Comparison

Screen Time Control vs Cala

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

Head to head
About

Screen Time Control

Features
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PetACat โ€“ Stay Focused with Cute Cats! Do you get distracted by social media or other apps when you need to focus? PetACat helps you stay on track in the cutest way possible! How It Works: โ€ข Select the apps you want to restrict. โ€ข Set a time limit for how long you can use them. โ€ข When you try to open a restricted app, you must pet a cat and take a photo to unlock it! Key Features: โ€ข Prevent access to selected apps until you interact with a cat. โ€ข Advanced image recognition to confirm genuine cat petting. โ€ข Set personalized unlock durations to suit your routine. Stay productive while enjoying adorable cat moments! Download PetACat now and make your screen time more mindful with a fluffy little challenge! Privacy Policy: https://petacat.app/#privacy-policy Terms of Use: https://petacat.app/#terms-conditions Need help or have a question? Contact us at tolunaykandirmaz@gmail.com

About

Cala

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You pick up your phone for "just a second" โ€” and 45 minutes disappear. Cala stops that cycle with real app blocking and a ten-second breath that turns impulse into intention. When you open a blocked app, Cala holds a shield. You breathe, then choose how long you need โ€” 5, 15, or 30 minutes. When time's up, the app locks itself again. You decided in advance, so the moment doesn't get a vote. WHAT CALA DOES โ€ข Blocks any app or website with Apple's Screen Time shields โ€” real blocking, not reminders โ€ข No Shortcuts to wire up and no workarounds to maintain โ€” grant Screen Time access once and you're protected โ€ข Protects on your schedule: work hours, evenings, overnight, or all day โ€ข A short breathing exercise before every unlock โ€” a pause, not a punishment โ€ข Timed access that re-locks automatically when you're done โ€ข Three strictness levels โ€” Standard, Strict, and Locked. As firm as you need. โ€ข Habits and tasks live inside your protected hours, so the shield offers a better option, not just a wall โ€ข A Focus Score that measures the time you protected and the wins you stacked โ€” not your failures โ€ข A weekly review of your wins, ready every Monday AS FIRM AS YOU NEED Standard asks for a calm ten-second breath before each unlock. Strict makes each unlock cost a little more. Locked holds the line completely โ€” with a once-a-day emergency pass, because life happens. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Cala never sees which apps you open or for how long. Apple's Screen Time design keeps that on your device, and we like it that way. FREE TO START One schedule, unlimited blocked apps, two habits, your Focus Score, and the full breathing unlock โ€” free. Cala Pro adds unlimited schedules and habits, Strict and Locked levels, and your complete history. Your phone, your rules. Cala keeps them. Terms of Use: https://heycala.com/terms

Screenshots

Screen Time Control3 screens
Cala4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Screen Time Control at weekly against Cala's every 2 months. Screen Time Control also leads on iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. Screen Time Control sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month and Cala sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Screen Time Control ships an update weekly, Cala every 2 months. Both last shipped on October 28, 2026.

Scorecard2 real differences ยท 4 level
Screen Time Control versus Cala: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterScreen Time ControlCala
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyWeekly โ€” betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS16.0 โ€” better18.0
Further details โ€” not scored
Size14 MB26 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTolunay KandirmazSpark Digital Incorporated

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Screen Time Control

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Premium$7.991 Month
  • Annual Premium3 Days trial$49.991 Year
2 purchases

Cala

Subscriptions2
  • Cala Pro โ€” Monthly7 Days trial$7.991 Month
  • Cala Pro โ€” Yearly7 Days trial$59.991 Year

Questions

Is Screen Time Control free?
Screen Time Control is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Cala free?
Cala is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Screen Time Control or Cala have ads?
Neither Screen Time Control nor Cala shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Screen Time Control or Cala?
Screen Time Control ships an update weekly, and Cala every 2 months. Most recently, Screen Time Control was updated on October 28, 2026 and Cala on October 28, 2026.

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