# SandBud vs Atten

SandBud and Atten both sit at 4.9 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of SandBud's written reviews are positive against 90% of Atten's. Atten's advantage is ratings volume (158 vs 30) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SandBud sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and Atten sells 5 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 — 4.9 for SandBud against 4.7 for Atten. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Atten has 158 ratings behind it against 30, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 100% of SandBud's written reviews are positive against 90% of Atten's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and November 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SandBud | Atten |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (30 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sandbud-focus-app-blocker/id6550890951/reviews)** | [4.7 (158 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/atten-app-blocker/id6608976383/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 30 | **158** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 90.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Weekly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 281 MB | 34 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Sean Kuannery Media, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1757730721) | [Third tech](https://appshunter.io/developer/1761143871) |

## What reviewers say

### SandBud

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sandbud-focus-app-blocker/id6550890951)

This app helps you reclaim your screen time and build focus habits by blocking distracting applications. It gamifies the process by allowing you to design a virtual zen garden with elements earned from completed focus sessions. Stay present, reduce scrolling, and cultivate mindfulness with rewarding progress tracking.

**Highlights:** Block apps with focus plans, Design a virtual zen garden, Earn rewards for focus streaks, Track daily focus progress, Enter deep focus with Zen Mode, Take timed breaks, View screen time reports

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| TimeBack Premium (Monthly) | $9.99 | per month |
| TimeBack Premium (Yearly) | $59.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Thoughtfully designed
- 👍 Helps save from bad habits
- 👍 Blend of technology and mindfulness
- 👍 Gamified experience for reducing screen time
- 👍 Nurtures a positive habit


### Atten

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/atten-app-blocker/id6608976383)

This app helps you regain control of your digital time by blocking distracting apps and websites. Set customizable limits and schedules to improve focus, boost productivity, and build healthier screen time habits.

**Highlights:** App and website blocking, Customizable limits and schedules, Strict mode for unbreakable focus, Multi-device sync, Parental controls, Usage and progress tracking

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Plan | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Plan | $2.99 | per month |
| Yearly Plan | $19.99 | per year |
| Atten Pro \| Lifetime | $39.99 | one-time |
| Atten Pro \| Lifetime (Family) | $44.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💰 Affordable pricing compared to competitors like Opal
- 🔒 Effective strict blocking that prevents app access
- 🎨 Beautiful and intuitive user interface design
- ⏱️ Customizable scheduling and time limits for apps
- 🎯 Significantly reduces screen time and improves focus

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes and occasional bugs during use
- 🐛 Glitches allowing access to blocked apps intermittently
- ⏱️ Inaccurate app usage time tracking
- 🔄 Repetitive rating popup appears too frequently
- 🌍 Limited language support (primarily English)

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when selecting websites to block
- Website blocking crashes and is unreliable
- Cannot modify or delete permanently active sessions without reinstalling
- Unselected apps still get blocked despite deselection
- Instagram blocking not working while other social apps block correctly

**Requested features**

- Fully customizable popup messages without fixed text
- Option to add 'Don't show this again' button to rating prompts
- Less frequent rating/feedback popups (every 6-12 months)
- Clone sessions or create reusable app lists
- Move break button to main menu for easier access


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SandBud free?

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

### Is Atten free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SandBud or Atten?

SandBud is rated higher. SandBud averages 4.9 out of 5 from 30 ratings, while Atten averages 4.7 from 158 ratings.

### Do SandBud or Atten have ads?

Neither SandBud nor Atten shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SandBud or Atten?

SandBud ships an update weekly, and Atten weekly. Most recently, SandBud was updated on November 5, 2026 and Atten on November 12, 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.*