ScreenZen vs HolyScrolls
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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.
HolyScrolls
This app helps you prioritize prayer and reduce screen time by blocking distracting apps. It encourages building a daily prayer habit and offers features to track progress and customize blocking schedules.
- Block distracting apps
- 15-minute prayer to unlock apps
- Track prayer progress
- Customizable prayer intervals
- App restriction by day
- Privacy-focused data handling
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Start your day with intention, and make prayer a priority. Block out distractions so you can pray before you scroll each day. HolyScrolls empowers you to reclaim your mornings and build a daily prayer habit. Whether you're looking to grow spiritually, reduce screen time, or simply start your day with God, HolyScrolls is your companion for a more intentional life. FREE FEATURES: - Choose which apps to block - Pray for 15 minutes to unlock your apps each day - Get showered with confetti for finishing a prayer - Track your prayer progress with a dashboard - Get notified when your apps are unblocked - Get reminded to start the day with prayer - Simple design to protect your battery life PREMIUM FEATURES (Available via in-app purchase): - Set personalized prayer intervals by the hour, minute, and second to unblock your apps each day - Customize which days to restrict apps - Use Selahs to skip a day if needed - Track your prayer progress with a premium dashboard that includes total time prayed, total Selahs or skips, and last 30 day trends PRIVACY FIRST: 1. HolyScrolls uses Apple's Screen Time API to block your apps 2. Your data stays on your device and never leaves your phone Try HolyScrolls for free and transform your morning one prayer at a time. Terms of Service: https://holyscrollsapp.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://holyscrollsapp.com/privacy
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ratings volume: ScreenZen at 49K against HolyScrolls's 2. ScreenZen also leads on chart position (#177 vs unranked) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence 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
Both are free to download. ScreenZen sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and HolyScrolls sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for ScreenZen against 5.0 for HolyScrolls. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ScreenZen has 49K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 93% of ScreenZen's written reviews are positive against 100% of HolyScrolls's.
ScreenZen ships an update every 3 weeks, HolyScrolls every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | ScreenZen | HolyScrolls |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (49K ratings) | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 93.4% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 49K — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #177 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 159 MB | 11 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | ScreenZen LLC | Jehovah-Nissi Kim |
Customer experience
ScreenZen
HolyScrolls
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
HolyScrolls
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
ScreenZen
- Kind Tip$5.00
- Generous Tip$10.00
- Amazing Tip$20.00
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- Fantastic Tip$40.00
HolyScrolls
- Monthly Premium Subscription$5.991 Month
- Yearly Premium Subscription$29.991 Year
- 2 Selahs$1.99
- 5 Selahs$4.99
- 10 Selahs$8.99
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- 20 Selahs$16.99
