# Barrier vs Attention Flow

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Attention Flow at none against Barrier's 3. Attention Flow also leads on device support (4 vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Barrier sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Attention Flow asks for nothing beyond the download.

Barrier ships an update every 2 weeks, Attention Flow every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Barrier | Attention Flow |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/barrier-screen-time-blocker/id6756778740/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **2** | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 11 days** |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Size | 16 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Savelii Veprev](https://appshunter.io/developer/1689265930) | [可心 周](https://appshunter.io/developer/1868083044) |

## What reviewers say

### Barrier

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/barrier-screen-time-blocker/id6756778740)

This app helps you regain control over your phone usage by creating a physical barrier to accessing distracting applications. Instead of simply closing apps, it requires you to wait a set amount of time with your phone face down before granting temporary access, prompting reflection on your digital habits.

**Highlights:** Select apps to limit, Automatic app locking, Face-down phone wait for unlock, Temporary app access, Customizable wait times (5-60 seconds), Unlimited apps with paid version

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium for week | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium for month | $4.99 | per month |
| Premium Forever | $9.99 | one-time |


### Attention Flow

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/attention-flow/id6775757600)

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Barrier free?

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

### Is Attention Flow free?

Attention Flow is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Barrier or Attention Flow have ads?

Neither Barrier nor Attention Flow shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Barrier or Attention Flow?

Barrier ships an update every 2 weeks, and Attention Flow every 11 days. Most recently, Barrier was updated on October 24, 2026 and Attention Flow on October 7, 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.*