# Barrier vs Screen Time Control

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Barrier at none against Screen Time Control's 6. Barrier also leads on ratings volume (338 vs 38). Screen Time Control's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Screen Time Control sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Barrier asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Barrier against 4.6 for Screen Time Control. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Barrier has 338 ratings behind it against 38, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 80% of Barrier's written reviews are positive against 74% of Screen Time Control's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Barrier | Screen Time Control |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (338 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/barrier-screen-time-for-focus/id6448244443/reviews)** | [4.6 (38 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/screen-time-control-inscreen/id6737131495/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **338** | 38 |
| Positive reviews | **80.3% of reviews** | 73.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 42 MB | 13 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Haplo, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1476210690) | [Vaibhav Negi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1747178744) |

## 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


### Screen Time Control

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/screen-time-control-inscreen/id6737131495)

This app promotes mindful screen time usage by prompting regular reflection and offering optional focus sessions. It guides users toward healthier digital habits through awareness and subtle nudges, rather than strict blocking. Data is kept private on the device.

**Highlights:** Mindful screen time prompts, Optional focus sessions, Daily activity notifications, App blocking for routines, Privacy-focused data storage

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Inscreen (Monthly) | $1.99 | per month |
| Inscreen (Monthly for Family) | $3.99 | per month |
| Inscreen (Yearly) | $14.99 | per year |
| Inscreen (Yearly for Family) | $29.99 | per year |
| Inscreen (Lifetime) | $29.99 | one-time |
| Inscreen (Lifetime for Family) | $59.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Barrier free?

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

### Is Screen Time Control free?

Screen Time Control is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Barrier or Screen Time Control?

Barrier is rated higher. Barrier averages 4.6 out of 5 from 338 ratings, while Screen Time Control averages 4.6 from 38 ratings.

### Do Barrier or Screen Time Control have ads?

Barrier shows ads; Screen Time Control does not.

### Which is updated more often, Barrier or Screen Time Control?

Barrier ships an update fortnightly, and Screen Time Control fortnightly. Most recently, Barrier was updated on October 21, 2026 and Screen Time Control on October 20, 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.*