Screen Time Buddy vs Useless
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Gamified screen time reduction
- App limits and blocking
- Friend accountability system
- Character progression and evolution
- Weekly leaderboards
- Focus and productivity improvement
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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.
Useless
This app leverages social accountability to help users reduce screen time. Instead of relying solely on personal willpower, friends control access to apps when daily limits are reached, fostering a collaborative approach to digital well-being.
- Friend accountability for app usage
- Set daily app time limits
- No snooze button on limits
- Friends vote on time extension requests
- Public 'Walk of Shame' for requests
- Weekly leaderboards and progress tracking
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Your friends are better than any app blocker. 4+ hours a day. That's what the average person hands their phone. useLess helps you take it back. Set rules for the apps that distract you, like a daily time limit or a focus schedule. When a rule kicks in, the app blocks. The catch that makes it work: other apps run on your willpower. useLess runs on your friends. Reclaim 2+ hours every day. You try harder when your friends are watching. Other apps give you a snooze button. useLess is different. Instead of white-knuckling it alone, your friends hold you accountable. When you get blocked and want more time, you'll have to ask them. HOW IT WORKS 1. Set rules for the apps you overuse: daily limits, focus schedules, whatever fits your life. 2. When a rule kicks in, the app blocks. 3. Need more time? Snap a photo explaining why, and send it to your friends. 4. Every request lands on the Walk of Shame, so your friends see exactly what you are begging for. FEATURES Ask a friend for time: When you are blocked, send a photo explaining why you need more time. Your friends keep you honest, and on stricter rules they decide if you get it. Walk of Shame: Every request is visible to the friends you choose. Watch them beg for "just 5 more minutes" of TikTok, and let them watch you. Weekly leaderboards: Compete on streaks, focus hours, and time spent on the apps that hook you. Daily limits: Give each app a daily time budget that resets every morning. Focus schedules: Block a set of apps on a schedule, like work hours or bedtime. Hardcore mode: Lock yourself out for real. Some rules only get stricter, and turning them off takes a friend's approval, or a 24-hour wait. WHY IT WORKS Other blockers fold the second you push back. useLess puts real people in the loop. Cutting back stops feeling like a chore and starts feeling like a game. Real friends don't let friends doomscroll. WHAT PEOPLE SAY "Finally broke my 2-hour Instagram habit" - ThePampf "I've tried a bunch of screen time apps, but always found a way around them. This is the first app that actually works." - Marc "This was a life changer. My screen time has dropped by 5 hours." - N1coo PRICING useLess is free to start: set your rules, get blocked, and ask your friends to unlock you. The whole social loop is free. useLess Pro unlocks unlimited rules, Hardcore mode, the full leaderboard, and deeper stats. New users get a free 7-day trial. You can also earn free Pro: invite a friend and you both get a month free, and inviting 25 friends unlocks Pro for life. PRIVACY useLess uses Apple's Screen Time API. We never see which apps you use, what you view, or any personal content. Your screen time stays on your device. Only the requests you send are shared with the friends you choose. GET STARTED Download useLess. Add your friends. Set your rules. And finally get your time back. Stop scrolling. Start living. Questions or feedback? Reach us at https://dadama.app/ or email hello@dadama.app. Subscription: useLess Pro is an auto-renewing subscription with a free trial for new users. Cancel anytime in your Apple account settings. Privacy Policy: https://dadama.app/privacy Terms (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is monetization model: Screen Time Buddy at freemium against Useless's subscription. Screen Time Buddy also leads on review sentiment (50% vs 31%). Useless's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (269 vs 9). On price, rating, 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
Both are free to download. Screen Time Buddy sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $24.99 per month and Useless sells 15 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. 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 4.5 for Useless. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Useless has 269 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 31% of Useless's.
Screen Time Buddy ships an update monthly, Useless every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Screen Time Buddy | Useless |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (9 ratings) — better | 4.5 (269 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews — better | 31.3% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 9 | 269 — better |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Every 10 days — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Freemium — better | Subscription |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 — better | 18 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 106 MB | 129 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Power Insights Company | DaDaMa Ug (haftungsbeschränkt) |
Customer experience
Screen Time Buddy
Useless
In-app purchases
Screen Time Buddy
- Powermate Pro monthly3 Days trial$24.991 Month
- Screen Time Buddy Pro Yearly7 Days trial$59.991 Year
Useless
- Weekly$2.997 Days
- Monthly7 Days trial$3.991 Month
- Monthly1 Month trial$5.991 Month
Show 10 moreShow fewer
- Monthly Sub7 Days trial$6.991 Month
- Monthly1 Month trial$9.991 Month
- Monthly7 Days trial$9.991 Month
- Monthly7 Days trial$11.991 Month
- Monthly1 Month trial$11.991 Month
- Yearly1 Month trial$24.991 Year
- Yearly7 Days trial$24.991 Year
- Yearly1 Month trial$34.991 Year
- Yearly7 Days trial$39.991 Year
- Yearly1 Month trial$49.991 Year
- Lifetime$69.99
- Lifetime$99.99








