Pause vs Screen Time Control
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side ā with what reviewers say about each.
Pause
Read full descriptionHide full description
Your attention is your life. Pause helps you protect it. Your attention is your life. Pause helps you protect it. Distraction is not just stealing a few minutes from your day. It is breaking your focus, draining your energy, and making it harder to follow through on the things that actually matter. Pause is built for people who want more control over their time, their habits, and their future. Whether you are studying, building a business, working on a project, or simply trying to spend less time scrolling, Pause helps you block the noise and stay locked in. Reclaim your focus. Build what matters. WITH PAUSE, YOU CAN: ⢠Block distracting apps during focus sessions Remove the temptation before it steals your momentum. Pause helps you stay focused when it matters most. ⢠Create structured deep work sessions Choose how long you want to focus, start a session, and give your mind the space to fully settle into the task. ⢠Plan your week with intention Turn your goals into clear focus blocks and build a routine that actually moves your life forward. ⢠Track your progress See how much time you have protected, build stronger streaks, and watch your focus improve over time. ⢠Take on Detox Challenges Challenge yourself to spend less time distracted and more time in control. Build consistency, reset your habits, and prove to yourself that you can break the loop. ⢠Use Hardcore Mode when you need zero excuses Keep distracting apps blocked until you choose to unlock them. For the moments when you know discipline alone is not enough. ⢠Stay accountable with friends and focus together Join shared sessions, challenge each other, and make progress feel social instead of lonely. BUILT FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE SERIOUS ABOUT THEIR TIME Pause is not just another focus timer. It is a system designed to help you: ⢠stop reacting to every notification ⢠spend less time stuck in scroll loops ⢠work with more clarity ⢠build stronger discipline ⢠make real progress on the things you keep saying matter Because the problem is not that you do not care. The problem is that your attention is being pulled in a hundred directions every day. Pause gives you a way to take it back. Most people scroll. You build. Start protecting your focus today and create the time, clarity, and discipline needed to build what matters. Download Pause and reclaim your attention. Privacy Policy: https://thepauseapp.io/PrivacyPolicy Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screen Time Control
Read full descriptionHide full description
People don't lose hours to their phones. They lose weeks, months, and years in a long-term perspective. Luaro helps you reduce screen time by making access to distracting apps intentional instead of automatic. Unlike traditional app blockers, Luaro lets you create custom unlock processes that make you stop and think before opening social media, entertainment, or other distracting apps. FEATURES ⢠Block distracting apps, categories, and websites ⢠Create custom friction for unblocking ⢠Change the order and duration of the friction steps ⢠Schedule the friction ⢠Schedule the blockings ⢠Set usage limits ⢠Set a delay for editing or deleting sessions to make bypassing restrictions harder ⢠Limit unblock duration ⢠Limit daily unblocks ⢠Set a grayscale requirement to unblock apps ⢠Get a notification before Luaro re-blocks apps ⢠Earn screen time by completing productive habits ⢠View detailed screen time reports ⢠Filter apps in your reports ⢠Track app usage, pick-ups, and notifications ⢠Visualize your habits with Life in Weeks ⢠See long-term screen time projections Friction steps: ⢠Breathing exercises: 5 mode options ⢠Physical exercise: 6 exercise options ⢠Reflection Message: read any text you put ⢠Typed Phrase: type any text you put ⢠Written Reflection: 4 exercises ⢠Life in Weeks visualization ⢠Media: photo or video you add SEE THE BIGGER PICTURE Your daily screen time adds up. Luaro helps you understand where your time goes and how your habits can impact months and years ahead if nothing changes. Whether you want to spend less time on social media, reduce distractions, or regain control over your attention, Luaro helps make every unlock a conscious decision. PERFECT FOR ANYONE LOOKING TO ⢠Take control of daily screen time ⢠Block addictive apps and websites ⢠Improve deep focus and productivity ⢠Reduce phone addiction and dopamine loops ⢠Shift toward conscious daily behavior patterns Take control of your attention today. Download Luaro. Privacy Policy: https://privacy.luaro.app/ Terms of Use (EULA): https://terms.luaro.app/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Pause at weekly against Screen Time Control's every 3 weeks. Pause also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.6). On price, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price Ā· Rating Ā· Positive reviews Ā· Number of ratings Ā· Update frequency Ā· Ads Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Monetization Ā· Best chart rank Ā· Devices Ā· Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Pause sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Screen Time Control sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Pause ships an update weekly, Screen Time Control every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Pause | Screen Time Control |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Weekly ā better | Every 3 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod ā better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 ā better | 17.6 |
| Further details ā not scored | ||
| Size | 96 MB | 36 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | ELIAS KVAMME | Yaroslav Lishchynskyi |
In-app purchases
Pause
- Easy Peasy Premium7 Days trial$4.991 Month
- Easy Peasy Yearly7 Days trial$29.991 Year
- Detox Challenge$2.99
Screen Time Control
- Monthly Pro Plan$9.991 Month
- Annual Pro Plan7 Days trial$49.991 Year









