Comparison

RLD Viewer vs Fluid Friction

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

RLD Viewer

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The RLD Viewer is a companion app to the RLD Database Platform.

About

Fluid Friction

This app introduces a unique friction mechanic to social media feeds, making mindless scrolling a deliberate action. It also offers customizable app blocking, focus timers, and NFC tag integration to help users manage screen time and improve focus.

Highlights
  • Scroll friction mechanic
  • App and website blocking
  • NFC tag integration
  • Focus timer and Pomodoro
  • Customizable feed hiding
  • Wake-up alarm with scan
Features
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Mindless scrolling stops working with Fluid Friction. Open Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Reddit, X, Snapchat, Facebook or LinkedIn inside Fluid Friction, or add any website you choose, and the feed pushes back. Fluid rises from the edge of the screen against your thumb. Drag through it until a bubble forms and rises off the screen. Only then does the next post arrive. Cross the threshold on purpose, or set the phone down. It doesn't shame you. It just makes you mean it. WHY IT WORKS Infinite feeds run on autopilot. Fluid Friction slips one deliberate moment between you and the scroll, so doomscrolling becomes a decision instead of a reflex. No workout to film, no quiz to pass, no habit checklist to clear first: the friction lives inside the scroll itself. Dial it from gentle to intense, set scroll limits per app, and let YouTube friction fire on Shorts only. CALM SHIELDS FOR YOUR OTHER APPS Block any native app, or a website, with Screen Time. Instead of a wall of shame you get a calm, warm screen, a clear count of the opens you chose to keep, a cooldown between opens, and a breathing, math or passphrase moment before you go in. Timed sessions count down right in the Dynamic Island and the shield returns when time is up. One toggle also blocks adult websites. Strict when you ask for it, dignified always. KEEP THE CHATS, SKIP THE RABBIT HOLE Hide Reels, Shorts, Stories, Explore and For You while messages keep working. Open apps to a calmer landing page, follow only the people you chose, hide recommendations and comments on YouTube, or go grayscale across every feed. Multiple accounts with separate sessions, YouTube background play and picture in picture are all built in, so the calmer way is also the comfortable way. TAP & SCAN Turn any NFC tag you already own into a physical key: a sticker, a card, even a transit pass. Tap to lock your distracting apps, tap to release them, or require a scan to unlock a shield. No extra hardware to buy; a QR code or a barcode in your kitchen works too. WAKE UP WITHOUT THE FEED An alarm that ends with a scan, not a scroll. Dismiss it with your tag or a barcode across the room, answer a quick wake challenge, and let a morning block hold the feeds until you are up. Wind down at night, track your wake streak, and earn 25 honest milestones. Snooze stays off unless you turn it on. On iOS 26 the alarm rings like the built-in clock; on earlier versions it alerts through notifications. SEE YOURSELF CLEARLY A Calm Score and Brainy, your small clay companion, reflect how your scrolling actually went. Real Screen Time numbers, weekly recaps, and tailored suggestions you can apply with one tap, like a schedule for the hour that always gets you. FOCUS WHEN IT COUNTS Focus timer, Pomodoro sessions, and a Focus Bank that turns focused minutes into earned, deliberate breaks. Breaks keep the feeds blocked by default, and the countdown lives in the Dynamic Island. MAKE IT YOURS 91 bubble themes, from aurora to plasma, with mystery unlocks and matching app icons. A quiet rank ladder climbs from Copper to Champion as you show up for yourself, and it never punishes a missed day. Home screen widgets too, including a minimalist launcher that routes tempting apps through the wave. PRIVATE AND FAIR No ads. No tracking. Your usage stays on your device. Every tool is free: the friction, the shields, the alarm, the insights. Fluid Pro, if you ever want it, unlocks themes and comfort extras like dark mode, with a 7 day free trial. MADE BY TWIN BROTHERS We're Manfred and Gustav. We built Fluid Friction because we needed it ourselves, and we kept the parts that matter calm, honest and respectful of your attention. No nagging, no guilt trips, no tricks. The wave is rising. Scroll like you mean it. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://fluidfriction.app/ios/privacy Terms of Service: https://fluidfriction.app/ios/terms

Screenshots

RLD Viewer4 screens
Fluid Friction4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: RLD Viewer at none against Fluid Friction's 2. RLD Viewer also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). Fluid Friction's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 13 months). On price and ads 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Fluid Friction sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. RLD Viewer asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

RLD Viewer ships an update every 13 months, Fluid Friction fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
RLD Viewer versus Fluid Friction: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRLD ViewerFluid Friction
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.3 (12 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—80.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—12 — better
Update frequencyEvery 13 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Freemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS13.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size0 MB88 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperReal Life Data, Inc.Gustav Mtenji Bergdal Mjengwa

In-app purchases

None

RLD Viewer

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Fluid Friction

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly7 Days trial$4.991 Month
  • Annual7 Days trial$39.991 Year

Questions

Is RLD Viewer free?
RLD Viewer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Fluid Friction free?
Fluid Friction is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do RLD Viewer or Fluid Friction have ads?
Neither RLD Viewer nor Fluid Friction shows ads.
Which is updated more often, RLD Viewer or Fluid Friction?
RLD Viewer ships an update every 13 months, and Fluid Friction fortnightly. Most recently, RLD Viewer was updated on October 30, 2026 and Fluid Friction on October 31, 2026.

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