Comparison

CTRL vs Screen Time Tracker

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

Head to head
About

CTRL

Block distracting apps, build focus streaks, and reclaim hours from mindless scrolling. Track your progress with a dashboard and celebrate milestones. Customize your focus sessions to fit your life.

Highlights
  • App Blocking
  • Time Reclaimed Tracking
  • Streak Tracking
  • Customizable Focus Sessions
  • Progress Dashboard
  • Milestone Celebrations
Features
Read full description

CTRL helps you block distractions, focus on what matters, and reclaim hours from mindless scrolling. Track exactly how much time you've saved, block distracting apps, build daily streaks, and watch your focus compound into real progress. What You Get: • App Blocking: Block Instagram, TikTok, and other distracting apps during focus sessions. When you try to open them, CTRL reminds you why you're staying focused. • Time Reclaimed: See exactly how many hours you've saved by staying off distracting apps. Real numbers, real progress. • Streak Tracking: Build momentum day by day. Your streak grows every time you stick to your focus sessions—and you'll see it climb in real time. • Focus Sessions: Set custom focus periods and CTRL locks down your most distracting apps until the session ends. No willpower needed. • Progress Dashboard: Track your daily wins, weekly totals, and monthly patterns. See what times you're most vulnerable to distractions and adjust. • Celebration Milestones: Hit 7 days, 30 days, 100 days—CTRL celebrates every win with you. Each milestone unlocks insights to keep you going. • Fully Customizable: Choose which apps to block, set your own focus goals, and personalize your dashboard. CTRL adapts to your life, not the other way around. Payment is charged to your App Store account upon confirmation. CTRL Plus renews automatically unless turned off in your account settings at least 24 hours before renewal. Any unused trial period is forfeited upon upgrading. All recommendations and suggestions are intended for informational & entertainment purposes only. Please consult a qualified mental health professional for personalized guidance and support. TERMS OF USE: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Screen Time Tracker

Features
Read full description

Bound helps you understand WHERE your phone time actually goes. Most screen time apps show you a total. Bound shows you the PATTERN. There's a crucial difference between the 2 hours you intentionally spent on email and navigation, and the 2.5 hours you spent unconsciously scrolling social media with no memory of deciding to pick up your phone. Bound separates these. Once you see the split, you can't unsee it. LOG EVERY PICKUP IN SECONDS Every time you reach for your phone, log it: intentional (a specific task) or unconscious (habit, boredom, reflex). Add the app, the duration, the trigger. After 7 days, a pattern emerges that you can't argue with. Most people discover that 60-70% of their daily pickups were unconscious - pure habit with no intent behind them. SET YOUR DAILY INTENTION Each morning, set your intention before you pick up your phone. Which apps are on your list? What are your boundaries for today? No Instagram before noon. Phone-free dinner. No bedtime scroll. The intention is a filter - every pickup runs through it. "Am I here because I chose to be?" PICKUP PATTERN ANALYSIS (Pro) See exactly when your worst habits hit, broken down by hour of day. Most people have a 7-10 PM peak - idle hands during TV time. Your data shows YOUR peak. The pattern is the insight. The insight is the leverage. Knowing that 23% of your unconscious pickups happen in the evening is the first step to owning the evening. APP-BY-APP BREAKDOWN (Pro) Which apps are stealing the most time? You probably think you check Instagram for 2 minutes per session. The data says: 7.4 minutes. 7 sessions per day. 52 minutes daily. The perception gap between how long you THINK you spend versus how long you ACTUALLY spend is the core of the screen time problem. Bound closes that gap with numbers you can't rationalize away. PHONE-FREE BLOCKS Set a 30, 60, or 90-minute phone-free block. Put the phone down. Walk, read, cook, talk, or just exist without it. When the timer ends, check in: how did the block go? What did you do instead? Over time, the block log becomes evidence that life is better without the screen. The first 5 minutes are the hardest. After that, you forget the phone exists. AI SCREEN COACH (Pro) Ask anything about your phone habits. Describe a pattern you can't break. Get personalized, evidence-based strategies grounded in YOUR specific data - not generic willpower advice. Powered by Grok AI. The AI understands habit loops, variable reward schedules, and behavioral psychology. It won't tell you screens are bad. It'll show you what YOUR data is costing you. WEEKLY REFLECTIONS (Pro) At the end of each week, see your trend. Is unconscious usage going down? Are phone-free blocks getting longer? Which day was your worst? The weekly reflection turns raw data into a clear picture of progress - or a clear signal to change the strategy. YOUR DATA STAYS YOURS All data stored locally with optional iCloud sync. No ads. No data selling. No account required to start. FREE vs. PRO Free: daily intention setter, full pickup log, phone-free block timer, intentional vs. unconscious daily breakdown, block history, phone addiction psychology library Pro: hourly pickup pattern analysis, app-by-app time breakdown, weekly trend charts, weekly reflection prompts, AI Screen Coach --- "I tracked my unconscious phone use for one week: 21.7 hours. That's 47 days per year on my phone without choosing to be there. Bound showed me exactly when and why - and I reclaimed my evenings." Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

CTRL4 screens
Screen Time Tracker4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: CTRL at 16.0 against Screen Time Tracker's 18. On price, ads, in-app purchases 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. CTRL sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month and Screen Time Tracker sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
CTRL versus Screen Time Tracker: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCTRLScreen Time Tracker
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequency—Every 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS16.0 — better18
Further details — not scored
Size52 MB7 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCTRL Screen TimeKarol Jaworski

In-app purchases

2 purchases

CTRL

Subscriptions2
  • CTRL Pro$19.991 Month
  • CTRL Pro3 Days trial$107.991 Year
3 purchases

Screen Time Tracker

Subscriptions3
  • Bound Pro$4.991 Month
  • Bound Pro1 Year trial$39.991 Year
  • Bound Pro$39.991 Year

Questions

Is CTRL free?
CTRL is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Screen Time Tracker free?
Screen Time Tracker is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do CTRL or Screen Time Tracker have ads?
Neither CTRL nor Screen Time Tracker shows ads.

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