# ScreenZen vs Goldfish Focus

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Goldfish Focus at none against ScreenZen's 4. Goldfish Focus also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). ScreenZen's advantage is ratings volume (53K vs 21) and chart position (#186 vs unranked). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ScreenZen sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Goldfish Focus asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for ScreenZen against 5.0 for Goldfish Focus. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ScreenZen has 53K ratings behind it against 21, 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 Goldfish Focus's.

ScreenZen ships an update every 3 weeks, Goldfish Focus weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ScreenZen | Goldfish Focus |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.9 (53K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/screenzen-screen-time-control/id1541027222/reviews) | **[5.0 (21 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/goldfish-focus/id6759563684/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **53K** | 21 |
| Positive reviews | 93.4% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#186** | — |
| Size | 159 MB | 13 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.4** | 18.5 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [ScreenZen LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1541021087) | [TRISTAN CROSS CHOI](https://appshunter.io/developer/1879535203) |

## What reviewers say

### ScreenZen

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/screenzen-screen-time-control/id1541027222)

**Currently charting:** #186 Top Free · Productivity (US App Store)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Kind Tip | $5.00 | one-time |
| Generous Tip | $10.00 | one-time |
| Amazing Tip | $20.00 | one-time |
| Fantastic Tip | $40.00 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

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


### Goldfish Focus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/goldfish-focus/id6759563684)

Record study sessions as satisfying timelapses to visualize your effort. Track study hours, build streaks, and share progress with a community of students for accountability. Visualize your academic journey with clean analytics.

**Highlights:** Study session timelapses, Track study hours and habits, Build and maintain streaks, Community sharing and accountability, Academic journey profile, Progress visualization

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ScreenZen free?

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

### Is Goldfish Focus free?

Goldfish Focus is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, ScreenZen or Goldfish Focus?

Goldfish Focus is rated higher. ScreenZen averages 4.9 out of 5 from 53K ratings, while Goldfish Focus averages 5.0 from 21 ratings.

### Do ScreenZen or Goldfish Focus have ads?

Neither ScreenZen nor Goldfish Focus shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ScreenZen or Goldfish Focus?

ScreenZen ships an update every 3 weeks, and Goldfish Focus weekly. Most recently, ScreenZen was updated on November 1, 2026 and Goldfish Focus on October 24, 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.*