Comparison

Screen Time Buddy vs Rally

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

Head to head
About

Screen Time Buddy

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
Read full description

Spending too much time scrolling? Same. Screen Time Buddy turns cutting back into a game you actually want to play -- with friends who keep you honest (and roast you when you slip). 5 to 6 hours. That's how long most of us burn on our phones every day. Not learning something new. Just... scrolling. Screen Time Buddy gives you app limits, friend accountability, character progression, leaderboards, and a coin system that makes putting your phone down feel like winning. Real People, Real Results "Cut my screen time from 6 hours to 2.5 in one week. Game changer." -- Sarah K. "Finally an app that works instead of just nagging me." -- Mike T. "The buddy system is genius. My friends keep me accountable." -- Jess L. "Went from Sloth to Eagle in two weeks." -- Ryan M. Why Screen Time Buddy Works You've tried other screen time apps. They lectured. They nagged. They made you feel bad. Then you deleted them. Screen Time Buddy is different. It's fun. It's social. And it sticks. Your Daily Character Every day, you earn a character based on your screen time. Under 1.5 hours? You're an Eagle. Hit 3 hours? A clever Fox. Panda at 4 hours. Sloth at 5. Which one are you today? Buddy-Powered Accountability Set limits on the apps that steal your time. Hit your limit and they're locked. Need more time? Ask a friend -- they have to approve it. No sneaking. No bypassing. Just real accountability. Climb the Leaderboard See where you rank among your crew. Weekly leaderboards, coins, and friendly competition to keep you motivated. The Results - 92% feel less distracted - 89% report better focus and productivity - 86% say they sleep better What that looks like: more focus at work, better sleep, less "I wasted my whole day" guilt, and actually being present with people you care about. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://www.powermate.app/privacy-policy Terms & Conditions: https://www.powermate.app/terms-and-conditions Premium Plans Monthly: $59.99 -- Full access with a free first week Yearly: $24.99 -- Full access for 12 months (Save 96%!) Auto-renewing subscriptions. Cancel anytime in your account settings. Payment charged to your Apple Account at purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period.

About

Rally

Features
Read full description

Welcome to Rally: Screen Time Control! Rally transforms screen time control into a daily journey you can see, measure, and share. Instead of simply blocking apps, Rally uses visual progress, custom routines, and friendly competition to help you build healthier digital habits that last. If you want to stay focused, reduce distractions, and reclaim meaningful time from your day, Rally gives you a system that keeps you accountable and motivated. 1. Rally Ride Your Rally Ride is the core of the experience. As long as you stay away from distracting apps, your ride moves forward throughout the day. The moment you open a blocked app, progress stops. This creates a clear, intuitive connection between your actions and your results. Every day becomes a journey, and every moment of focus moves you further. 2. Daily Rally Score At the end of each day, Rally gives you a Daily Rally Score — a numeric summary of how far your Rally Ride traveled. It’s a simple, motivating way to track your progress and measure improvement over time. Higher scores mean stronger discipline and more time reclaimed. 3. Custom Sessions Your day is not one-size-fits-all, and neither is your focus. Rally allows you to create custom sessions that match your routines and goals. Use custom sessions for work, studying, sleep, or any moment when you want intentional control over your screen time. 4. Rally Teams and Sharing Focus is easier when others are with you. Rally lets you invite friends or join an existing Rally Team in seconds. Your entire team completes their daily rallies together, compares progress, and stays accountable. Rally Teams turn habit-building into a shared experience that’s more fun and more effective. 5. Leaderboard Inside each Rally Team, the leaderboard keeps everyone motivated. It shows: - Rallies completed - Your current streak - Total Rally miles traveled - Your most distracting app You can view results by week, month, or all time, helping you understand your performance and stay consistent. The leaderboard brings friendly competition to your focus journey and encourages you to keep improving. Rally gives you a simple, motivating system for staying focused: move your Rally Ride, earn your score, stay accountable with your team, and challenge yourself on the leaderboard. With every Rally you complete, you build stronger habits and gain back more time for the things that matter. Privacy Policy: https://rallyscreentime.com/privacy Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Screen Time Buddy4 screens
Rally4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Rally at none against Screen Time Buddy's shown. Rally also leads on iOS requirement (12.4 vs 17.6). On price, update cadence, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Screen Time Buddy sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $24.99 per month and Rally sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Screen Time Buddy ships an update monthly, Rally every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Screen Time Buddy versus Rally: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterScreen Time BuddyRally
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (9 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings9 — better—
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 6 weeks
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS17.612.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size106 MB44 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPower Insights CompanyJoshua Peleg

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Screen Time Buddy

Subscriptions2
  • Powermate Pro monthly3 Days trial$24.991 Month
  • Screen Time Buddy Pro Yearly7 Days trial$59.991 Year
2 purchases

Rally

Subscriptions2
  • Rally Screen Time Premium3 Days trial$4.991 Month
  • Rally Screen Time Premium3 Days trial$39.991 Year

Questions

Is Screen Time Buddy free?
Screen Time Buddy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Rally free?
Rally is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Screen Time Buddy or Rally have ads?
Screen Time Buddy shows ads; Rally does not.
Which is updated more often, Screen Time Buddy or Rally?
Screen Time Buddy ships an update monthly, and Rally every 6 weeks. Most recently, Screen Time Buddy was updated on October 14, 2026 and Rally on October 6, 2026.

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