Time Guard vs Cue
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Time Guard
Take control of your digital life with this app designed to help you build healthier habits. Monitor your app usage, set personalized time limits, and block distractions to improve focus and productivity. Gain valuable insights into your screen time with detailed reports and a convenient widget.
- Monitor app usage
- Set screen time limits
- Block distractions
- View insightful reports
- Includes a widget
Read full descriptionHide full description
Stop the endless scrolling — for yourself, or for your kids. Time Guard Plus uses Apple's Screen Time framework to enforce limits that actually hold. Set daily allowances per app or category, define allowed hours and weekly schedules, then lock it all behind a passcode that can't be casually undone. FOR PARENTS • Manage your child's device remotely from your own iPhone or iPad • Check usage, lock or unlock apps — without ever touching their device • Tamper-proof mode for Family Sharing child accounts • Scan once to pair; commands travel through your own private iCloud FOR YOURSELF • Daily total limits plus per-session limits with break countdowns • Block distracting apps during work, study, or sleep hours • Weekly schedules with separate weekday and weekend rules • "Add time" for the occasional exception — it expires the same day REPORTS & INSIGHTS • Daily and historical usage, broken down by app and by category • See exactly how much of today's allowance is left • Home Screen widget for a glance without opening the app BUILT TO HOLD • Limits survive force-quits, restarts, and midnight rollovers • Native SwiftUI for iPhone and iPad, iOS 17.6 or later • Full English and Simplified Chinese localization PRIVACY Time Guard Plus is built on Apple's Family Controls framework. Your screen time data stays on your device and in your own private iCloud — it is never sent to our servers. Requires Screen Time permission. Remote parental management requires iCloud and Family Sharing. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://timeguard.top/privacy
Cue
This app helps you use social media more mindfully by tracking your in-the-moment app session time. It offers daily app limits and locks, and prompts a search before opening apps to encourage intentional use. Widgets provide quick access to frequently used applications.
- Live Dynamic Island timer
- Daily app limits and app lock
- Search before opening apps
- Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets
- Supports popular social apps
- Digital detox tool
Read full descriptionHide full description
You only meant to watch short videos for 5 minutes, yet two hours slip by in the blink of an eye? Content feed recommendation algorithms easily draw you into mindless scrolling, making you lose track of time — yet emptiness and regret linger once you put your phone down. Timing Dynamic Island — an exclusive real-time anti-addiction tool for iPhone’s Dynamic Island. It visually displays your screen time as you browse, keeping the passing hours constantly in sight, and lets you lock apps instantly the moment you feel the urge to stop scrolling. Why Choose Cue? Common screen time apps force harsh locks and strict limits that demand extreme willpower, which usually backfire and make you scroll more. Our app takes a mild, gradual approach. The Dynamic Island live timer tracks your usage in real time, paired with hourly, daily and weekly analytics to reveal wasted scrolling hours. You’ll naturally recognize the toll of overusing your phone and cut back voluntarily, without harsh external restrictions. Core Features 1. Real-Time Dynamic Island Timer (Exclusive Feature) Automate shortcuts to detect app launches and closures. The Dynamic Island persistently shows the running duration of your current app, letting you see exactly how long you’ve been scrolling and prompting you to break free from mindless browsing. 2. One-Tap Lock & System-Level Daily Time Limits A quick lock button sits right on the Dynamic Island to cut off scrolling the second you spot your addiction. You may set daily usage caps for apps. Powered by iOS’s native Screen Time framework, apps will lock automatically once your daily limit is reached, putting an end to the trap of "just one more minute". 3. Search-First Launch to Eliminate Mindless Opening Enter target keywords before jumping into the corresponding platform. This avoids aimlessly opening recommendation feeds and endless passive scrolling, ensuring every app session has a clear purpose. 4. Lock Screen & Home Screen Widget Quick Access Widgets available for both home and lock screens offer instant entry to frequently used apps, balancing convenient time management with a smooth user experience. 5. Multi-Layer Trend Data Analytics Dashboard No more vague, oversimplified duration figures. We provide comprehensive trend analysis across three time frames: hourly, daily and weekly. Automated visual line charts clearly display peak usage hours, daily time fluctuations and weekly usage patterns. Who This App Is For You easily get hooked on short videos and social media, struggling to put your phone down voluntarily You want to cut down unproductive screen hours without deleting entertainment apps entirely You wish to monitor app usage duration live via the Dynamic Island for constant self-discipline You need daily usage limits and app lock functions to manage your phone habits You aim to beat phone addiction and build a mindful, disciplined digital lifestyle Privacy & Security Statement Cue never accesses your third-party account passwords, private messages, browsing history, feed content, search records or any other personal private data. All functions including screen time tracking, daily usage limits and app locks run on iOS’s native Screen Time system. You must manually grant all required permissions, and all data is stored locally on your device only — never uploaded to third-party servers. End User License Agreement: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://economic-oval-cfc.notion.site/373369e95c9780ccbccae45dae46c262?pvs=74
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: Cue at none against Time Guard's shown. On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence 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
Both are free to download. Time Guard sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $0.99 per month and Cue sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Time Guard against 5.0 for Cue. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 7 respectively.
Time Guard ships an update weekly, Cue every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Time Guard | Cue |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (3 ratings) | 5.0 (7 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 3 | 7 — better |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Every 5 days — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | 17.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 23 MB | 24 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | 午尧 杨 | 鋆博 江 |
Customer experience
Time Guard
Cue
In-app purchases
Time Guard
- Time Guard Plus Pro$0.991 Month
Cue
- Monthly$5.991 Month
- yearly7 Days trial$19.991 Year
- lifetime purchase$39.99









