Comparison

Roots vs Klara

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

Klara

Features
Read full description

See time disappear. Stay focused. Klara is a visual focus timer designed for adults with ADHD, time blindness, and anyone who wants a simpler way to focus. Not a planner. Not a habit tracker. Just a focused, visual way to make time easier to understand. Open the app. Choose your time. Tap start. Watch the circle shrink. No complicated setup, no distractions. SEE TIME DIFFERENTLY Instead of relying only on numbers, Klara turns time into visual movement. Watch the circle shrink or the progress bar move as your focus session gets closer to completion. TRACK YOUR FOCUS Klara keeps a simple history of your completed focus sessions. See your activity over the last 12 weeks, weekly focus time, recent sessions, and how you spend your focus time across different activities. Choose between Study, Work, Read, Meditate, or Other when starting a session — or simply press Start Focus and get going. FEATURES Visual countdown with circle or progress bar Quick start focus sessions Custom timers from 1–180 minutes Focus categories for Study, Work, Read, Meditate, and more Activity Map showing your completed focus sessions Weekly focus statistics and activity breakdowns Recent focus session history Multiple calm color themes Gentle vibration and sound when your timer completes All activity data stored locally on your device No account required No subscription No ads Pay once. Use forever. Klara keeps focus simple. Start a timer, focus on what matters, and see your progress over time.

Screenshots

Roots4 screens
Klara4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Roots at Free against Klara's $2.99. Roots also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). Klara's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 17) and device support (3 vs 1). On ads 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

Roots is free to download; Klara costs $2.99 up front. Roots sells 17 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Klara asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Roots ships an update every 3 weeks, Klara every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Roots versus Klara: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRootsKlara
PriceFree — better$2.99
Rating4.8 (2.6K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews75.4% of reviews—
Number of ratings2.6K — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS18.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size379 MB47 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMWMJulio Siklander

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

Klara

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

17 purchases

Roots

Subscriptions17
  • Roots Plus - Monthly Plan$6.991 Month
  • Premium$7.997 Days
  • Roots Plus - Weekly Plan3 Days trial$7.997 Days
Show 14 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
  • Premium3 Days trial$99.991 Year
  • Premium Pass1 Month trial$99.991 Year
  • Premium Pass7 Days trial$99.991 Year
None

Klara

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Roots free?
Roots is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Klara free?
Klara costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do Roots or Klara have ads?
Neither Roots nor Klara shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Roots or Klara?
Roots ships an update every 3 weeks, and Klara every 2 months. Most recently, Roots was updated on September 22, 2026 and Klara on September 12, 2026.

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