# Spool vs Useless

Spool and Useless both sit at 4.5 stars, but that hides the real split: 83% of Spool's written reviews are positive against 31% of Useless's. Useless's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Spool sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and Useless sells 15 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Spool against 4.5 for Useless. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 167 and 269 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 83% of Spool's written reviews are positive against 31% of Useless's.

Spool ships an update every 9 days, Useless every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Spool | Useless |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (167 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spool-screen-time-control/id6749428484/reviews) | [4.5 (269 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/useless-screen-time-control/id6755298184/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 167 | **269** |
| Positive reviews | **83.0% of reviews** | 31.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Every 10 days |
| Monetization | Subscription | Subscription |
| Size | 364 MB | 129 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.6** | 18 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Prafull Sharma](https://appshunter.io/developer/1830399976) | [DaDaMa Ug (haftungsbeschränkt)](https://appshunter.io/developer/1852993941) |

## 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 (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Spool Features Weekly Subscription | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Full Access: Monthly | $7.99 | per month |
| 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 |


### Useless

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/useless-screen-time-control/id6755298184)

This app leverages social accountability to help users reduce screen time. Instead of relying solely on personal willpower, friends control access to apps when daily limits are reached, fostering a collaborative approach to digital well-being.

**Highlights:** Friend accountability for app usage, Set daily app time limits, No snooze button on limits, Friends vote on time extension requests, Public 'Walk of Shame' for requests, Weekly leaderboards and progress tracking

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

**In-app purchases (15)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Monthly | $5.99 | per month |
| Monthly Sub | $6.99 | per month |
| Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Monthly | $11.99 | per month |
| Monthly | $11.99 | per month |
| Yearly | $24.99 | per year |
| Yearly | $24.99 | per year |
| Yearly | $34.99 | per year |
| Yearly | $39.99 | per year |
| Yearly | $49.99 | per year |
| Lifetime | $69.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime | $99.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Spool free?

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

### Is Useless free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Spool or Useless?

Spool and Useless are both rated 4.5 out of 5 on the App Store, from 167 and 269 ratings respectively.

### Do Spool or Useless have ads?

Spool shows ads; Useless does not.

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

Spool ships an update every 9 days, and Useless every 10 days. Most recently, Spool was updated on September 23, 2026 and Useless on September 22, 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.*