# Roots vs Bloom

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Bloom at none against Roots's 17. Roots's advantage is review sentiment (75% vs 66%). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Roots sells 17 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Bloom asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Roots against 4.8 for Bloom. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2.6K and 2.4K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 75% of Roots's written reviews are positive against 66% of Bloom's.

Roots ships an update every 3 weeks, Bloom fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Roots | Bloom |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (2.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/roots-screen-time-control/id6446800962/reviews)** | [4.8 (2.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bloom-conquer-screen-time/id6736728158/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2.6K** | 2.4K |
| Positive reviews | **75.4% of reviews** | 66.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 379 MB | 67 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **17.6** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [MWM](https://appshunter.io/developer/452269707) | [Find Your Bloom LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1773221809) |

## What reviewers say

### Roots

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/roots-screen-time-control/id6446800962)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (17)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Roots Plus - Monthly Plan | $6.99 | per month |
| Premium | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Roots Plus - Weekly Plan | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Roots - Monthly Plan | $9.99 | per month |
| Roots Plus - Monthly Plan | $9.99 | per month |
| Roots - Monthly Plan | $19.99 | per month |
| Premium Pass | $19.99 | per month |
| Roots Plus - Annual Plan | $29.99 | per year |
| Premium | $39.99 | per year |
| Roots Plus - Annual Plan | $49.99 | per year |
| Premium Pass | $59.99 | per year |
| Roots Plus - Annual Plan | $59.99 | per year |
| Premium | $69.99 | per year |
| Roots Plus - Annual Plan | $79.99 | per year |
| Premium | $99.99 | per year |
| Premium Pass | $99.99 | per year |
| Premium Pass | $99.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 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

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 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

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- 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


### Bloom

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bloom-conquer-screen-time/id6736728158)

This app helps you conquer screen time by requiring you to tap an NFC keycard to your phone to access distracting apps. Set schedules, manage breaks, and utilize strict mode to stay focused. It's a physical solution for digital detox and improved productivity.

**Highlights:** NFC keycard app blocking, Customizable distraction lists, Focus schedules, Break limits, Strict mode, Emergency exits

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Helps reduce screen time
- 👍 Effective at improving productivity
- 💡 Unique physical card concept
- 🔒 Prevents access to distracting apps
- 👍 Gamified approach is motivating

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy app with crashes and settings issues
- 💡 Could use more flexible session scheduling

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when selecting apps for blocklist
- Settings fail to save consistently

**Requested features**

- More flexible session scheduling options
- Thinner, more discreet physical card


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Roots free?

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

### Is Bloom free?

Bloom is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Roots or Bloom?

Roots is rated higher. Roots averages 4.8 out of 5 from 2.6K ratings, while Bloom averages 4.8 from 2.4K ratings.

### Do Roots or Bloom have ads?

Neither Roots nor Bloom shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Roots or Bloom?

Roots ships an update every 3 weeks, and Bloom fortnightly. Most recently, Roots was updated on September 22, 2026 and Bloom on September 24, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*