Comparison

Unplugged vs Ember

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

Head to head
About

Unplugged

This app helps you reduce screen time, improve focus, and build healthier phone habits. It offers features like app blocking, strict modes, and mindful reminders to help you stay present and productive.

Highlights
  • App Blocker & Screen Time Control
  • Strict Mode for deep focus
  • Mindful Block Screens with quotes
  • Focus Timer / Pomodoro
  • App Usage Limits
  • Scheduled App Blocking
  • Screen Time Tracker
Features
Read full description

Unplugged helps you to • Reduce screen time up to 2+ hours daily • Focus deeper ending mindless scrolling • Fix Brainrot. Reduce stress and feel more present • Sleep better and improve your daily rhythm • Build mindful phone habits that actually stick • Save money preventing impulsive buying and overexposure to social media ads • Maintain digital well-being and stay in control with Social Limit and Take Break reminders Offering features: ▶ App Blocker & Screen Time Control → Lock in your goals by restricting or blocking apps and websites. Set personalised rules to stop distractions like social media, games, or dating apps. ▶ Strict Mode → Prevent yourself from unblocking apps when you need deep focus. ▶ Interruption Mode → Do breathe exercise or touch some grass going out before using app. ▶ Mindful Block Screens → See inspiring quotes every time you try to open an app you shouldn’t. ▶ Blocklist & Allowlist → Choose which apps or sites to block or allow during your focus sessions. ▶ Focus Timer / Pomodoro → Work or study in focus sessions with built-in breaks. Quick block for any duration. ▶ App Usage Limit → Automatically block apps after your chosen limit (e.g., block Instagram after 10 minutes). ▶ Schedule Block → Block apps at specific times (e.g., weekdays from 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM). ▶ App Lock → Limit how many times you can open an app daily (e.g., TikTok only twice a day). ▶ Focus Reminders → Get timely nudges when you start doomscrolling or hit your limit. ▶ Screen Time Tracker → Track and control your usage via Apple’s private & secure Screen Time API. Why users love Unplugged: Whether you want to study smarter, stop endless scrolling, or just feel calmer, Unplugged helps you balance focus and freedom — your digital lifetime lock-in for mindfulness and productivity. Be well. Stop it before it steals your time. Let’s start today. Focus deeper : Live better. Privacy Policy: https://arifurrahmancs.github.io/ZenScreen_PublicUrls/Unplugged_PrivacyPolicy.html Terms & Conditions: https://arifurrahmancs.github.io/ZenScreen_PublicUrls/Unplugged_tc.html

About

Ember

This app helps you reduce excessive screen time by providing gentle nudges and daily limits for specific applications. It focuses on awareness and self-control rather than strict blocking, encouraging small wins for lasting change.

Highlights
  • Daily app limits
  • Gentle reminders
  • Usage charts
  • Streak tracking
  • Progress sharing
  • iCloud sync
Features
Read full description

"Just 5 minutes" turns into 2 hours. Sound familiar? That's time blindness. It's common with ADHD, and endless feeds make it worse: there's no clock inside a feed. Ember brings the clock back. While you're in the apps you choose, you get a quiet time check every 15 minutes: "30 min in TikTok today." No blocks, no lectures. Just the time, so you can decide. HOW IT WORKS 1. Pick the apps where time disappears: TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Reddit, anything. 2. Choose how often Ember checks in: every 5, 10, 15, 20 or 30 minutes. 3. Get a gentle time check while you scroll. Tap "5 more min" or "I'm done" right from the notification. WHAT YOU GET - Gentle time checks instead of hard blocks - "5 more min" check-ins: set your own wrap-up time without leaving the app - Lock Screen and Home Screen widgets: today's time at a glance - Evening time receipt: your day in hours, TV episodes and walks - An optional daily goal per app, with a streak for the days you stay in it - Daily and weekly usage charts BUILT FOR ADHD BRAINS No willpower tests, no guilt, no long setup. Ember is a reminder, not a punishment, so it's easy to keep using. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Ember is built on Apple's Screen Time framework. Your usage data stays on your iPhone. We never see it, store it or sell it. No ads. FREE AND PRO Free: 2 apps, a time check every 15 minutes, check-ins, widgets and the evening receipt. Ember Pro: unlimited apps, your own interval (5 to 30 minutes), weekly insights and iCloud sync. Ember Pro is an auto-renewable subscription with a free trial. Payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation of purchase. The subscription renews automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel anytime in your App Store account settings. Ember is a time awareness tool. It is not a medical device and does not diagnose or treat ADHD. Privacy Policy: https://telegra.ph/Privacy-Notice-04-04 Terms of Use: https://telegra.ph/Terms-and-Conditions-04-04-2

Screenshots

Unplugged4 screens
Ember4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Unplugged at 5.0 against Ember's 3.0. Unplugged also leads on iOS requirement (16.0 vs 26.0). Ember's advantage is update cadence (every 9 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, ratings volume, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Unplugged sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and Ember sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Unplugged holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 2 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Unplugged ships an update every 3 weeks, Ember every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Unplugged versus Ember: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterUnpluggedEmber
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (3 ratings) — better3.0 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings3 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 9 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS16.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size12 MB12 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMd. Arifur RahmanKostiantyn Krizhanovskyi

Customer experience

Unplugged

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

Ember

All ratings2 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Unplugged

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly3 Days trial$3.991 Month
  • Yearly7 Days trial$19.991 Year
One-time1
  • Life Time$59.99
4 purchases

Ember

Subscriptions4
  • Premium3 Days trial$6.997 Days
  • Premium3 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Premium$24.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Premium$39.991 Year

Questions

Is Unplugged free?
Unplugged is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Ember free?
Ember is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Unplugged or Ember?
Unplugged is rated higher. Unplugged averages 5.0 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Ember averages 3.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Unplugged or Ember have ads?
Neither Unplugged nor Ember shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Unplugged or Ember?
Unplugged ships an update every 3 weeks, and Ember every 9 days. Most recently, Unplugged was updated on October 20, 2026 and Ember on October 24, 2026.

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