool-screen-time-control/id6749428484/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **171** |
| Positive reviews | — | 73.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | — | Subscription |
| Size | 1 MB | 406 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **17.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Picosoft GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1493338392) | [Prafull Sharma](https://appshunter.io/developer/1830399976) |

## What reviewers say

### Picosoft

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/picosoft/id1493338393)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Spool

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spool-screen-time-control/id6749428484)

This app helps you break free from excessive screen time by making you pause and justify your phone usage. It uses research-backed techniques to disrupt habit loops and offers instant blocking for apps and websites to help you reclaim focus and improve mental clarity.

**Highlights:** Justify phone usage before scrolling, AI-powered trigger insights, Identify peak phone usage times, Instant app and website blocking, Reclaim focus and mental clarity

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

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Spool Features Weekly Subscription | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Full Access: Monthly | $7.99 | per month |
| Spool Premium Annual | $19.99 | per year |
| Full Access: Limited Time Offer | $34.99 | per year |
| Full Access: Yearly | $34.99 | per year |
| Full Access: Yearly | $44.99 | per year |
| Full Access: Yearly | $44.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Picosoft free?

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

### Is Spool free?

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

### Do Picosoft or Spool have ads?

Spool shows ads; Picosoft does not.

### Which is updated more often, Picosoft or Spool?

Picosoft ships an update every 2 months, and Spool every 10 days. Most recently, Picosoft was updated on October 1, 2026 and Spool on October 12, 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.*