Comparison

Roots vs Twilock

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

Twilock

This app helps you reclaim your nights and mornings by blocking distracting apps during specific, customizable windows. Build streaks, earn badges, and track your reclaimed time privately. Connect with friends for accountability.

Highlights
  • Customizable app blocking windows
  • Streak building and rewards
  • Reclaimed time tracking
  • Friend accountability leaderboard
  • Private data handling
  • Optional Pro features
Read full description

You do not decide to scroll until 1am. It just happens. Twilock shields the apps that pull you in during the two windows that cost you most: the hours right before sleep, and the ones right after waking. Pick the apps. Pick your window. Twilock handles the rest, so there is no willpower contest and no bargaining with yourself at 11pm. HOW IT WORKS 1. Choose the apps that pull you in most. 2. Set your Night window, up to two hours, over the stretch where your nights actually go sideways. 3. When the window opens, those apps are shielded. Nothing to decide, nothing to resist. WHY IT FEELS DIFFERENT Most blockers go all or nothing and you end up disabling them by lunchtime. Twilock never takes your whole day. It covers up to two hours at night, plus up to two in the morning on Pro, because those are the hours that decide how you sleep and how you start. BUILD A STREAK YOU ACTUALLY WANT Every protected night grows your streak on a calendar that is satisfying to keep green, and earns you badges along the way. An attempt the shield caught still counts as a win, not a slip. Reach a 7 day streak and you earn a free Streak Freeze to cover a slip later, with two more waiting at 30 and 90 days. You also get one Snooze Token every week for the nights you genuinely need your phone. All free, no purchase, ever. SEE THE PAYOFF Watch the hours you have reclaimed add up, glance back at your streak history, and check in on how your sleep and energy are trending. All private, all on your device. STAY ACCOUNTABLE WITH FRIENDS Share your invite code, connect with friends, and keep each other honest on a shared streak leaderboard. Free for everyone. A little gentle competition helps more than it should. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Your Screen Time and app usage data never leave your device. We cannot see which apps you picked or how long you use them. No ads, no data selling, ever. FREE TO START, PRO WHEN YOU'RE READY Free, always: your Night window, streaks, badges, Streak Freeze, the weekly Snooze Token, friends and the leaderboard, and your reclaimed hours count. Every new install also includes three Strict Night windows, so you can experience the strongest lock before deciding whether to upgrade. Pro adds: a Morning window, continued Strict Mode after those three included nights, Streak Repair, and deeper insights. Take back your nights and mornings, one calm streak at a time. Twilock Pro is offered as a monthly or annual auto renewing subscription, or as a one time Lifetime purchase. Prices are shown in the app before you buy. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel anytime in your App Store account settings. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://twilock.com/privacy/

Screenshots

Roots4 screens
Twilock4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Roots at 2.9K against Twilock's 11. Twilock's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 76%) and update cadence (every 6 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 Twilock sells 3 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

Twilock 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 11, 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 Twilock's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Roots ships an update every 2 weeks, Twilock every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Roots versus Twilock: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRootsTwilock
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (2.9K ratings)5.0 (11 ratings) — better
Positive reviews75.6% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings2.9K — better11
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 6 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS18.016.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size355 MB42 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperMWMPrism Studios

Customer experience

Roots

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

Twilock

All ratings11 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

Twilock

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
3 purchases

Twilock

Subscriptions2
  • Twilock Pro Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Twilock Pro Annual7 Days trial$39.991 Year
One-time1
  • Twilock Lifetime$79.99

Questions

Is Roots free?
Roots is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Twilock free?
Twilock is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Roots or Twilock?
Twilock is rated higher. Roots averages 4.8 out of 5 from 2.9K ratings, while Twilock averages 5.0 from 11 ratings.
Do Roots or Twilock have ads?
Neither Roots nor Twilock shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Roots or Twilock?
Roots ships an update every 2 weeks, and Twilock every 6 days. Most recently, Roots was updated on October 14, 2026 and Twilock on October 15, 2026.

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