Comparison

Roots vs Time in Focus

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

Time in Focus

This app helps you organize your tasks and focus on what matters with timed work sessions and app blocking. Track your progress and build productive habits without pressure.

Highlights
  • Task planning and organization
  • App blocking for distractions
  • Timed focus sessions with breaks
  • Progress tracking and streaks
  • Calendar and heatmap visualization
  • Private and iPhone-only operation
Features
Read full description

I built Time In Focus for myself as much as for anyone. I kept sitting down to do real work and then watching an hour go somewhere else. The problem was never that I didn't want to focus — it was making my phone less distracting, and having something to show for my work. So I made the thing I needed: a quiet timer that holds the line I set, and a way to close the apps that pull at me before they get the chance. It doesn't do anything clever. It keeps time, holds the line you set, and shows you what you did. That's it. I use it every day. FOCUS SESSIONS Pick a 25-minute sprint for something small or a 45-minute block for deep work. When the session ends, a break timer gives you room to step back before the next one. Set a daily goal, keep a streak if streaks help you, and have something to look back at. FOCUS SHIELD This is the part I lean on most. Before you start, you choose the apps you don't want to reach for. Once the session begins, the shield holds them closed for the whole thing. The only way past it is to end the session — no “just five minutes.” It's not enforcement. It's a door you can close, and a reminder of what you decided when you sat down. The apps are still there when you're done; they just don't get you mid-session. TASKS Add what you're working on before or during a session and check things off as you go. When a stray thought shows up — and it always does — the parking lot catches it, so you can set it down and stay where you are instead of chasing it. FOCUS VISUALS & SOUND Turn the screen into something quieter to sit with. More than fifteen visuals — Aurora, Grid, and Glass among them — shift slowly as the session runs. Pair them with rain, a cafe, or lo-fi if quiet isn't your thing. WHAT YOU DID A weekly calendar, a daily session chart, and lifetime stats. Not a scoreboard — a receipt. The days you actually showed up, kept where you can see them. BADGES Small markers along the way, from your first ten sessions out to the far end. They're there if you like them, easy to ignore if you don't. THE SMALL STUFF A flip clock shows the current time, so you don't reach for your phone to check it Dark and light themes with accent colors you pick A home screen widget with today's progress at a glance A daily reminder, if you want one Works in portrait and landscape YOUR DATA STAYS YOURS Everything lives on your device. No account to make, no tracking, no ads. I never see your sessions, and there's nothing to sell. Your focus is yours. GETTING STARTED The Planner and widgets are free — no account, nothing to sign up for. The focus timer, app blocking, Tracking, and Screen Time reports are part of Pro. New here? Your first month of Pro is free — nothing charged today, no pressure. After that, only if it’s earned a place in your day. I hope it helps you get real work done. — Selim Privacy Policy: https://seamlessmigration.ai/time-in-focus/privacy-notice/ Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Roots4 screens
Time in Focus4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Roots at 2.9K against Time in Focus's 14. Time in Focus's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 76%) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 2 weeks). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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 Time in Focus sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Time in Focus 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 14, 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 Time in Focus's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Roots ships an update every 2 weeks, Time in Focus every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Roots versus Time in Focus: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRootsTime in Focus
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (2.9K ratings)5.0 (14 ratings) — better
Positive reviews75.6% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings2.9K — better14
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS18.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size355 MB57 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMWMSeamless Migration AI LLC

Customer experience

Roots

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

Time in Focus

All ratings14 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews12 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

Time in Focus

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

Time in Focus

Subscriptions2
  • Pro Monthly1 Month trial$4.991 Month
  • Pro Yearly1 Month trial$35.901 Year

Questions

Is Roots free?
Roots is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Time in Focus free?
Time in Focus is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Roots or Time in Focus?
Time in Focus is rated higher. Roots averages 4.8 out of 5 from 2.9K ratings, while Time in Focus averages 5.0 from 14 ratings.
Do Roots or Time in Focus have ads?
Neither Roots nor Time in Focus shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Roots or Time in Focus?
Roots ships an update every 2 weeks, and Time in Focus every 5 days. Most recently, Roots was updated on October 14, 2026 and Time in Focus on September 18, 2026.

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