# Roots vs Nook

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Nook at none against Roots's 10. Nook also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.0). Roots's advantage is review sentiment (76% vs 50%) and ratings volume (3.2K vs 9). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Roots sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per 7 days. Nook asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Roots against 4.7 for Nook. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Roots has 3.2K ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 76% of Roots's written reviews are positive against 50% of Nook's.

Roots ships an update every 3 weeks, Nook monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Roots | Nook |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (3.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/roots-screen-time-control/id6446800962/reviews)** | [4.7 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nook-study-spot-finder/id6747598612/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3.2K** | 9 |
| Positive reviews | **75.7% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 361 MB | 42 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [MWM](https://appshunter.io/developer/452269707) | [Aadyant Maity](https://appshunter.io/developer/1821955850) |

## What reviewers say

### Roots

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

This app helps you manage your phone usage by setting app limits, scheduling downtime, and offering challenges to reduce screen time. It aims to improve focus, be more present, and cure phone addiction by monitoring digital dopamine and providing a personal balance score.

**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 (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 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 Plus - Annual Plan | $29.99 | per year |
| Premium Pass | $59.99 | per year |
| Roots Plus - Annual Plan | $59.99 | per year |
| Premium Pass | $99.99 | per year |
| Premium | $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


### Nook

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nook-study-spot-finder/id6747598612)

This app helps University of Washington students find quiet and available study spots on campus in real-time. It provides insights into campus study environments to avoid crowded or noisy locations.

**Highlights:** Real-time study environment insights, Find available study locations, Campus-focused for UW students, Avoid crowded libraries, Identify quiet study areas

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Roots free?

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

### Is Nook free?

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

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

Roots is rated higher. Roots averages 4.7 out of 5 from 3.2K ratings, while Nook averages 4.7 from 9 ratings.

### Do Roots or Nook have ads?

Neither Roots nor Nook shows ads.

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

Roots ships an update every 3 weeks, and Nook monthly. Most recently, Roots was updated on November 3, 2026 and Nook on October 28, 2026.

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