# Roots vs PomoTomo App

The clearest difference is monetization model: PomoTomo App at free against Roots's free with in-app purchases. PomoTomo App also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 76%) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). Roots's advantage is ratings volume (3.1K vs 4). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Roots sells 18 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month and PomoTomo App sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

PomoTomo App holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Roots has 3.1K ratings behind it against 4, 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 PomoTomo App's.

Roots ships an update every 2 weeks, PomoTomo App every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Roots | PomoTomo App |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (3.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/roots-screen-time-control/id6446800962/reviews) | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pomotomo-app/id6756530555/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **3.1K** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 75.6% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 4 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 355 MB | 56 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **16.2** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [MWM](https://appshunter.io/developer/452269707) | [Napoleon Torrico IV](https://appshunter.io/developer/1861203344) |

## 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 (18)**

| 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 Pass | $99.99 | 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


### PomoTomo App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pomotomo-app/id6756530555)

This app combines the Pomodoro technique with social accountability to boost productivity. Work alongside others in real-time channels, share progress updates, and get inspired by a community focused on getting things done.

**Highlights:** Social focus sessions with friends, Real-time activity updates in channels, Progress tracking with photo posts and captions, Calendar heat map for analytics, Goal setting for focus areas, Offline timer functionality

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Plus (Monthly) | $0.99 | per month |
| Plus (Yearly) | $9.99 | per year |
| Study Buddy | $1.00 | one-time |
| Focus Boost | $5.00 | one-time |
| Knowledge Master | $10.00 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Roots free?

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

### Is PomoTomo App free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Roots or PomoTomo App?

PomoTomo App is rated higher. Roots averages 4.7 out of 5 from 3.1K ratings, while PomoTomo App averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do Roots or PomoTomo App have ads?

Neither Roots nor PomoTomo App shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Roots or PomoTomo App?

Roots ships an update every 2 weeks, and PomoTomo App every 4 weeks. Most recently, Roots was updated on October 27, 2026 and PomoTomo App on October 12, 2026.

---

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