Roots vs STFU
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Roots
This app helps you manage your phone usage by setting app limits, scheduling downtime, and offering challenges to reduce screen time. It aims to improve focus, be more present, and cure phone addiction by monitoring digital dopamine and providing a personal balance score.
- 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
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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
STFU
This app helps you regain control of your time by blocking distracting social media apps and websites. Set timed sessions or schedules for a hard mute, track your progress, and challenge friends to build better habits.
- Block social apps and websites
- Run timed blocking sessions
- Set scheduled locks
- Track protected time and streaks
- Challenge friends and climb leaderboards
- Earn rewards for staying focused
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Your phone needs to STFU. Block the social apps and websites stealing your attention. Reclaim your time. Build better habits. Challenge friends. Earn points for staying off the feed. STFU is a voluntary self-control tool for adults who are done pretending Screen Time is enough. You pick what needs to shut up. STFU locks it. WHAT STFU DOES • Block social apps on iPhone (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X, and whatever else owns your thumb) • Block the websites too, so Safari is not the back door • Run timed STFU sessions when you need a hard mute • Set bedtime and scheduled locks that hold overnight • Track protected time, streaks, and points • Challenge friends and climb a weekly leaderboard • Share cards when you actually did the thing HOW IT WORKS 1. Pick the apps that need to STFU 2. Start a session or schedule a lock 3. STFU blocks those apps and domains 4. Reclaim time, beat your friends, earn rewards FREE VS STFU PRO Core blocking works on Free. STFU Pro unlocks extra schedules and limits, week trends, and more of the product around the lock - not a tollbooth on Apple's block button. STFU PRO • Weekly: $4.99 • Annual: $49.99 with a 3-day free trial Auto-renewing subscription billed through your Apple ID. Payment is charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel in Settings > Apple ID > Subscriptions. Any unused portion of a free trial is forfeited when you purchase a subscription. STFU is a wellness and productivity tool. It does not diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or mental health condition. Points and trophies are status, not cash. Real-money bounties are not live. Privacy: https://stfu.bot/privacy Terms: https://stfu.bot/terms Billing: https://stfu.bot/billing Support: support@stfu.bot
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Roots at 4.7 against STFU's 4.0. Roots also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (3.2K vs 4). STFU's advantage is update cadence (daily vs every 3 weeks) and review sentiment (100% vs 76%). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model 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
Both are free to download. Roots sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per 7 days and STFU sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Roots holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Roots has 3.2K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 76% of Roots's written reviews are positive against 100% of STFU's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Roots ships an update every 3 weeks, STFU daily. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Roots | STFU |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (3.2K ratings) — better | 4.0 (4 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 75.7% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 3.2K — better | 4 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Daily — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 17.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 361 MB | 33 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | MWM | Christopher Riley |
Customer experience
Roots
STFU
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
STFU
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Roots
- Premium$7.997 Days
- Roots Plus - Weekly Plan3 Days trial$7.997 Days
- Roots - Monthly Plan$9.991 Month
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- Roots Plus - Monthly Plan$9.991 Month
- Roots Plus - Annual Plan$29.991 Year
- Premium Pass$59.991 Year
- Roots Plus - Annual Plan7 Days trial$59.991 Year
- Premium Pass1 Year trial$99.991 Year
- Premium3 Days trial$99.991 Year
- Premium Pass7 Days trial$99.991 Year
STFU
- STFU Pro Weekly$4.997 Days
- STFU Pro Annual3 Days trial$49.991 Year








