# Friction° vs Svala

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Svala at none against Friction°'s 4. Svala also leads on update cadence (weekly vs monthly). Friction°'s advantage is iOS requirement (18.2 vs 26.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Friction° sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Svala asks for nothing beyond the download.

Friction° ships an update monthly, Svala weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Friction° | Svala |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/friction-app-blocker-and-focus/id6749404707/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1** | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Size | 26 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | **18.2** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Matthew Harder](https://appshunter.io/developer/1804494133) | [Sebastian Kalita](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896588321) |

## What reviewers say

### Friction°

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/friction-app-blocker-and-focus/id6749404707)

This app creates intentional barriers to accessing distracting applications and websites. It employs a unique challenge system, requiring users to complete tasks before disabling blocking rules, fostering self-discipline and focus.

**Highlights:** Randomized character challenge to disable blocks, Scheduled app blocking by day and time, Location-based app blocking, Website blocking, Prevent app uninstallation during sessions, Adjustable challenge difficulty

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Frictionº Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Frictionº Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Frictionº Yearly | $19.99 | per year |
| Frictionº Yearly | $19.99 | per year |


### Svala

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/svala-screen-time-control/id6768594526)

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Friction° free?

Friction° is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Svala free?

Svala is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Friction° or Svala have ads?

Neither Friction° nor Svala shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Friction° or Svala?

Friction° ships an update monthly, and Svala weekly. Most recently, Friction° was updated on October 15, 2026 and Svala on October 25, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*