# BePresent vs Checkmate

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Checkmate at 100% against BePresent's 67%. Checkmate also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.8). BePresent's advantage is ratings volume (65K vs 2) and update cadence (every 5 days vs fortnightly). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. BePresent sells 22 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and Checkmate sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Checkmate holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: BePresent has 65K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of BePresent's written reviews are positive against 100% of Checkmate's.

BePresent ships an update every 5 days, Checkmate fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | BePresent | Checkmate |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (65K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bepresent-screen-time-control/id1644737181/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/checkmate-ai-task-planner/id6767040246/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **65K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 67.4% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | **#32** | — |
| Size | 103 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Screen Detox Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1644737183) | [Edge Case LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896354440) |

## What reviewers say

### BePresent

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bepresent-screen-time-control/id1644737181)

**Currently charting:** #32 Top Free · Productivity, #34 Top Grossing · Productivity (US App Store)

This app helps you regain control of your screen time through app blocking, gamified challenges, and real-life rewards. It encourages users to reduce phone usage, improve productivity, and enhance mental well-being by making digital detox engaging and beneficial.

**Highlights:** App Blocking Sessions (Individual, Group, BEAST MODE), Set Daily Goals and Build Streaks, Monetary Stakes for Commitment, Weekly Leaderboards and Friend Challenges, Earn Real-Life Rewards (e.g., subscriptions, classes), Hourly Scrolling Awareness Reminders, Time Tracking and Daily Reports

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (22)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Monthly (Mid Tier) | $6.99 | per month |
| Monthly (1-Week Free Trial) | $6.99 | per month |
| Monthly (1-Week Free Trial) | $9.99 | per month |
| Monthly (1-Week Free Trial) | $14.99 | per month |
| Annual | $24.99 | per year |
| Annual (Mid Tier) | $24.99 | per year |
| Annual (1-Week Free Trial) | $24.99 | per year |
| BePresent Pro (Annual) | $24.99 | per year |
| Free Trial for BePresent Pro | $24.99 | per year |
| Monthly (1-Week Free Trial) | $24.99 | per month |
| BePresent Pro (Annual) | $29.99 | per year |
| BePresent Pro Family | $39.99 | per year |
| Annual (1-Week Free Trial) | $39.99 | per year |
| Annual (High Tier) | $44.99 | per year |
| Annual (1-Week Free Trial) | $49.99 | per year |
| Annual (3-Day Free Trial) | $59.99 | per year |
| Annual (30-day Trial) | $59.99 | per year |
| Annual (1-Week Free Trial) | $59.99 | per year |
| Annual (2-week Free Trial) | $59.99 | per year |
| BePresent Pro Family (iCloud) | $99.99 | per year |
| Annual (1-Week Free Trial) | $99.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Helps reduce screen time
- 👍 Gamification and rewards system
- 🤝 Ability to compete with friends
- 🕰️ Provides helpful notifications and reminders
- 💡 Innovative approach to tackling phone addiction

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inconsistent screen time tracking
- 🔒 Inability to selectively block apps
- 💰 Paywall for advanced features
- 🤖 Condescending and passive-aggressive notifications
- 🔧 Buggy and glitchy performance

**Reported bugs**

- Freezing and crashing issues
- Inaccurate screen time reporting
- Inability to restore purchases
- Persistent app blocking even after uninstallation
- Setup process getting stuck on permissions

**Requested features**

- Allow selective app blocking
- Exclude certain apps from screen time tracking
- More customization options for notifications
- Expand to iPad and other devices
- Improve overall stability and reliability


### Checkmate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/checkmate-ai-task-planner/id6767040246)

This app offers a focused workspace for managing projects, tasks, reminders, notes, and files. It utilizes AI to assist in planning by drafting project structures and tasks from prompts. Organize your work visually with list, board, and calendar views, keeping all relevant details connected to each task.

**Highlights:** AI-assisted project planning, Task and subtask management, List, board, and calendar views, Integrated notes and files, Lightweight collaboration, Search and manage assigned work

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Checkmate | $4.99 | per month |
| Checkmate Pro (Annual) | $49.99 | per year |
| Remove Ads Forever | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is BePresent free?

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

### Is Checkmate free?

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

### Which has better reviews, BePresent or Checkmate?

Checkmate is rated higher. BePresent averages 4.8 out of 5 from 65K ratings, while Checkmate averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do BePresent or Checkmate have ads?

Both BePresent and Checkmate show ads.

### Which is updated more often, BePresent or Checkmate?

BePresent ships an update every 5 days, and Checkmate fortnightly. Most recently, BePresent was updated on September 28, 2026 and Checkmate on September 26, 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.*