Comparison

White Screen vs Normal

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

Head to head
About

White Screen

This app transforms your home screen into a clean, focused space by decluttering your phone and reducing distractions. It allows you to add your most-used apps to widgets for quick access, helping you focus on productivity and well-being.

Highlights
  • Minimalist app launcher
  • Declutter home screen
  • Reduce distractions
  • Launch apps from widgets
  • Customizable widgets
  • Custom wallpapers
Features
Read full description

Meet White Screen – the minimalist app launcher designed to transform your home screen into a clean, focused space for productivity. White Screen declutters your phone, reducing distractions and helping you spend less time doom scrolling. Instead, focus on what truly matters: your goals, well-being, and what brings you fulfillment. HOW DOES IT WORK? - Add your most-used apps to White Screen widgets. - Use our custom wallpapers to blend seamlessly with your screen elements. - Launch apps from White Screen widgets to keep your phone clutter-free. WHAT CAN I DO WITH IT? - Launch apps directly from White Screen widgets. - Customize the look and feel to make your home screen uniquely yours. WHITE SCREEN PREMIUM: White Screen offers a lifetime plan that unlocks full access to all features, including unlimited apps per widget, custom backgrounds, and shortcuts. Upgrade to White Screen Premium and declutter your screen even further. Feel free to consult our privacy policy here: https://astrochimp.framer.website/privacy and our terms of use here: https://astrochimp.framer.website/terms

About

Normal

This app helps you reduce phone usage by blocking selected applications by default. To access blocked apps, you must physically scan an NFC tag, QR code, or barcode, or be at a specific location. It offers granular control, timed unblocks, and scheduling to help you regain control of your screen time.

Highlights
  • Block apps via NFC, QR codes, and barcodes
  • Use any NFC tag, QR code, or barcode
  • Unblock/block specific apps
  • Timed unblocks
  • Scheduling
  • Granular control
  • Bypass prevention options
Read full description

Normal actually makes you use your phone less by keeping selected apps blocked by default. To unblock you have to physically scan an NFC Tag, QR Code or use a Location. This can be any NFC Tag, QR Code, Barcode, Location you set in the app. This 'opt-in' approach is backed by research and actual use. Normal is made to be the most powerful screen time app available. Saving your hours of your day. It's fully open-source and no features are behind paywalls. It can also be made to be impossible to bypass. Highlights of Normal: - Block Apps via NFC Tags, QR Codes and Barcodes - Use ANY NFC Tag, QR Code or Barcode - Unblock/Block specific Apps - Timed Unblocks - Emergency Unblocks - Scheduling - Complete Granular Control - Can make it as easy or as hard to bypass Normal was made because of issues with some other screen time apps. - Other screen time apps are easy to bypass. Normal can be made to be impossible to bypass, or easy to bypass. You have complete control. - Most other screen time apps work on opt-out strategy, where you have access to all apps, then lose access through usage. - Normal works on opt-in strategy. The apps you have blocked are always blocked, to use them you have to physically get up and scan your NFC tag or QR Code. - Most screen time apps are paid, either one-time or more commonly, subscriptions. There are no paid features. Everything is free and open-source. - Normal is privacy-focused. We don't log any data, everything stays on device. Since we're open source, you can check our code and confirm. - Normal allows timed unlocks. Other NFC/QR Code blockers don't have this. If you want to use an app for 15min, you can unlock it for 15min only. You don't have to remember to reblock. Normal was made by actual users, research on smartphone addiction and developments in dumbphones in-mind. If you want to turn your iPhone into a dumbphone, you can. Block all smart apps, block the app store, prevent disabling normal (via preventing delete and the shortcuts trick). Now you have a dumbphone, which you can't make smart without your NFC Tag (which you can make as difficult as you need). If you want a semi-dumbphone, you can. Do the above but have some apps like maps, music, messaging, etc. If you're a professional who needs access to apps distracting sometimes, Normal is for you! Block all distractions with Normal. Set schedules for you work apps or used timed unblocks. Need 15min to post content or check email? You can do that! You just have to physically get up and scan your NFC Tag, QR Code, or Barcode. The apps will automatically reblock after your timer is over. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

White Screen4 screens
Normal4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Normal at every 2 days against White Screen's monthly. Normal also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and rating (4.9 vs 4.6). White Screen's advantage is ratings volume (200 vs 44). 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. White Screen sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Normal sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $5.00 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Normal holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 200 and 44 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 87% of White Screen's written reviews are positive against 100% of Normal's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

White Screen ships an update monthly, Normal every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
White Screen versus Normal: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterWhite ScreenNormal
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (200 ratings)4.9 (44 ratings) — better
Positive reviews86.7% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings200 — better44
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS18.018.0
Further details — not scored
Size77 MB5 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAstrochimp SRLNormal Engineering Inc.

Customer experience

White Screen

All ratings155 ratings
Positive94.2%
Neutral1.3%
Negative4.5%
Written reviews45 reviews
Positive86.7%
Neutral2.2%
Negative11.1%

Normal

All ratings42 ratings
Positive97.6%
Neutral2.4%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews23 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

White Screen

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • White screen appears before opening apps
  • Phone app shortcut is broken
  • Some apps in the master list do not launch
  • Widget not found in the list of widgets
  • Error when trying to open the Phone app (default iOS)

Requested features

12 requests
  • Transparent background or custom gallery wallpaper
  • Dark mode synced with wallpaper
  • Spacer widgets for more app icons
  • Ability to remove widget title
  • Add Anki flashcard app shortcut
Show 7 more
  • Pure black theme option
  • Option to create custom shortcuts
  • App closes automatically after opening another app
  • Fix for phone app shortcut bug
  • Fix for widget not launching certain apps
  • Fix for app dock visibility
  • Fix for iOS 26 reflections

Normal

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

White Screen

One-time1
  • Whitescreen Lifetime Premium Plan$9.99
9 purchases

Normal

Subscriptions3
  • Monthly Support$5.001 Month
  • Monthly Support$10.001 Month
  • Monthly Support$20.001 Month
One-time6
  • One-time Donation$5.00
  • One-time Donation$10.00
  • One-time Donation$20.00
Show 3 more
  • One-time Donation$50.00
  • One-time Donation$100.00
  • One-time Donation$200.00

Questions

Is White Screen free?
White Screen is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Normal free?
Normal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, White Screen or Normal?
Normal is rated higher. White Screen averages 4.6 out of 5 from 200 ratings, while Normal averages 4.9 from 44 ratings.
Do White Screen or Normal have ads?
Neither White Screen nor Normal shows ads.
Which is updated more often, White Screen or Normal?
White Screen ships an update monthly, and Normal every 2 days. Most recently, White Screen was updated on November 4, 2026 and Normal on November 5, 2026.

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