StarPause vs Breathing Box
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
StarPause
This app helps you regain control of your phone usage. It prompts you to consider your intentions before opening distracting apps and allows you to set time limits. Earn rewards by putting your phone down or staying focused.
- App usage prompts
- Customizable time limits
- Focus session timer
- Reward system for breaks
- Digital well-being tracking
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You open your phone to search—and lose hours to your feed. You scroll to relax at home—and suddenly, it’s 3AM at night. You try to scroll less, but fail. You blame your lack of self-control—but it’s not your fault. Some of the world’s smartest engineers work daily to make apps better at playing on our weaknesses, keeping you scrolling and turning your time into ad money. It drains your time, breaks your focus, and takes the joy out of your digital life—you need help. That’s why we built StarPause. Open an app you struggle to stop using, and StarPause steps in: Do you need this right now? Choose to leave, and light up a star. If you need to stay, set a time limit—StarPause stops you when it’s up. Start a focus session, and earn stars when you finish. Every time you choose to put your phone down or stay focused, your starry sky grows. Time and energy are our greatest treasures—let StarPause help you protect them. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Breathing Box
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Breathing Box helps you relax, focus, reset, and sleep better through immersive box breathing sessions and beautifully crafted soundscapes. Features • Guided Breathing Practice the 4-4-4-4 box breathing technique with visual, voice, and chime guidance. • Immersive Worlds Breathe through beautiful nature, cozy, and fantasy-inspired environments. • Ambient Soundscapes Handcrafted sounds including rain, forests, campfires, trains, whales, and more. • Goal-Based Sessions Quick Reset, Relax, Focus, Sleep Better • Your Breathing Garden Unlock flowers and watch your daily practice bloom. • Achievements Stay motivated with meaningful milestones. • Simple & Minimal A calm, distraction-free experience designed to help you breathe. Start free. Unlock more when you are ready. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Terms of Service: https://breathingbox.rogolabs.eu/terms Privacy Policy: https://breathingbox.rogolabs.eu/privacy
Screenshots
Verdict
StarPause and Breathing Box are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. StarPause sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per year and Breathing Box sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
StarPause ships an update every 3 days, Breathing Box every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on November 13, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | StarPause | Breathing Box |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.5 (36 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 87.8% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 36 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 3 days — better | Every 4 days |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 17.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 244 MB | 69 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Hangzhou Jihe Digital Culture and Creativity Co., Ltd. | Rogolabs UG (haftungsbeschrankt) |
In-app purchases
StarPause
- StarPaus Pro - 1 Year7 Days trial$6.991 Year
- Pro Lifetime$12.99
Breathing Box
- Expand Your Sanctuary$6.99









