Screen Time Control vs BrainGate
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Screen Time Control
This app helps you reduce screen time by requiring a photo of your pet to access distracting apps. It uses image recognition to verify your pet and tracks your progress in reclaiming lost hours. Multiple modes are available for focused work or social accountability.
- Pet photo verification for app access
- Block any distracting app
- Screen time tracking and stats
- Streak tracking for habit building
- Multiple CatKey support
- Loop, Focus, and Contract modes
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CatNap helps you control your screen time by giving your cat (or dog) the keys to your phone. Create a CatKey, select your distracting apps, and switch to CatNap mode. If you want to use those distracting apps, you have to get up and take a picture of your pet. If you want to doomscroll, you're gonna have to pay the Cat Tax first. Doomscrolling is killing your productivity. You've tried willpower. Nothing sticks because bypassing a limit takes one tap. CatNap is different. When you want to open TikTok, Instagram, or any blocked app, you have to physically find your cat and scan them first. By the time you've gotten off the couch to find your pet, hopefully the urge to scroll has passed. And hey, you spend more time with your pets - everyone wins. HOW IT WORKS: You create a CatKey by scanning your pet's face. Then, you tell Evie, our Cat Mascot, which apps you want to block. When you try to open them, Evie will block them until pay the Cat Tax with a photo of your cat. Not just any cat (or dog) will work to unlock your apps. They have to be one your CatKeys! It's simple, it's fun, and it actually keeps you off your phone. Our cat coders reluctantly allowed dogs to use this app, but don't worry - despite it being called a CatKey, it still works for dogs! CATKEYS: CatNap uses image recognition to verify you've actually scanned your cat. You can collect as many as you want... just make sure you'll be able to find them again. Otherwise, you're going to have to commit Cat Tax Evasion with an Emergency Skip. More on those later... TRACK YOUR PROGRESS: Every time you pay the cat tax, we count the time you've spent in CatNap mode. Watch your screen time drop day by day. Build streaks and track hours saved. CatNap shows you exactly how much of your life you're reclaiming. CATNAP MODES: Loop - your apps are blocked by default and your cat only allows increments of screen time until your apps re-lock automatically Focus - session based app blocking Contract - session based app blocking with your friends as witnesses: remember when we mentioned Cat Tax Evasion? If you use an Emergency Skip, every cat on the block is going to hear about it immediately with a notification BLOCKING CAPABILITIES: Block any app: TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, Reddit, games, websites — you choose You can't fool our cat recognition Screen time tracking with daily and weekly stats Streak tracking to build better habits Multiple cats supported (enroll your whole clowder - tbh, we just learned what clowder meant while making this app lol) WE MADE CATNAP FOR: Anyone addicted to TikTok, Instagram, or social media People who've tried everything and nothing works Students who need to focus during study sessions Business owners losing hours to their phone Parents who want to model better screen habits Cat owners looking for an excuse to interact with their pet more Anyone doing a digital detox or dopamine reset THE CAT TAX PHILOSOPHY: We believe redirection works better than punishment. Instead of feeling guilty about phone use, CatNap turns the unlock into a fun moment. You get off your phone AND you hang out with your cat. That's a win-win. Pay the Cat Tax. Break the scroll. PREMIUM PLANS ($2.99/week, $7.99/month, $39.99/year or $24.99/year coupon, $99.99/lifetime): Unlimited app blocking Multiple CatKeys Full stats history with trends and insights By downloading this app, you agree to our terms and conditions and privacy policy: Terms: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy: https://trycatnap.com/privacy Support: https://www.format.partners/support Contact: hello@format.partners CatNap uses Apple's FamilyControls framework to block apps and Anthropic-powered image recognition to verify cat scans. This app is designed for personal screen time management — it's not a parental control solution. Use CatNap to break your phone addiction, build better habits, and spend more time with your cat.
BrainGate
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WANT TO OPEN TIKTOK? PROVE YOUR BRAIN IS AWAKE FIRST. We’ve all been there: You open your phone for "just a second" and find yourself an hour deep into a TikTok or Instagram rabbit hole. Traditional app blockers are too easy to ignore, and "Screen Time" limits are too easy to bypass. Enter BrainGate. BrainGate turns your most distracting apps into rewards for learning. Instead of a hard "No," we give you a "Yes, but..." To unlock your favorite apps, you must first pass a short, AI-powered quiz. Prove your knowledge in Geography, Math, Space, or Vocabulary to earn 15 minutes of guilt-free scrolling. HOW IT WORKS Choose Your Distractions: Select the apps you want to gate (Instagram, X, TikTok, etc.). Pick Your Topic: Choose from Vocabulary, Math, Space, Geography, or General Knowledge. The BrainGate: When you open a blocked app, a quiz appears. Pass the quiz to unlock 15 minutes of access. The Escalation: The more you try to unlock apps in a day, the harder it gets. The quiz grows from 3 questions to 7, rewarding your discipline and testing your focus. WHY USING BRAINGATE Positive Friction: We don't punish you for wanting to use social media; we just make sure you get smarter while doing it. System-Level Control: Built on Apple’s native Screen Time API, BrainGate is robust and tamper-resistant. AI-Powered Learning: Powered by AI, our questions stay fresh, relevant, and challenging. Snarky Personality: Our app has a voice. Whether you pass or fail, expect a little "encouragement" (or a reality check) from our built-in personality.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: BrainGate at none against Screen Time Control's 5. On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. Screen Time Control sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. BrainGate asks for nothing beyond the download.
| Parameter | Screen Time Control | BrainGate |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (18 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 80.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 18 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 10 days | — |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | 17.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 62 MB | 8 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Format Partners LLC | Rodolfo Alberto Cuadros Paredes |
In-app purchases
Screen Time Control
- CatNap - Premium Weekly3 Days trial$2.997 Days
- CatNap - Premium Monthly$9.991 Month
- CatNap - Premium Annual Coupon$24.991 Year
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- CatNap - Premium Annual7 Days trial$39.991 Year
- CatNap - Premium Lifetime$99.99
BrainGate
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Screen Time Control free?
Is BrainGate free?
Do Screen Time Control or BrainGate have ads?
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