# Barrier vs ONYX

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Barrier at none against ONYX's 6. ONYX's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ONYX sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $0.29 per 7 days. Barrier asks for nothing beyond the download.

Barrier ships an update fortnightly, ONYX every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on October 27, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Barrier | ONYX |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (343 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/barrier-screen-time-for-focus/id6448244443/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **343** | — |
| Positive reviews | 80.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 42 MB | 74 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Haplo, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1476210690) | [Aresapps Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1727296272) |

## 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 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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro 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


### ONYX

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/onyx-screen-time-control/id6575344731)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Week Access | $0.29 | per 7 days |
| Full Monthly Access | $9.99 | per month |
| Full Month Access | $19.99 | per month |
| Full Annual Access | $49.99 | per year |
| Full Annual Access | $99.99 | per year |
| Full Lifetime Access | $99.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Barrier free?

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

### Is ONYX free?

ONYX is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Barrier or ONYX have ads?

Barrier shows ads; ONYX does not.

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

Barrier ships an update fortnightly, and ONYX every 2 weeks. Most recently, Barrier was updated on October 27, 2026 and ONYX on October 27, 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.*