Thru vs Gym Scroll Guard
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Thru
Conquer legendary hiking trails virtually by tracking your real-world steps. Progress through illustrated landscapes, collect badges, and check in at landmarks on an interactive map. Every mile walked brings your virtual hiker closer to the finish line.
- Virtual thru-hiking expeditions
- Real-world step tracking integration
- Interactive progress map
- Illustrated landscape representations
- Trail badge collection
- Landmark check-ins
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Ever dreamed of completing a legendary thru hike? Now you can conquer epic trails like the Pacific Crest Trail, Appalachian Trail, Grand Tour des Alpes, and more using nothing but your daily steps! Thru connects your real-world activity to a breathtaking virtual expedition. Whether you're walking the dog, running a marathon, or simply pacing around the office, every single mile moves your hiker further along the virtual trail. See your progress unfold on a beautifully designed, interactive map. As you clock the miles, you'll pass through illustrated representations of iconic landscapes. Stay motivated by collecting unique trail badges, checking in at landmarks, and watching your virtual self complete the journey.
Gym Scroll Guard
This app helps you stay focused during workout rest periods by limiting your scrolling time on distracting apps. It automatically tracks your combined usage and provides a clear block to remind you to get back to your exercises.
- Set custom rest timers
- Block distracting apps
- Tracks combined scrolling time
- Automatic rest clock activation
- Privacy-focused design
- Quick return to normal use
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You sit down to rest 90 seconds between sets — and five minutes later you're still scrolling. Gym Scroll Guard fixes that, hands-free. Pick the apps that pull you in (Instagram, TikTok, and the rest) and set your rest length. That's the whole setup. From then on, the moment you open one of those apps, your rest clock starts on its own — no button to press between sets. When your rest is up, Gym Scroll Guard pulls you back: a "Rest's over" alert plus a full-screen block over the app. One tap and you're back to your set — and it re-arms automatically for the next round. WHY IT'S DIFFERENT - Hands-off. Opening a tracked app is the trigger — you never start a timer yourself. - Reliable. A guaranteed "Rest's over" alert backs up the on-screen block, so you get pulled out even if the block is slow to appear. - Built for lifting. Rest, get nudged, get back to the bar — set after set. - Tap "?" any time for a quick how-to guide. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Your app choices never leave your phone, and Gym Scroll Guard collects no personal data. It uses Apple's Screen Time (Family Controls) framework, so everything stays on your device. On first launch, iOS will ask for Screen Time access — that's simply what lets the app block the apps you pick, and it's all handled on-device by Apple's system. Stop turning a 2-minute rest into a 10-minute scroll. Set it, lift, repeat.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ratings volume: Thru at 131 against Gym Scroll Guard's 1. Thru also leads on iOS requirement (17.6 vs 26.0). On price, rating, update cadence and ads 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Thru against 5.0 for Gym Scroll Guard. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Thru has 131 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Thru ships an update every 9 days, Gym Scroll Guard fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Thru | Gym Scroll Guard |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (131 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 93.5% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 131 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days — better | Fortnightly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 — better | 26.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 29 MB | 1 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Aaron La Lau | VegaHouse LLC |
Customer experience
Thru
Gym Scroll Guard
In-app purchases
Thru
No in-app purchases
Gym Scroll Guard
No in-app purchases









