Comparison

Unscreen vs Anchor

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Unscreen

This app helps you break screen addiction and improve focus by locking distracting apps and websites. Set custom timers, recurring sessions, and multiple profiles to disconnect during work, school, or social time.

Highlights
  • Lock addictive apps and websites
  • Reduce daily scrolling time
  • Set recurring sessions or quick timers
  • Create multiple user profiles
  • Password and biometric protection
  • Parental control features
Features
Read full description

• Lock addictive apps and websites, reduce screen time, create habits, and set boundaries • • Cut scrolling by 2 hours daily. That's 30 days per year. 3 years in your lifetime • Unscreen can help you or your family members break screen addiction and focus better by locking addictive apps and websites - scheduling and password protection are included. You can set recurring sessions or just quick timers, and you can create multiple profiles - leave your device down and disconnect during work or school hours, hangouts, or personal time. USAGE EXAMPLES • School time: configure a recurring session to lock all social apps and games from 8 AM to 1 PM every workday • Dinner with friends: start a session now and lock work and productivity apps only for the next 3 hours • Important meeting: lock messaging apps and notifications only tomorrow from 2 PM to 4 PM MAIN PRODUCTIVITY AND HEALTH BENEFITS • Disconnect, take a break: Overcome screen addiction. Lock or block addictive apps, block websites. Set screen time limits for yourself or family members • Improve productivity and focus: Stay focused on important tasks. Eliminate distractions during study or work sessions, and reduce procrastination • Boost wellness and personal growth: Improve your sleep quality, reduce stress and anxiety. Dedicate more time to what matters FEATURES • Lock or block addictive apps. Block websites across all browsers • Secure and private. It can work as a parental control system • Limit adult websites across all browsers • Set recurring sessions or just quick sprints, create multiple profiles. For example, you can set a family time session every evening and focus only on that moment • Protect sessions using a secret password and optionally Face ID or Touch ID. Keep preferences safe, including removal protection • Password-protected apps will be visible and active on your device, but you cannot use the app until the session ends • Easy to use, no configuration required We read your support emails every day, day by day. Write with confidence any question, feedback, or complaint, and you will receive an answer in a very short period of time. We offer two auto-renewing subscriptions and a one-time payment option: • Basic, a 1 Month subscription • Premium, a 12-month subscription • Lifetime access: one-time payment only Prices may vary by location. Subscriptions will auto-renew unless canceled. • Payment will be charged to the iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase • Subscription may be managed by the user, and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user’s Account Settings after purchase. • No cancellation of the current subscription is allowed during the active subscription period. • Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renewal is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. • Your account will be charged for renewal for the amount of your current subscription within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period. All costs for subscriptions are mentioned above. Privacy Policy https://alexdenk.eu/subscriptions-privacy-policy.html Terms of Use https://alexdenk.eu/subscriptions-terms-of-use.html

About

Anchor

Features
Read full description

Anchor helps you use your phone a little less — on your terms, and without a subscription. Pick the apps that pull at you, choose how firmly to hold them, and Anchor does the rest. It is built entirely on Apple's Screen Time tools and runs completely on your device. Nothing is uploaded, tracked, or shared. THREE WAYS TO BLOCK • Scheduled — put apps to bed during set hours, like 10pm to 8am. • Delayed access — a short, calming pause before an app opens. Friction, not a wall. • Daily budget — a time allowance; once it is spent, the app rests until tomorrow. A LOCK THAT HOLDS YOU TO IT Turn on a commitment lock and you will not be able to weaken or switch a profile off until it expires — you can only make it stronger. It adds a real cooldown before you can change your mind, for the moments willpower alone does not cut it. You always keep full control of your device in Settings. QUIET, ENCOURAGING INSIGHTS See how often you chose to wait, your streak of steady days, and the time you reclaimed — all counted privately on this phone. PAY ONCE. NO SUBSCRIPTION. The free version gives you one full-featured profile, commitment lock included. Unlock unlimited profiles and ready-made templates with a single one-time purchase. No monthly fee, ever. • 100% on-device — no account, no ads, no tracking • Supportive, never shaming • Beautiful in light and dark Anchor is a calm, one-time-purchase tool for anyone who wants a firmer, kinder way to step back from their phone.

Screenshots

Unscreen4 screens
Anchor4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Anchor at weekly against Unscreen's monthly. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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. Unscreen sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and Anchor sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Unscreen ships an update monthly, Anchor weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Unscreen versus Anchor: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterUnscreenAnchor
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (84 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews54.8% of reviews—
Number of ratings84 — better—
Update frequencyMonthlyWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS16.1 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size19 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDenk AlexandruSahil Jain

In-app purchases

5 purchases

Unscreen

Subscriptions3
  • Monthly Subscription$5.991 Month
  • Annual Subscription$12.991 Year
  • Annual Subscription7 Days trial$17.991 Year
One-time2
  • Lifetime Access$24.99
  • Lifetime Access$34.99
1 purchases

Anchor

One-time1
  • Anchor Full$4.99

Questions

Is Unscreen free?
Unscreen is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Anchor free?
Anchor is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Unscreen or Anchor have ads?
Neither Unscreen nor Anchor shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Unscreen or Anchor?
Unscreen ships an update monthly, and Anchor weekly. Most recently, Unscreen was updated on November 3, 2026 and Anchor on November 7, 2026.

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