# Ascent vs Sway

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Sway at none against Ascent's 4. Sway also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 3 weeks) and rating (5.0 vs 4.6). Ascent's advantage is ratings volume (52 vs 1). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Ascent sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Sway asks for nothing beyond the download.

Sway holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ascent has 52 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Ascent ships an update every 3 weeks, Sway daily. The most recent releases landed on November 12, 2026 and November 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ascent | Sway |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (52 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ascent-screen-time-control/id6670786673/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sway-screen-time-budget/id6755695366/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **52** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 84.2% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 213 MB | 42 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 18.6 |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Ascent Apps TOO](https://appshunter.io/developer/1800568136) | [Manifest Global, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1850812476) |

## What reviewers say

### Ascent

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ascent-screen-time-control/id6670786673)

This app helps build healthy phone habits by pausing distracting applications and preventing compulsive scrolling. It offers features like focus sessions and reminders to encourage mindful usage and reclaim your time.

**Highlights:** Pause Exercise for reflection, Focus Sessions to minimize distractions, Reminders to break unhealthy patterns, App Limits for daily usage control, Intentions to state purpose before app use, Shortcuts for streamlined workflow, Bookmarks for curated resources

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Month Premium | $2.99 | per month |
| 1 Year Premium | $9.99 | per year |
| Free Lifetime Premium | Free | one-time |
| Lifetime Premium | $17.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Helps limit screen time
- 👍 Reduces social media usage
- 👍 Effective for habit change
- 👍 Free and effective
- 👍 Minimalist and slick design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Stopped working after a week
- 🐛 Randomly stops working on iPhone daily
- 🐛 Timer doesn't actually close apps
- 🐛 Feature unavailable on iPhone (YouTube/Insta shorts)
- 🐛 Bugs to fix

**Reported bugs**

- Stopped working after less than a week
- Randomly stops working on iPhone daily
- Timer doesn’t actually close apps
- App thinks time limits are set when they aren't
- Locks users out of apps

**Requested features**

- Add short form content blocking like on Android
- Add push up feature
- Add short form content blocking like on Android
- Add Reels blocking separately
- Add Reels blocking option on Apple


### Sway

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sway-screen-time-budget/id6755695366)

Manage your digital habits by setting daily limits on addictive apps. Earn points for extra time or wait for midnight resets. This app prioritizes your privacy by keeping all data on your device.

**Highlights:** Set daily app limits, Midnight resets, Earn extra time with Sway Points, Impulse-proof deactivation, Private and safe data handling, Utilizes Apple's Screen Time API

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ascent free?

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

### Is Sway free?

Sway is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Ascent or Sway?

Sway is rated higher. Ascent averages 4.6 out of 5 from 52 ratings, while Sway averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Ascent or Sway have ads?

Neither Ascent nor Sway shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Ascent or Sway?

Ascent ships an update every 3 weeks, and Sway daily. Most recently, Ascent was updated on November 12, 2026 and Sway on November 9, 2026.

---

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