Comparison

MindfulBytes vs ScrollTax

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

MindfulBytes

Features
Read full description

**Break free from doomscrolling and crush your health goals with MindfulBytes!** Seamlessly sync with Apple Health and Screen Time to set your own rules and define what a perfect day looks like for you. Choose daily targets and unlock time rewards on your most distracting apps when you reach them. Track your progress, celebrate your wins, and take control of your screen time — one mindful moment at a time. **Terms (EULA):** https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ **Privacy Policy:** https://kushtrim17.github.io/mindfulbytes-legal/privacy-policy.html

About

ScrollTax

This app helps you break addictive app habits by making you earn back screen time. Earn points through activities like reading, focusing, chores, or exercise, and spend them to unlock your chosen apps. It enforces limits with a debt system for overspending.

Highlights
  • Lock addictive apps
  • Earn screen time via reading, focus, chores, steps, sunlight
  • Debt carryover for overspending
  • 30 daily grace minutes
  • Emergency unlock feature
  • Live Activities on Lock Screen
Features
Read full description

What if doomscrolling had a price? ScrollTax locks your most addictive apps. Earn them back by reading, focusing, doing chores, working, walking, working out, or going outside. The system enforces it. Every 5 minutes of screen time costs 1 tax point. Hit zero and your apps re-lock automatically. Go over budget and the overage becomes debt — it carries into tomorrow, so you start the next day already in the red until you work it off. Your phone, on a budget. HOW IT WORKS Pick your apps. Select any apps to put on a budget using the iOS Screen Time picker. Social media, games, news, browsers — they're locked by default. Earn tax points. · Reading — 10 min = 1 point · Focus — 10 min = 1 point · Chores — 15 min = 1 point · Work — 60 min = 1 point, tracked by your iPhone Work Focus · Steps — 2,000 steps = 1 point · Workout — 15 min = 1 point · Mindfulness — 10 min = 1 point · Standing — 3 hours = 1 point · Sunlight — 15 min outside = 1 point (Apple Watch) · Sleep — 7+ hours = 2 points, from Apple Health or your Sleep Focus Each source has a daily cap, so no single habit can buy the whole day. Spend your budget. 1 point = 5 minutes of screen time. Tracked automatically in the background. Hit zero and your apps re-lock on their own. You also get 30 free grace minutes every day. MEET ZUNŌ A little brain that lives on your Home screen. Its mood follows your balance: bright when you're earning, frazzled when you're scrolling. Poke it, pet it, keep it happy. Prefer a quieter look? Switch to Classic. WORK MODE AND SLEEP MODE Add ScrollTax to your iPhone Work or Sleep Focus. While the Focus is on, your taxed apps stay locked, and the time counts as work or sleep. When it turns off, they reopen. THE LOCK IS REAL ScrollTax uses Apple's own Screen Time enforcement. There's no dismiss button, no three-tap override. If you want Instagram, you have to earn it. Yes, that means walking 2,000 steps. YOUR DATA STAYS YOURS ScrollTax never sees which apps you open or what you view. No account. No ads. Your history syncs through your own iCloud. FREE · All ten earn sources · Work mode and Sleep mode · 30 grace minutes per day · 1 emergency unlock per day · Debt carryover — overage rolls to tomorrow · Live Activity and widgets · Hard mode — disable the emergency unlock · Your last 7 days of progress SCROLLTAX PRO · Custom earn rates and grace · Debt controls · Trends, patterns and your full history ScrollTax. Your phone, on a budget. Legal: EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://scrolltax.hipporasy.dev/privacy Terms: https://scrolltax.hipporasy.dev/terms

Screenshots

MindfulBytes4 screens
ScrollTax4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: ScrollTax at every 8 days against MindfulBytes's every 4 months. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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. MindfulBytes sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and ScrollTax sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MindfulBytes ships an update every 4 months, ScrollTax every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
MindfulBytes versus ScrollTax: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMindfulBytesScrollTax
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.8 (4 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—4 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 8 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS18.218.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size26 MB13 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKushtrim AbdijuMarasy Phi

In-app purchases

2 purchases

MindfulBytes

Subscriptions2
  • All access$2.991 Month
  • All Access$24.991 Year
2 purchases

ScrollTax

Subscriptions2
  • Pro Monthly$9.991 Month
  • Pro - Annually$24.991 Year

Questions

Is MindfulBytes free?
MindfulBytes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ScrollTax free?
ScrollTax is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do MindfulBytes or ScrollTax have ads?
Neither MindfulBytes nor ScrollTax shows ads.
Which is updated more often, MindfulBytes or ScrollTax?
MindfulBytes ships an update every 4 months, and ScrollTax every 8 days. Most recently, MindfulBytes was updated on October 18, 2026 and ScrollTax on October 25, 2026.

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