Comparison

Grip vs Screen Time Limit

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

Head to head
About

Grip

This app helps you regain control of your screen time by making distractions costly. It offers instant app blocks, daily limits, and scheduled focus sessions to combat doomscrolling and build better habits. The unique paywall mechanic encourages mindful usage of blocked applications.

Highlights
  • Instant app blocks
  • Daily screen time limits
  • Scheduled focus sessions
  • Paid unblocks for controlled access
  • Customizable unlock limits
  • Automatic block scheduling
Features
Read full description

The first app to make distractions costly ($4.99 to access Instagram or TikTok)—get a grip on your life with instant blocks, daily limits, and scheduled focus sessions. As the ultimate screen time control app, Grip helps you block apps, limit screen time, and build better habits. Successful people don't have stronger willpower, they use tools that aggressively protect their time and energy. Grip is that ironclad app blocker for anyone who: - Feels the drain of doomscrolling and excessive screen time - Tried other tools like basic blockers but bypassed them too easily - Wants a system to stop their smartphone from stealing focus Grip turns distractions into a real cost, so you treat your time like it's worth something. Rated 5 stars by users: "Finally, an app that works!" KEY FEATURES: 1. Power Grip: Instant App Blocks: Block distracting apps like Instagram or TikTok immediately for a set duration. Schedule automatic blocks—e.g., no social media for the first 30 minutes after waking up. Perfect for screen time control and daily focus. 2. Iron Grip: Indefinite Blocking with Limits: Apps stay blocked until you choose to unlock. Set custom limits on unlocks per app (frequency) and duration per session, giving you total control over usage. 3. Releases: Paid Unblocks for Controlled Access: Need a quick check? Use Releases—an in-app paid feature—to temporarily access blocked apps. Get 3 free emergency Releases per month with your subscription. This paywall mechanic ensures mindful decisions, unlike easy overrides in other focus apps. Download now and start your free trial! Subscription Terms: Grip offers a 3-day free trial, then $4.99/month or $59.99/year. Cancel anytime in your App Store account settings. LEGAL INFORMATION Terms of Use: https://joingrip.io/terms Privacy Policy: https://joingrip.io/privacy

About

Screen Time Limit

This app helps you build a healthier relationship with your phone by setting limits on app usage and tracking your digital habits. It offers flexible blocking modes, streaks, and a visual representation of your progress to encourage focus and reduce distractions.

Highlights
  • Set daily time limits for apps
  • Limit app opens
  • Schedule app blocking
  • Instant distraction-free sessions
  • Track usage insights
  • Build streaks for consistency
  • Visualize progress with Focus Garden
Read full description

OnZen—Screen Time Balance & Digital Wellbeing Break free from endless scrolling and take control of your digital life with OnZen—the app that helps you build a healthier relationship with your phone. Whether you want to spend less time on social media or simply be more intentional with your daily habits, OnZen makes it easy to stay balanced, productive, and focused on what matters most. Just choose which apps to limit, set how long and when you want to use them, and let OnZen handle the rest. Why OnZen Works Traditional app blockers simply lock you out. OnZen helps you understand your habits, reduce screen time naturally, and build lasting awareness. The result is less distraction, deeper focus, and time that feels truly your own. Daily Screen Time Goal Start with a realistic daily goal based on your current habits. If you usually spend 4 hours a day on your phone, OnZen will suggest cutting that by just 30 minutes—a small, achievable step that compounds over time. When you go over your daily screen time limit, your goal card on the home screen changes color, helping you stay aware and accountable without pressure. Smart App Limits Stay in control with flexible blocking modes designed for real life: • Set Time Limits—limit total daily use on individual apps (e.g., 30 minutes on TikTok). • Set Open Limits—limit how many times you can open a particular app. • Create Schedules—block selected apps at certain hours or on specific days. • Block Now—start a distraction-free session instantly anytime you need to focus. All modes are fully customizable, helping you create the perfect balance between focus and freedom. Stay Consistent with Streaks & your Focus Garden Every day you stay within your goals strengthens your streak. If you exceed your limit, the streak resets, motivating you to stay consistent and keep building better habits. Your personal Focus Garden turns your progress into something you can see and grow: each productive hour or balanced day plants a new tree, symbolizing your focus taking root. You’ll collect trees for: • Focus Hours • Days with OnZen • Consecutive streak days Clear Usage Insights See exactly where your time goes. OnZen tracks which apps you use most and divides them into Productive or Distracting categories that you can edit anytime. With simple, clear analytics, you’ll understand your daily patterns so you can take back control of your attention. Privacy and Security Your data remains private and securely stored on your device. We do not save your information and will never share your details with any third party. PREMIUM SUBSCRIPTION • Subscribe to Premium to get unlimited access to certain app features. • Subscriptions are billed automatically at the rate of your selected plan. All personal data is protected in accordance with the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy: https://epicscale.io/onzen_ios/terms https://epicscale.io/onzen_ios/privacy

Screenshots

Grip4 screens
Screen Time Limit4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Grip at 100% against Screen Time Limit's 57%. Grip also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.1) and ads (none vs shown). Screen Time Limit's advantage is monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and in-app purchases 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. Grip sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Screen Time Limit sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Grip holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 30 and 28 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Grip's written reviews are positive against 57% of Screen Time Limit's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 18, 2026 and September 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Grip versus Screen Time Limit: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGripScreen Time Limit
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (30 ratings) — better4.1 (28 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better57.1% of reviews
Number of ratings30 — better28
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 2 weeks
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationSubscriptionFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS16.6 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size37 MB52 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJoingrip LLCEpicScale Inc

Customer experience

Grip

All ratings22 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews14 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Screen Time Limit

All ratings28 ratings
Positive78.6%
Neutral0.0%
Negative21.4%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive57.1%
Neutral0.0%
Negative42.9%

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Grip

Subscriptions2
  • Grip: Screen Time Control3 Days trial$4.991 Month
  • Grip: Screen Time Control3 Days trial$59.991 Year
One-time1
  • 1 Release$4.99
6 purchases

Screen Time Limit

Subscriptions6
  • Weekly Premium$5.997 Days
  • Weekly Premium$6.997 Days
  • Weekly Premium3 Days trial$6.997 Days
Show 3 more
  • Monthly premium access2 variants$9.991 Month
  • Monthly premium access3 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Yearly premium access2 variants$39.991 Year

Questions

Is Grip free?
Grip is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Screen Time Limit free?
Screen Time Limit is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Grip or Screen Time Limit?
Grip is rated higher. Grip averages 5.0 out of 5 from 30 ratings, while Screen Time Limit averages 4.1 from 28 ratings.
Do Grip or Screen Time Limit have ads?
Screen Time Limit shows ads; Grip does not.
Which is updated more often, Grip or Screen Time Limit?
Grip ships an update every 2 weeks, and Screen Time Limit every 2 weeks. Most recently, Grip was updated on September 18, 2026 and Screen Time Limit on September 8, 2026.

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