Comparison

Roots vs Screen Time Unlock

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

Screen Time Unlock

Read full description

Your feeds don't ask permission. Squatoll makes them pay. Pick the apps that steal your time — Instagram, TikTok, X, whatever yours are. Squatoll locks them behind a toll gate. To get in, you squat. Your camera counts every rep on your iPhone, and each one mints minutes you can spend. No willpower. No guilt. Just a price. HOW IT WORKS 1. Choose your worst offenders. They lock the moment you save. 2. Squat to earn. Prop your phone up, step back, and move — the camera counts real reps at real depth. 3. Spend your minutes. Unlock an app for as long as you've earned. Pause anytime and bank what's left, down to the second. WHY IT STICKS Screen Time limits are easy to ignore — you tap "Ignore" and scroll on. Squatoll doesn't nag you or shame you. It puts a price on the thing you were about to do anyway, then lets you decide whether it's worth it. Most days, you'll find out it isn't. A MORE MINDFUL, HEALTHIER WAY TO SCROLL You move more and scroll less — without deleting apps or white-knuckling through the day. Every unlock adds reps you wouldn't have done and hands back time you didn't mean to lose. And the pause before you open a feed becomes the point: a moment to notice you were reaching on autopilot, and to choose. FEATURES • Camera rep counting, entirely on-device • A different squat price for every app — make the worst ones expensive • Bank minutes like a prepaid card and spend them in chunks • Pause a session and get unused time back, down to the second • Streak Shields cover a missed day, so one off day doesn't erase your progress • Milestones, streaks, and a weekly activity view • An optional once-a-day reminder. No spam. PRIVACY Your camera feed is processed on your iPhone. It is never recorded, saved, or uploaded. There is no account to create and nothing to sign up for. We never see which apps you block — only how many. SUBSCRIPTION Squatoll Pro unlocks unlimited earn and spend sessions, per-app rates, and a pausable balance. Start with a 3-day free trial. Monthly and yearly plans are available; the exact price for your region is shown in the app before you subscribe. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel anytime in your Apple account settings. Terms of Use: https://squatoll.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://squatoll.com/privacy

Screenshots

Roots4 screens
Screen Time Unlock4 screens

Verdict

The call

Roots and Screen Time Unlock are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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 Screen Time Unlock sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Roots ships an update every 2 weeks, Screen Time Unlock every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
Roots versus Screen Time Unlock: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRootsScreen Time Unlock
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (3.2K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews75.6% of reviews—
Number of ratings3.2K — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS18.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size355 MB13 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMWMRashem Pandit

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

Screen Time Unlock

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

Screen Time Unlock

Subscriptions3
  • Squatoll Pro · Monthly3 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Squatoll Pro · Yearly Offer3 Days trial$29.991 Year
  • Squatoll Pro · Yearly3 Days trial$49.991 Year

Questions

Is Roots free?
Roots is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Screen Time Unlock free?
Screen Time Unlock is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Roots or Screen Time Unlock have ads?
Neither Roots nor Screen Time Unlock shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Roots or Screen Time Unlock?
Roots ships an update every 2 weeks, and Screen Time Unlock every 3 weeks. Most recently, Roots was updated on October 24, 2026 and Screen Time Unlock on October 14, 2026.

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