# Screen Time Control vs Marigold

The clearest difference is rating: Marigold at 5.0 against Screen Time Control's 4.6. Marigold also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 74%) and update cadence (every 5 days vs fortnightly). Screen Time Control's advantage is ratings volume (38 vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Screen Time Control sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 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.

Marigold holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Screen Time Control has 38 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 74% of Screen Time Control's written reviews are positive against 100% of Marigold's.

Screen Time Control ships an update fortnightly, Marigold every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Screen Time Control | Marigold |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (38 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/screen-time-control-inscreen/id6737131495/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/marigold-screen-time-and-focus/id6779488345/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **38** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 73.9% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Freemium |
| Size | 13 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Vaibhav Negi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1747178744) | [Lakshmikar Reddy Lakkireddy](https://appshunter.io/developer/1680370045) |

## What reviewers say

### Screen Time Control

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/screen-time-control-inscreen/id6737131495)

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:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Inscreen (Monthly) | $1.99 | per month |
| Inscreen (Monthly for Family) | $3.99 | per month |
| Inscreen (Yearly) | $14.99 | per year |
| Inscreen (Yearly for Family) | $29.99 | per year |
| Inscreen (Lifetime) | $29.99 | one-time |
| Inscreen (Lifetime for Family) | $59.99 | one-time |


### Marigold

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/marigold-screen-time-and-focus/id6779488345)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Marigold Pro | $9.99 | per year |
| Marigold Pro Lifetime | $29.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked 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?

Marigold is rated higher. Screen Time Control averages 4.6 out of 5 from 38 ratings, while Marigold averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### 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 fortnightly, and Marigold every 5 days. Most recently, Screen Time Control was updated on October 20, 2026 and Marigold on October 11, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*