Comparison

MeBeforeApps vs ScreenTimeBlocker

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side โ€” 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

ScreenTimeBlocker

This tool helps you regain control of your digital life by setting limits on distracting apps and websites. It leverages Apple's Screen Time features to automatically block access once your set time is up or during scheduled quiet hours.

Highlights
  • Per-app daily time limits
  • Category-wide app limits
  • Website blocking with time limits
  • Automatic blocking at limit
  • Scheduled auto-blocking
  • Parental passcode protection
  • Edit lock for settings
Features
Read full description

Take your time back. ScreenTimeBlocker is a focus tool for stopping the apps you can't help opening โ€” TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, X, and more. Built on Apple's Screen Time / Family Controls, it shields only the apps you choose, the moment you hit your daily limit or step into a quiet hour. --- โ–  What it does โ–ถ Per-app daily limits Set fine-grained time caps per app โ€” TikTok 30 min, YouTube 60 min, X 30 min โ€” independently from each other. โ–ถ Category-wide limits Limit entire categories like "Social" or "Games" in one tap. Newly installed apps in that category are covered automatically. โ–ถ Block websites too Apply the same time limits to specific web domains opened in Safari and other browsers. โ–ถ Automatic shield at the limit When the cap is reached, the target app becomes unopenable and a dedicated shield screen appears. It comes back tomorrow. โ–ถ Schedule-based auto-block Force a block during specific hours โ€” Bedtime (22:00 โ€“ 07:00 next day), School Hours (weekdays 08:00 โ€“ 15:00), Mealtime, and more. One-tap presets are included, and overnight ranges that cross midnight are supported. โ–ถ Parental passcode Set a 4-digit PIN so kids can't quietly disable the limits. Three wrong attempts trigger a full shield across all monitored apps, closing off the workarounds. โ–ถ Edit lock While monitoring is active, settings become read-only โ€” you can't impulsively raise a limit or remove a restriction. Scrolling and viewing the list stay free. --- โ–  Privacy - Fully on-device. All settings are stored only on your iPhone. - No personal data or usage statistics are sent to our servers. - No analytics, no advertising SDKs, no tracking identifiers. - Apple's Family Controls passes apps and categories as opaque tokens, so even the developer cannot see which apps you chose. - The parental PIN is stored encrypted in the iOS Keychain. --- โ–  Pricing The first week is free. Keep it if you like it. - Monthly plan - Yearly plan - Lifetime plan (one-time purchase) The monthly and yearly plans include a 7-day free trial (first time only). If you do not cancel during the trial, the plan converts to a paid subscription at the end of the trial period. Subscriptions automatically renew for the same period and price unless auto-renewal is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. The renewal charge is billed to the Apple ID payment method within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. You can manage subscriptions and turn off auto-renewal in Settings โ†’ Apple ID โ†’ Subscriptions on the iPhone. Any unused portion of the free trial is forfeited when a subscription is purchased. --- โ–  Who it's for - People who want to stop late-night short-video binges - Parents who want kids' social-app time governed by rules, not arguments - Anyone who needs distractions silenced during work or study hours - Users who find iOS's built-in Screen Time not quite enough --- Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://uuuu.to/screenblocker-privacy-policy/

Screenshots

MeBeforeApps4 screens
ScreenTimeBlocker4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: ScreenTimeBlocker at none against MeBeforeApps's shown. On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. MeBeforeApps sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and ScreenTimeBlocker sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.49 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MeBeforeApps ships an update every 9 days, ScreenTimeBlocker fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference ยท 7 level
MeBeforeApps versus ScreenTimeBlocker: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMeBeforeAppsScreenTimeBlocker
PriceFreeFree
Positive reviewsโ€”100.0% of reviews
Update frequencyEvery 9 days โ€” betterFortnightly
AdsYesNo โ€” better
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetizationโ€”Free with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS16.0 โ€” better16.2
Further details โ€” not scored
Size49 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKimgrowthforYou inc.

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

ScreenTimeBlocker

Subscriptions2
  • ๆœˆ้กใƒ—ใƒฉใƒณ7 Days trial$0.491 Month
  • ๅนด้กใƒ—ใƒฉใƒณ7 Days trial$5.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Plan$19.99

Questions

Is MeBeforeApps free?
MeBeforeApps is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ScreenTimeBlocker free?
ScreenTimeBlocker is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do MeBeforeApps or ScreenTimeBlocker have ads?
MeBeforeApps shows ads; ScreenTimeBlocker does not.
Which is updated more often, MeBeforeApps or ScreenTimeBlocker?
MeBeforeApps ships an update every 9 days, and ScreenTimeBlocker fortnightly. Most recently, MeBeforeApps was updated on October 2, 2026 and ScreenTimeBlocker on October 8, 2026.

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