Comparison

Roots vs Scroll Toll

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

Scroll Toll

This app helps you manage screen time by setting custom limits and pledging donations to charities when you exceed them. It offers voluntary donations with total transparency, allowing you to track your pledges and choose when to contribute.

Highlights
  • Custom screen time thresholds
  • Charity pledges
  • Pledge tracking
  • Secure, voluntary payments
  • Daily reminders and nudges
  • Progress tracking and sharing
Features
Read full description

Reclaim Your Time — And Make It Count Scroll Toll is the world’s first app that transforms excessive screen time into an opportunity for positive change. Set your own screen time limits and pledge a small donation to a charity of your choice whenever you go over. No automatic charges, ever — just real stakes that you choose to act on. By connecting your phone use to causes you care about, Scroll Toll helps you stay mindful, live more intentionally, and do good in the process. Why Scroll Toll? Attach Meaning to Your Minutes: Turn each minute of screen time into a chance to support a cause — on your terms. Voluntary Donations, Real Impact: Over your limit? We’ll track your pledge — but you choose if and when to donate. Total Transparency: No surprise charges. You always confirm each donation before anything is processed. Scroll With Purpose: The more mindful you are, the more good you can do. Every session is a chance to create positive impact. Features 1. Custom Screen Time Thresholds - You decide how long is too long. Set daily limits for any group of apps. Your phone habits, your rules. 2. Charity Pledges - Choose from vetted nonprofits or add your own. Each minute past your limit adds to your pledge — but payment is always optional. 3. Pledge Tracking & Secure Payments - Easily track how much you’ve pledged. Fulfill donations anytime from the app — or not at all. There are no automatic payments. 4. Friendly Motivation - Stay encouraged with daily reminders and gentle nudges from our in-app mascot, built to keep you aware and inspired. Who Is It For? Whether you're a busy professional, a student trying to reduce screen time, or a parent wanting to model healthy tech habits — Scroll Toll offers a powerful, flexible way to reconnect with your time and contribute to the causes you love. If you've tried other screen time apps and found them too easy to ignore, this one's different — because now there's more at stake, and you're in charge. How It Works: 1. Set Your Threshold - Decide how much screen time feels healthy for you. 2. Choose a Charity - Pick a cause that matters. Link it to your profile. 3. Scroll Past Limit? We Track It - If you exceed your threshold, we tally your pledge — no charges unless you choose to fulfill it. 4. Donate If You Want - Tap “Donate My Pledge” on the home screen whenever you're ready. Or not at all. It’s always your choice. 5. Track & Share Progress- See your impact build up over time — and inspire others by sharing milestones. Join the Movement We believe small, mindful actions can drive meaningful change — in your life and in the world. Start building better phone habits and support causes you care about. Download Scroll Toll today. Powered by Untether Ventures INC, a verified nonprofit with a Candid Silver Seal: https://app.candid.org/profile/16028359/untether-ventures-inc-33-3017664?pkId=1fba52dd-648b-458b-9730-29d4045d4d98&isActive=true

Screenshots

Roots4 screens
Scroll Toll4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Scroll Toll at none against Roots's 18. Scroll Toll also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 76%) and rating (5.0 vs 4.8). Roots's advantage is ratings volume (2.9K vs 17). On price, update cadence, ads 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. Roots sells 18 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Scroll Toll asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Scroll Toll holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Roots has 2.9K ratings behind it against 17, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 76% of Roots's written reviews are positive against 100% of Scroll Toll's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Roots ships an update every 2 weeks, Scroll Toll every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Roots versus Scroll Toll: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRootsScroll Toll
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (2.9K ratings)5.0 (17 ratings) — better
Positive reviews75.6% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings2.9K — better17
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesAd-supported — better
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS18.016.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size355 MB40 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperMWMUntether Ventures Inc.

Customer experience

Roots

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

Scroll Toll

All ratings17 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

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

Scroll Toll

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

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
None

Scroll Toll

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Roots free?
Roots is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Scroll Toll free?
Scroll Toll is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Roots or Scroll Toll?
Scroll Toll is rated higher. Roots averages 4.8 out of 5 from 2.9K ratings, while Scroll Toll averages 5.0 from 17 ratings.
Do Roots or Scroll Toll have ads?
Neither Roots nor Scroll Toll shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Roots or Scroll Toll?
Roots ships an update every 2 weeks, and Scroll Toll every 3 weeks. Most recently, Roots was updated on October 14, 2026 and Scroll Toll on September 24, 2026.

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