Comparison

Screen Time Control vs Nora

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 promotes mindful screen time usage by prompting regular reflection and offering optional focus sessions. It guides users toward healthier digital habits through awareness and subtle nudges, rather than strict blocking. Data is kept private on the device.

Highlights
  • Mindful screen time prompts
  • Optional focus sessions
  • Daily activity notifications
  • App blocking for routines
  • Privacy-focused data storage
Features
Read full description

Inscreen is more than a screen time tracker. Inscreen helps you pause and reflect on your screen time at regular intervals throughout the day. Designed for simplicity and privacy, Inscreen has minimal features and a zero learning curve, helping you get started quickly. ⏵ HOW IS INSCREEN DIFFERENT? Unlike other screen time apps that completely block access, Inscreen draws on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to help you recognize your screen time habits through regular prompts and inculcate healthier behaviours without restrictions. ⏵ WHY IT WORKS? We tap into a few key psychological principles and behavioural patterns. Here’s why it works: - Awareness = Better Choices: Regular reminders to ask whether you're on your phone intentionally, encouraging healthier choices. - Guiding, not controlling: Instead of strict limits, scheduled subtle nudges to guide you toward mindful decisions, without the frustration of restrictions. - Accountability: Weekly progress, actionable insights and daily notifications leading to lasting behaviour changes. - Low barrier to entry: No drastic changes or restrictions, making it easy to integrate into daily life and gradually adjust over time. ⏵ FEATURES - Alerts to be intentional about your screen time. - Focus sessions to completely block distracting apps for a set routine, say, during work or winding down at night. - Strict daily limits to keep your screen time in control. - Notifications that help you track your daily activity. - Secure and private. All your data stays on your device. ⏵ HOW DOES THE SETUP WORK? 1. Choose the distracting apps or categories. 2. Set a daily limit. 3. Set up focus sessions (optional). ⏵ FINANCIAL AID We’re on a mission to solve phone addiction and distraction. We’re determined to help everyone. Our Financial Aid program offers a free 1 year subscription to individuals who are financially stretched but are in need. The link to apply is in the app. ⏵ ABOUT Inscreen is self-funded and run by two independent developers — Preet and Vaibhav. ⏵ LINKS Privacy Policy: https://github.com/theinscreenapp/ios/blob/main/privacy.md. Terms: https://github.com/theinscreenapp/ios/blob/main/terms.md. Support: https://github.com/theinscreenapp/ios/blob/main/support.md.

About

Nora

Features
Read full description

Nora is a bank account for your time. Your balance is minutes. Focusing makes a deposit. Opening a distracting app makes a withdrawal. Run out, and Nora locks those apps until you earn them back. A focus timer with real stakes. Nora requires a subscription (free trial first) or a one-time lifetime unlock. Everything below is included - full pricing under SUBSCRIPTION. HOW IT WORKS 1. Mark the time-wasting apps as Drainers and the good ones as Earners. 2. Lock In to focus. Every minute you focus is deposited into your balance. 3. Open a Drainer and it withdraws from your balance, minute for minute. 4. Reach zero and your Drainers lock. Only focus reopens them. YOUR TIME BANK Your balance stays front and center. Give yourself a daily allowance from 30 minutes to 6 hours, credited each morning. Stay off your Drainers for a Pickup Bonus of up to 60 extra minutes tomorrow. Every deposit and withdrawal lands in a full statement, app by app. LOCK IN Lock In is how you make deposits. Pick a preset - Sprint (15m), Pomodoro (25m), Deep Work (45m), Ultradian (90m) - or set any length. The timer runs even if you close Nora, and your Drainers stay blocked all session. Focus over a calm, moving scene, and add a Boost to multiply what you earn, up to 10x. FOCUS ROOMS Invite up to 7 friends - 8 of you in one live, shared session. Everyone's timer and ghost appear in real time, with hearts to cheer each other on. Leave anytime; the room stays open. TRACK YOUR APPS Choose which apps to track with Apple Screen Time, then label each one. A Drainer withdraws a minute for every minute you use it. An Earner deposits a minute for every minute you spend in it, no cap. THE SHIELD Run low and your Drainers get shielded behind a lock screen. Out of minutes, hold to borrow a few into overdraft and earn them back later. Cap any Drainer's daily minutes, and Late Night Guard blocks every Drainer while you sleep. STATS Net charts by week, month, year, and all time weigh deposits against withdrawals. See your most-drained and most-earned apps, daily pickups, and best focus days. No streaks, no guilt. THE SHOP Your minutes are yours to spend. Unlock over 155 cosmetics: 36 ghost skins, 20 Lock-In scenes, 24 app themes, 56 home-screen icons, and 19 widget backgrounds, from everyday classics to rare collectibles. Boosts cost minutes too - nothing in the Shop costs real money. Redeem codes for secret skins found nowhere else. FRIENDS Add friends with an invite code or your Wallet pass. See who is locked in and how everyone ranks on the daily and weekly leaderboards. Send minutes from your own balance to a friend in need, or gift an exclusive ghost skin - Hearts Nora or Poo Nora, $0.99 each as a one-time in-app purchase. ON EVERY SCREEN A live countdown in the Live Activity and Dynamic Island, home-screen and lock-screen widgets, and an Apple Wallet pass that updates over the air. STAY IN CONTROL Choose the notifications you want. Sign in with Apple keeps your account secure, and cloud backup restores your balance, history, and collection on any new device. SUBSCRIPTION Nora is a paid app with no free tier. Pick one to unlock everything: - Nora Monthly: 3-day free trial, then $3.99/month, auto-renewing. - Nora Yearly: 7-day free trial, then $24.99/year, auto-renewing. Best value. - Nora Lifetime: $59.99 one-time purchase. Yours forever, nothing renews. The only other purchases are the optional $0.99 friend gifts above. Prices in USD; they may vary by region, and your exact price is shown before you buy. Free trials are once per Apple ID. Payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation of purchase. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the current period ends; manage or cancel anytime in Settings. Any unused portion of a free trial is forfeited when you buy a subscription. Terms: https://noratime.app/terms Privacy: https://noratime.app/privacy Open your time bank. Start your free trial.

Screenshots

Screen Time Control4 screens
Nora4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Nora at every 5 days against Screen Time Control's fortnightly. 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. Screen Time Control sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Nora sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Screen Time Control ships an update fortnightly, Nora every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Screen Time Control versus Nora: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterScreen Time ControlNora
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (38 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews73.9% of reviews—
Number of ratings38 — better—
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS17.616.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size13 MB43 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperVaibhav NegiKilian Borowsky

In-app purchases

6 purchases

Screen Time Control

Subscriptions4
  • Inscreen (Monthly)3 Days trial$1.991 Month
  • Inscreen (Monthly for Family)3 Days trial$3.991 Month
  • Inscreen (Yearly)7 Days trial$14.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Inscreen (Yearly for Family)7 Days trial$29.991 Year
One-time2
  • Inscreen (Lifetime)$29.99
  • Inscreen (Lifetime for Family)$59.99
5 purchases

Nora

Subscriptions2
  • Nora Pro Monthly3 Days trial$3.991 Month
  • Nora Pro Yearly7 Days trial$24.991 Year
One-time3
  • Hearts Nora Gift Skin$0.99
  • Poo Nora Ghost Skin$0.99
  • Nora Pro Lifetime$59.99

Questions

Is Screen Time Control free?
Screen Time Control is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Nora free?
Nora is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Screen Time Control or Nora have ads?
Neither Screen Time Control nor Nora shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Screen Time Control or Nora?
Screen Time Control ships an update fortnightly, and Nora every 5 days. Most recently, Screen Time Control was updated on October 20, 2026 and Nora on October 16, 2026.

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