Comparison

Refocus vs Brainrot

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

Head to head
About

Refocus

This tool helps you regain control of your screen time by blocking distracting apps and websites. It offers customizable schedules, strict modes to prevent bypass, and analytics to track your usage. Available on iPhone and Mac.

Highlights
  • Block apps and websites
  • Strict mode with multiple bypass prevention methods
  • Customizable blocking schedules and timers
  • Location-based blocking
  • Screen time analytics
  • Mac app available
Features
Read full description

Refocus is an app blocker & website blocker that helps you limit screen time on apps! Refocus is easy to use, yet has powerful screen time control features: ▶ Various ways to restrict or lock apps and block websites. Choose what helps you focus! Block any app or site — from social media and games to messaging and news. ▶ "Strict Mode" feature prevents you from unblocking. Set a passcode, or use an NFC tag, or wait a duration (ex. 30 seconds), or do a copy text challenge, or utilize Pomodoro (limit unblocking to 5 times per day, for 25 minutes each, with a 5-minute cooldown between each unblock). ▶ Block for a specific duration (ex. app timer for 30 minutes). ▶ Block at specific times (ex. every weekday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM). ▶ Set app limits (ex. after 10 minutes of using Instagram, block it). Set an app time limit! ▶ Hide Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts in Safari. ▶ Block at the location you pick — whether it be home, work or school. ▶ View your daily, weekly and monthly Screen Time analytics. Use Refocus as a screen time tracker! ▶ Mac app that also lets you block apps and websites on macOS. ▶ And more! --- Visit www.refocusapp.co for more information. Terms of Use: - https://refocusapp.co/terms-of-use

About

Brainrot

This app tracks your daily screen time and assigns a "Brain Score" that decreases as you exceed your set goal. It provides detailed breakdowns of app usage, phone pickup frequency, and notification counts to help you understand your digital habits. View historical data and receive smart notifications to stay mindful of your usage.

Highlights
  • Daily screen time goal setting
  • Dynamic "Brain Score" indicator
  • Detailed app usage breakdown
  • Phone pickup and notification tracking
  • Historical score calendar
  • Smart milestone notifications
  • Data stays on device
Features
Read full description

Less scrolling. More living. BrainRot helps you understand your screen time, set boundaries for distracting apps, and make room for what matters. Meet your brain, watch your habits take shape, and build a more intentional relationship with your phone. YOUR BRAIN SCORE, AT A GLANCE Start each day with a Brain Score of 100%. As your screen time grows relative to your daily goal, your score drops and your brain’s appearance changes. A simple, visual reminder to pause and check in with yourself. Add a Home Screen widget to see your Brain Score and Focus status without opening the app. YOUR APPS. YOUR LIMITS. Create your focus list and set individual time limits for the apps that pull you in. Choose your distractions, adjust your boundaries, and give yourself a reason to stop before another quick check becomes another hour. MAKE ROOM FOR FOCUS Start a Focus session and pause distracting apps while your brain takes a peaceful break. Follow your timer in a calming garden and see how much focus time you’ve made for yourself today. KNOW WHERE YOUR TIME GOES See your daily screen time in hours and minutes, explore your most-used apps, and spot patterns with clear charts and category breakdowns. Turn “I’m on my phone too much” into something you can actually understand. CHECK IN WITH YOUR HABITS Screen time is only part of the picture. Explore your pickups, notifications, and usage patterns to understand how often your phone interrupts your day. SEE YOUR PROGRESS Look back at your Brain Score history with a color-coded calendar. Notice better days, recognize recurring patterns, and keep working toward a routine that suits you. A NUDGE WHEN IT MATTERS Get score milestone alerts and morning and evening check-ins to help you stay aware of your habits. Manage notifications in Settings to choose what works for you. BUILT AROUND YOUR GOAL You decide your daily screen time goal. BrainRot gives you the feedback and tools to work toward it, one day at a time. SCREEN TIME STAYS PRIVATE BrainRot uses Apple’s Screen Time API to power your usage insights and app controls. Your Screen Time data is processed on your device, and no BrainRot account is required. SUBSCRIPTION DETAILS Unlock the full experience with BrainRot. • Monthly plan: $9.99/month • Yearly plan: $59.99/year No free trial is offered. Prices may vary by country or region; your local price is shown before purchase. Payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation of purchase. Subscriptions automatically renew unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel your subscription in your Apple ID account settings. Privacy Policy: https://sites.google.com/view/brainrot-privacy Terms of Use: https://sites.google.com/view/brainrot-termofuse

Screenshots

Refocus4 screens
Brainrot4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Refocus at 4.8 against Brainrot's 2.0. Refocus also leads on ratings volume (12K vs 1) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). Brainrot's advantage is ads (none vs shown). 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Refocus sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month and Brainrot sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Refocus holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Refocus has 12K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Refocus ships an update weekly, Brainrot every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Refocus versus Brainrot: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRefocusBrainrot
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (12K ratings) — better2.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews92.9% of reviews—
Number of ratings12K — better1
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 11 days
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS16.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size52 MB55 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLabi, LLCGal Linial

Customer experience

Refocus

All ratings11,824 ratings
Positive95.1%
Neutral2.0%
Negative2.9%
Written reviews2,248 reviews
Positive92.9%
Neutral2.9%
Negative4.1%

Brainrot

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

Bugs and requests

Refocus

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Blocking issues after phone restart
  • Inconsistent behavior when pausing/unpausing sessions
  • Crashing when trying to block apps in certain categories

Requested features

5 requests
  • Passcode or biometric lock to prevent bypassing
  • More advanced blocking options (e.g., math problems to unblock)
  • Ability to purchase a one-time license instead of subscription
  • Notification warnings before blocking sessions end
  • Search function to find apps to block more easily

Brainrot

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

7 purchases

Refocus

Subscriptions7
  • Refocus Pro3 Days trial2 variants$7.991 Month
  • Refocus Pro3 Days trial$8.991 Month
  • Refocus Pro3 Days trial$9.991 Month
Show 4 more
  • Refocus Pro$49.991 Year
  • Refocus Pro1 Month trial2 variants$49.991 Year
  • Refocus Pro7 Days trial2 variants$49.991 Year
  • Refocus Pro7 Days trial$59.991 Year
4 purchases

Brainrot

Subscriptions4
  • Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Monthly Premium$9.991 Month
  • Annual$29.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Annual Premium$59.991 Year

Questions

Is Refocus free?
Refocus is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Brainrot free?
Brainrot is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Refocus or Brainrot?
Refocus is rated higher. Refocus averages 4.8 out of 5 from 12K ratings, while Brainrot averages 2.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Refocus or Brainrot have ads?
Refocus shows ads; Brainrot does not.
Which is updated more often, Refocus or Brainrot?
Refocus ships an update weekly, and Brainrot every 11 days. Most recently, Refocus was updated on November 11, 2026 and Brainrot on October 31, 2026.

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