# Opal vs RescueTime

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Opal at 62% against RescueTime's 21%. Opal also leads on ratings volume (88K vs 3) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 4 weeks). RescueTime's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.7). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Opal sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and RescueTime sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $9.00 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

RescueTime holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Opal has 88K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 62% of Opal's written reviews are positive against 21% of RescueTime's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Opal ships an update every 5 days, RescueTime every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Opal | RescueTime |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (88K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/opal-screen-time-control/id1497465230/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rescuetime/id1629924958/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **88K** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | **62.1% of reviews** | 21.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Every 4 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#48** | — |
| Size | 303 MB | 61 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **17.4** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Opal OS](https://appshunter.io/developer/1497465229) | [RescueTime, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/860773794) |

## What reviewers say

### Opal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/opal-screen-time-control/id1497465230)

**Currently charting:** #48 Top Grossing · Productivity, #102 Top Free · Productivity (US App Store)

This app helps you regain control of your digital life by limiting app usage, blocking distractions, and improving focus. It provides tools and insights to reduce screen time, boost productivity, and enhance well-being.

**Highlights:** Screen time control, App blocker, Set app limits, Focus modes, Productivity reports, Block apps and websites, Mindful block screens

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Plan | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Plan | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Opal Student Weekly | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Plan | $19.99 | per month |
| Monthly Plan | $19.99 | per month |
| Opal Pro Subscription | $49.99 | per year |
| Yearly Plan | $69.99 | per year |
| Yearly Plan | $89.99 | per year |
| Yearly Plan | $99.99 | per year |
| Yearly Plan | $99.99 | per year |
| Opal Pro Yearly | $99.99 | per year |
| Yearly Plan | $129.99 | per year |
| Yearly Plan | $179.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Helps reduce screen time
- 🚀 Effective at blocking distracting apps
- 💡 Customizable blocking schedules
- 🎨 Aesthetically pleasing design
- 🔒 Difficult to bypass blocks

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🐛 Buggy and unreliable at times
- 🔓 Easy to bypass blocks in some cases
- 🤯 Can be frustrating when blocks don't work as expected
- 🕰️ Longer wait times to take breaks

**Reported bugs**

- Blocks apps that are not selected
- Inconsistent behavior when ending focus sessions
- Crashes when trying to manage blocked apps
- VPN issues causing other connectivity problems

**Requested features**

- Allow more customization of blocked apps
- Integrate with more productivity tools
- Provide more granular time tracking and reporting
- Offer a one-time purchase option
- Improve stability and reduce bugs


### RescueTime

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rescuetime/id1629924958)

Understand and manage your time automatically. This app helps you block distractions, track activities on your mobile and desktop, and set productivity goals. Gain insights into your workday and improve focus.

**Highlights:** Automatic time tracking, Distraction blocking (Focus Sessions), Activity categorization, Task timers, Offline activity logging, Home screen widgets, Productivity goals and alerts

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Solo Monthly | $9.00 | per month |
| Solo+ Monthly | $15.00 | per month |
| Solo Yearly | $84.00 | per year |
| Solo+ Yearly | $143.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Opal free?

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

### Is RescueTime free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Opal or RescueTime?

RescueTime is rated higher. Opal averages 4.7 out of 5 from 88K ratings, while RescueTime averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do Opal or RescueTime have ads?

Neither Opal nor RescueTime shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Opal or RescueTime?

Opal ships an update every 5 days, and RescueTime every 4 weeks. Most recently, Opal was updated on September 25, 2026 and RescueTime on September 22, 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.*