Comparison

Roots vs Clean Sprint

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

Clean Sprint

This app breaks down overwhelming cleaning tasks into short, focused bursts. It presents one task at a time with a timer, helping users complete chores efficiently without feeling guilty or indecisive. It's designed for those who struggle with large cleaning projects.

Highlights
  • One task at a time
  • Short, focused timers
  • Live Activities on Lock Screen
  • Adaptive timer learning
  • Customizable tasks and rooms
  • Cleaning streaks and stats
Features
Read full description

Cleaning your whole home is overwhelming. So don't. Clean Sprint breaks it down into short, focused bursts. One task, one timer, done. No endless checklists, no guilt, no deciding what to do next. Just start the timer and go. Built for ADHD brains (and anyone who freezes up at a messy room), Clean Sprint shows you ONE thing to do and gives you a few minutes to do it. Finish it, feel great, move on. Before you know it, the whole place is done. HOW IT WORKS 1. One task at a time — never a wall of chores 2. A short timer for each — beat the clock, then move on 3. Sprint through your home room by room 4. Not feeling a task? Skip it. Need more time? Add a few minutes. FEATURES Walter, your cleaning gnome - a friendly buddy who cheers you on (turn him off for a minimal look) Live Activities - your timer lives on the Lock Screen and Dynamic Island, counting down even while your phone is away Streaks & stats - see your sprints, time cleaned, and your daily streak Adaptive timers - Clean Sprint learns how long tasks really take you and adjusts Shuffle mode - a fresh room order each time you open the app Fully customizable - add, edit, and reorder tasks to match your home No account. No ads. No tracking. Everything stays on your device. Stop staring at the mess. Start one sprint.

Screenshots

Roots4 screens
Clean Sprint4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Clean Sprint at none against Roots's 18. Clean Sprint also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.8) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.0). Roots's advantage is ratings volume (2.9K vs 1). On price, ads and device support 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. Clean Sprint asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Clean Sprint 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 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Roots versus Clean Sprint: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRootsClean Sprint
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (2.9K ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews75.6% of reviews—
Number of ratings2.9K — better1
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPod — better
Requires iOS18.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size355 MB31 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMWMAARON WILLIAM MILLER

Customer experience

Roots

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

Clean Sprint

All ratings1 ratings
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

Clean Sprint

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
None

Clean Sprint

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Roots free?
Roots is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Clean Sprint free?
Clean Sprint is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Roots or Clean Sprint?
Clean Sprint is rated higher. Roots averages 4.8 out of 5 from 2.9K ratings, while Clean Sprint averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Roots or Clean Sprint have ads?
Neither Roots nor Clean Sprint shows ads.

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