Barrier vs Snitch
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
Read full descriptionHide 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!
Snitch
This app helps you break phone addiction by creating shared accountability with friends. Set app time limits and contribute to a group time pot, fostering collective responsibility for healthier screen time habits.
- Group accountability with shared time pot
- App blocking via iOS Screen Time integration
- Customizable app time limits
- Group approval system for extra time
- Progress tracking and peer support
Read full descriptionHide full description
Snitch helps you break phone addiction through group accountability. Join friends in accountability groups, set app time limits, and build healthier screen time habits together. KEY FEATURES: Group Accountability & Shared Time Pot Create or join accountability groups with friends. Each member contributes their personal time limit to a shared "pot of time" that the entire group can use. When one person uses time, everyone sees it—creating real accountability and peer support. App Blocking Snitch integrates with iOS Screen Time to block distracting apps when your time limit is reached. Set custom time limits for individual apps, and Snitch automatically locks them when you've used your allocated time. Unlock apps with a simple hold gesture, but your group will see when you do. Approval System Need more time for a specific app? Request approval from your group members. They'll see your request and can approve or deny it, adding an extra layer of accountability. WHY SNITCH WORKS: Unlike solo screen time apps, Snitch leverages social accountability. Research shows that accountability partners significantly increase success rates in behaviour change. When your friends can see your screen time habits, you're more likely to stick to your goals. The shared time pot creates collective responsibility—everyone benefits when everyone stays on track. Perfect For: Students who want to focus better and reduce social media distraction Friends who want to support each other in breaking phone addiction Professionals who need to stay focused during work hours How It Works: Download Snitch and create your account Set up app restrictions and time limits Create or join an accountability group Start sessions to unlock distracting apps Track your progress and support your group members Snitch makes breaking phone addiction a team effort. Instead of fighting your phone alone, join forces with friends and turn digital wellness into a shared journey. Download Snitch today and start building better screen time habits with the people who matter most. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy policy: https://privacy.getsnitch.co.uk/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Barrier at 4.7 against Snitch's 4.0. Barrier also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 7) and review sentiment (80% vs 66%). Snitch's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, device support and iOS requirement 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. Snitch sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days. Barrier asks for nothing beyond the download.
Barrier holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 343 and 77 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 80% of Barrier's written reviews are positive against 66% of Snitch's.
Barrier ships an update fortnightly, Snitch every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Barrier | Snitch |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (343 ratings) — better | 4.0 (77 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 80.3% of reviews — better | 66.2% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 343 — better | 77 |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Every 9 days — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 42 MB | 94 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Haplo, LLC | SNITCH |
Customer experience
Barrier
Snitch
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 moreShow fewer
- 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 moreShow fewer
- 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
Snitch
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Barrier
No in-app purchases
Snitch
- Weekly Individual Premium$0.997 Days
- Weekly Group Premium$1.997 Days
- Monthly Individual Premium14 Days trial$2.991 Month
Show 3 moreShow fewer
- Monthly Group Premium$7.991 Month
- Yearly Individual Premium14 Days trial$34.991 Year
- Yearly Group Premium$69.991 Year
- Snitch Lifetime Premium$69.99









