Comparison

Brainrot vs Screen Time Control

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

Head to head
About

Brainrot

This app helps you regain control of your digital life by blocking distracting apps and websites. Utilize a focus timer and smart schedules to improve productivity, sleep, and reduce screen time. A visual indicator provides a playful nudge to encourage mindful usage.

Highlights
  • App and website blocking
  • Focus timer
  • Smart scheduling
  • Mindful breaks
  • Usage insights
Features
Read full description

Reclaim your day with Brainrot, a playful screen time control, app blocker, and focus coach. Pick the apps and sites to block, set schedules, and watch your cute brain avatar decay as you doom scroll. The visual nudge helps you put the phone down. Save about 2 hours per day, feel less distracted, sleep better, and get more done. What you get: - Instant blocking for apps and websites - Focus timer for deep work and Pomodoro - Smart schedules for bedtime, mornings, and meetings - Mindful breaks so you reset without the guilt - Clear insights to spot Brainrot apps fast ### PRIVATE & SECURE Brainrot uses Apple’s Screen Time API; all monitoring and blocking run *entirely* on your device. Your browsing data never leaves your phone. *All features described above require a subscription.* Terms of Service: https://thebrainrotapp.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://thebrainrotapp.com/privacy

About

Screen Time Control

This app helps you reduce screen time by requiring a photo of your pet to access distracting apps. It uses image recognition to verify your pet and tracks your progress in reclaiming lost hours. Multiple modes are available for focused work or social accountability.

Highlights
  • Pet photo verification for app access
  • Block any distracting app
  • Screen time tracking and stats
  • Streak tracking for habit building
  • Multiple CatKey support
  • Loop, Focus, and Contract modes
Features
Read full description

CatNap helps you control your screen time by giving your cat (or dog) the keys to your phone. Create a CatKey, select your distracting apps, and switch to CatNap mode. If you want to use those distracting apps, you have to get up and take a picture of your pet. If you want to doomscroll, you're gonna have to pay the Cat Tax first. Doomscrolling is killing your productivity. You've tried willpower. Nothing sticks because bypassing a limit takes one tap. CatNap is different. When you want to open TikTok, Instagram, or any blocked app, you have to physically find your cat and scan them first. By the time you've gotten off the couch to find your pet, hopefully the urge to scroll has passed. And hey, you spend more time with your pets - everyone wins. HOW IT WORKS: You create a CatKey by scanning your pet's face. Then, you tell Evie, our Cat Mascot, which apps you want to block. When you try to open them, Evie will block them until pay the Cat Tax with a photo of your cat. Not just any cat (or dog) will work to unlock your apps. They have to be one your CatKeys! It's simple, it's fun, and it actually keeps you off your phone. Our cat coders reluctantly allowed dogs to use this app, but don't worry - despite it being called a CatKey, it still works for dogs! CATKEYS: CatNap uses image recognition to verify you've actually scanned your cat. You can collect as many as you want... just make sure you'll be able to find them again. Otherwise, you're going to have to commit Cat Tax Evasion with an Emergency Skip. More on those later... TRACK YOUR PROGRESS: Every time you pay the cat tax, we count the time you've spent in CatNap mode. Watch your screen time drop day by day. Build streaks and track hours saved. CatNap shows you exactly how much of your life you're reclaiming. CATNAP MODES: Loop - your apps are blocked by default and your cat only allows increments of screen time until your apps re-lock automatically Focus - session based app blocking Contract - session based app blocking with your friends as witnesses: remember when we mentioned Cat Tax Evasion? If you use an Emergency Skip, every cat on the block is going to hear about it immediately with a notification BLOCKING CAPABILITIES: Block any app: TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, Reddit, games, websites — you choose You can't fool our cat recognition Screen time tracking with daily and weekly stats Streak tracking to build better habits Multiple cats supported (enroll your whole clowder - tbh, we just learned what clowder meant while making this app lol) WE MADE CATNAP FOR: Anyone addicted to TikTok, Instagram, or social media People who've tried everything and nothing works Students who need to focus during study sessions Business owners losing hours to their phone Parents who want to model better screen habits Cat owners looking for an excuse to interact with their pet more Anyone doing a digital detox or dopamine reset THE CAT TAX PHILOSOPHY: We believe redirection works better than punishment. Instead of feeling guilty about phone use, CatNap turns the unlock into a fun moment. You get off your phone AND you hang out with your cat. That's a win-win. Pay the Cat Tax. Break the scroll. PREMIUM PLANS ($2.99/week, $7.99/month, $39.99/year or $24.99/year coupon, $99.99/lifetime): Unlimited app blocking Multiple CatKeys Full stats history with trends and insights By downloading this app, you agree to our terms and conditions and privacy policy: Terms: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy: https://trycatnap.com/privacy Support: https://www.format.partners/support Contact: hello@format.partners CatNap uses Apple's FamilyControls framework to block apps and Anthropic-powered image recognition to verify cat scans. This app is designed for personal screen time management — it's not a parental control solution. Use CatNap to break your phone addiction, build better habits, and spend more time with your cat.

Screenshots

Brainrot4 screens
Screen Time Control4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Screen Time Control at 100% against Brainrot's 18%. Screen Time Control also leads on monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and rating (4.9 vs 4.5). Brainrot's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (22K vs 16). On price, update cadence, 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. Brainrot sells 15 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and Screen Time Control sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Screen Time Control holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Brainrot has 22K ratings behind it against 16, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 18% of Brainrot's written reviews are positive against 100% of Screen Time Control's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Brainrot ships an update every 6 days, Screen Time Control every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and August 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Brainrot versus Screen Time Control: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBrainrotScreen Time Control
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (22K ratings)4.9 (16 ratings) — better
Positive reviews17.5% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings22K — better16
Update frequencyEvery 6 days — betterEvery 10 days
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationSubscriptionFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS17.6 — better18.6
Further details — not scored
Size126 MB62 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSmolworks IncFormat Partners LLC

Customer experience

Brainrot

All ratings22,334 ratings
Positive89.1%
Neutral2.8%
Negative8.1%
Written reviews2,022 reviews
Positive17.5%
Neutral6.6%
Negative75.9%

Screen Time Control

All ratings10 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Brainrot

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Stuck on payment screen with no way out
  • Requires re-entering info every time

Requested features

2 requests
  • Free version with limited features
  • Free trial period

Screen Time Control

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

15 purchases

Brainrot

Subscriptions15
  • Unlimited (1 Month)$3.991 Month
  • Unlimited (1 Week)$3.997 Days
  • Unlimited (1 Week)$4.997 Days
Show 12 more
  • monthly$8.991 Month
  • Unlimited (1 Year)$9.991 Year
  • Unlimited (1 Year)3 Days trial$19.991 Year
  • Unlimited (1 Year)7 Days trial$19.991 Year
  • Unlimited (1 Year)$19.991 Year
  • Brainrot (Full Access)$24.991 Year
  • Unlimited (1 Year)3 Days trial$29.991 Year
  • Unlimited (1 Year)$29.991 Year
  • Brainrot (Full Access)$29.991 Year
  • Unlimited (1 Year)3 Days trial$44.991 Year
  • Brainrot Annual3 Days trial$49.991 Year
  • Unlimited$49.991 Year
5 purchases

Screen Time Control

Subscriptions4
  • CatNap - Premium Weekly3 Days trial$2.997 Days
  • CatNap - Premium Monthly$9.991 Month
  • CatNap - Premium Annual Coupon$24.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • CatNap - Premium Annual7 Days trial$39.991 Year
One-time1
  • CatNap - Premium Lifetime$99.99

Questions

Is Brainrot free?
Brainrot is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Screen Time Control free?
Screen Time Control is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Brainrot or Screen Time Control?
Screen Time Control is rated higher. Brainrot averages 4.5 out of 5 from 22K ratings, while Screen Time Control averages 4.9 from 16 ratings.
Do Brainrot or Screen Time Control have ads?
Screen Time Control shows ads; Brainrot does not.
Which is updated more often, Brainrot or Screen Time Control?
Brainrot ships an update every 6 days, and Screen Time Control every 10 days. Most recently, Brainrot was updated on October 2, 2026 and Screen Time Control on August 22, 2026.

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