Barrier vs No Scroll
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Block social media apps
- Limit app access
- Promote healthier digital habits
- Incentivize reduced scrolling
- Digital wellness assistant
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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!
No Scroll
This app helps you reduce screen time and improve focus by setting limits on app usage. It uses behavioral psychology to combat doomscrolling and reclaim your valuable time without requiring you to delete social media apps.
- Set time limits before opening apps
- Auto-locks apps when time expires
- Schedule app blocking during specific hours
- Set daily app usage budgets
- Track progress and build healthy habits
- Minimalist and distraction-free design
- Privacy-focused using Screen Time framework
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Achieve More With No Scroll. No Scroll is designed for professionals who want to reduce screen time, stay focused, and accomplish more. Willpower alone isn’t enough to stop doomscrolling. You need an app that fights back. No Scroll helps you take control of your screen time without making you delete social media. How It Works: 1. Choose a time limit before you open TikTok, Instagram, or any app 2. No Scroll locks your app for 5 minutes when time's up 3. You scroll less, waste less time, and achieve more Why It Works: We built No Scroll because Apple's Screen Time and other screen time apps didn't work for us. No Scroll is built using behavioral psychology and habit design. No Scroll is easy to use and gives you the tools you need to actually stop doomscrolling. Your time is your most valuable asset. Why waste hours doomscrolling? Invest in yourself and download No Scroll for free today! Features to help you scroll less: - Session Limits: Set time limits before opening an app. Auto-locks your app when time’s up. (No Scroll’s unique feature that our users love the most!) - Schedules: Block distracting apps during specific hours. - App Limits: Set a daily budget for your app. No Scroll locks your app when you've reached your time limit. - Progress Tracking: Build awareness and healthy habits. - Minimalist design: Easy to use and distraction free. - Privacy First: Built using Apple’s Screen Time framework to securely block apps you use. Your personal data never leaves your device. - Built by a founder passionate about digital wellness Try No Scroll for free today! Your future self will thank you. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://sites.google.com/view/no-scroll/home
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Barrier at none against No Scroll's 16. Barrier also leads on review sentiment (80% vs 55%). No Scroll's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence 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. No Scroll sells 16 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. Barrier asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Barrier against 4.5 for No Scroll. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 340 and 697 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 80% of Barrier's written reviews are positive against 55% of No Scroll's.
Barrier ships an update fortnightly, No Scroll every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.
| Parameter | Barrier | No Scroll |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (340 ratings) — better | 4.5 (697 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 80.3% of reviews — better | 55.2% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 340 | 697 — better |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly — better | Every 2 weeks |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 16.4 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 42 MB | 107 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Haplo, LLC | Self Invest LLC |
Customer experience
Barrier
No Scroll
User reviews
Barrier
From 340 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Highly effective at reducing screen time
- 💰 Free to use with valuable features
- 😂 Funny and smart methods (Goblin Mode)
- 💡 Creates resistance to mindless scrolling
- 🚀 Simple and easy to use interface
Room to improve
- 🐛 Bugs and glitches causing unreliability
- 🐛 Blocking not always consistent
- 🐛 Custom schedules not working correctly
- 🐛 Ads can be long and annoying
- 🐛 Violent ads in some cases
No Scroll
From 697 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- ✅ Effectively reduces doomscrolling behavior
- ⏱️ Flexible time limit options (5-30 minutes)
- 🔐 Strong unlock mechanism with code requirement
- 💪 Works better than Apple's native screen time
- 🎯 Intentional app usage encouragement
Room to improve
- 💳 Requires subscription for premium features
- 🚫 Paywall blocks access before trial
- 🔄 Can switch between multiple blocked apps to bypass limits
- ⚠️ Lacks accountability tracking and history
- 🐛 App stops working after updates occasionally
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
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- 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
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- 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
No Scroll
Reported bugs
10 issues- App freezes on premium trial popup with no exit option
- Blocks unused apps when time expires on another app
- Doesn't release apps after freeze time ends
- Phone hangs with no control or banner displayed
- App stops working after iOS updates
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- Reinstallation required periodically for functionality
- Interferes with payment processing links
- Notification system not triggering properly
- Cooldown timer stuck on screen
- Unable to unrestrict apps in some cases
Requested features
12 requests- Unified timer across all blocked apps instead of per-app
- Custom time intervals beyond 5-30 minute presets
- Ability to block specific content (reels, shorts) within apps
- Website blocking capability
- Longer time period options (up to 3 hours)
Show 7 moreShow fewer
- Accountability history and integrity tracking
- Reflection prompts before unlocks or rule changes
- Weekly summaries focused on accountability
- Notification system for setting time limits
- Option to allow longer video watching (30+ minutes)
- Lock all apps when using one to prevent app switching
- Pause timer when app is closed
In-app purchases
Barrier
No in-app purchases
No Scroll
- No Scroll Premium (Weekly)$3.997 Days
- No Scroll Premium (Weekly)3 Days trial$3.997 Days
- No Scroll Premium (Weekly)$4.997 Days
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- No Scroll Premium (Monthly)$5.991 Month
- No Scroll Premium (Weekly)$7.997 Days
- No Scroll Premium (Monthly)$7.991 Month
- No Scroll Premium (Monthly)$9.991 Month
- No Scroll Premium (Monthly)$14.991 Month
- No Scroll Premium (Annual)$19.991 Year
- No Scroll Premium (Annual)$29.991 Year
- No Scroll Premium (Annual)$39.991 Year
- No Scroll Premium (Annual)3 Days trial$39.991 Year
- No Scroll Premium (Annual)7 Days trial$39.991 Year
- No Scroll Premium (Annual)3 Days trial$49.991 Year
- No Scroll Premium (Annual)3 Days trial$59.991 Year
- Early Unlock$4.99
