Screen Time Control vs FOKUS
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Screen Time Control
This app helps you limit screen time and reduce distractions by locking distracting apps until you step outside and walk in the sun. It uses habit psychology to make healthier choices effortless, promoting focus, energy, and better sleep by syncing with your circadian rhythm.
- Limit screen time without shame
- Delay distracting apps until sunlight exposure
- Unlock apps by stepping outside
- Real-time unlocks via selfie
- Private by design, on-device data
- Gentle celebrations and mood boosts
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Control your screen time before it controls you. Every morning, before you’ve even seen the sun, you’re already scrolling. Sunlock helps you limit screen time, reduce distractions, and start your day with focus, energy, and calm. Sunlock isn’t just a timer or tracker. How It Works Your chosen apps stay locked until you: 1. Step outside 2. Walk in the sun Unlock your apps and your nervous system. It’s a one-tap morning ritual that locks your most distracting apps until you’ve done one of the best things you can do for your energy, focus, and sleep: get sunlight before screenlight. Why It Works Forget willpower and guilt. Sunlock uses proven habit psychology to: • Interrupt default behaviour • Make the better choice feel effortless Feel the Difference • Start your day with intention, not impulse • No more hours lost to autopilot scrolling • Sleep better by syncing with your circadian rhythm • Rebuild focus and calm within a week • Turn screen time control into a habit you enjoy Key Features • Limit Screen Time Without Shame: No streaks. No guilt. Just soft, mindful boundaries • App Time Limit With Purpose: Delay Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, or any app until you Sunlock • Light Before Likes: Get sunlight within 60 minutes of waking for maximum benefit • Real-Time Unlocks: Selfie outside in sun or nature, unlock instantly • Gentle Celebrations: Uplifting quotes, insights, and mood boosts • Private by Design: No tracking. 100% on-device Join the Movement Sunlight before screenlight. Circadian rhythm before the algorithm. Privacy First Your habits are yours. Sunlock never stores your data in the cloud. We never share it. Ever. Reclaim your mornings, and your attention. It’s time to Sunlock. Take control, limit screen time, and start your day on your terms.
FOKUS
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Fokus — Focus That Lives Beyond Your Phone Fokus is a productivity and screen time blocker app designed to help you stay focused by adding something most apps can't: a physical key. This digital wellness tool uses Apple's Screen Time framework to block distracting apps and websites during focus sessions while keeping essential phone functions like calls and messages available. When it's time to end a session, distractions don't return with a tap—they return when you choose to get up and unlock them with your FOKUS device. Why Fokus Works Differently Most focus apps live entirely on your phone—which makes them easy to ignore. Fokus introduces a physical element that lives outside your screen. Place your FOKUS key in another room, like the kitchen, hallway, or office shelf. When you feel the urge to open social media or distracting apps, you're faced with a choice: stay focused, or get up and retrieve the key. That small pause makes a big difference in building better screen time habits and reducing digital distractions. FEATURES Screen Time Blocking & App Blocker Block distracting apps and websites during focus sessions using Apple's official Screen Time framework. Fokus works at the system level to help reduce interruptions from social media, games, entertainment apps, and other high-distraction content. This app blocker gives you control over which apps and websites are restricted during your focus time. Physical Key for Focus Fokus uses a physical FOKUS device to intentionally unlock blocked apps. Ending a focus session requires a real-world action—tapping your phone on the FOKUS device—helping prevent mindless scrolling and supporting social media detox habits. This physical barrier creates a deliberate separation between you and digital distractions, making it harder to impulsively return to blocked content. Focus Sessions & Scheduling Create unlimited custom focus sessions for work, study, sleep, or personal routines. Start sessions manually with a long press or schedule them to begin and end automatically throughout the day. Set specific times and days for automatic focus mode activation, helping you build consistent focus habits. Emergency Unblock When flexibility is needed, Fokus includes an Emergency Unblock option with 3 limited monthly uses to preserve the effectiveness of focus sessions while providing necessary flexibility for urgent situations. This feature ensures you're never completely locked out when something important comes up. Insights & Progress Tracking Track focus time, completed sessions, daily streaks, and screen time analytics to better understand your digital habits and improve time management. Visualize your progress with charts, calendars, and detailed statistics showing your focus journey over time. See which days you focused, how long your sessions lasted, and celebrate your focus streaks. DESIGNED FOR REAL LIFE Fokus blocks distractions—not your phone. You can still receive calls, send messages, and use essential apps while a focus session is active. Fokus is designed to support productivity and digital wellness without disconnecting you from what matters. Perfect for students, professionals, and anyone seeking better focus and reduced screen time. PRIVATE & ON-DEVICE • Works entirely on your iPhone—no cloud sync required • No account or login required—complete privacy • No ads or third-party tracking—your data stays local • Built using Apple's Screen Time APIs—system-level security • All data stored locally on your device REQUIREMENTS • iPhone with required capabilities (iPhone 7 or later) • FOKUS physical device (available at getfokus.de) • Screen Time permission (required for app blocking functionality) • iOS 17.0 or later A CALMER WAY TO FOCUS
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Screen Time Control at every 8 days against FOKUS's every 3 months. On price, ads, 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Screen Time Control ships an update every 8 days, FOKUS every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 17, 2026 and September 8, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Screen Time Control | FOKUS |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Update frequency | Every 8 days — better | Every 3 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPad — better |
| Requires iOS | 18.2 | 17.6 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 16 MB | 13 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | qalvapps | Sharma & Singh GbR |
In-app purchases
Screen Time Control
No in-app purchases
FOKUS
No in-app purchases









