Comparison

BrainTime | Earned Screen Time vs MathGate

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

Head to head
About

BrainTime | Earned Screen Time

This app encourages mindful phone usage by allowing you to block apps and earn credits through learning. Answer questions or create your own learning material to unlock access to your blocked applications, promoting a balance between learning and scrolling.

Highlights
  • Block any app
  • Earn credits by answering questions
  • Create custom learning material
  • Unlock apps with earned credits
  • Promotes mindful phone use
  • Combines education and intention
Features
Read full description

Pause, learn something new, and scroll with intention. Intention is the key. We don't need to quit scrolling entirely; we only need to become more mindful of when we're doing it. BrainTime combines education and intention, resulting in you: - learning more - scrolling less How It Works: - Block any app installed - Learn to Earn: Answer brief, engaging questions to earn BrainTime credits. Create your own learning material to master any subject. - Unlock with Purpose: Use earned BrainTime to access blocked apps. - Enjoy Mindful Phone Use: BrainTime ensures your app use is purposeful and reinforced with learning. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://braintime.app/privacy

About

MathGate

Features
Read full description

Lock the apps your kids love until the math is done. MathGate puts Apple's Screen Time shield over the apps you choose. Your child solves a short streak of math problems to earn a timed unlock, then the lock comes back on its own. One purchase, no subscription, no account, nothing to manage after setup. WHY PARENTS PICK MATHGATE • Set it once and forget it. The shield re-locks automatically when earned time runs out. • Pay $4.99 one time for Lifetime Unlock. No monthly fees, ever. Family Sharing supported. • No account, no sign-in, no data leaves the device. • Built on Apple's Screen Time technology, so the lock holds even if MathGate is closed or force quit. • No nagging and no timers to police. Screen time has to be earned. REAL MATH PRACTICE, A FEW MINUTES AT A TIME • Addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division • Times tables, math facts, and mental math • Difficulty by grade level, from early elementary through middle school • Every unlock is a mini practice session, so idle screen time turns into daily review HOW IT WORKS 1. Create a parent PIN and pick the apps or categories to lock 2. Choose the problem types, difficulty, and how many correct answers in a row it takes 3. Your child solves the streak and earns a set amount of screen time 4. When time is up the shield returns and the next unlock takes another round of math FREE AND LIFETIME The free version locks up to 3 apps with every problem type and difficulty, so you can try the full loop before you buy. Lifetime Unlock is a single $4.99 purchase that opens unlimited apps, whole categories and Block Everything, for every device in your family. A screen time app blocker and a math tutor in one. Works on iPhone and iPad. Requires Screen Time to be enabled on the child's device.

Screenshots

BrainTime | Earned Screen Time4 screens
MathGate4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: BrainTime | Earned Screen Time at every 4 days against MathGate'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. BrainTime | Earned Screen Time sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and MathGate sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

BrainTime | Earned Screen Time ships an update every 4 days, MathGate fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 8 level
BrainTime | Earned Screen Time versus MathGate: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBrainTime | Earned Screen TimeMathGate
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (4 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings4 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 4 days — betterFortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.217.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size38 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperProductMaxingSolutions LLCEric Fortuna

In-app purchases

2 purchases

BrainTime | Earned Screen Time

Subscriptions2
  • BrainTime Pro - Monthly7 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • BrainTime Pro - Annual7 Days trial$19.991 Year
1 purchases

MathGate

One-time1
  • Lifetime Unlock$4.99

Questions

Is BrainTime | Earned Screen Time free?
BrainTime | Earned Screen Time is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is MathGate free?
MathGate is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do BrainTime | Earned Screen Time or MathGate have ads?
Neither BrainTime | Earned Screen Time nor MathGate shows ads.
Which is updated more often, BrainTime | Earned Screen Time or MathGate?
BrainTime | Earned Screen Time ships an update every 4 days, and MathGate fortnightly. Most recently, BrainTime | Earned Screen Time was updated on October 24, 2026 and MathGate on October 28, 2026.

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