# Barrier vs HourLimit

The clearest difference is update cadence: HourLimit at weekly against Barrier's every 2 weeks. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Barrier sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days and HourLimit sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Barrier ships an update every 2 weeks, HourLimit weekly. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Barrier | HourLimit |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 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 | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Size | 16 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Savelii Veprev](https://appshunter.io/developer/1689265930) | [Sercan PASPAL](https://appshunter.io/developer/1827833123) |

## 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 |


### HourLimit

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hourlimit-screen-time-limits/id6795232734)

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| HourLimit Pro Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| HourLimit Pro Lifetime | $14.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Barrier free?

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

### Is HourLimit free?

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

### Do Barrier or HourLimit have ads?

Neither Barrier nor HourLimit shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Barrier or HourLimit?

Barrier ships an update every 2 weeks, and HourLimit weekly. Most recently, Barrier was updated on October 24, 2026 and HourLimit on October 24, 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.*