Bloom vs PauseBox
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Bloom
This app helps you conquer screen time by requiring you to tap an NFC keycard to your phone to access distracting apps. Set schedules, manage breaks, and utilize strict mode to stay focused. It's a physical solution for digital detox and improved productivity.
- NFC keycard app blocking
- Customizable distraction lists
- Focus schedules
- Break limits
- Strict mode
- Emergency exits
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Most screen time apps fail because they’re easy to bypass. Bloom was created to fix that. Bloom revolutionizes your productivity by requiring you to scan an NFC keycard to your phone to access distracting apps. **How It Works** - Choose Your Distractions: Select the apps or websites you find most distracting. - Block Your Distractions: Tap your Bloom card to your phone to block those apps. - Live Distraction-Free: Stay productive with your card out of reach. When ready, just tap your Bloom card to your phone to unblock your apps. **Features** - Schedules: Set personalized schedules for your focus periods, allowing them to start and end automatically. - Breaks: Use your apps mindfully by setting limits on the frequency and duration of your breaks. - Strict Mode: Disable your ability to delete the Bloom app while in focus mode (optional). - Emergency Exits: Unblock all of your apps without your bloom card up to three times. **Why Bloom** - Spend less time on your phone and more time doing things that actually matter. - Improve your work habits by blocking out distractions. - Our physical solution is the ultimate solution for digital detox and time management. With Bloom’s NFC keycard, you can leave the “key” to your distractions behind, ensuring you stay focused and productive. Find your Bloom today and enjoy life beyond your phone! (We prioritize your privacy—your screen time data stays securely on your device and is never shared or stored elsewhere). Learn more by visiting our website: bloom.inc
PauseBox
This app helps you block digital distractions by creating a physical barrier. Select apps to block, create custom groups with schedules, and then tap your phone on a physical device to initiate a focus session. It encourages intentional separation to break habit loops.
- Select apps to block
- Create custom Pause Groups
- Schedule focus sessions
- Use physical device for blocking
- Remote blocking option
- Intentional separation from phone
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PauseBox creates a physical block between you and distractions. Here's how it works: 1. Select the apps you want to block Open the PauseApp and choose which apps to block, or select the few you want to keep. Create custom Pause Groups like Work, Study, or Family Time, each with its own app rules, schedules, or timers to fit your day.PauseBox creates a physical block between you and distractions. Here's how it works: 2. Tap your phone on PauseBox to block selected apps After selecting a Pause Group, tap your phone on the PauseBox to start blocking apps. Your focus session begins right away. Not nearby? Use “Pause without tap” in the app to start remotely. 3. Put distance between you and the PauseBox Place your PauseBox out of reach to create intentional separation. As a physical barrier to digital distractions, it makes unblocking a conscious choice and helps break the habit loop.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Bloom at fortnightly against PauseBox's every 3 months. Bloom also leads on ratings volume (2.4K vs 29). PauseBox's advantage is review sentiment (82% vs 66%). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Bloom against 4.9 for PauseBox. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bloom has 2.4K ratings behind it against 29, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 66% of Bloom's written reviews are positive against 82% of PauseBox's.
Bloom ships an update fortnightly, PauseBox every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Bloom | PauseBox |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (2.4K ratings) | 4.9 (29 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 65.9% of reviews | 82.4% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 2.4K — better | 29 |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly — better | Every 3 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | 16.4 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 67 MB | 90 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Find Your Bloom LLC | Britt Espinosa |
Customer experience
Bloom
PauseBox
Bugs and requests
Bloom
Reported bugs
2 issues- App crashes when selecting apps for blocklist
- Settings fail to save consistently
Requested features
2 requests- More flexible session scheduling options
- Thinner, more discreet physical card
PauseBox
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Bloom
No in-app purchases
PauseBox
No in-app purchases
