Comparison

No Scroll vs SandBud

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

Head to head
About

No Scroll

This app helps you reduce screen time and improve focus by setting limits on app usage. It uses behavioral psychology to combat doomscrolling and reclaim your valuable time without requiring you to delete social media apps.

Highlights
  • Set time limits before opening apps
  • Auto-locks apps when time expires
  • Schedule app blocking during specific hours
  • Set daily app usage budgets
  • Track progress and build healthy habits
  • Minimalist and distraction-free design
  • Privacy-focused using Screen Time framework
Read full description

Achieve More With No Scroll. No Scroll is designed for professionals who want to reduce screen time, stay focused, and accomplish more. Willpower alone isn’t enough to stop doomscrolling. You need an app that fights back. No Scroll helps you take control of your screen time without making you delete social media. How It Works: 1. Choose a time limit before you open TikTok, Instagram, or any app 2. No Scroll locks your app for 5 minutes when time's up 3. You scroll less, waste less time, and achieve more Why It Works: We built No Scroll because Apple's Screen Time and other screen time apps didn't work for us. No Scroll is built using behavioral psychology and habit design. No Scroll is easy to use and gives you the tools you need to actually stop doomscrolling. Your time is your most valuable asset. Why waste hours doomscrolling? Invest in yourself and download No Scroll for free today! Features to help you scroll less: - Session Limits: Set time limits before opening an app. Auto-locks your app when time’s up. (No Scroll’s unique feature that our users love the most!) - Schedules: Block distracting apps during specific hours. - App Limits: Set a daily budget for your app. No Scroll locks your app when you've reached your time limit. - Progress Tracking: Build awareness and healthy habits. - Minimalist design: Easy to use and distraction free. - Privacy First: Built using Apple’s Screen Time framework to securely block apps you use. Your personal data never leaves your device. - Built by a founder passionate about digital wellness Try No Scroll for free today! Your future self will thank you. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://sites.google.com/view/no-scroll/home

About

SandBud

This app helps you reclaim your screen time and build focus habits by blocking distracting applications. It gamifies the process by allowing you to design a virtual zen garden with elements earned from completed focus sessions. Stay present, reduce scrolling, and cultivate mindfulness with rewarding progress tracking.

Highlights
  • Block apps with focus plans
  • Design a virtual zen garden
  • Earn rewards for focus streaks
  • Track daily focus progress
  • Enter deep focus with Zen Mode
  • Take timed breaks
  • View screen time reports
Features
Read full description

Less brainrot. More living. SandBud is a focus app that makes putting your phone down REWARDING. Block distracting apps, and earn rewards when you focus. The best part? You can grow your own zen garden and show off your focus progress while you are resetting your phone habit. Designed by the former TikTok product team, SandBud makes focus fun! We use proven behavioral psychology hacks to reverse-engineer the brainrot, so you will fall in love with being present again! Meet Bud, your little focus butler. He’s here to remind you to spend less time scrolling and more time doing your thing. Studying. Working. Having dinner without checking what everyone else is having for dinner. HOW SandBud WORKS Choose your distractions Select the apps you want to take a break from. Make a focus plan Set aside time for work, study, winding down, or being with people you care about. TimeBack blocks your selected apps during your focus session, so you don't brainrot. Earn something worth looking forward to Complete your focus session to earn rewards for your garden. Grow plants, unlock surprise collections, and make your little space your own. SCREEN TIME CONTROL WITH SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO You already know you want to scroll less and stop the brainrot. SandBud gives you a reason to follow through: a little progress, a little surprise, and a garden that grows with your effort. • App Blocker — Block distracting apps when you want to focus. • Focus Plans — Make room in your day for the things you keep putting off. • Zen Garden — Turn completed sessions into rewards and a space you can build. • Surprise Collections — Discover new things to unlock as you keep going. • Zen Mode — Start a distraction-free moment when you need one. • Screen Time Reports — See your screen time breakdown and follow your progress. BE PRESENT, ONE SESSION AT A TIME One quick check can turn into an hour of brainrot. Give yourself a break from the feed and make room for your own life. Practice mindfulness while studying, working, or spending time with someone you love. Your phone can wait. Bud is excellent at waiting. Start your first focus plan. Give your attention somewhere better to go. BUILT WITH APPLE’S SCREEN TIME API SandBud uses Apple’s Screen Time API to block the apps you select. TERMS & PRIVACY Terms of Use: https://gettimeback.app/terms-of-use/ Privacy Policy: https://gettimeback.app/privacy-policy/

Screenshots

No Scroll4 screens
SandBud4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: SandBud at 100% against No Scroll's 55%. SandBud also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.5) and update cadence (weekly vs every 2 weeks). No Scroll's advantage is ratings volume (699 vs 30). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. No Scroll sells 16 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days and SandBud sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

SandBud holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: No Scroll has 699 ratings behind it against 30, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 55% of No Scroll's written reviews are positive against 100% of SandBud's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

No Scroll ships an update every 2 weeks, SandBud weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
No Scroll versus SandBud: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNo ScrollSandBud
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (699 ratings)4.9 (30 ratings) — better
Positive reviews54.7% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings699 — better30
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS16.4 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size107 MB281 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSelf Invest LLCSean Kuannery Media, LLC

Customer experience

No Scroll

All ratings697 ratings
Positive87.5%
Neutral3.3%
Negative9.2%
Written reviews117 reviews
Positive54.7%
Neutral4.3%
Negative41.0%

SandBud

All ratings30 ratings
Positive96.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative3.3%
Written reviews24 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

User reviews

No Scroll

From 699 App Store ratings

What we love

  • ✅ Effectively reduces doomscrolling behavior
  • ⏱️ Flexible time limit options (5-30 minutes)
  • 🔐 Strong unlock mechanism with code requirement
  • 💪 Works better than Apple's native screen time
  • 🎯 Intentional app usage encouragement

Room to improve

  • 💳 Requires subscription for premium features
  • 🚫 Paywall blocks access before trial
  • 🔄 Can switch between multiple blocked apps to bypass limits
  • ⚠️ Lacks accountability tracking and history
  • 🐛 App stops working after updates occasionally

SandBud

From 30 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Thoughtfully designed
  • 👍 Helps save from bad habits
  • 👍 Blend of technology and mindfulness
  • 👍 Gamified experience for reducing screen time
  • 👍 Nurtures a positive habit

Bugs and requests

No Scroll

Reported bugs

10 issues
  • App freezes on premium trial popup with no exit option
  • Blocks unused apps when time expires on another app
  • Doesn't release apps after freeze time ends
  • Phone hangs with no control or banner displayed
  • App stops working after iOS updates
Show 5 more
  • Reinstallation required periodically for functionality
  • Interferes with payment processing links
  • Notification system not triggering properly
  • Cooldown timer stuck on screen
  • Unable to unrestrict apps in some cases

Requested features

12 requests
  • Unified timer across all blocked apps instead of per-app
  • Custom time intervals beyond 5-30 minute presets
  • Ability to block specific content (reels, shorts) within apps
  • Website blocking capability
  • Longer time period options (up to 3 hours)
Show 7 more
  • Accountability history and integrity tracking
  • Reflection prompts before unlocks or rule changes
  • Weekly summaries focused on accountability
  • Notification system for setting time limits
  • Option to allow longer video watching (30+ minutes)
  • Lock all apps when using one to prevent app switching
  • Pause timer when app is closed

SandBud

No bugs or feature requests surfaced in reviews.

In-app purchases

16 purchases

No Scroll

Subscriptions15
  • No Scroll Premium (Weekly)$3.997 Days
  • No Scroll Premium (Weekly)3 Days trial$3.997 Days
  • No Scroll Premium (Weekly)$4.997 Days
Show 12 more
  • No Scroll Premium (Monthly)$5.991 Month
  • No Scroll Premium (Weekly)$7.997 Days
  • No Scroll Premium (Monthly)$7.991 Month
  • No Scroll Premium (Monthly)$9.991 Month
  • No Scroll Premium (Monthly)$14.991 Month
  • No Scroll Premium (Annual)$19.991 Year
  • No Scroll Premium (Annual)$29.991 Year
  • No Scroll Premium (Annual)$39.991 Year
  • No Scroll Premium (Annual)3 Days trial$39.991 Year
  • No Scroll Premium (Annual)7 Days trial$39.991 Year
  • No Scroll Premium (Annual)3 Days trial$49.991 Year
  • No Scroll Premium (Annual)3 Days trial$59.991 Year
One-time1
  • Early Unlock$4.99
2 purchases

SandBud

Subscriptions2
  • TimeBack Premium (Monthly)7 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • TimeBack Premium (Yearly)7 Days trial$59.991 Year

Questions

Is No Scroll free?
No Scroll is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is SandBud free?
SandBud is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, No Scroll or SandBud?
SandBud is rated higher. No Scroll averages 4.5 out of 5 from 699 ratings, while SandBud averages 4.9 from 30 ratings.
Do No Scroll or SandBud have ads?
Neither No Scroll nor SandBud shows ads.
Which is updated more often, No Scroll or SandBud?
No Scroll ships an update every 2 weeks, and SandBud weekly. Most recently, No Scroll was updated on October 27, 2026 and SandBud on October 21, 2026.

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