Comparison

ScreenZen vs Dumb Phone (dp)

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

Head to head
About

ScreenZen

This app offers multiple strategies to help you reduce screen time and control app usage. Features include delayed app opening, timed scrolling interruptions, and customizable app limits. It also provides options for strict blocking, settings protection, and encourages mindful breaks.

Highlights
  • Delayed app opening
  • Scrolling interruption
  • Set app goals and limits
  • Configurable daily schedules
  • Strict app blocking
  • Screen time tracking for distracting apps
  • Settings protection locks
Features
Read full description

Multiple strategies to reduce your screentime 1. Delay before opening your app: A bit of time before choosing if you need to open your distracting app. You can have the wait time increase each time you open your app. 2. Interrupt your scrolling: Check your distracting apps for short periods of time so you don't get sucked in. 3. Set an app goal and optionally block when you reach your limit. 4. Configurable for different days of the week and time by app. 5. Messages like "Is this important" before opening your app. 6. See your screen time for only your distracting apps. Don't worry about Google Maps bloating up your time. 7. Strict block your apps: Either for time ranges, after a certain number of opens or ScreenTime. 8. Locks on Settings to prevent you from changing your settings when you want to open an app. 9. Breathing and other activities to encourage you not to need to open the app while waiting for it to unlock. 10. Streaks to encourage you not to exceed your limits or override your settings.

About

Dumb Phone (dp)

Transform your iPhone into a minimalist device by replacing distracting app icons and notifications with simple buttons for essential apps. Create custom launchers for different contexts and utilize detox modes to reduce digital distractions.

Highlights
  • Create minimalist launchers
  • Select essential apps
  • Style Home Screen with themes
  • Block and hide non-essential apps
  • Quickly switch launchers via Control Center
  • Adapt to Liquid Glass changes
Features
Read full description

Turn your iPhone into a Dumb Phone. Dumb Phone™ lets you create your very own minimalist-style phone on iOS. Replace colorful app icons, pesky notification badges, and anything that might give you a dopamine hit when you unlock your phone, with simple buttons to open your essential apps - and nothing more. Key features: • Break out of your existing habits Every time you unlock your phone, all you will see is apps that you need, without being coerced into easy distractions from colorful apps on your Home Screen or the App Library. • Create a Minimalist Launcher Select apps and add Dumb Phone widgets to your Home Screen to blend everything together. • Choose your essential apps Select apps that you frequently use, so they are a single tap away. • Style your Home Screen Choose from a Dark or Light minimalist style, by adjusting your wallpaper, background, text, and more, with themes. • Adapt to Liquid Glass changes Reduce the addictive elements of the Liquid Glass Home Screen style, applied in the latest version of iOS. • Create multiple app launchers Create launchers for leisure, work, night time, so you see the most important apps in context to your day. • Detox Mode Create an immersive dumb phone experience by choosing which non-essential apps to block and/or hide on your device, with the powerful capabilities of Screen Time. • Control Center widgets Quickly switch between app launchers from the Control Center with new control center widgets that instantly change your Home Screen. Download the Dumb Phone app today and embrace the full benefits of minimalism, and turn your iPhone into a powerful utility once more. Visit the Dumb Phone app website for more info: https://dumbphone.so/ View our Privacy & Terms at: https://dumbphone.so/privacy https://dumbphone.so/terms

Screenshots

ScreenZen4 screens
Dumb Phone (dp)4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: ScreenZen at 93% against Dumb Phone (dp)'s 68%. ScreenZen also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.6) and ratings volume (52K vs 3.9K). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. ScreenZen sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and Dumb Phone (dp) sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

ScreenZen holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ScreenZen has 52K ratings behind it against 3.9K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 93% of ScreenZen's written reviews are positive against 68% of Dumb Phone (dp)'s.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ScreenZen ships an update every 3 weeks, Dumb Phone (dp) every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
ScreenZen versus Dumb Phone (dp): the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterScreenZenDumb Phone (dp)
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (52K ratings) — better4.6 (3.9K ratings)
Positive reviews93.4% of reviews — better68.3% of reviews
Number of ratings52K — better3.9K
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#171 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone
Requires iOS16.416.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size159 MB375 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperScreenZen LLCMichael Tigas

Customer experience

ScreenZen

All ratings50,446 ratings
Positive97.2%
Neutral1.2%
Negative1.6%
Written reviews6,842 reviews
Positive93.4%
Neutral2.6%
Negative3.9%

Dumb Phone (dp)

All ratings3,844 ratings
Positive90.5%
Neutral2.3%
Negative7.2%
Written reviews857 reviews
Positive68.3%
Neutral5.3%
Negative26.5%

User reviews

ScreenZen

From 52K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Completely reversed my scrolling addiction
  • 🚀 Helps manage screen time
  • 👍 Excellent app, easy to use
  • 👍 Genuinely the best screentime app out there
  • 👍 Effective in avoiding doom scrolling

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Buggy, sometimes doesn't unlock apps
  • 🐛 Notifications can't break through
  • 🐛 Inconsistent UI across devices

Dumb Phone (dp)

From 3.9K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Easy to set up
  • 👍 Helps reduce screen time
  • 👍 Customizable layout
  • 👍 Responsive developer
  • 🚀 Smooth app launching

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Clunky setup process
  • 💡 Lack of widget customization
  • 🔒 Hidden subscription model
  • 🔒 Expensive for a widget app
  • 🐛 Inconsistent app launching

Bugs and requests

ScreenZen

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Unlock button not working as expected
  • App stops working after some time
  • Compatibility issues with iOS 16 update

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add more customization options
  • Integrate with productivity/to-do apps
  • Add more pause/break options
  • Improve website blocking functionality

Dumb Phone (dp)

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Widget not appearing in list
  • Apps opening through Shortcuts app
  • Compatibility issues with older devices

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to hide App Library
  • More widget customization options
  • Customizable widget labels
  • Detox mode for specific apps
  • Support for more third-party apps

In-app purchases

4 purchases

ScreenZen

One-time4
  • Kind Tip$5.00
  • Generous Tip$10.00
  • Amazing Tip$20.00
Show 1 more
  • Fantastic Tip$40.00
12 purchases

Dumb Phone (dp)

Subscriptions8
  • Dumb Phone Pro (1 month)$2.991 Month
  • Dumb Phone Pro (1 month)$3.991 Month
  • Dumb Phone Pro (1 month)$5.991 Month
Show 5 more
  • Dumb Phone Pro (1 year)$9.991 Year
  • Dumb Phone Pro (1 year)$12.991 Year
  • Dumb Phone Pro (1 year)$14.991 Year
  • Dumb Phone Pro (1 year)$19.991 Year
  • Dumb Phone Pro Family (1 year)$24.991 Year
One-time4
  • Dumb Phone Pro Lifetime$24.99
  • Dumb Phone Pro Lifetime$29.99
  • Dumb Phone Pro Lifetime$39.99
Show 1 more
  • Dumb Phone Pro Lifetime$49.99

Questions

Is ScreenZen free?
ScreenZen is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Dumb Phone (dp) free?
Dumb Phone (dp) is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, ScreenZen or Dumb Phone (dp)?
ScreenZen is rated higher. ScreenZen averages 4.9 out of 5 from 52K ratings, while Dumb Phone (dp) averages 4.6 from 3.9K ratings.
Do ScreenZen or Dumb Phone (dp) have ads?
Neither ScreenZen nor Dumb Phone (dp) shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ScreenZen or Dumb Phone (dp)?
ScreenZen ships an update every 3 weeks, and Dumb Phone (dp) every 2 weeks. Most recently, ScreenZen was updated on October 24, 2026 and Dumb Phone (dp) on October 24, 2026.

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