# Ascent vs OffShelf

The clearest difference is rating: OffShelf at 5.0 against Ascent's 4.6. OffShelf also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks) and review sentiment (100% vs 84%). Ascent's advantage is ratings volume (52 vs 5). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Ascent sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and OffShelf sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

OffShelf 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 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 84% of Ascent's written reviews are positive against 100% of OffShelf's.

Ascent ships an update every 3 weeks, OffShelf weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 12, 2026 and November 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ascent | OffShelf |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (52 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ascent-screen-time-control/id6670786673/reviews) | **[5.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/offshelf-study-timer-tracker/id6767906574/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **52** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | 84.2% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 213 MB | 148 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Ascent Apps TOO](https://appshunter.io/developer/1800568136) | [Basheer Rjoub](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896519282) |

## 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


### OffShelf

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/offshelf-study-timer-tracker/id6767906574)

This app helps you focus by blocking distracting applications during timed study sessions. Track your progress, set goals, and study with friends to improve your productivity.

**Highlights:** Pomodoro and deep-work timer modes, App blocking during focus sessions, Study progress tracking by topic, Daily streaks and weekly planner, Co-study sessions with friends, Live activity and home screen widgets, Offline functionality

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| OffShelf Premium — Weekly | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| OffShelf Premium | $6.99 | per month |
| OffShelf Premium — Annual | $19.99 | per year |
| OffShelf Premium Lifetime | $39.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ascent free?

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

### Is OffShelf free?

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

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

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

### Do Ascent or OffShelf have ads?

Neither Ascent nor OffShelf shows ads.

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

Ascent ships an update every 3 weeks, and OffShelf weekly. Most recently, Ascent was updated on November 12, 2026 and OffShelf on November 13, 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.*