ScreenZen vs Parkbench
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.
Parkbench
This app helps you reduce screen time by blocking distracting apps and websites. Instead of opening them, you'll see a calming park scene that grows with your focus. Set schedules and time limits to protect your quiet hours.
- Block apps and websites
- Visual focus timer with growing park
- Customizable schedules
- Time limits for apps
- NFC tag integration
- Privacy-focused design
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Parkbench helps you spend less time staring at your screen, and more time on the life happening around you. Bench an app and it goes quiet. Instead of a feed, you get a calm park that slowly fills with wildlife. Focus becomes something you can see. HOW IT WORKS - Bench any app or website in a tap. Try to open it and a park visitor meets you instead. - Tap one of your own NFC tags to start a bench on the spot. - Set schedules for the hours you want protected, like bedtime or the work day. - Add limits that bench an app once you have spent enough time in it today. A PARK THAT GROWS WITH YOU Every stretch of focus brings visitors to your bench: birds, foxes, and more friends that appear with the seasons, the weather, and the time of day. Your quiet hours become a field guide worth returning to and collecting. STAYS PRIVATE Parkbench blocks through Apple Screen Time, which is privacy-walled by design, so it cannot see which apps you open. There are no ads and no trackers, and on a free account your app activity never leaves your iPhone. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ratings volume: ScreenZen at 50K against Parkbench's 3. ScreenZen also leads on chart position (#126 vs unranked) and device support (3 vs 1). Parkbench's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, rating, 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
Both are free to download. ScreenZen sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and Parkbench sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 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 Parkbench. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ScreenZen has 50K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.
ScreenZen ships an update every 3 weeks, Parkbench every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | ScreenZen | Parkbench |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (50K ratings) | 5.0 (3 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 93.4% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 50K — better | 3 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 5 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | #126 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | 16.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 159 MB | 43 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | ScreenZen LLC | GADForge LLC |
Customer experience
ScreenZen
Parkbench
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
Parkbench
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
Parkbench
- Parkbench Premium7 Days trial$3.991 Month
- Parkbench Premium7 Days trial$27.991 Year
- Parkbench Premium, Lifetime$84.99








