Comparison

Roots vs Dumb Phone (dp)

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

Head to head
About

Roots

This app helps you regain control of your phone usage by setting app limits, scheduling downtime, and participating in detox challenges. It provides insights into your screen time habits and offers features like 'Monk Mode' for focused periods. Aimed at improving well-being and reducing phone addiction.

Highlights
  • App and website blocking
  • Scheduled downtime
  • Phone detox challenges
  • Monk Mode for strict blocking
  • Digital dopamine monitoring
  • Daily goals and progress tracking
  • Personal balance score
Features
Read full description

Roots is the #1 screen time app. Set boundaries with your phone, and unlock more time.  Screen time has a major impact on our mental and physical wellbeing. We're here to help — with better app limits, digital downtime, daily goals, balance score, and more. Join thousands of people using Roots to build a better relationship with their phone. WHAT TO EXPECT - Better screen time management - Unlock 2 hours per day - Stop scrolling mindlessly - Cure your phone addiction - Detox from phone dopamine - Find better balance - Be more present - Stay focused BLOCK NOW - Start blocking apps at any time with one tap BETTER APP LIMITS - Block any app or website based on time limits or number of opens SCHEDULE DOWNTIME - Be intentional with "mindful mornings", "evening wind down", and more PHONE DETOX CHALLENGES - Personalized challenges to compete with yourself and friends - Challenges with neuroscientist and Roots Chief Science Officer, Tj Power BLOCK WITH "MONK MODE" - App blocking that doesn't let you unblock until tomorrow MONITOR DIGITAL DOPAMINE - Not all screen time is equal, so we help you understand the impact of each app DAILY GOALS - Set goals for screen time and phone pickups, and track your daily progress PERSONAL BALANCE SCORE - Daily score helps keep you accountable with beautiful illustrations and visuals SCREEN TIME TRENDS - View the progress and trends of your screen time journey BUILD A STREAK - Build a streak as you stay under limits, earn cheat days and custom app icons BLOCK ADULT WEBSITES - Keep yourself off adult websites once and for all DON’T JUST TAKE IT FROM US "We’re all guilty of being obsessed with our phones. Roots helps you break free." -- Tj Power, Neuroscientist and Author “It's beautiful, and it works” -- Jameston78 “This app does what it says” -- Casper-F “Worth every penny” -- Thehikingfool PRIVACY GUARANTEED We use Apple’s Screen Time API so all of your phone usage data stays on your phone. TERMS & CONDITIONS - Auto-Renewing Subscription Options: Roots Plus (Monthly or Annual) - Terms: https://www.getroots.app/terms - Privacy Policy: https://www.getroots.app/privacy-policy

About

Dumb Phone (dp)

Transform your iPhone into a minimalist device by replacing distracting app icons and notifications with simple buttons for essential apps. Create custom launchers for different contexts and utilize detox modes to reduce digital distractions.

Highlights
  • Create minimalist launchers
  • Select essential apps
  • Style Home Screen with themes
  • Block and hide non-essential apps
  • Quickly switch launchers via Control Center
  • Adapt to Liquid Glass changes
Features
Read full description

Turn your iPhone into a Dumb Phone. Dumb Phone™ lets you create your very own minimalist-style phone on iOS. Replace colorful app icons, pesky notification badges, and anything that might give you a dopamine hit when you unlock your phone, with simple buttons to open your essential apps - and nothing more. Key features: • Break out of your existing habits Every time you unlock your phone, all you will see is apps that you need, without being coerced into easy distractions from colorful apps on your Home Screen or the App Library. • Create a Minimalist Launcher Select apps and add Dumb Phone widgets to your Home Screen to blend everything together. • Choose your essential apps Select apps that you frequently use, so they are a single tap away. • Style your Home Screen Choose from a Dark or Light minimalist style, by adjusting your wallpaper, background, text, and more, with themes. • Adapt to Liquid Glass changes Reduce the addictive elements of the Liquid Glass Home Screen style, applied in the latest version of iOS. • Create multiple app launchers Create launchers for leisure, work, night time, so you see the most important apps in context to your day. • Detox Mode Create an immersive dumb phone experience by choosing which non-essential apps to block and/or hide on your device, with the powerful capabilities of Screen Time. • Control Center widgets Quickly switch between app launchers from the Control Center with new control center widgets that instantly change your Home Screen. Download the Dumb Phone app today and embrace the full benefits of minimalism, and turn your iPhone into a powerful utility once more. Visit the Dumb Phone app website for more info: https://dumbphone.so/ View our Privacy & Terms at: https://dumbphone.so/privacy https://dumbphone.so/terms

Screenshots

Roots4 screens
Dumb Phone (dp)4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Dumb Phone (dp) at 16.1 against Roots's 18.0. On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume 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. Roots sells 18 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month and Dumb Phone (dp) sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Roots against 4.6 for Dumb Phone (dp). Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3.1K and 3.9K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 76% of Roots's written reviews are positive against 68% of Dumb Phone (dp)'s.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Roots versus Dumb Phone (dp): the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRootsDumb Phone (dp)
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (3.1K ratings) — better4.6 (3.9K ratings)
Positive reviews75.6% of reviews — better68.3% of reviews
Number of ratings3.1K3.9K — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 2 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS18.016.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size355 MB375 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMWMMichael Tigas

Customer experience

Roots

All ratings2,867 ratings
Positive94.4%
Neutral1.8%
Negative3.8%
Written reviews369 reviews
Positive75.6%
Neutral5.1%
Negative19.2%

Dumb Phone (dp)

All ratings3,844 ratings
Positive90.5%
Neutral2.3%
Negative7.2%
Written reviews857 reviews
Positive68.3%
Neutral5.3%
Negative26.5%

User reviews

Roots

From 3.1K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Helpful for reducing screen time
  • 🚀 Effective in cutting down app usage
  • 💡 Customizable app blocking and downtime settings
  • 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
  • 👍 Responsive customer support

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional performance issues and bugs
  • 🐛 Inconsistent app blocking and unblocking
  • 🐛 Inaccurate screen time tracking
  • 🐛 Difficulty deleting account or changing subscription
  • 🐛 Frustrating when apps are locked unexpectedly

Dumb Phone (dp)

From 3.9K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Easy to set up
  • 👍 Helps reduce screen time
  • 👍 Customizable layout
  • 👍 Responsive developer
  • 🚀 Smooth app launching

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Clunky setup process
  • 💡 Lack of widget customization
  • 🔒 Hidden subscription model
  • 🔒 Expensive for a widget app
  • 🐛 Inconsistent app launching

Bugs and requests

Roots

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Apps getting blocked when they shouldn't be
  • Screen time data not syncing correctly
  • Frequent app crashes and freezes
  • Subscription issues and inability to cancel
  • Trouble with the initial setup and syncing

Requested features

5 requests
  • Home screen and lock screen widgets
  • Customizable challenges and ability to share with friends
  • More options for the 'Do Not Disturb' mode
  • Improved analytics and progress tracking
  • Ability to easily adjust app limits without resetting

Dumb Phone (dp)

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Widget not appearing in list
  • Apps opening through Shortcuts app
  • Compatibility issues with older devices

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to hide App Library
  • More widget customization options
  • Customizable widget labels
  • Detox mode for specific apps
  • Support for more third-party apps

In-app purchases

18 purchases

Roots

Subscriptions18
  • Roots Plus - Monthly Plan$6.991 Month
  • Premium$7.997 Days
  • Roots Plus - Weekly Plan3 Days trial$7.997 Days
Show 15 more
  • Roots - Monthly Plan$9.991 Month
  • Roots Plus - Monthly Plan$9.991 Month
  • Roots - Monthly Plan$19.991 Month
  • Premium Pass7 Days trial$19.991 Month
  • Roots Plus - Annual Plan$29.991 Year
  • Premium$39.991 Year
  • Roots Plus - Annual Plan7 Days trial$49.991 Year
  • Premium Pass$59.991 Year
  • Roots Plus - Annual Plan7 Days trial$59.991 Year
  • Premium1 Month trial$69.991 Year
  • Roots Plus - Annual Plan$79.991 Year
  • Premium Pass1 Year trial$99.991 Year
  • Premium3 Days trial$99.991 Year
  • Premium Pass1 Month trial$99.991 Year
  • Premium Pass7 Days trial$99.991 Year
12 purchases

Dumb Phone (dp)

Subscriptions8
  • Dumb Phone Pro (1 month)$2.991 Month
  • Dumb Phone Pro (1 month)$3.991 Month
  • Dumb Phone Pro (1 month)$5.991 Month
Show 5 more
  • Dumb Phone Pro (1 year)$9.991 Year
  • Dumb Phone Pro (1 year)$12.991 Year
  • Dumb Phone Pro (1 year)$14.991 Year
  • Dumb Phone Pro (1 year)$19.991 Year
  • Dumb Phone Pro Family (1 year)$24.991 Year
One-time4
  • Dumb Phone Pro Lifetime$24.99
  • Dumb Phone Pro Lifetime$29.99
  • Dumb Phone Pro Lifetime$39.99
Show 1 more
  • Dumb Phone Pro Lifetime$49.99

Questions

Is Roots free?
Roots is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Dumb Phone (dp) free?
Dumb Phone (dp) is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Roots or Dumb Phone (dp)?
Roots is rated higher. Roots averages 4.7 out of 5 from 3.1K ratings, while Dumb Phone (dp) averages 4.6 from 3.9K ratings.
Do Roots or Dumb Phone (dp) have ads?
Neither Roots nor Dumb Phone (dp) shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Roots or Dumb Phone (dp)?
Roots ships an update every 2 weeks, and Dumb Phone (dp) every 2 weeks. Most recently, Roots was updated on October 20, 2026 and Dumb Phone (dp) on October 22, 2026.

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