Zonyr vs Normal
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Zonyr
This app automatically blocks distracting applications and websites when you enter designated focus zones. It uses your physical location to create distraction-free environments, perfect for studying or working without manual intervention.
- Geofencing for automatic blocking
- Customizable focus zones
- Scheduled zones
- Zero daily management
- Location-based boundaries
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Zonyr - Location-Based Focus Your environment shapes your focus. Zonyr makes any location a distraction-free zone. How It Works Set up focus zones at places where you need to concentrate - your library, gym, office, or favorite study spot. When you arrive, Zonyr automatically blocks distracting apps and websites. Leave the zone, and everything returns to normal. No timers to set. No apps to manually block. Just arrive and focus. Perfect For Students who need the library to actually mean focus time Gym-goers tired of losing workouts to scrolling Anyone building better habits through their environment Why Zonyr Unlike screen time apps that rely on willpower, Zonyr uses your physical location to create automatic boundaries. Walk into the library, and Instagram is blocked. Walk out, and it's back. Your environment does the work. Features Geofencing technology for automatic app blocking Custom focus zones for any location Schedule zones for specific days and times Simple setup, zero daily management Completely free Stop fighting your phone. Let your location do it for you.
Normal
This app helps you reduce phone usage by blocking selected applications by default. To access blocked apps, you must physically scan an NFC tag, QR code, or barcode, or be at a specific location. It offers granular control, timed unblocks, and scheduling to help you regain control of your screen time.
- Block apps via NFC, QR codes, and barcodes
- Use any NFC tag, QR code, or barcode
- Unblock/block specific apps
- Timed unblocks
- Scheduling
- Granular control
- Bypass prevention options
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Normal actually makes you use your phone less by keeping selected apps blocked by default. To unblock you have to physically scan an NFC Tag, QR Code or use a Location. This can be any NFC Tag, QR Code, Barcode, Location you set in the app. This 'opt-in' approach is backed by research and actual use. Normal is made to be the most powerful screen time app available. Saving your hours of your day. It's fully open-source and no features are behind paywalls. It can also be made to be impossible to bypass. Highlights of Normal: - Block Apps via NFC Tags, QR Codes and Barcodes - Use ANY NFC Tag, QR Code or Barcode - Unblock/Block specific Apps - Timed Unblocks - Emergency Unblocks - Scheduling - Complete Granular Control - Can make it as easy or as hard to bypass Normal was made because of issues with some other screen time apps. - Other screen time apps are easy to bypass. Normal can be made to be impossible to bypass, or easy to bypass. You have complete control. - Most other screen time apps work on opt-out strategy, where you have access to all apps, then lose access through usage. - Normal works on opt-in strategy. The apps you have blocked are always blocked, to use them you have to physically get up and scan your NFC tag or QR Code. - Most screen time apps are paid, either one-time or more commonly, subscriptions. There are no paid features. Everything is free and open-source. - Normal is privacy-focused. We don't log any data, everything stays on device. Since we're open source, you can check our code and confirm. - Normal allows timed unlocks. Other NFC/QR Code blockers don't have this. If you want to use an app for 15min, you can unlock it for 15min only. You don't have to remember to reblock. Normal was made by actual users, research on smartphone addiction and developments in dumbphones in-mind. If you want to turn your iPhone into a dumbphone, you can. Block all smart apps, block the app store, prevent disabling normal (via preventing delete and the shortcuts trick). Now you have a dumbphone, which you can't make smart without your NFC Tag (which you can make as difficult as you need). If you want a semi-dumbphone, you can. Do the above but have some apps like maps, music, messaging, etc. If you're a professional who needs access to apps distracting sometimes, Normal is for you! Block all distractions with Normal. Set schedules for you work apps or used timed unblocks. Need 15min to post content or check email? You can do that! You just have to physically get up and scan your NFC Tag, QR Code, or Barcode. The apps will automatically reblock after your timer is over. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Zonyr at none against Normal's 9. Normal's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs every 3 weeks) and ratings volume (42 vs 7). On price, rating, review sentiment 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. Normal sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $5.00 per month. Zonyr asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Zonyr against 4.9 for Normal. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Normal has 42 ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.
Zonyr ships an update every 3 weeks, Normal every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Zonyr | Normal |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (7 ratings) — better | 4.9 (42 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 7 | 42 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 2 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 2 MB | 5 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Derin Lowe | Normal Engineering Inc. |
Customer experience
Zonyr
Normal
In-app purchases
Zonyr
No in-app purchases
Normal
- Monthly Support$5.001 Month
- Monthly Support$10.001 Month
- Monthly Support$20.001 Month
- One-time Donation$5.00
- One-time Donation$10.00
- One-time Donation$20.00
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- One-time Donation$50.00
- One-time Donation$100.00
- One-time Donation$200.00









