Comparison

Control Anger vs Instead

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Control Anger

This app provides practical, science-backed tips and techniques to help you understand and manage anger. It offers mindfulness practices to reduce stress, improve focus, and promote a calmer, more balanced life.

Highlights
  • Practical anger management tips
  • Science-backed strategies
  • Mindfulness practices
  • Stress reduction techniques
  • Improved focus
  • Calmness and balance
Features
Read full description

Anger is a natural emotion — But managing it can be challenging. The Control Anger app offers practical tips and techniques to help you understand and manage your anger in healthy ways. Whether you're dealing with daily frustrations or struggling with deeper emotional triggers, this app provides simple, science-backed strategies to calm your mind and regain control. Take the first step toward a calmer, more balanced life. Start your journey with Control Anger today. Mindfulness: A Quick Mindfulness practices added to reduce stress, improve focus, and bring peace into your daily life.

About

Instead

This app offers a curated menu of real-life activities to help you break the habit of excessive scrolling. It suggests small, engaging tasks based on your available time and mood, promoting mindfulness and intentional downtime.

Highlights
  • Personalized activity suggestions
  • Time-based activity filtering
  • Mood-based activity filtering
  • Customizable activity menu
  • Streak tracking
  • Weekly statistics
Features
Read full description

Instead is a menu of things you'd rather do than scroll. You never decide to lose an hour to your phone — it just happens. Instead fixes the moment right before that. When the urge to scroll hits, it hands you one small, real-life thing to do instead, sized to the time and energy you actually have. Think of it like a restaurant menu for your free minutes: • Starters (1–5 min) — easy wins: step outside, splash cold water, three slow breaths • Mains (10–30 min) — the good stuff: a real walk, ten pages of a book, make the call • Desserts — quick joy, not junk: one loud song, pet an animal, watch the sky Instead requires a paid subscription to unlock its content. New users get a 3-day free trial, after which the subscription auto-renews unless cancelled. WHY IT WORKS When the urge to scroll hits, you don't make good decisions. So you decide now, while you're calm. You build your own menu in about two minutes, and Instead serves it back to you exactly when you need it — no willpower required. HOW IT WORKS • Tell Instead your mood and how much time you have - it filters the menu to what fits this exact moment • Tap "Surprise me" and let it choose for you • Finish it, build a streak, and watch your screen-free habit grow • Add, edit, and personalize your own activities anytime • See your weekly stats and history INSTEAD IS FOR YOU IF YOU WANT TO • Cut your screen time and stop doomscrolling • Break a phone or social-media habit - without an app blocker nagging you • Try a gentler digital detox or dopamine detox • Be more present, mindful, and intentional with your downtime • Find quick things to do instead of reaching for your phone Instead isn't another screen-time blocker or app limit that just tells you "no." It gives you a better "yes" - a personal, curated list of analog, offline, real-life things that leave you feeling better than a feed ever could. Instead offers an auto-renewable subscription: monthly and yearly Includes a 3-day free trial for new subscribers. Payment is charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase. The subscription auto-renews unless cancelled before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel anytime in your Apple account settings. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Control Anger4 screens
Instead4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Instead at 4.0 against Control Anger's 2.0. Instead also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 11 days vs every 32 months). Control Anger's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.4). On price, review sentiment and device support there is nothing between them.

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. Instead sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Control Anger asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Instead holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 2.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 3 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 0% and 0% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Control Anger ships an update every 32 months, Instead every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Control Anger versus Instead: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterControl AngerInstead
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.0 (1 ratings)4.0 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings13 — better
Update frequencyEvery 32 monthsEvery 11 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationAd-supported — betterSubscription
DevicesiPhone, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS12.0 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size12 MB65 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developergangadhar goudSarthak Jain

Customer experience

Control Anger

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

Instead

All ratings3 ratings
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

In-app purchases

None

Control Anger

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Instead

Subscriptions2
  • Instead Premium Monthly7 Days trial$6.991 Month
  • Instead Premium Yearly7 Days trial$39.991 Year

Questions

Is Control Anger free?
Control Anger is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Instead free?
Instead is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Control Anger or Instead?
Instead is rated higher. Control Anger averages 2.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Instead averages 4.0 from 3 ratings.
Do Control Anger or Instead have ads?
Control Anger shows ads; Instead does not.
Which is updated more often, Control Anger or Instead?
Control Anger ships an update every 32 months, and Instead every 11 days. Most recently, Control Anger was updated on September 24, 2026 and Instead on October 7, 2026.

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