Comparison

TantalusPath vs Couples Screen Time

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

Head to head
About

TantalusPath

This app uses random positive reinforcement to help you achieve your goals and align with your values. It guides you through a cycle of anticipating, earning, and enjoying rewards, with customizable options and progress-based unlocks.

Highlights
  • Random positive reinforcement
  • Goal and value alignment
  • Reward anticipation and earning
  • Customizable reward pools
  • Unlockable progress and story
  • Tips on intermittent rewards
Read full description

Get ready to unleash the power of random positive reinforcement to better move yourself in line with your values and goals. Get your mind working for you! What will you accomplish with your reward-enhanced brain? Using Tantalus Path involves a four step cycle: 1: Anticipate the reward- think about how great it will be to experience 2: Earn the reward- use that anticipation to make progress on something that aligns with your values and goals 3: Roll for a reward- come back to the app and see what you win! 4: Enjoy the reward- or go back to Step 2 if you didn't win As you make consistent progress towards becoming the person you want to be, you will unlock new ways to manage your rewards and how they are awarded, and progress the story. Customize your reward pool until it perfectly matches what works for your unique brain. Unlock and choose between roll types to ensure the correct rewards show up at the right time. Along the way you'll receive tips on implementing random intermittent reward so you can become an expert without having to read all the scientific literature. Your mind is powerful vehicle, and it's time to get in the driver's seat! Terms of use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Couples Screen Time

This app helps couples manage screen time and tasks together. By sharing a screen time pool and to-do lists, users earn minutes back by completing tasks, keeping a shared flame alive. It encourages accountability and shared goals for digital well-being.

Highlights
  • Shared screen time pool
  • Shared to-do lists
  • Earn screen time by completing tasks
  • Visual flame indicator
  • App locking when time is up
  • Individual and couple modes
Features
Read full description

Screen time for couples. Cut it together. Burn is a screen time app for couples. Invite your partner, share one pool of screen time, and share whichever to-do lists you like. Finish tasks to earn logs and feed them to Burn, a little flame you keep lit together. Doomscroll the pool dry and both of your distracting apps lock. No willpower required. Just someone in your corner, and a flame worth keeping lit. BURN DUO: SHARE IT WITH YOUR PARTNER (FREE) • One shared screen time pool, with a daily goal either of you can change • Share any to-do list: groceries, chores, date night plans. Everything else stays private • Either of you ticks a shared task off, it's done for both • One log pile: tasks either of you finishes refuel you both • See your partner's day: how much they burned, and where it went by the app groups they name • Get a heads-up when your partner adds or finishes a shared task • One flame, one streak. It breaks the moment either of you burns the last minute • Own Burn+? Your partner gets it too while you're in a Duo • Syncs through your own iCloud. No Burn account, no sign-in HOW IT WORKS • Start each day with a screen time budget • Scrolling the apps you pick burns through it, minute by minute • Hit zero and those apps lock • Finish tasks to earn logs • Feed logs to Burn: every log buys 10 more minutes Rather go solo? Burn works just as well on your own. GET STUFF DONE • Give every task its own log reward, so big jobs pay more • Daily, weekday, or custom repeating tasks for your habits • Plan Today, Tomorrow, and the days ahead • Sort tasks into color-coded categories, private or shared • Shake to undo if you tap too soon A FLAME WORTH KEEPING LIT • Burn reacts to your day: happy when you're on track, worried when time runs low, out cold when it's gone • Tap, pet, and drag logs in to feed him • Dozes off at night with a sleepy face • Keep Burn lit all day to build your streak YOU'RE IN CONTROL • Choose exactly which apps and categories burn fuel • Everything else stays open • Set your own daily budget • No account, no sign-in, no ads. BURN+ (ONE-TIME PURCHASE) • 13 flame colors, each with a matching app icon • Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets, including a task list you can check off without opening the app • Live Activity: watch your fuel count down in the Dynamic Island • Low fuel warnings before your apps lock • Screen Time Insights: see which apps ate your time, by day, week, and month Burn uses Apple's Screen Time to track and limit only the apps you choose. What you do in them never leaves your device. In a Duo, your partner sees only your totals, the app groups you name and your shared lists, synced through your iCloud.

Screenshots

TantalusPath4 screens
Couples Screen Time4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Couples Screen Time at every 2 weeks against TantalusPath's every 3 months. TantalusPath's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and iOS requirement (16.4 vs 18.0). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume 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. TantalusPath sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and Couples Screen Time sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

TantalusPath holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 7 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

TantalusPath ships an update every 3 months, Couples Screen Time every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
TantalusPath versus Couples Screen Time: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTantalusPathCouples Screen Time
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (3 ratings) — better4.7 (7 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings37 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS16.4 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size102 MB12 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSerendipity Systems LLCVincent Nguyen

Customer experience

TantalusPath

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Couples Screen Time

All ratings7 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

TantalusPath

Subscriptions1
  • Tantalus Subscription$3.991 Month
One-time1
  • Gem bundle$59.99
1 purchases

Couples Screen Time

One-time1
  • Burn+$9.99

Questions

Is TantalusPath free?
TantalusPath is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Couples Screen Time free?
Couples Screen Time is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, TantalusPath or Couples Screen Time?
TantalusPath is rated higher. TantalusPath averages 5.0 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Couples Screen Time averages 4.7 from 7 ratings.
Do TantalusPath or Couples Screen Time have ads?
Neither TantalusPath nor Couples Screen Time shows ads.
Which is updated more often, TantalusPath or Couples Screen Time?
TantalusPath ships an update every 3 months, and Couples Screen Time every 2 weeks. Most recently, TantalusPath was updated on November 4, 2026 and Couples Screen Time on November 5, 2026.

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