Comparison

Roots vs Screencat

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

Screencat

This app helps users break phone addiction and stop doomscrolling by "locking" distracting applications. Users earn coins by using the app, which can be spent to unlock apps or customize a virtual pet.

Highlights
  • Lock distracting apps
  • Gamified unlocking process
  • Earn coins for app usage
  • Customize virtual pet
  • Stop doomscrolling
Read full description

Are you addicted to your phone? Screencat is here to help! Screencat is a fun, simple, and super effective way to tame your phone addiction, and stop doomscrolling. Screencat lets you "lock" distracting apps and will force you to go through an unlocking process before you can use any apps you add. For every app you add to Screencat, you will earn coins. You can spend these coins to unlock apps, or buy stylish accessories for you cat! See our terms of service here - https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Roots4 screens
Screencat4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Screencat at every 2 days against Roots's every 3 weeks. Screencat also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 75%). Roots's advantage is ratings volume (2.6K vs 2) and rating (4.8 vs 4.5). On price, ads, 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. Roots sells 17 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month and Screencat sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $49.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Roots holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Roots has 2.6K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 75% of Roots's written reviews are positive against 100% of Screencat's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Roots ships an update every 3 weeks, Screencat every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Roots versus Screencat: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRootsScreencat
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (2.6K ratings) — better4.5 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews75.4% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings2.6K — better2
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS18.017.5 — better
Further details — not scored
Size379 MB32 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMWMScreencat

Customer experience

Roots

All ratings2,649 ratings
Positive94.8%
Neutral1.5%
Negative3.7%
Written reviews362 reviews
Positive75.4%
Neutral5.2%
Negative19.3%

Screencat

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 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

Screencat

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

17 purchases

Roots

Subscriptions17
  • Roots Plus - Monthly Plan$6.991 Month
  • Premium$7.997 Days
  • Roots Plus - Weekly Plan3 Days trial$7.997 Days
Show 14 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
  • Premium3 Days trial$99.991 Year
  • Premium Pass1 Month trial$99.991 Year
  • Premium Pass7 Days trial$99.991 Year
3 purchases

Screencat

Subscriptions1
  • Screencat Pro Yearly$49.991 Year
One-time2
  • Screencat Pro Lifetime Special$24.99
  • Screencat Pro Lifetime$39.99

Questions

Is Roots free?
Roots is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Screencat free?
Screencat is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Roots or Screencat?
Roots is rated higher. Roots averages 4.8 out of 5 from 2.6K ratings, while Screencat averages 4.5 from 2 ratings.
Do Roots or Screencat have ads?
Neither Roots nor Screencat shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Roots or Screencat?
Roots ships an update every 3 weeks, and Screencat every 2 days. Most recently, Roots was updated on September 22, 2026 and Screencat on September 15, 2026.

Other comparisons