Roots vs NoMo Screen Time
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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
NoMo Screen Time
This app helps you reclaim your time and focus by playfully interrupting distracting app usage. Set daily or hourly goals and receive fun visual feedback as your screen time decreases. It encourages intention over strict restriction.
- App blocking and timers
- Daily and hourly goals
- Fun visual feedback
- Usage-based mood changes
- Focus on intention
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A pause before the scroll. You open an app for a minute. Somehow, twenty disappear. NoMo helps you make that choice deliberately. CHOOSE YOUR APPS Use Apple's Screen Time controls to block the apps you want to use less. DECIDE HOW LONG YOU NEED Choose 1, 5, 10, or 15 minutes before you unblock an app. PUT YOUR PHONE DOWN Take a short pause with your phone face down on your desk, chest, or lap, or tucked in your pocket. The pause progresses while your phone is put away and stops when you pick it up. Leave NoMo open; sound and haptics let you know when the pause is complete. A simple pause is available if placement detection doesn't work for you. CHOOSE NOT NOW After the pause, you may find you no longer need the app. Tap Not now to keep it blocked. Your opens skipped today appear on Home as a quiet acknowledgment of that choice. SEE YOUR HABITS CLEARLY See today's usage, your daily average, and the last hour at a glance. Explore weekly and monthly trends, set daily and hourly targets, and let Mo's changing mood remind you to check in with yourself. REMEMBER WHAT MATTERS Add a reminder to yourself on Home, or connect Apple Reminders to see what you wanted to do before you reached for your phone. A warm, quiet design. A moment to reconsider. More room for your day. NoMo Screen Time. Mo real life. OPTIONAL MEMBERSHIP Every feature stays free. If NoMo helps you use your phone on your terms, an optional membership supports its continued development and removes membership invitations. Choose monthly or yearly billing. Eligible users can start with a six-month free trial; current pricing and trial terms are shown before purchase. Subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the current period ends. Manage or cancel in your App Store account settings. Privacy policy: https://www.aswathkrishnan.com/p/privacy-policy-for-nomo.html Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: NoMo Screen Time at none against Roots's 18. NoMo Screen Time also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 76%) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 2 weeks). Roots's advantage is ratings volume (2.9K vs 5). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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
Both are free to download. Roots sells 18 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. NoMo Screen Time asks for nothing beyond the download.
NoMo Screen Time 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 5, 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 NoMo Screen Time's.
Roots ships an update every 2 weeks, NoMo Screen Time every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Roots | NoMo Screen Time |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (2.9K ratings) | 5.0 (5 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 75.6% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 2.9K — better | 5 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Every 5 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPad — better |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 17.6 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 355 MB | 29 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | MWM | Aswath Krishnan |
Customer experience
Roots
NoMo Screen Time
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
NoMo Screen Time
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Roots
- Roots Plus - Monthly Plan$6.991 Month
- Premium$7.997 Days
- Roots Plus - Weekly Plan3 Days trial$7.997 Days
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- 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
NoMo Screen Time
No in-app purchases









