Lifeback vs Screen Time Control
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Lifeback
This app enhances your phone's screen time settings to help you focus better and achieve your goals. It offers app restrictions and time limits to reduce distractions and boost productivity. Many users report significant reductions in screen time and improved mental well-being.
- App restrictions and time limits
- Focus reports and progress metrics
- Instant app blocking
- Scheduled blocking via calendar
- Temporary unblocking for breaks
- Hard mode for maximum protection
- Shortcut integration for automation
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Imagine if your Screen Time Settings on your phone were super powered. That's what we do. 5 hours. That’s the average time you’ll spend looking at your phone today. With a combination of app restrictions and hard time limits, you can begin to focus better and accomplish your dreams, just like our members. Many of the world's top teams and companies companies trust Lifeback. to help protect their focus. You can too. **This app cut my screen time by 3 hours per day – Senior Backend Dev at Google ** **Lifeback cuts off your apps’ internet access to help you stop doomscrolling – WSJ ** **Lifeback Helped Me Quit My Nightly TikTok Habit – Productivity Mag ** BENEFITS 98% of Lifeback members are less distracted 94% are more productive thanks to the app 91% experience improved mental health 82% save at least 2 hours *daily* thanks to the app Added benefits: - Better screen time management - Improve productivity at work - Reduce stress, be more mindful - Better manage ADHD - Set daily working hours, sleep, and routines - Unplug with family and friends - Stay in focus when you need it most - You're happy and in control of your screen time FEATURES - Focus Report: Diagnose your Focus and measure your progress with clear metrics, important context and compare with your peers. - #1 App Blocker: Instantly block apps you choose. - Sessions: Block apps from your phone while you’re focusing, and you can always take a break to unblock them temporarily. - Calendar: Set daily working hours, sleep and routines, block apps automatically, so you don’t have to remember. - Breaks: Use apps without mindless scrolling. Choose the app you want to use and set a timer. - Shortcut Integration: Connect iPhone shortcut automations to start/stop Focus Sessions based on app opens, time, location and more! - Hard Mode: Maximum protection, you can’t cancel or bypass the timer you set. CREATE A PERSONALIZED APP LIST You can customize your Control experience and block all apps and sites on your phone, including: - Facebook - Instagram - Snapchat - TikTok - Youtube - Netflix - Tinder - Hinge - Bumble - Many more: News, Messaging, Dating, Adult/Porn, Money apps etc. PRIVATE & SAFE We use Apple's Screen Time API in order to monitor and block apps you use. Installation is easy and takes a few seconds on your iPhone. Unlike most apps, Lifeback works entirely on your phone and personal browsing data never leaves your device. HEAR IT FROM THE COMMUNITY "Never in a bazillion years did I think I would be below 3 hours of screen time a day. My mood is SO much better." - Sam "Weird to think that an app would make me use my phone less but this app is the only thing helping me focus on deep work days" - Cody "Thanks Lifeback for being the only way my monkey brain can do homework for more than like 20 minutes" - Stevie TERMS, PRIVACY & CONDITIONS – https://lifeback.io/privacy – https://lifeback.io/terms
Screen Time Control
This app promotes mindful screen time usage by prompting regular reflection and offering optional focus sessions. It guides users toward healthier digital habits through awareness and subtle nudges, rather than strict blocking. Data is kept private on the device.
- Mindful screen time prompts
- Optional focus sessions
- Daily activity notifications
- App blocking for routines
- Privacy-focused data storage
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Inscreen is more than a screen time tracker. Inscreen helps you pause and reflect on your screen time at regular intervals throughout the day. Designed for simplicity and privacy, Inscreen has minimal features and a zero learning curve, helping you get started quickly. ⏵ HOW IS INSCREEN DIFFERENT? Unlike other screen time apps that completely block access, Inscreen draws on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to help you recognize your screen time habits through regular prompts and inculcate healthier behaviours without restrictions. ⏵ WHY IT WORKS? We tap into a few key psychological principles and behavioural patterns. Here’s why it works: - Awareness = Better Choices: Regular reminders to ask whether you're on your phone intentionally, encouraging healthier choices. - Guiding, not controlling: Instead of strict limits, scheduled subtle nudges to guide you toward mindful decisions, without the frustration of restrictions. - Accountability: Weekly progress, actionable insights and daily notifications leading to lasting behaviour changes. - Low barrier to entry: No drastic changes or restrictions, making it easy to integrate into daily life and gradually adjust over time. ⏵ FEATURES - Alerts to be intentional about your screen time. - Focus sessions to completely block distracting apps for a set routine, say, during work or winding down at night. - Strict daily limits to keep your screen time in control. - Notifications that help you track your daily activity. - Secure and private. All your data stays on your device. ⏵ HOW DOES THE SETUP WORK? 1. Choose the distracting apps or categories. 2. Set a daily limit. 3. Set up focus sessions (optional). ⏵ FINANCIAL AID We’re on a mission to solve phone addiction and distraction. We’re determined to help everyone. Our Financial Aid program offers a free 1 year subscription to individuals who are financially stretched but are in need. The link to apply is in the app. ⏵ ABOUT Inscreen is self-funded and run by two independent developers — Preet and Vaibhav. ⏵ LINKS Privacy Policy: https://github.com/theinscreenapp/ios/blob/main/privacy.md. Terms: https://github.com/theinscreenapp/ios/blob/main/terms.md. Support: https://github.com/theinscreenapp/ios/blob/main/support.md.
Screenshots
Verdict
Lifeback and Screen Time Control both sit at 4.5 stars, but that hides the real split: 74% of Screen Time Control's written reviews are positive against 53% of Lifeback's. Lifeback's advantage is update cadence (every 6 days vs fortnightly). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads 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. Lifeback sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $3.00 per month and Screen Time Control sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Lifeback against 4.5 for Screen Time Control. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 79 and 33 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 53% of Lifeback's written reviews are positive against 74% of Screen Time Control's.
Lifeback ships an update every 6 days, Screen Time Control fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Lifeback | Screen Time Control |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.5 (79 ratings) | 4.5 (33 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 52.6% of reviews | 73.9% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 79 — better | 33 |
| Update frequency | Every 6 days — better | Fortnightly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 — better | 17.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 43 MB | 13 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Control. Alt. Delete. LLC | Vaibhav Negi |
Customer experience
Lifeback
Screen Time Control
Bugs and requests
Lifeback
Reported bugs
3 issues- App closing unexpectedly
- Focus mode not working as expected
- Inconsistent app behavior
Requested features
2 requests- Better unblock functionality
- Improved notification system
Screen Time Control
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Lifeback
- Monthly Plan$3.001 Month
- Monthly Plan$4.001 Month
- Monthly Plan$5.001 Month
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- Monthly Plan3 Days trial$6.001 Month
- Monthly Plan$7.001 Month
- Monthly Plan$8.001 Month
- Monthly Plan$9.001 Month
- Monthly Plan$10.001 Month
- Monthly Plan$11.001 Month
- Monthly Plan$12.001 Month
- Promo Yearly Plan7 Days trial$40.001 Year
- Yearly Plan3 Days trial$40.001 Year
- Yearly Plan3 Days trial$99.001 Year
Screen Time Control
- Inscreen (Monthly)3 Days trial$1.991 Month
- Inscreen (Monthly for Family)3 Days trial$3.991 Month
- Inscreen (Yearly)7 Days trial$14.991 Year
Show 1 moreShow fewer
- Inscreen (Yearly for Family)7 Days trial$29.991 Year
- Inscreen (Lifetime)$29.99
- Inscreen (Lifetime for Family)$59.99









