# Spool vs Toby

The clearest difference is ads: Toby at none against Spool's shown. On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Spool sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and Toby sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Spool ships an update weekly, Toby every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Spool | Toby |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (172 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spool-screen-time-control/id6749428484/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **172** | — |
| Positive reviews | 71.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 9 days |
| Monetization | Subscription | — |
| Size | 406 MB | 23 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.6** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Spooli Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1830399976) | [eighteen09](https://appshunter.io/developer/1836283891) |

## What reviewers say

### Spool

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spool-screen-time-control/id6749428484)

This app helps you break free from excessive screen time by making you pause and justify your phone usage. It uses research-backed techniques to disrupt habit loops and offers instant blocking for apps and websites to help you reclaim focus and improve mental clarity.

**Highlights:** Justify phone usage before scrolling, AI-powered trigger insights, Identify peak phone usage times, Instant app and website blocking, Reclaim focus and mental clarity

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Spool Features Weekly Subscription | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Spool Weekly Subscription | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Full Access: Monthly | $7.99 | per month |
| Spool Premium Annual | $25.00 | per year |
| Full Access: Limited Time Offer | $34.99 | per year |
| Full Access: Yearly | $34.99 | per year |
| Full Access: Yearly | $44.99 | per year |
| Full Access: Yearly | $44.99 | per year |


### Toby

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/toby-social-reminders/id6751676478)

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Premium+ Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Premium Annual | $19.99 | per year |
| Premium+ Annual | $39.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Spool free?

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

### Is Toby free?

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

### Do Spool or Toby have ads?

Spool shows ads; Toby does not.

### Which is updated more often, Spool or Toby?

Spool ships an update weekly, and Toby every 9 days. Most recently, Spool was updated on October 22, 2026 and Toby on October 10, 2026.

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