Screen Time vs App Blocker
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Screen Time
This app promotes mindful screen time by tracking usage and providing gentle nudges when sessions end, rather than outright blocking. It helps users understand their habits and make conscious choices about their digital engagement.
- Session-based time tracking
- Automatic start and stop timers
- Gentle nudges, not hard blocks
- Guilt-free timer snoozing
- Detailed usage statistics
- Customizable session lengths and daily goals
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Blocking apps sound good in theory. In practice, you turn them off the moment they get in the way, and then feel worse about it. Break Check brings your screen time down without blocking a thing. You see how long you have been going, get a nudge when your time is up, and decide what happens next. No locked screens, no workarounds, no shame spiral. TRACK ANY HABIT, NOT JUST SCREEN TIME Doomscrolling, binge watching, gaming, the gym, shopping, reading, a bathroom break that got away from you. If you can start it and stop it, you can put it on a timer. SET A DAILY GOAL Give a habit a daily limit. Stay under it and the day counts as a win. Every day you meet your goal adds to your streak. NO HARD CUTOFFS When your time is up you get a gentle notification and the timer keeps counting, so you always know where you stand. Need longer? Add a few minutes with one tap. OR A REAL ALARM For a habit that needs a firmer stop, end the session with a full alarm instead. It gets through silent mode and Focus. NOTHING TO FORGET Timers can start and stop on their own: when you open an app, when you arrive somewhere, or at a time you pick each night. Your social apps can run their own timer. The gym one starts when you walk in. Setup takes about a minute. CONTROL IT FROM ANYWHERE A running timer sits in your Dynamic Island, Notification Center and Lock Screen, so you can check it or pause it without opening anything. Start one from Control Center, your Action Button, or a Home Screen widget. SEE WHERE YOUR TIME GOES Watch each day add up, spot your patterns, and see how close you are to your goal. Your time is kept as real sessions rather than one daily total, so you can find the hour you did not know you were spending. LIFE HAPPENS Waiting at the doctor? Long train ride? Some phone time should not count. Snooze every timer at once and take a guilt free break. No streak broken, no pressure. PRIVATE BY DESIGN No account. Nothing to sign up for, ever. Break Check never asks for Screen Time access and never sees which apps you open, only the timers you start. Your habits sync through your own iCloud and are never collected or sold. YOUR FIRST TIMER IS ALWAYS FREE Not a trial. Track one habit for as long as you like, at no cost. Unlimited adds the rest: a timer for every habit, full alarm alerts, and the button that snoozes them all. Monthly, yearly, or a one-time purchase that is yours forever. Privacy Policy: https://codewerm.com/breakcheck/privacy-policy Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
App Blocker
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Less phone. More life. Mute is an app blocker and screen time control that protects time for work, study, meals, rest and sleep. Start a timed break, block distractions or keep only important apps available. Create your own schedules and see usage reports provided by iOS. These tools remain free. MUTE PLUS Answer a short quiz about your habits and daily routine. With an optional subscription, AI proposes a program of breaks, schedules and daily limits. Review the program and activate it with one button. Check in and request adjustments or short support when you want to stop a break. You stay in control, and saved rules keep working after the subscription ends. PRIVACY AND PERMISSIONS Screen Time permission is required for blocking. AI requires internet access and your separate consent. Your answers and information you choose to share are processed through AppHunt and Anthropic. System Screen Time reports and selected-app tokens are not automatically sent to AI. No account or Apple Intelligence is required. SUBSCRIPTIONS Mute Plus is available as an auto-renewing monthly or annual subscription through Apple In-App Purchase. Prices and any eligible trial are shown before purchase. Manage or cancel your subscription in your Apple Account settings. Free blocking does not require a subscription. The new program flow is available in English and Russian. Mute shields supported apps and websites; it does not disable the entire phone. Privacy: https://apphunt.app/mute/privacy Terms: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: App Blocker at none against Screen Time's 4. On price, update cadence, ads 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
Both are free to download. Screen Time sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. App Blocker asks for nothing beyond the download.
Screen Time ships an update weekly, App Blocker every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Screen Time | App Blocker |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.3 (13 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 13 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Every 5 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 — better | 17.4 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 32 MB | 22 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | CodeWerm LLC | Glory Mae Dagapioso |
In-app purchases
Screen Time
- Unlimited Monthly$1.991 Month
- Unlimited Yearly Early Adopter$9.991 Year
- Unlimited Yearly7 Days trial$11.901 Year
- Unlimited Lifetime$39.99
App Blocker
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Screen Time free?
Is App Blocker free?
Do Screen Time or App Blocker have ads?
Which is updated more often, Screen Time or App Blocker?
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