Applimits vs Core Time
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Applimits
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Can't focus? Keep reaching for your phone? Solve these problems now! Applimits is a powerful app blocker designed for those who are serious about staying focused. 【Perfect for】 ・Students and professionals studying for exams or certifications ・Those who can't resist checking social media or games during work ・Anyone wanting to break free from phone addiction ・People losing sleep from late-night phone scrolling 【Key Features】 ■ Usage Time Limits (Up to 6 schedules on paid plan) Set specific apps and daily time limits for each day of the week. Automatic enforcement keeps you on track. ■ Instant Block Use flexible timers to manage work and study sessions. Selected apps become inaccessible while the timer runs. ■ Scheduled Restrictions Block specific apps during certain hours, like before bedtime or during study time. Keep essential apps accessible while eliminating distractions. ■ Hard Lock Mode (Premium) Completely lock settings and timers. No relying on willpower—make it physically impossible to disable restrictions. This prevents the "just this once" temptation. 【Use Cases】 ・Block social media and games completely during exam prep ・Auto-restrict YouTube and TikTok 2 hours before bedtime ・Guarantee 3 hours of daily study time until your certification exam For those who find Screen Time insufficient and are serious about focus. Let Applimits help you accomplish what needs to be done. Terms of Use: https://applimits.com/en/termsofuse Privacy Policy: https://applimits.com/en/privacypolicy
Core Time
This app provides a strict approach to blocking distracting applications and websites, helping users regain focus and manage screen time. It offers customizable lock durations and schedules, ensuring boundaries are enforced without negotiation.
- Strict app blocking
- Customizable lock durations
- Automatic scheduling
- Cold turkey focus mode
- Dopamine detox support
- ADHD-friendly focus aid
- One-tap recovery
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Core Time is a strict app blocker and screen time app lock for people who need more than a gentle reminder. Block apps cold turkey, protect your focus, and stop losing hours to social media, dopamine loops, and phone addiction. If Screen Time limits are too easy to ignore, Core Time gives you a harder reset. Choose the apps and websites that pull you away from what matters, set your lock duration or schedule, and let Core Time enforce the boundary until time is up. ▶ STRICT APP BLOCKER Select distracting apps, set a timer, and tap Lock Now. Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X, Reddit, games, and other dopamine traps stay blocked while your lock is active. ▶ SCREEN TIME APP LOCK Use Core Time as a stronger screen time blocker when default limits are not enough. Create hard app limits for study, deep work, bedtime, weekends, or any moment when one more scroll can ruin your day. ▶ COLD TURKEY FOCUS No snooze. No soft warning. No willpower negotiation. Core Time is built for people who want a cold turkey app blocker that removes temptation instead of asking you to resist it. ▶ STUDY, EXAMS, AND DEEP WORK Start a lock before homework, exam prep, reading, writing, coding, or meetings. Keep your phone nearby without letting social media or games steal your focus. ▶ DOPAMINE DETOX AND DIGITAL DETOX Trying to break a scrolling habit? Use Core Time to block the apps that trigger quick dopamine hits and build a calmer digital routine. It is useful for a daily digital detox, a weekend reset, or a longer phone addiction recovery plan. ▶ AUTOMATIC SCHEDULES Set recurring locks for school hours, work blocks, family time, or sleep. Core Time can activate on your schedule so you do not need to decide again every day. ▶ ADHD-FRIENDLY FOCUS SUPPORT When impulse control is hard, a reminder is not enough. Core Time helps by removing the option to open the apps you already decided to avoid. ▶ NO WAY OUT DURING A LOCK During an active lock, selected apps and websites show a shield screen. Core Time uses Apple's Screen Time API and Family Controls framework so blocking runs on your device and stays private. ▶ ONE-TAP RECOVERY If something goes wrong, use Fix Now in Settings to reset Core Time to a clean state quickly. ▶ RECOMMENDED FOR • Students preparing for exams or homework • Professionals protecting deep work blocks • People with ADHD who need stronger focus boundaries • Anyone reducing phone addiction, doomscrolling, or social media overuse • Night owls who want to stop scrolling before bed • Parents who want a clear app blocking routine on their own device Core Time is not another reminder app. It is a strict app blocker, screen time blocker, app lock, focus timer, and digital detox tool for people who want their time back. Take back control of your phone. Download Core Time and start your next focus block today. ▶ USE CASES THAT MATCH REAL LIFE Use Core Time before a study session, during exam prep, while writing, when coding, during meetings, at the gym, or before sleep. If you keep opening the same apps without thinking, create a lock before the habit starts. ▶ WHY IT HELPS Core Time turns a vague intention into a real boundary. Instead of checking your phone, feeling guilty, and trying again tomorrow, you make one decision up front and let the app enforce it. ▶ BUILT FOR REPEAT ROUTINES The best results come from repeated locks: weekday work blocks, daily study sessions, lunch breaks without scrolling, and bedtime screen time limits. Start small, then make your focus routine automatic. ▶ SCREEN TIME CONTROL AND APP DETOX Use Core Time as screen time control when you need cold turkey blocking, app detox, a dopamine detox app, or a phone detox app. It works as a blocker for apps that interrupt study, deep work, sleep, and real life. Terms of Use (EULA): https://core-ground.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://core-ground.com/privacy
Screenshots
Verdict
Applimits and Core Time are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.
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. Applimits sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Core Time sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Applimits ships an update every 10 days, Core Time weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Applimits | Core Time |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 5.0 (4 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | — | 4 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 10 days | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | — | Freemium |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 17.4 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 18 MB | 37 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | ButterFalcon | coreground |
In-app purchases
Applimits
- Monthly7 Days trial$2.991 Month
- Annual7 Days trial$24.991 Year
Core Time
- Core Time Pro (Monthly)$6.991 Month
- Core Time Pro (Annual)$24.991 Year
- Core Time Pro (Annual)$49.991 Year
Questions
Is Applimits free?
Is Core Time free?
Do Applimits or Core Time have ads?
Which is updated more often, Applimits or Core Time?
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