Comparison

Screen Time Buddy vs Good Jar

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

Good Jar

This app helps you build positive habits by earning virtual tokens for completion. You can then save these tokens towards personalized rewards you design, making progress feel tangible and motivating.

Highlights
  • Customizable reward system
  • Earn virtual tokens for habits
  • Design personal reward wishlists
  • Track streaks and history
  • Flexible habit scheduling
  • Smart Nudges for motivation
Features
Read full description

Small habits add up. Good Jar is a habit tracker with a reward system you design. Complete the habits that matter to you, earn virtual tokens, and save them toward rewards you actually want. Whether you're building a workout routine, reading more, cooking at home, or simply trying to stay consistent, Good Jar makes your progress feel tangible, without penalties or negative balances. MAKE PROGRESS TANGIBLE • Create daily, selected-day, or flexible weekly habits • Choose your own token value for every habit • Complete planned habits or log extra effort • See streaks, history, and weekly recaps EARN REWARDS YOU ACTUALLY WANT • Create your own personal reward wishlist • Save your tokens toward small treats or bigger goals • Claim a reward when you've earned enough • Review past rewards and undo a claim if needed A LITTLE EXTRA MOTIVATION • Smart Nudges can suggest increasing the token value of habits that need more motivation • Track every token you earn and spend with Jar Activity • Celebrate progress without losing points for imperfect days

Screenshots

Screen Time Buddy4 screens
Good Jar4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Good Jar at 5.0 against Screen Time Buddy's 4.3. Good Jar also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ads (none vs shown). Screen Time Buddy's advantage is ratings volume (10 vs 2). On price, update cadence, device support and iOS requirement 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. Good Jar asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Good Jar holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Screen Time Buddy has 10 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Screen Time Buddy ships an update monthly, Good Jar every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Screen Time Buddy versus Good Jar: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterScreen Time BuddyGood Jar
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (10 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings10 — better2
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemiumFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.617.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size106 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPower Insights CompanyLaura Artiles

Customer experience

Screen Time Buddy

All ratings9 ratings
Positive88.9%
Neutral0.0%
Negative11.1%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

Good Jar

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

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
None

Good Jar

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Screen Time Buddy free?
Screen Time Buddy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Good Jar free?
Good Jar is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Screen Time Buddy or Good Jar?
Good Jar is rated higher. Screen Time Buddy averages 4.3 out of 5 from 10 ratings, while Good Jar averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Screen Time Buddy or Good Jar have ads?
Screen Time Buddy shows ads; Good Jar does not.
Which is updated more often, Screen Time Buddy or Good Jar?
Screen Time Buddy ships an update monthly, and Good Jar every 3 weeks. Most recently, Screen Time Buddy was updated on October 24, 2026 and Good Jar on October 25, 2026.

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