Comparison

MeBeforeApps vs Shelly

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

Head to head
About

MeBeforeApps

Features
Read full description

You don't need to quit. You just need to use less. MeBeforeApps shows a pause screen before you open distracting apps, helping turn unconscious scrolling into a conscious choice. Instead of forcing you to quit, it gives you one moment to decide. One mindful choice a day can become a calmer phone routine over time. Mindful digital detox, not through willpower alone, but through awareness. A realistic way to reduce screen time without going cold turkey. This app is for you if: - You keep watching Reels or Shorts before bed - You lose time to mindless social media without noticing - You need to focus for exams, work, or studying - Full blocking feels too extreme, but you still want less screen time - You want a digital wellbeing tool built around conscious choice How it works: (1) Pick apps you open too often and set your daily goal. Add Instagram, YouTube, or any habit app, and a pause screen appears each time you open it. (2) On the pause screen, choose consciously. - Hold On: go back to home - Just a Bit: choose to proceed for a limited time (3) Review your patterns in the timeline and app detail stats. See each app's 120-day heatmap, the last 7 days of real usage time, and Insight cards that show when you open apps most. Sleep Shield Auto-blocks apps during your sleep hours. Set your schedule, days, and grace period to protect your nights from late scrolling. Focus Mode Hard block your phone whenever you need to concentrate. Exclude up to 5 apps and activate Focus Mode when it matters. Starting and ending a session is free. Pro lets you exit instantly. Start for free - Block unlimited apps - Timeline tracking - Daily goal setting - App detail stats screen - Sleep Shield: auto-block apps during sleep hours - Focus Mode: hard block on demand, up to 5 excluded apps Build a calmer phone routine with Pro - Temporarily pause blocking for any app with one tap, auto-resumes in 60 minutes - Exit Focus Mode instantly - Use extended allow options - Customize each app's pause screen message - Customize each app's pause screen icon - Customize each app's pause screen background color (10 colors) - Choose a pre-open delay: 0, 5, 10, 20, 30, 45, or 60 seconds Your custom settings are kept if Pro expires and restored automatically when you subscribe again. Your first step toward a calmer, more intentional phone life. Start with MeBeforeApps. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://kbpzdm.com/apps/mebeforeapps/privacy

About

Shelly

This app helps you build healthier phone habits with a visual motivator. It blocks distracting apps, offers focus schedules, and provides gentle breathing reminders to prevent mindless scrolling. Track your progress and improve your digital well-being.

Highlights
  • Visual motivation with a growing snail
  • App blocking and smart schedules
  • Breathing interventions
  • Shell Mode for total focus
  • Daily time allowances
  • Streak tracking
  • History and insights
Features
Read full description

Take back your day with Shelly — your friendly screen time coach to help you build healthy phone habits. Shelly is a cute snail who lives on your phone. The less you doom-scroll, the healthier Shelly gets. The more you mindlessly scroll, the more Shelly retreats into her shell. It's a simple visual nudge that works — no guilt trips, no lectures, just a little friend keeping you honest. Most of us spend 5+ hours glued to our screens without realizing it. Shelly flips the script: block the apps that drain your time, set focus schedules, and get gentle breathing reminders when you're about to spiral into another scroll session. WHY SHELLY WORKS - Visual motivation: Watch Shelly's health improve as your screen time drops - Gentle nudges, not guilt: Breathing exercises instead of harsh lockouts - Smart schedules: Auto-block apps during bedtime, work hours, or study sessions - Shell Mode: Total focus mode that blocks everything except what you whitelist - Real insights: See exactly which apps eat your time and track your progress FEATURES - Instant App Blocking: Pick the apps and sites to block. Done in seconds. - Shell Mode: Block everything except what you whitelist. Total focus. - Breathing Interventions: A 10-second breathing pause before any tracked app opens. - Smart Schedules: Auto-block apps at bedtime, work hours, or custom windows. - Daily Time Allowances: Cap usage on any app. Hit the limit, Shelly blocks it. - Escape Hatch: Need a blocked app? Simple unblock. - Streak Tracking: Stay under your goal. Watch the streak grow. - Home Screen Widget: Today's health score, always visible. - History & Insights: Weekly charts to spot patterns and celebrate wins. DESIGNED FOR - Students who lose hours to scrolling before exams - Creators who need to focus on making, not consuming - Professionals who want deep work without distractions - Parents building healthier phone habits for the family - Anyone who's tired of picking up their phone 150+ times a day PRIVATE & SECURE Shelly uses Apple's Screen Time API. All monitoring and blocking happen entirely on your device. Your usage data never leaves your phone — ever. No tracking. No ads. Just you and Shelly. FOUNDERS NOTE: I built Shelly because I was scrolling for 6 hours a day on my phone and couldn't stop. None of the screen time apps felt right — they were either too strict, too preachy, too complicated, or too easy to bypass. Shelly is the app I wished existed: simple, kind, and effective. All features described above require a subscription. Terms of Service: https://getshelly.app/terms Privacy Policy: https://getshelly.app/privacy

Screenshots

MeBeforeApps4 screens
Shelly4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Shelly at none against MeBeforeApps's shown. MeBeforeApps's advantage is update cadence (every 9 days vs every 3 weeks) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.1). On price, 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. MeBeforeApps sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Shelly sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MeBeforeApps ships an update every 9 days, Shelly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
MeBeforeApps versus Shelly: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMeBeforeAppsShelly
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—3 — better
Update frequencyEvery 9 days — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Subscription
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS16.0 — better18.1
Further details — not scored
Size49 MB46 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKimgrowthSpindle Hyperlocal Solutions Private Limited

In-app purchases

3 purchases

MeBeforeApps

Subscriptions2
  • Pro Monthly$1.991 Month
  • Pro Yearly$6.991 Year
One-time1
  • Pro Lifetime$39.99
3 purchases

Shelly

Subscriptions3
  • Premium Plan$5.991 Month
  • One time offer$24.991 Year
  • Premium Plan$49.991 Year

Questions

Is MeBeforeApps free?
MeBeforeApps is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Shelly free?
Shelly is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do MeBeforeApps or Shelly have ads?
MeBeforeApps shows ads; Shelly does not.
Which is updated more often, MeBeforeApps or Shelly?
MeBeforeApps ships an update every 9 days, and Shelly every 3 weeks. Most recently, MeBeforeApps was updated on October 2, 2026 and Shelly on October 9, 2026.

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