# Roots vs NoMo Screen Time

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: NoMo Screen Time at none against Roots's 17. NoMo Screen Time also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 75%) and rating (5.0 vs 4.8). Roots's advantage is ratings volume (2.6K vs 5). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Roots sells 17 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 2.6K ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 75% of Roots's written reviews are positive against 100% of NoMo Screen Time's.

Roots ships an update every 3 weeks, NoMo Screen Time every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and June 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Roots | NoMo Screen Time |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (2.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/roots-screen-time-control/id6446800962/reviews) | **[5.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nomo-screen-time/id6748623068/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2.6K** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | 75.4% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 379 MB | 29 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **17.6** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [MWM](https://appshunter.io/developer/452269707) | [Aswath Krishnan](https://appshunter.io/developer/1826636546) |

## 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


### NoMo Screen Time

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nomo-screen-time/id6748623068)

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.

**Highlights:** App blocking and timers, Daily and hourly goals, Fun visual feedback, Usage-based mood changes, Focus on intention

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Roots free?

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

### Is NoMo Screen Time free?

NoMo Screen Time is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Roots or NoMo Screen Time?

NoMo Screen Time is rated higher. Roots averages 4.8 out of 5 from 2.6K ratings, while NoMo Screen Time averages 5.0 from 5 ratings.

### Do Roots or NoMo Screen Time have ads?

Neither Roots nor NoMo Screen Time shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Roots or NoMo Screen Time?

Roots ships an update every 3 weeks, and NoMo Screen Time every 2 weeks. Most recently, Roots was updated on September 25, 2026 and NoMo Screen Time on June 7, 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.*