Comparison

Roots vs Before You Scroll

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

Before You Scroll

This app introduces a mindful pause before you open other applications, offering a reflective quote based on your mood. After a brief moment of reflection, your chosen apps become accessible, promoting intentional use of your time and digital habits.

Highlights
  • Mood-based quotes
  • Quote of the Day
  • App locking via Screen Time
  • Streaks and achievements
  • Emergency unlock
  • Privacy-focused design
Features
Read full description

Pause with intention - then unlock your apps Before You Scroll adds a mindful pause between impulse and action. Instead of instantly opening distracting apps, you're invited to reflect for a moment with a short quote tailored to your current mood. Once you've taken that pause, your apps unlock - helping you stay intentional with your time, attention, and habits. How it works: 1. Choose how you're feeling - struggling, down, okay, good, or great 2. Receive a short, thoughtful quote aligned with your mood 3. Reflect briefly, then unlock your selected apps It's a simple moment of awareness before you scroll. Features: - Mood based quotes that adapt to how you're feeling - Quote of the Day featuring timeless sayings and wisdom - App locking & unlocking using Apple's Screen Time tools - Streaks & achievements to encourage consistency - Emergency unlock when you need instant access - Privacy first design with no data being sold and no social feeds Free vs Premium Free: - One mood based quote every 12 hours - Daily quote access - Core app locking experience Premium: - Unlimited mood based quotes - Advanced insights - Premium customization and features (Subscriptions available monthly or yearly) Designed for balance Before You Scroll isn't about restriction or guilt. It's about creating a small, intentional pause - so your time is spent more consciously. Quotes are for reflection only and are not medical, financial, or professional advice. Privacy Your data stays yours. No ads. No social pressure.

Screenshots

Roots4 screens
Before You Scroll4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Roots at 2.9K against Before You Scroll's 3. Roots also leads on iOS requirement (18.0 vs 26.2). Before You Scroll's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 76%) and rating (5.0 vs 4.8). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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 18 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month and Before You Scroll sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Before You Scroll 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 3, 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 Before You Scroll's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Roots ships an update every 2 weeks, Before You Scroll every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Roots versus Before You Scroll: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRootsBefore You Scroll
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (2.9K ratings)5.0 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews75.6% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings2.9K — better3
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 9 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS18.0 — better26.2
Further details — not scored
Size355 MB13 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperMWMEJ Labs LLC

Customer experience

Roots

All ratings2,867 ratings
Positive94.4%
Neutral1.8%
Negative3.8%
Written reviews369 reviews
Positive75.6%
Neutral5.1%
Negative19.2%

Before You Scroll

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 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

Before You Scroll

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

18 purchases

Roots

Subscriptions18
  • Roots Plus - Monthly Plan$6.991 Month
  • Premium$7.997 Days
  • Roots Plus - Weekly Plan3 Days trial$7.997 Days
Show 15 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
  • 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
2 purchases

Before You Scroll

Subscriptions2
  • Before You Scroll Premium (Monthly)7 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Before You Scroll (Yearly)7 Days trial$29.991 Year

Questions

Is Roots free?
Roots is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Before You Scroll free?
Before You Scroll is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Roots or Before You Scroll?
Before You Scroll is rated higher. Roots averages 4.8 out of 5 from 2.9K ratings, while Before You Scroll averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.
Do Roots or Before You Scroll have ads?
Neither Roots nor Before You Scroll shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Roots or Before You Scroll?
Roots ships an update every 2 weeks, and Before You Scroll every 9 days. Most recently, Roots was updated on October 12, 2026 and Before You Scroll on October 1, 2026.

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