Essence vs MoveFirst
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Essence
This app helps users break compulsive behaviors and build lasting self-discipline through science-based recovery principles. It offers structured programs, tracking tools, and mental wellness exercises to reduce urges and improve focus. Users can monitor their progress with streak counters and widgets for constant motivation.
- Addiction recovery tracker
- Streak counter
- Structured recovery program
- Urge management tools
- Mindfulness exercises
- Home and lock screen widgets
- Private and secure tracking
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Essence: Quit Addiction & Detox Recovery Quit addiction, regain control, and build lasting self-discipline. Essence is a science-based addiction recovery and habit tracker designed to help you break compulsive behaviors, reduce urges, and rebuild mental strength. Using neuroscience-based recovery principles, structured programs, and powerful tracking tools, Essence helps you quit addiction and embrace reset culture for permanent positive change. Whether your goal is to complete a dopamine reset, start a dopamine detox, or break unhealthy habits, Essence provides the tools and guidance needed for long-term recovery and focus. Join thousands of users who are successfully quitting addiction and transforming their lives. Addiction Recovery Tracker & Streak Counter Track your progress with a powerful recovery tracker designed to keep you motivated. Features include: • Accurate sobriety and recovery streak counter • Progress tracking and milestone achievements • Visual insights into your recovery journey • Motivation through streak growth and consistency Tracking progress strengthens discipline and improves recovery success. Structured Recovery Program Essence includes a guided recovery system designed using proven behavioral science principles. This program helps you: • Quit addiction step by step • Reduce urges and compulsive behaviors • Strengthen discipline and self-control • Build healthier daily habits • Create lasting behavioral change Each step supports sustainable recovery and mental resilience. Trigger Protection & Discipline Tools Protect your recovery and maintain focus with tools designed to reduce triggers and prevent relapse. Essence helps you: • Reduce exposure to triggering content • Maintain discipline during vulnerable moments • Strengthen consistency and self-control • Stay committed to your recovery goals Mental Wellness & Urge Management Essence provides practical tools to help manage urges and improve mental clarity. Includes: • Guided mindfulness exercises • Urge control and stress reduction tools • Focus and discipline training • Mental clarity and emotional balance support Stay Motivated with Widgets Keep your progress visible with Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets showing your recovery streak and milestones. Constant visual motivation helps reinforce discipline and consistency. Private and Secure Your privacy is fully protected. Essence provides: • Secure and encrypted data • Private addiction tracking • Anonymous and confidential experience Your recovery journey remains completely private. Benefits of Using Essence Users experience meaningful improvements such as: • Increased self-control and discipline • Reduced urges and compulsive behavior • Improved focus and mental clarity • Increased motivation and productivity • Healthier habits and routines • Greater confidence and emotional stability Start Your Recovery Today Essence gives you the tools, structure, and support needed to quit addi... Terms of Service (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
MoveFirst
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Move first. Scroll later. MoveFirst locks the apps that eat your time, like social media and endless video feeds. To open them, you earn minutes by moving: a set of squats, a few push-ups, your steps, or any workout in Apple Health. When the minutes run out, the apps lock again until you move some more. It's a way to reduce screen time that doesn't run on willpower. EARN TIME IN SECONDS Prop your iPhone up and do squats or push-ups in front of it. The front camera counts every rep on your iPhone, and nothing is recorded or saved. At the regular pace, 50 squats or 35 push-ups unlock 30 minutes. EVERY STEP AND WORKOUT COUNTS Steps, exercise minutes and workouts from Apple Health earn time on their own, in the background. Workouts from any watch or fitness app that saves to Apple Health count too. LOCKED MEANS LOCKED Pick the apps to block with Apple's Screen Time. When your time is up, they open to a MoveFirst lock screen, and its Earn time button gets you moving. A daily cap keeps earned time in check, and an emergency unlock is there when you truly need it. PICK YOUR PACE Easy, Regular or Hard: choose how much movement buys 30 minutes. Your minutes reset every day. STREAKS, BADGES AND WIDGETS Keep a daily Move streak, collect 12 holographic badges, and check your time from widgets on your Home Screen and Lock Screen. FREE TO USE MoveFirst is free with one locked app and every way to earn. MoveFirst Pro adds: • Unlimited apps and whole categories • A custom daily cap • A streak calendar with weekly rest days • Insights: where your minutes went and your last 7 days PRIVATE BY DESIGN No account, no ads, no tracking. Your health data, your Screen Time and your camera never leave your iPhone. MoveFirst Pro is a weekly or yearly auto-renewing subscription; the yearly plan starts with a 1-week free trial. Nothing is charged during the trial: payment goes to your Apple Account when the trial ends, or at confirmation of purchase when there's no trial. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel them in Settings › your name › Subscriptions. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://www.mobyaplicativos.com.br/movefirst/privacy
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: MoveFirst at daily against Essence's every 2 weeks. Essence's advantage is iOS requirement (17.6 vs 26.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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. Essence sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days and MoveFirst sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Essence ships an update every 2 weeks, MoveFirst daily. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Essence | MoveFirst |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (19 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 19 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Daily — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 — better | 26.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 153 MB | 92 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Joe Jeyaseelan | Everton Carneiro |
In-app purchases
Essence
- Weekly Premium$0.997 Days
- Monthly Premium$1.991 Month
- Yearly Premium3 Days trial$19.991 Year
- Coins$0.99
- Coins$1.99
- Coins$4.99
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- Lifetime Premium$39.99
MoveFirst
- Weekly Pro$3.997 Days
- Annual Pro7 Days trial$29.991 Year









