ScreenBuddy vs Catalyst
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
ScreenBuddy
This app helps reduce screen time by introducing friction before accessing selected apps. It offers personalized daily limits and a pause before unlocking to break unconscious phone usage habits and combat digital addiction.
- Block selected apps 24/7
- Pause before unlocking apps
- Personalized daily screen time limits
- Breaks unconscious phone use habits
- Reduces digital addiction
- Focus enhancement for work and study
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ScreenBuddy makes distracting apps harder to open, on purpose. Pick the apps that distract you most, and ScreenBuddy makes you wait 25 seconds before you can open them. Set a daily usage limit, and when it's gone, it's gone. HOW IT WORKS: - Select apps you want to limit. They are blocked 24/7 - Pause before you scroll. Wait before each unlock to break unconscious phone use - Personalized limits. Set a daily screen time limit you can commit to. Use it all at once or spread it out. Once it's gone, it's gone. WHY IT WORKS: Most app blockers are easy to bypass. You hit a limit, tap "ignore," and keep scrolling. ScreenBuddy works differently. Your apps are locked from the start, and the 25-second pause gives you time to reconsider before you open them. Over time, the phone habit fades because you keep interrupting it. ScreenBuddy helps you stop phone addiction without a full digital detox or dopamine detox. Just enough friction to stop doomscrolling and start living phone free. PERFECT FOR: - People who pick up their phone and don't remember why - Anyone trying to cut back on social media and brain rot content - Professionals who need distraction-free focus during work hours - Students struggling to stay on task - Parents who want to model better phone habits SUBSCRIPTION DETAILS: ScreenBuddy requires a premium subscription for full functionality. Choose monthly ($3.99), annual ($39.99 - 2 months free), or lifetime ($99.99) billing through your Apple ID. Your subscription automatically renews unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the current period ends. Manage your subscription anytime in your Apple ID account settings. PRIVACY: https://www.screenbuddyapp.com/privacy-policy TERMS: https://www.screenbuddyapp.com/terms-of-service
Catalyst
This app uses financial consequences to help users achieve their goals. Users commit money to a 30-day cycle, earning it back with a bonus for completion or losing it if they fail. Mastermind groups provide social accountability.
- Financial commitment for goals
- Daily reflection tracking
- 30-day goal cycles
- Mastermind accountability groups
- Consequence-based motivation
- Goal progress feed
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Catalyst is a social accountability platform for people who are serious about their goals. No confetti. No badges for showing up. A system built on the one thing that actually changes behavior: consequences. HOW IT WORKS Set a goal that matters. Catalyst breaks it into daily tasks. Then you prove your execution every day with a Daily Reflection: what you did, what you didn't, and what happens tomorrow. Your reflections become your track record. THE CYCLE When you're ready to make it real, start a 30-day Cycle: - Commit a Participation Fee — from $50 to $500. It's non-refundable. - Submit a Daily Reflection every day for 30 days. You get two lives — miss two days and the Cycle fails. - Complete all 30 days and you earn every dollar back as a Completion Bonus. - Quit or fail, and the money is gone. The only way to see that money again is to earn it. That's the point. THE MASTERMIND Every Cycle places you in a mastermind group of up to 10 people at your commitment level, in it at the same time as you. They see your reflections. They notice when you go quiet. Accountability you can't mute. THE FEED No influencers. No motivational wallpaper. A feed of real people doing real work, one day at a time — and posting proof. WHO IT'S FOR People with money on the line behave differently. If you need a gentle nudge, this isn't your app. If you're done negotiating with yourself — welcome. SUBSCRIPTION Catalyst requires an auto-renewing subscription: $49.99/month or $14.99/week. Payment is charged to your account at confirmation of purchase. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel your subscription in your account settings after purchase. Terms of Service: https://catalyst.life/docs/terms_and_conditions.html Privacy Policy: https://catalyst.life/docs/privacy_policy.html Community Guidelines: https://catalyst.life/docs/community_guidelines.html Cycle Agreement: https://catalyst.life/docs/cycle_agreement.html Support: support@catalyst.life
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Catalyst at 5.0 against ScreenBuddy's 4.6. Catalyst also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.6). ScreenBuddy's advantage is ratings volume (10 vs 2). 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
Both are free to download. ScreenBuddy sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and Catalyst sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Catalyst holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ScreenBuddy has 10 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.
ScreenBuddy ships an update every 3 weeks, Catalyst fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | ScreenBuddy | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (10 ratings) | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 10 — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Subscription | Subscription |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | 15.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 42 MB | 97 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | John Gaffney | BlackShift LLC |
Customer experience
ScreenBuddy
Catalyst
In-app purchases
ScreenBuddy
- ScreenBuddy Pro Monthly3 Days trial$3.991 Month
- ScreenBuddy Pro Annual3 Days trial$39.991 Year
- ScreenBuddy Pro Lifetime$99.99
Catalyst
- Catalyst Weekly$14.997 Days
- Catalyst7 Days trial$49.991 Month









