Comparison

Screen Time Control vs Marigold

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

Head to head
About

Screen Time Control

This app helps you regain control of your digital life by managing screen time, blocking distractions, and boosting productivity. It offers features like app limits, scheduled blocking, and a Pomodoro timer to improve focus and mental well-being.

Highlights
  • Set daily app and website limits
  • Schedule app blocking
  • Limit social media scrolling
  • Pomodoro timer for focus
  • Track productivity and minimize distractions
  • Personalized customization options
Features
Read full description

Don’t let your smartphone take over you! With HeadUp, you will be in full control of your digital life. Keep your distractions at bay. Be packed with productivity. Reach a balance, enjoy and benefit from your digital well-being.  Unlock the Benefits of a Balanced Digital Well-Being Your smartphone must work for you but not the other way around. With our app, it's all about making tech serve you better. * Save Time from Less Screen Time: * Say goodbye to endless scrolling * Spend more time with people who matter * Experience the freedom of having extra time for work, hobbies, self-care, etc. * Become Less Distracted: * Say hello to focused days * Stay focused on what truly matters * Enjoy a distraction-free environment * Be More Productive: * Manage your screen time and boost your efficiency * Achieve more in less time with focused, uninterrupted work sessions. * Set and reach your goals with Promodoro * Improve Your Mental Health: * Cut down your screen-time overload  * Reduce your stress and anxiety * Enjoy calmer mind Features that HeadUp Provides at Your Fingertips * App Limits: Set daily limits for your screen time (either or both for apps and website surfing). Get alerts or app blocking when you exceed these limits. * Scheduled Blocking: Set an app blocking schedule, block apps at specified times or even days, and control distractions. * Scrolling Limit: Set daily and one-time limits for  social media and control how long you spend on them. * Pomodoro Timer: Boost your focus with the Pomodoro technique. Break tasks into manageable chunks, set a timer, and complete these tasks at your best. * Progress Tracker: Visualize your productivity and minimize distractions with clear, insightful stats. Feel secure: Data Safety is Our Priority Your data is personal and only yours. With HeadUp, you can rest assured of top-notch privacy. Your information is protected from anyone else, including the developers. And we ensure it will always stay that way. Customize Your HeadUp – Your Key to Digital Well-Being HeadUp is all about personalization and customization. Benefit with its flexible settings and fine tuning. Tailor its features to fit your lifestyle and your goals.  So, do you want to transform your digital life? Download HeadUp Now and take full control of your screen time. Block distractions. Achieve goals. HeadUp is here to support you every step of the way! SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION* A HeadUp Premium subscription is required for full access to all features and content. When you subscribe, the payment will be charged to your iTunes Account upon confirmation of purchase. Your subscription will automatically renew unless you turn off auto-renewal in your iTunes Account Settings at least 24 hours before the current subscription period ends. You can manage your subscription and disable auto-renewal at any time in your account settings. If you start a subscription before your free trial ends, any remaining trial period will be forfeited once your purchase is confirmed. TERMS AND PRIVACY* https://headup-app.com/privacy https://headup-app.com/terms

About

Marigold

This app helps you regain control over your phone usage by blocking distracting apps on a schedule or on demand. It offers guided breathing breaks and honest progress tracking without judgment.

Highlights
  • Scheduled app blocking
  • On-demand focus sessions
  • Guided breathing breaks
  • Live countdown timer
  • Home-screen widget
  • Honest screen time reports
  • Privacy-focused design
Features
Read full description

Your phone, on your side. Marigold holds the apps that eat your day — on schedules that run themselves, and on demand when you need to lock in. No shame, no lectures, no tricks. Just a calm minute between you and the scroll. HOW IT WORKS • Pick the apps you're avoiding. They're held during your schedules — work hours, bedtime, gym — and during focus sessions you start anytime. • Need one anyway? Take a break: sixty seconds of guided breathing, then five honest minutes. The pause is the point. • Changing your mind costs the same calm minute. Marigold is friction, not a prison — every door opens, just never on autopilot. FOCUS, ON DEMAND One tap starts a focus session — 25, 45, 90 minutes, or your own timer. Your apps are tucked away, a live countdown sits in the Dynamic Island, and finished minutes bank toward your day and your streak. Give up early and nothing is counted — the numbers never lie to you. SCHEDULES THAT RUN THEMSELVES Set your hours once. Marigold starts and stops on time with the app closed, overnight windows included. A home-screen widget shows what's held right now and what's next. HONEST NUMBERS Focused minutes are minutes you actually focused. Protected time is time your schedules actually covered. Breaks are counted, not judged. And the Screen Time report shows the week's truth: how much still got through, app by app, the number that should shrink. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Everything stays on your phone. Marigold uses Apple's Screen Time technology, sees your app choices only as anonymous tokens, collects nothing, and sends nothing anywhere. There is no account. The marigold opens at sunrise and closes at dusk. Your apps can learn the same rhythm. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://lakkireddylabs.com/marigold/privacy-policy/

Screenshots

Screen Time Control4 screens
Marigold4 screens

Verdict

The call

Screen Time Control and Marigold both sit at 5.0 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of Marigold's written reviews are positive against 67% of Screen Time Control's. On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence 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. Screen Time Control sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Marigold sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Screen Time Control against 5.0 for Marigold. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 67% of Screen Time Control's written reviews are positive against 100% of Marigold's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Screen Time Control ships an update every 6 days, Marigold every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Screen Time Control versus Marigold: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterScreen Time ControlMarigold
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews66.7% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings2 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 6 daysEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFreemium
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS18.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size148 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMIRRORHUB MCHJLakshmikar Reddy Lakkireddy

Customer experience

Screen Time Control

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%

Marigold

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Screen Time Control

Subscriptions9
  • Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Weekly$6.997 Days
  • Weekly3 Days trial$6.997 Days
Show 6 more
  • Weekly3 Days trial$7.997 Days
  • Monthly3 Days trial$8.991 Month
  • Monthly$9.991 Month
  • Annual3 Days trial$19.991 Year
  • Annual3 Days trial$39.991 Year
  • Annual$39.991 Year
One-time1
  • 1 credit$0.49
2 purchases

Marigold

Subscriptions1
  • Marigold Pro$9.991 Year
One-time1
  • Marigold Pro Lifetime$29.99

Questions

Is Screen Time Control free?
Screen Time Control is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Marigold free?
Marigold is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Screen Time Control or Marigold?
Screen Time Control and Marigold are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2 and 1 ratings respectively.
Do Screen Time Control or Marigold have ads?
Neither Screen Time Control nor Marigold shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Screen Time Control or Marigold?
Screen Time Control ships an update every 6 days, and Marigold every 5 days. Most recently, Screen Time Control was updated on October 30, 2026 and Marigold on November 5, 2026.

Other comparisons