Comparison

Spool vs Feather

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Spool

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
Read full description

Less scrolling, more living. Spool blocks doomscrolling, brainrot, and screen addiction at the source — by making you justify yourself before you scroll. Most screen time blockers don't work because they treat phone addiction like a discipline problem. It's not. It's a habit loop your brain is stuck in — a dopamine cycle reinforced every time you reach for your phone without thinking. Spool interrupts the cycle. Before any blocked app opens, you have to state your case to our AI. Use the same excuse too many times and Spool locks you out automatically. Built on cognitive behavioral techniques and behavioral research on attention and habit formation. WHY YOU'LL LOVE SPOOL - Understand your hidden triggers with daily AI insights - Track your phone addiction patterns over time - Discover when you reach for apps most (and why) - Instant app and website blocking that actually works - Schedule blocking windows for your weak hours - Lock in during deep work with custom focus sessions - Reflect on every excuse you've made and spot the loops - CBT-inspired techniques to break the dopamine cycle - Detox from doomscrolling, brainrot, and mindless scroll WHO IT'S FOR Spool is for anyone struggling with phone addiction, doomscrolling, or losing hours to TikTok, Instagram, Reels, YouTube Shorts, or X. Built for people who've tried Screen Time, willpower, and other app blockers — and want something that actually changes the habit, not just the limit. WHAT MAKES SPOOL DIFFERENT Other apps just block. Spool teaches you about yourself. Every excuse you make becomes data. Every reflection makes you more aware. Every blocked attempt strengthens the new habit. Reclaim your focus. Build a more intentional relationship with your phone. ————————————— Spool Full Access — Weekly Length: 1 week, auto-renewing Price: $4.99 USD / week Spool Full Access — Yearly Length: 1 year, auto-renewing Price: $44.99 USD / year Payment will be charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase. Subscriptions automatically renew unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel in your App Store account settings. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://thespoolapp.com/#/privacy

About

Feather

This app helps you regain control of your screen time by removing addictive short-form content from social media platforms. It offers a cleaner, more intentional browsing experience, allowing you to access essential features without endless scrolling and recommendations.

Highlights
  • Remove short-form content from social media
  • Hide Reels, Shorts, and For You pages
  • Use Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Reddit with fewer distractions
  • Keep access to messages, profiles, and search
  • Reduce doomscrolling without deleting apps
  • Block addictive feeds across multiple platforms
  • Parent controls for managing child screen time
Features
Read full description

Join users taking back control of their screen time! Feather is the app built to help you remove short form content forever! We give you a cleaner way to access the platforms you still need, without the addictive feeds designed to keep you hooked. Use social media without getting pulled into Reels, Shorts, For You pages and endless algorithmic feeds. Feather helps you browse with more control, remove distractions and keep the useful parts of your favourite platforms. We are just a generic app blocker or screen time app, we help you change how you use social media with a cleaner and more intentional browsing experience. Completely removing short form content Feather Features: - Remove short form content from social media. - Hide Reels, Shorts, For You feeds and Explore pages. - Use Instagram, TikTok, YouTube & Reddit with fewer distractions. (More platforms soon) - Keep access to useful features like messages, profiles, search and normal browsing. - Reduce doomscrolling without fully deleting your apps. - Block addictive feeds across multiple platforms. - Create a cleaner social media experience. - Stay focused while still using the apps you need. - Use social media more intentionally. - Browse without getting dragged into endless recommendations. - Take back control of your feed.\ Feather for Parents: - Parent controls to help manage your child’s screen time. - Add and manage up to 5 kids from one account. - Help your kids avoid Reels, Shorts, For You pages and addictive feeds. - Give your family a healthier way to use social media. How to Use Feather: - Download and install Feather - Choose the platforms you want to use - Open social media through Feather - Browse with distracting feeds removed - Use social media without endless scrolling Subscription Information: Full access to all features is only available in the Feather paid subscription plan (Monthly/6 Months/Yearly). Before the subscription, you can only gain access to previews of the app. - Payment will be charged to your Apple ID upon confirmation. - Subscription auto-renews unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the period. - Manage subscriptions in your Apple account settings. Terms and Privacy Policy: Terms: https://odd-prototyper-795663.framer.app/terms Privacy Policy: https://odd-prototyper-795663.framer.app/privacy Apple Terms: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Use social media without endless scrolling. Download Feather and take back control of your feed.

Screenshots

Spool4 screens
Feather4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Spool at 83% against Feather's 25%. Spool also leads on ratings volume (167 vs 1). Feather's advantage is monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and rating (5.0 vs 4.5). On price, update cadence, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Spool sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and Feather sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $12.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Feather holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Spool has 167 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 83% of Spool's written reviews are positive against 25% of Feather's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Spool ships an update every 9 days, Feather every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Spool versus Feather: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSpoolFeather
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (167 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews83.0% of reviews — better25.0% of reviews
Number of ratings167 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 9 days — betterEvery 10 days
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationSubscriptionFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.617.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size364 MB93 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPrafull SharmaFocus Core LTD

Customer experience

Spool

All ratings167 ratings
Positive88.6%
Neutral1.8%
Negative9.6%
Written reviews53 reviews
Positive83.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative17.0%

Feather

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews16 reviews
Positive25.0%
Neutral6.3%
Negative68.8%

In-app purchases

6 purchases

Spool

Subscriptions6
  • Spool Features Weekly Subscription$4.997 Days
  • Full Access: Monthly$7.991 Month
  • Full Access: Limited Time Offer7 Days trial$34.991 Year
Show 3 more
  • Full Access: Yearly$34.991 Year
  • Full Access: Yearly7 Days trial$44.991 Year
  • Full Access: Yearly$44.991 Year
9 purchases

Feather

Subscriptions9
  • Feather Pro: (Monthly)$12.991 Month
  • Feather Family: (Monthly)$14.991 Month
  • Feather: Discount Offer$24.991 Year
Show 6 more
  • Feather Pro: (Year)$29.991 Year
  • Feather Pro: (Six Months)$29.996 Months
  • Feather Pro: (Free Trial)3 Days trial$49.991 Year
  • Feather Pro: (Yearly)$49.991 Year
  • Feather Family: (Offer)$69.991 Year
  • Feather Family: (Yearly)$129.991 Year

Questions

Is Spool free?
Spool is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Feather free?
Feather is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Spool or Feather?
Feather is rated higher. Spool averages 4.5 out of 5 from 167 ratings, while Feather averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Spool or Feather have ads?
Spool shows ads; Feather does not.
Which is updated more often, Spool or Feather?
Spool ships an update every 9 days, and Feather every 10 days. Most recently, Spool was updated on September 23, 2026 and Feather on September 20, 2026.

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