# breakfree vs Icarus

The clearest difference is rating: Icarus at 5.0 against breakfree's 4.5. Icarus also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 64%) and ads (none vs shown). breakfree's advantage is ratings volume (117 vs 6). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. breakfree sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month and Icarus sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Icarus holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: breakfree has 117 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 64% of breakfree's written reviews are positive against 100% of Icarus's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | breakfree | Icarus |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (117 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/breakfree-screen-time-control/id6755940453/reviews) | **[5.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/icarus-study-and-focus/id6760316302/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **117** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | 64.3% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Weekly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 153 MB | 56 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.5 | **17.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Roshan Kattil](https://appshunter.io/developer/1857487869) | [Jeffrey Yu](https://appshunter.io/developer/1883810521) |

## What reviewers say

### breakfree

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/breakfree-screen-time-control/id6755940453)

This app helps you regain control of your phone usage by blocking distracting apps and feeds. It allows you to stay connected through messages without endless scrolling, build focus streaks, and even engage in group focus sessions with friends. A virtual pet grows with your consistency, making habit building more visible and rewarding.

**Highlights:** Block distracting apps and feeds, Access messages in a feed-free interface, Schedule focus sessions, Track focus streaks and progress, Group focus sessions with friends, Focus Pet companion for habit building

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Breakfree Premium Monthly | $7.99 | per month |
| Ad Free | $37.99 | per year |


### Icarus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/icarus-study-and-focus/id6760316302)

This app helps you stay focused by locking distracting apps behind knowledge checks. It turns moments of temptation into study sessions, automating learning and reducing procrastination by embedding educational content into your daily phone habits.

**Highlights:** Lock distracting apps with knowledge checks, Upload study materials, Customize lock difficulty, Automated study sessions, Track learning progress, Adaptive learning

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Scholar Plan | $6.99 | per month |
| Genius Plan | $17.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is breakfree free?

breakfree is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Icarus free?

Icarus is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, breakfree or Icarus?

Icarus is rated higher. breakfree averages 4.5 out of 5 from 117 ratings, while Icarus averages 5.0 from 6 ratings.

### Do breakfree or Icarus have ads?

breakfree shows ads; Icarus does not.

### Which is updated more often, breakfree or Icarus?

breakfree ships an update weekly, and Icarus weekly. Most recently, breakfree was updated on October 21, 2026 and Icarus on October 20, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*