ClearSpace vs TimeBack
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
ClearSpace
This app helps you regain control of your phone usage by making your device less addictive. It offers tools to block distractions, manage app time, and build better digital habits. Achieve greater focus, productivity, and mental well-being by reducing impulse opens and doomscrolling.
- Block and limit distracting apps
- Manage social media doomscrolling
- Set schedules for app usage
- Build better digital habits
- Engage in attention-building challenges
- Minimalist and straightforward design
- Accountability partners for goals
- Detailed screen time reporting
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Controlling Screen Time is critical for mental health, focus, productivity, and relationships. Social media and other addictive apps can easily distract you from your goals. Clearspace helps you control screen time by giving you the tools to fight phone addiction by making your phone less addictive. Clearspace blocks distractions while retaining utilities. Say goodbye to impulse opens and social media doom scrolling. You don’t need to quit cold turkey or buy a dumb phone in order to get your scrolling in check. Instead of a new device, Clearspace gives you the freedom to make sober minded decisions about your usage allowing you to get control of your screen time. Attention is a precious resource, protect it with Clearspace features: - Block and Limit apps: block any apps you find distracting and limit screen time. - Social Media Doomscrolling: app time limits enable session management makes sure you don’t scroll for too long. - Focus management: set schedules for when to use apps - Habit change: dopamine is less powerful when you pause before opening an app which eventually creates a virtuous habit loop to make habits more atomic. - Screen Time Challenges: train your attention by engaging in challenges that strengthen your ability to focus. - Minimalist Design: the app is straightforward. We don’t want to take your attention away, instead we give it back to you. - Screen Time Accountability: have trusted accountability partners help you stick to your goals. - Screen Time Reporting: Streaks and budgets give you a better look at your screen time data in a way that helps you improve. - Digital Wellbeing: Align your intentions with your usage of your phone. Alignment can be helpful in health journeys battling anxiety and adhd. Blocking Apps helps you control impulse clicks. Users find that Clearspace helps them: - Reduce social media impulse opens - Focus on deep work and engage in flow state activities Social Media Doomscrolling is the cause of excessive screen time for many people, with Clearspace users report that: - Phone Addiction subsides - Dopamine craving for apps is less powerful Digital Minimalism is a new health wave that Clearspace enables for users: - Limiting apps in alignment with your intention - Mindfulness practices encourage a more balanced approach to phone usage Digital Wellbeing is a large and growing consideration in the health and wellness spaces. Clearspace users have found it helpful in dealing with: - Anxiety - ADHD - Depression - Socializing Research demonstrates that negative habits are hard to change through willpower alone, but that small, recurring nudges are effective at reshaping default patterns of behavior. Enter Clearspace. The idea is simple: - Select an app that you want to use less - When you click on a selected app, decide - proceed after a deep breath or opt out? - Over time, you'll notice you are in control of the usage Controlling Screen Time is essential for digital wellbeing, freedom from phone addiction, and maintaining focus. Clearspace empowers users with app limits, screen time control, and an app blocker to combat social media distractions. By aligning intentions with usage, Clearspace fosters healthier habits and a mindful approach to technology. Its minimalist design ensures attention is not diverted, enabling users to reclaim their time and break free from the grips of excessive screen time. With features such as screen time reporting, accountability partners, and challenges, Clearspace offers the tools needed to reshape default patterns of behavior and reduce the powerful hold of dopamine-driven app cravings. Embrace Clearspace as your ally in the journey towards a balanced digital lifestyle. Clearspace is a diet program for your digital consumption. A reminder to breathe before making decisions. Terms: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy: https://getclearspace.notion.site/Privacy-Policy-05fb16506a294132acee914a8f6e5331
TimeBack
This app helps you reduce screen time and avoid distractions by blocking addictive applications. It offers customizable blocking schedules, a 'Hard Mode' for complete phone lockdown, and an accountability feature that notifies friends when you override a block.
- App Blocking with custom schedules
- Ad-hoc timers
- Hard Mode for complete lockdown
- Accountability notifications for friends
- Block override options
- Tracking of schedules and goals
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TimeBack helps you cut screen time and avoid doomscrolling with scheduled or ad-hoc blocking. When you slip, friends are automatically notified to keep you accountable. Features: - App Blocking: Block distracting apps with custom schedules or ad-hoc timers. - Hard Mode: Block all apps at once to completely lock down your phone. - Block Overrides: Override a block for 5–60 minutes or until the end of day. - Accountability: If you override a block, your friends can be notified so excuses don’t go unnoticed. - Tracking: Track your schedules, goals, and overrides. Friends can see your progress and weakness moments, keeping you accountable while inspiring them to join. TimeBack simplifies reducing screen time by combining your focus intentions with social incentives. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: TimeBack at none against ClearSpace's shown. TimeBack also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 69%) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). ClearSpace's advantage is ratings volume (8.8K vs 36). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. ClearSpace sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month and TimeBack sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
TimeBack holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ClearSpace has 8.8K ratings behind it against 36, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 69% of ClearSpace's written reviews are positive against 100% of TimeBack's.
ClearSpace ships an update every 2 weeks, TimeBack weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and August 29, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | ClearSpace | TimeBack |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (8.8K ratings) | 5.0 (36 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 69.5% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 8.8K — better | 36 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Weekly — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPad — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 80 MB | 42 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | clearspace | Nicholas Camson |
Customer experience
ClearSpace
TimeBack
User reviews
ClearSpace
From 8.8K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Helps reduce screen time
- 🚀 Effective at limiting app usage
- 💡 Breathing exercise and quotes are helpful
- 🤖 Tracks app usage well
- 🤔 Makes users more mindful about phone usage
Room to improve
- 🐛 Buggy and laggy performance
- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🔓 Allows bypassing restrictions
- 🤖 Limited to one app in free version
- 🤔 Breathing exercise can be annoying
TimeBack
From 36 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Best Screen Time Control App
- 👍 Great Tool
- 👍 Great way to reduce screen time
- 👍 Smooth
- 👍 Productivity increased working from home
Bugs and requests
ClearSpace
Reported bugs
4 issues- Crashes when trying to block apps
- Notification issues and UI glitches
- Inconsistent tracking of app usage
- Problems with phone number verification
Requested features
5 requests- Allow blocking multiple apps in free version
- Add more exercise options beyond just breathing
- Provide more customization options
- Integrate with other fitness/health tracking apps
- Improve website/app blocking capabilities
TimeBack
No bugs or feature requests surfaced in reviews.
In-app purchases
ClearSpace
- ClearSpace Premium (Monthly)$6.991 Month
- Clearspace Premium Student$9.991 Year
- ClearSpace Premium (Annual)$44.991 Year
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- Clearspace Premium7 Days trial$44.991 Year
- Clearspace Premium3 Days trial$49.991 Year
- Clearspace Premium7 Days trial$49.991 Year
- Clearspace Premium7 Days trial$59.991 Year
- Clearspace Premium Family$79.991 Year
TimeBack
- TimeBack Premium Weekly3 Days trial$1.997 Days
- TimeBack Premium Monthly3 Days trial$4.991 Month
- TimeBack Premium Yearly7 Days trial$39.991 Year
- TimeBack Premium$0.99
- 100 TimeBack Points$0.99
- 500 TimeBack Points$4.99
Show 2 moreShow fewer
- 1000 TimeBack Points$9.99
- 2500 TimeBack Points$19.99









