Comparison

Barrier vs Screen Time Limit

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Barrier

This app helps you break free from social media distractions by blocking access to social apps. It encourages healthier digital habits by requiring users to watch an ad or wait before accessing them, promoting mindful usage and digital wellness.

Highlights
  • Block social media apps
  • Limit app access
  • Promote healthier digital habits
  • Incentivize reduced scrolling
  • Digital wellness assistant
Features
Read full description

Are you tired of wasting precious hours scrolling through social media apps? Do you want to break free from the cycle of constant distractions? Barrier is here to help. Our app acts as a blocker for social media apps, limiting your access and promoting healthier digital habits. With Barrier, you can only open your social media apps if you watch an ad or wait our 30 second load times, creating an incentive to reduce the amount of time you spend scrolling mindlessly. But Barrier is more than just a blocker. It's a digital wellness assistant, helping you take control of your digital life Don't let social media control your life. Take back control with Barrier!

About

Screen Time Limit

This app helps you improve focus and manage screen time by blocking distracting apps and websites. It offers features for self-control and parental monitoring to create a more productive digital environment.

Highlights
  • App blocking
  • Website blocking
  • Focus mode
  • Study timer
  • Parental controls
  • Screen time tracking
Features
Read full description

"Screen Time Limit" is a revolutionary app specifically designed to improve your focus, manage your time efficiently, and control your screen time. As the ultimate app blocker, it empowers you to block apps and sites causing distraction, thereby transforming your phone screen into a focus tool. Time management is the cornerstone of productivity, and "Screen Time Limit" understands it all too well. With time blocking capabilities, this app facilitates a disciplined regime where you decide your app time limit. Get rid of all the distractions, stay focused, and use the focus timer to stay on task. Want the limits to stick? Lock the settings with a PIN so they can't be changed without it. Great for kids, too: use it as a parental control by setting it up on your child's iPhone or iPad and locking it with a PIN, so blocked apps, websites, schedules, and daily time limits can't be changed without you. "Screen Time Limit" is not just about blocking apps, but it also offers a robust website blocker, blocking any site that you deem unnecessary. Be it games, shopping, or social media, our site blocker has you covered. The app blocker free feature allows you to establish self-control over your digital life. The screen time control aids in fighting off procrastination, making you more productive. Set daily time limits and schedules for your apps, and maintain a healthy balance between work and relaxation. Our app's social media blocker feature enables you to curb your digital consumption, providing you with time away from your phone that you can utilize for other essential tasks. With "Screen Time Limit," you can beat the addiction to your phone screen and enhance your productivity. "Screen Time Limit" also lets you block distracting or unwanted websites, ensuring a safe and controlled digital environment for all users. Stay in charge, avoid distractions, manage your time, and enjoy a focused life with "Screen Time Limit." Your path to self-control, productivity, and a distraction-free life starts here. Download "Screen Time Limit" today and take the first step towards a more focused and productive life. Privacy Policy: https://www.salixlabs.com/privacy/app-blocker Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Barrier4 screens
Screen Time Limit4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Barrier at none against Screen Time Limit's 6. Barrier also leads on review sentiment (80% vs 58%) and ratings volume (343 vs 43). Screen Time Limit's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, rating, update cadence 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. Screen Time Limit sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Barrier asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Barrier holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Barrier has 343 ratings behind it against 43, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 80% of Barrier's written reviews are positive against 58% of Screen Time Limit's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly fortnightly. Both last shipped on October 27, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Barrier versus Screen Time Limit: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBarrierScreen Time Limit
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (343 ratings) — better4.5 (43 ratings)
Positive reviews80.3% of reviews — better58.3% of reviews
Number of ratings343 — better43
Update frequencyFortnightlyFortnightly
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size42 MB97 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperHaplo, LLCSalix Labs LLC

Customer experience

Barrier

All ratings308 ratings
Positive91.6%
Neutral3.6%
Negative4.9%
Written reviews66 reviews
Positive80.3%
Neutral10.6%
Negative9.1%

Screen Time Limit

All ratings43 ratings
Positive88.4%
Neutral2.3%
Negative9.3%
Written reviews12 reviews
Positive58.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative41.7%

Bugs and requests

Barrier

Reported bugs

14 issues
  • Blocking does not work at correct times or remains blocked at incorrect times
  • Blocking stops working after a while
  • Apps remain unlocked after unlocking
  • Streak keeps breaking for no reason
  • Custom schedule does not unlock when it's supposed to
Show 9 more
  • Last iOS release caused issues with re-locking after unlocking
  • Timer resets but apps remain unlocked after unlocking
  • Instagram and TikTok not always blocked
  • App stops working after a few days, requires re-download
  • Editing screen for blocked apps crashes sometimes
  • Custom schedule setting does not work for overnight blocking (end time before start time)
  • Does not unlock apps half the time after watching an ad
  • Cannot make edits to timer or unlock time
  • Cannot unlock apps without reinstalling after deleting the app before unlocking

Requested features

7 requests
  • Ability to set different apps to lock during different times
  • More flexibility in setting multiple check-in times
  • Option to customize the duration after watching an ad
  • Fix for custom schedule not working for overnight blocking
  • Option to have a daily time limit per app
Show 2 more
  • Ability to set a certain amount of time per day and then block apps
  • Update to end the 10-minute screentime after the ad finishes

Screen Time Limit

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Barrier

No in-app purchases

6 purchases

Screen Time Limit

Subscriptions6
  • Parental Control Monthly$5.991 Month
  • Monthly Premium7 Days trial$6.991 Month
  • Parental Yearly Premium$14.991 Year
Show 3 more
  • 50% Discount$14.991 Year
  • 20% Discount$19.991 Year
  • Premium Yearly$24.991 Year

Questions

Is Barrier free?
Barrier is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Screen Time Limit free?
Screen Time Limit is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Barrier or Screen Time Limit?
Barrier is rated higher. Barrier averages 4.7 out of 5 from 343 ratings, while Screen Time Limit averages 4.5 from 43 ratings.
Do Barrier or Screen Time Limit have ads?
Barrier shows ads; Screen Time Limit does not.
Which is updated more often, Barrier or Screen Time Limit?
Barrier ships an update fortnightly, and Screen Time Limit fortnightly. Most recently, Barrier was updated on October 27, 2026 and Screen Time Limit on October 27, 2026.

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