# Screen Time Buddy vs Useless

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Screen Time Buddy | Useless |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/screen-time-buddy-focus/id6535687314/reviews)** | [4.5 (269 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/useless-screen-time-control/id6755298184/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 9 | **269** |
| Positive reviews | **50.0% of reviews** | 31.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | **Freemium** | Subscription |
| Size | 106 MB | 129 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.6** | 18 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Power Insights Company](https://appshunter.io/developer/1756924647) | [DaDaMa Ug (haftungsbeschränkt)](https://appshunter.io/developer/1852993941) |

## 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 |


### Useless

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/useless-screen-time-control/id6755298184)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (15)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Monthly | $5.99 | per month |
| Monthly Sub | $6.99 | per month |
| Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Monthly | $11.99 | per month |
| Monthly | $11.99 | per month |
| Yearly | $24.99 | per year |
| Yearly | $24.99 | per year |
| Yearly | $34.99 | per year |
| Yearly | $39.99 | per year |
| Yearly | $49.99 | per year |
| Lifetime | $69.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime | $99.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Screen Time Buddy free?

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

### Is Useless free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Screen Time Buddy or Useless?

Screen Time Buddy is rated higher. Screen Time Buddy averages 4.6 out of 5 from 9 ratings, while Useless averages 4.5 from 269 ratings.

### Do Screen Time Buddy or Useless have ads?

Screen Time Buddy shows ads; Useless does not.

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

Screen Time Buddy ships an update monthly, and Useless every 10 days. Most recently, Screen Time Buddy was updated on September 21, 2026 and Useless on September 22, 2026.

---

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