# Screen Time Buddy vs Friend Controls

Screen Time Buddy and Friend Controls both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 85% of Friend Controls's written reviews are positive against 50% of Screen Time Buddy's. Friend Controls also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (559 vs 9). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Screen Time Buddy sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $24.99 per month and Friend Controls sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Screen Time Buddy against 4.7 for Friend Controls. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Friend Controls has 559 ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 50% of Screen Time Buddy's written reviews are positive against 85% of Friend Controls's.

Screen Time Buddy ships an update monthly, Friend Controls every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Screen Time Buddy | Friend Controls |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/screen-time-buddy-focus/id6535687314/reviews) | **[4.7 (559 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/friend-controls-screen-time/id6651826679/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 9 | **559** |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | **85.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 106 MB | 71 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **17.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Power Insights Company](https://appshunter.io/developer/1756924647) | [Ryan Moazzami](https://appshunter.io/developer/1552062516) |

## What reviewers say

### Screen Time Buddy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/screen-time-buddy-focus/id6535687314)

This app transforms reducing screen time into a fun, game-like experience. It uses app limits, friend accountability, and character progression to help users regain control of their phone usage and improve focus.

**Highlights:** Gamified screen time reduction, App limits and blocking, Friend accountability system, Character progression and evolution, Weekly leaderboards, Focus and productivity improvement

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Powermate Pro monthly | $24.99 | per month |
| Screen Time Buddy Pro Yearly | $59.99 | per year |


### Friend Controls

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/friend-controls-screen-time/id6651826679)

This app helps you manage your screen time by setting daily limits for app usage. When you reach your limit, friends can approve or deny your requests for additional time, putting accountability in their hands.

**Highlights:** Set time limits for apps, Schedule app block-out times, Request extra screen time from friends, Approve or deny time requests with messages, Monitor screen time reduction

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Access | $2.99 | per month |
| Weekly Access | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Access | $5.99 | per month |
| Monthly Access | $9.99 | per month |
| Monthly Access | $14.99 | per month |
| Yearly Access | $14.99 | per year |
| Yearly Access | $29.99 | per year |
| Yearly Access | $44.99 | per year |
| Yearly Access | $59.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Access | $29.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Screen Time Buddy free?

Screen Time Buddy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Friend Controls free?

Friend Controls is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Screen Time Buddy or Friend Controls?

Friend Controls is rated higher. Screen Time Buddy averages 4.6 out of 5 from 9 ratings, while Friend Controls averages 4.7 from 559 ratings.

### Do Screen Time Buddy or Friend Controls have ads?

Screen Time Buddy shows ads; Friend Controls does not.

### Which is updated more often, Screen Time Buddy or Friend Controls?

Screen Time Buddy ships an update monthly, and Friend Controls every 8 days. Most recently, Screen Time Buddy was updated on September 21, 2026 and Friend Controls on September 26, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*