Comparison

Roots vs Chainkeep

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 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.

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

Chainkeep

This app helps you build and maintain habits with a focus on accurate streak tracking. It offers flexible scheduling, one-tap completion, and insightful statistics to keep you motivated. Enjoy a private, ad-free experience with customizable themes.

Highlights
  • One-tap habit completion
  • Flexible scheduling (daily, weekly, monthly)
  • Accurate streak tracking
  • Habit strength indicator
  • Customizable themes
  • Private, ad-free experience
  • Data export/import
Features
Read full description

Chainkeep is a habit tracker built on two ideas: checking off a habit should take one tap, and your streak should be right. Most habit apps break a "three times a week" habit on the first day you rest. Chainkeep counts it the way you planned it: a week kept is a week kept. Daily habits, specific days, every few days, times per week or per month, and habits you are quitting are all tracked honestly. ONE TAP A DAY • Everything due today on one screen, ticked off in a single tap • Skip a day without breaking anything, or pause a habit for a holiday • Split your day into parts, like morning and evening • Quit habits count your days clean • Hold the app icon to add a habit straight away STREAKS THAT FIT YOUR SCHEDULE • Weekly and monthly targets keep their own streaks • A grace day for the odd miss, if you want one • Habit strength shows how established a habit is, even after a slip • Set a finish line, like 30 or 66 days, and watch it come closer EVERY STAT, FREE • Six months of calendar for every habit • Completion over the last 30 days and the last six months • The days of the week you actually do it, and the time you usually do • Longest runs, totals, and a month in review you can share REMINDERS THAT LEARN • A reminder at the time you choose • Smart nudges learn when you usually do a habit and remind you then YOUR LOOK • 24 colour themes to choose from • Light and dark themes, with a pure black option PRIVATE BY DESIGN • No account, no ads, no tracking • Your habits stay on your own devices • Export and import your data whenever you like CHAINKEEP PRO One payment, yours for good. No subscription. • Unlimited habits (free keeps six) • As many reminders as each habit needs • Archive habits you have finished • Sync between your iPhone and iPad through your own private iCloud Your stats stay free, always. Questions or ideas? Write to hi@noman.codes

Screenshots

Roots4 screens
Chainkeep4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Roots at 76% against Chainkeep's 0%. Roots also leads on rating (4.7 vs 3.0) and ratings volume (3.2K vs 2). Chainkeep's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). 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 10 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per 7 days and Chainkeep sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Roots holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Roots has 3.2K ratings behind it against 2, 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 0% of Chainkeep's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Roots ships an update every 3 weeks, Chainkeep weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Roots versus Chainkeep: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRootsChainkeep
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (3.2K ratings) — better3.0 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews75.7% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings3.2K — better2
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS18.016.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size361 MB65 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMWMMd Noman

Customer experience

Roots

All ratings3,142 ratings
Positive94.2%
Neutral2.1%
Negative3.7%
Written reviews370 reviews
Positive75.7%
Neutral5.1%
Negative19.2%

Chainkeep

All ratings2 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

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

Chainkeep

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Roots

Subscriptions10
  • Premium$7.997 Days
  • Roots Plus - Weekly Plan3 Days trial$7.997 Days
  • Roots - Monthly Plan$9.991 Month
Show 7 more
  • 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
1 purchases

Chainkeep

One-time1
  • Chainkeep Pro$4.99

Questions

Is Roots free?
Roots is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Chainkeep free?
Chainkeep is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Roots or Chainkeep?
Roots is rated higher. Roots averages 4.7 out of 5 from 3.2K ratings, while Chainkeep averages 3.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Roots or Chainkeep have ads?
Neither Roots nor Chainkeep shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Roots or Chainkeep?
Roots ships an update every 3 weeks, and Chainkeep weekly. Most recently, Roots was updated on November 3, 2026 and Chainkeep on October 31, 2026.

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