Comparison

PauseBox vs 6 Years

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

Head to head
About

PauseBox

This app helps you block digital distractions by creating a physical barrier. Select apps to block, create custom groups with schedules, and then tap your phone on a physical device to initiate a focus session. It encourages intentional separation to break habit loops.

Highlights
  • Select apps to block
  • Create custom Pause Groups
  • Schedule focus sessions
  • Use physical device for blocking
  • Remote blocking option
  • Intentional separation from phone
Features
Read full description

PauseBox creates a physical block between you and distractions. Here's how it works: 1. Select the apps you want to block Open the PauseApp and choose which apps to block, or select the few you want to keep. Create custom Pause Groups like Work, Study, or Family Time, each with its own app rules, schedules, or timers to fit your day.PauseBox creates a physical block between you and distractions. Here's how it works: 2. Tap your phone on PauseBox to block selected apps After selecting a Pause Group, tap your phone on the PauseBox to start blocking apps. Your focus session begins right away. Not nearby? Use “Pause without tap” in the app to start remotely. 3. Put distance between you and the PauseBox Place your PauseBox out of reach to create intentional separation. As a physical barrier to digital distractions, it makes unblocking a conscious choice and helps break the habit loop.

About

6 Years

Read full description

6 Years is designed for people who want a healthier, more intentional relationship with their phone. We built it because we knew the feeling ourselves: constant notifications, distractions, and endless scrolling that eats up hours every day. 6 Years fixes that with one simple change: a physical Key. Choose the apps that distract you, such as social media, games or messaging, and tap your Key to lock them. Unlike traditional screen time limits, there is no instant override. Your distracting apps only unlock when you physically scan your Key. If the Key is not next to you, they stay locked. That small physical step breaks the automatic “just checking” reflex and makes you pause for a moment to ask yourself whether you actually want to open the app or if it is simply habit. You can create Focus Modes for work, family time, sleep, or anything else tailored to your day, and enjoy the feeling of a quieter phone that supports your life instead of interrupting it. Most people spend around 2.5 hours a day on mindless scrolling, which adds up to six full years over a lifetime. That is why we named it 6 Years: a reminder that our time is limited and meant for living, creating, connecting and experiencing life, not losing it to a screen. 6 Years is not just about blocking apps. It is about taking back your time and using it for what truly matters. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

PauseBox3 screens
6 Years4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: PauseBox at none against 6 Years's 2. PauseBox also leads on iOS requirement (16.4 vs 18.0). On price, update cadence, ads 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. 6 Years sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. PauseBox asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PauseBox ships an update every 3 months, 6 Years every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 19, 2026 and August 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
PauseBox versus 6 Years: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPauseBox6 Years
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (29 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews82.4% of reviews—
Number of ratings29 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS16.4 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size90 MB47 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBritt EspinosaMasomeno Tech B.V.

In-app purchases

None

PauseBox

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

6 Years

Subscriptions2
  • 6 Years$2.991 Month
  • 6 Years$9.991 Year

Questions

Is PauseBox free?
PauseBox is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is 6 Years free?
6 Years is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do PauseBox or 6 Years have ads?
Neither PauseBox nor 6 Years shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PauseBox or 6 Years?
PauseBox ships an update every 3 months, and 6 Years every 2 months. Most recently, PauseBox was updated on September 19, 2026 and 6 Years on August 30, 2026.

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