Comparison

Step Guard vs Dumbphone

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

Head to head
About

Step Guard

This app transforms your steps into screen time, locking distracting apps and websites until you reach your daily step goal. It encourages physical activity by making movement the key to accessing your phone.

Highlights
  • Set daily step or walk goals
  • Lock selected apps and websites
  • Automatic unlock upon goal achievement
  • Syncs with Apple Watch and Apple Health
  • Group challenges for accountability
  • Detailed movement insights (Premium)
Features
Read full description

Turn your steps into screen time. Step Guard locks the apps and websites that distract you and unlocks them only when you've hit your daily step goal — turning a walk into the key to your phone. Whether you want to cut mindless scrolling, build a walking habit, or just move more without thinking about it, Step Guard makes distance the price of admission. How It Works Set a daily step or walk goal that fits your routine Choose which apps and websites to lock Walk to unlock them automatically as you hit your goal Track your progress with simple, clear insights Syncs automatically with Apple Watch and Apple Health Compete With Friends Create a group, share your progress, and stay accountable with people working toward the same goal. Free vs Premium Free: Set a daily step or walk goal Lock up to 2 apps, with a custom goal for each Basic progress tracking Automatic unlock when you hit your goal Premium: Lock unlimited apps and websites Detailed movement insights Compete with friends in shared groups Priority customer support Early access to new features Premium is available as a 3-Month, Annual or Lifetime plan — pick whichever fits you, all unlock the same full experience. Step Guard uses Apple's Screen Time API to monitor and block the apps and sites you choose. Setup takes under a minute, and it all runs on your device — your browsing data never leaves your phone. Take control of your screen time, one step at a time. Privacy Policy: https://stepguard.fit/privacy Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Dumbphone

Transform your smartphone into a distraction-free device with a minimalist interface. Curate essential apps, block distracting ones, and gain insights into your usage patterns. Designed for digital wellness and focused productivity.

Highlights
  • Customizable home widget
  • Curate essential apps
  • Detox mode to block distractions
  • Local screen time insights
  • iOS Shortcuts integration
  • Minimalist dark theme
  • Privacy-focused local storage
Features
Read full description

DumbPhone: Digital Minimalism Made Simple Transform your iPhone into a focused, distraction-free device Turn your smartphone into a "dumbphone" with this elegant digital wellness app. DumbPhone helps you break free from endless scrolling and app-hopping by creating a curated, minimal interface that puts you back in control. Key Features: Customizable Home Widget • Replace your cluttered home screen with a clean, organized widget • Select only the essential apps you truly need • Multiple widget sizes and customization options • Beautiful dark theme designed to reduce eye strain Essential Apps Only • Curate your digital life with just the apps that matter • Choose from categories: Essential, Productivity, Health, Communication • Quick access to Phone, Messages, Camera, Calendar, and more • Add your own custom apps when needed Detox Mode • Block access to distracting apps when you need to focus • Set up app restrictions for better digital habits • Take breaks from social media and entertainment apps • Manual control - you decide when to end detox sessions Screen Time Insights • Track your daily usage patterns locally on your device • Monitor app opens • Private tracking - your data never leaves your device Shortcuts Integration • Seamless integration with iOS Shortcuts app • Quick access to system apps like Camera, Calculator, Clock • Smart URL scheme handling for instant app launching Beautiful Design • Dark Theme: Reduce stimulation with calming dark colors • Clean Interface: Minimalist design that fights against addictive app patterns • Customizable: Adjust text size, alignment, and styling to your preferences • Native iOS: Built with SwiftUI for smooth, responsive performance Privacy First • No Tracking: We don't track your behavior or sell your data • Local Storage: All your preferences stay on your device • Transparent: Open about what data we collect (crash reports, analytics) • Minimal Permissions: Only asks for what's necessary Perfect For • Anyone wanting to reduce phone addiction • People seeking digital minimalism • Parents wanting to model healthy tech habits • Professionals needing focused work sessions • Students looking to minimize distractions Privacy Policy: https://umerahmedd.github.io/dumbphone-privacy-policy/privacy-policy.html Terms and Condition: https://umerahmedd.github.io/dumbphone-terms-and-condition/terms-conditions.html

Screenshots

Step Guard4 screens
Dumbphone4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Step Guard at 5.0 against Dumbphone's 4.4. Dumbphone's advantage is ratings volume (50 vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads 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. Step Guard sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and Dumbphone sells 4 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

Step Guard holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Dumbphone has 50 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Step Guard ships an update every 5 days, Dumbphone every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Step Guard versus Dumbphone: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterStep GuardDumbphone
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better4.4 (50 ratings)
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings150 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 days — betterEvery 10 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.018.0
Further details — not scored
Size17 MB13 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperEugene OndoraUmer Ahmed

Customer experience

Step Guard

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Dumbphone

All ratings49 ratings
Positive87.8%
Neutral8.2%
Negative4.1%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Step Guard

Subscriptions3
  • StepGuard Weekly$4.997 Days
  • StepGuard Monthly$8.991 Month
  • StepGuard Yearly7 Days trial$49.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Access2 variants$19.99
4 purchases

Dumbphone

Subscriptions3
  • Weekly3 Days trial$2.997 Days
  • Monthly3 Days trial$4.991 Month
  • Yearly3 Days trial$39.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Free$3.99

Questions

Is Step Guard free?
Step Guard is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Dumbphone free?
Dumbphone is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Step Guard or Dumbphone?
Step Guard is rated higher. Step Guard averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Dumbphone averages 4.4 from 50 ratings.
Do Step Guard or Dumbphone have ads?
Neither Step Guard nor Dumbphone shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Step Guard or Dumbphone?
Step Guard ships an update every 5 days, and Dumbphone every 10 days. Most recently, Step Guard was updated on October 30, 2026 and Dumbphone on October 25, 2026.

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