Comparison

ScreenZen vs Delay

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

Delay

This app helps users break phone addiction by interrupting mindless scrolling with challenges. It aims to stop the cycle of addictive app usage through strategic interventions.

Highlights
  • Challenge-based interventions
  • Dopamine delay
  • Stops mindless app opening
  • Breaks scrolling cycle
  • Fun and engaging
Features
Read full description

Turn your screen time into study time. Delay makes you answer practice questions on topics you want to learn before you can open distracting apps like Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube. Instead of setting aside more time to study, learning becomes a transparent layer integrated into something you already do every day. EARN YOUR SCREEN TIME Before opening a blocked app, Delay gives you a few quick practice questions. Answer them correctly to earn access. Every time you reach for a distracting app, you get another small repetition of something you actually want to learn. LEARN WHAT YOU WANT Choose exactly what you want to study. Whether you're learning a language, preparing for an exam, memorizing important concepts, or building knowledge in a new subject, Delay turns your material into questions you can practice throughout the day. LEARN THROUGH REPETITION Delay integrates learning into moments that would otherwise be spent scrolling. Instead of relying on long study sessions, you repeatedly encounter your material throughout the day. Over time, those small repetitions add up. END THE DOOMSCROLL Your apps automatically lock again after your earned screen time expires. If you want to keep scrolling, you study again. This creates a simple cycle: learn, unlock, scroll, repeat. IMPORT YOUR STUDY MATERIAL Bring the material you already want to learn into Delay and turn it into practice questions. Keep different subjects organized and choose what you want to practice when unlocking your apps. TRACK YOUR PROGRESS See how much you've practiced, how consistently you're answering questions, and how your knowledge improves over time. The screen time you would have spent scrolling becomes measurable learning progress. SEAMLESS INTEGRATION Delay works directly with your apps so studying becomes part of your normal routine. Once it's set up, simply use your phone as usual. When you try to open a blocked app, Delay gives you your questions, you answer them, and you're right back in. MAKE SCREEN TIME USEFUL You’re already going to open your favorite apps throughout the day. Delay simply puts learning in between. Instead of finding more time to study, use the time and habits you already have. DOWNLOAD DELAY Delay requires a subscription to access certain features. Download Delay and start turning everyday screen time into learning time. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

ScreenZen4 screens
Delay4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ratings volume: ScreenZen at 50K against Delay's 102. ScreenZen also leads on chart position (#131 vs unranked) and iOS requirement (16.4 vs 18.0). Delay's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads 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 Delay sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for ScreenZen against 4.8 for Delay. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ScreenZen has 50K ratings behind it against 102, 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 88% of Delay's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ScreenZen ships an update every 3 weeks, Delay every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
ScreenZen versus Delay: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterScreenZenDelay
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (50K ratings) — better4.8 (102 ratings)
Positive reviews93.3% of reviews — better87.8% of reviews
Number of ratings50K — better102
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#131 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.4 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size159 MB82 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperScreenZen LLCFocus Labs LLC (US)

Customer experience

ScreenZen

All ratings50,446 ratings
Positive97.2%
Neutral1.2%
Negative1.6%
Written reviews6,529 reviews
Positive93.3%
Neutral2.7%
Negative4.0%

Delay

All ratings102 ratings
Positive94.1%
Neutral2.0%
Negative3.9%
Written reviews49 reviews
Positive87.8%
Neutral0.0%
Negative12.2%

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

Delay

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

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
4 purchases

Delay

Subscriptions4
  • Delay - Weekly$6.997 Days
  • Delay - Monthly$9.991 Month
  • Delay - Family Monthly$17.991 Month
Show 1 more
  • Delay - Yearly3 Days trial$79.991 Year

Questions

Is ScreenZen free?
ScreenZen is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Delay free?
Delay is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, ScreenZen or Delay?
ScreenZen is rated higher. ScreenZen averages 4.9 out of 5 from 50K ratings, while Delay averages 4.8 from 102 ratings.
Do ScreenZen or Delay have ads?
Neither ScreenZen nor Delay shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ScreenZen or Delay?
ScreenZen ships an update every 3 weeks, and Delay every 5 days. Most recently, ScreenZen was updated on September 29, 2026 and Delay on September 28, 2026.

Other comparisons