# Barrier vs iJourney

The clearest difference is ads: iJourney at none against Barrier's shown. iJourney also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). Barrier's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 9 months) and ratings volume (346 vs 1). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

iJourney holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Barrier has 346 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Barrier ships an update fortnightly, iJourney every 9 months. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Barrier | iJourney |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (346 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/barrier-screen-time-for-focus/id6448244443/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ijourney/id6476337418/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **346** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 80.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 9 months |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Size | 66 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **16.2** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Haplo, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1476210690) | [ARTURO TORRES](https://appshunter.io/developer/1726485595) |

## What reviewers say

### Barrier

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/barrier-screen-time-for-focus/id6448244443)

This app helps you break free from social media distractions by limiting access to your favorite apps. It introduces intentional delays or ad-watching requirements before you can open them, encouraging healthier digital habits and increased productivity.

**Highlights:** Blocks social media apps, Introduces ad-watching or wait times, Promotes healthier digital habits, Digital wellness assistant, Reduces mindless scrolling, Increases productivity

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 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

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 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

**Reported bugs**

- 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

**Requested features**

- 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


### iJourney

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ijourney/id6476337418)

This app helps you manage your time and events with customizable categories and visual tracking. It offers a privacy-centric approach, keeping your data on your device. Transform your planning into a journey of productivity and self-awareness.

**Highlights:** Effortless event creation, Customizable categories with icons and colors, Visual time tracking with graphs, Privacy-centric, data stays on device, Organize your schedule

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Barrier free?

Barrier is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is iJourney free?

iJourney is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Barrier or iJourney?

iJourney is rated higher. Barrier averages 4.7 out of 5 from 346 ratings, while iJourney averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Barrier or iJourney have ads?

Barrier shows ads; iJourney does not.

### Which is updated more often, Barrier or iJourney?

Barrier ships an update fortnightly, and iJourney every 9 months. Most recently, Barrier was updated on November 7, 2026 and iJourney on November 4, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*