Comparison

TimeOut vs DTox

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

Head to head
About

TimeOut

Features
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TIMEOUT is the app blocker with no subscription, no account, and no mercy. Pick the apps that eat your day. Set a window. They're gone — shielded by iOS Screen Time until the window ends. Even if you never open TimeOut again, your blocks fire on schedule. BLOCKS • Daily schedules: 9–5 focus, overnight sleep, weekend detox — anything • Per-day control: weekdays, weekends, or any combination • Overnight windows that cross midnight just work • Block individual apps or whole categories ALLOWED TIME Give yourself 15 minutes of scrolling inside a block. When the minutes are used up, the shield slams shut for the rest of the window. Discipline, with a pressure valve. EXIT FRICTION — you choose how hard it is to quit • SIMPLE — pause anytime • REFLECT — 30 seconds of waiting before you can bail • DEEP — a 2 minute wait plus a password. For the serious. YOUR SHIELD, YOUR WORDS Write the message your blocked apps throw back at you when you cave. HOME SCREEN WIDGETS See your blocking status at a glance without opening the app. NO NONSENSE No account. No ads. No subscription. No tracking. Blocking runs entirely on-device through Apple's Screen Time framework — nothing ever leaves your phone. Time out. Go do something real.

About

DTox

Features
Read full description

Stop bypassing your screen time limits. Tapping “Ignore Limit for 15 Minutes” is too easy. Standard blockers fail because dismissing them requires zero willpower. DTox replaces broken digital limits with the Escalation Ladder - an adaptive barrier system that makes every relapse physically costlier than the last. Want to open an addictive app? You’ll have to earn it in the physical world first. HOW THE ESCALATION LADDER WORKS Most blockers are binary - either completely open or strictly locked. DTox increases the real-world cost every time you give in: • Step 1: Take a 15-second guided CoreHaptics box-breath or state your intention. • Step 2: Walk 100 physical steps or climb 2 flights of stairs to clear brain fog. • Step 3: Leave your desk entirely, drink glass of water and take a photo of a glass. • Grace Period: Enjoy your calibrated 5-minute window - then the shield automatically re-arms. Stay off your guarded apps for the duration of your configurable memory window (1–24 hours), and the ladder resets back to Step 1. Relapse repeatedly, and the physical barrier climbs. 6 HARDWARE & SENSOR-POWERED BARRIERS • Altimeter Stair Climber: Powered by your iPhone’s altimeter. Wake up your sluggish brain by climbing 1 to 5 flights of stairs before feeds unlock. • CoreMotion Step Counter: Real-time pedometer tracking requires 50 to 500 physical steps with your device to earn screen time. • Screen-Down Flip: Proximity and motion sensors ensure your phone rests facedown on a flat surface for up to 2 minutes. • Mindful Box Breathing: Interrupt dopamine rushes with synchronized, tactile vibration sessions powered by Apple’s CoreHaptics engine. • Intention Statement: Destroy thumb muscle memory by typing a custom accountability phrase word-for-word. • Cognitive Logic & Math: Engage your prefrontal cortex with focus-demanding arithmetic challenges. TAMPER-PROOF DISCIPLINE & STRICT MODE • Strict Mode: Lock your active Focus Shields to prevent editing friction levels, lowering penalties, or deleting shields during moments of weakness. • Emergency Pass with Cooldown: Safe, intentional access for real emergencies without letting you surrender your progress. • Custom Focus Schedules: Automate continuous 24/7 enforcement or schedule deep-work routines filtered by days of the week. • Safari & Web Protection: Deep native integration with Apple’s FamilyControls to block specific apps, full categories, and web domains simultaneously. • Defended Insights Dashboard: Track local analytics via SwiftCharts - see total prevented app launches, hours reclaimed, and actual stairs climbed. 100% ON-DEVICE PRIVACY Your screen habits and guarded apps belong to you alone. • No account creation or email required • No remote servers, cloud databases, or tracking pixels • Powered 100% locally with SwiftData and native Apple frameworks FREE VS. DTOX PRO: • Free Tier: Includes 1 fully customizable Focus Shield with core barrier access. • DTox Pro (In-App Purchase): Unlocks unlimited Focus Shields, 3+ barrier rungs per ladder, and Strict Mode enforcement. Stop fighting your own brain with digital pop-ups. Download DTox and anchor your focus in the physical world. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://dtox.app/privacy

Screenshots

TimeOut4 screens
DTox4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: TimeOut at none against DTox's 2. TimeOut also leads on iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). DTox's advantage is update cadence (every 11 days vs every 13 months). On price, ads 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. DTox sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. TimeOut asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

TimeOut ships an update every 13 months, DTox every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 3 level
TimeOut versus DTox: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTimeOutDTox
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 13 monthsEvery 11 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size1 MB26 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer1273 software ltdMATEUSZ MIKULSKI

In-app purchases

None

TimeOut

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

DTox

Subscriptions2
  • Dtox Pro Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Dtox Pro Annual3 Days trial$24.991 Year

Questions

Is TimeOut free?
TimeOut is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is DTox free?
DTox is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do TimeOut or DTox have ads?
Neither TimeOut nor DTox shows ads.
Which is updated more often, TimeOut or DTox?
TimeOut ships an update every 13 months, and DTox every 11 days. Most recently, TimeOut was updated on October 22, 2026 and DTox on October 25, 2026.

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