Comparison

unscroll vs Cortex

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

Head to head
About

unscroll

This app helps you reclaim your time by blocking distracting applications and replacing them with curated articles, video essays, and podcasts. It allows you to set custom blocking schedules and provides an offline reader with no ads or popups. You can also listen to articles as audio and track your progress in taking back your scrolling time.

Highlights
  • Block distracting apps
  • Focus sessions with timers
  • Custom blocking schedules
  • Curated articles, videos, podcasts
  • Offline reader with no ads
  • Article to audio playback
  • Track reclaimed time
Features
Read full description

unscroll blocks the apps that steal your time and replaces them with curated articles, video essays, and podcasts. Same impulse, better outcome. How it works 1. Pick the apps you want to block 2. Open a blocked app — a shield appears 3. Tap "Send me something to read" — get a curated article instantly What you get • Block distracting apps with iOS Screen Time • Focus sessions with timers and intentions • Custom blocking schedules (work hours, evenings, always-on) • Curated articles, videos, and podcasts • Clean offline reader — no ads, no popups • Listen to any article as audio • Read YouTube videos as text transcripts • Translate articles into 30+ languages • Create and share collections with a code • Track your progress and reclaimed time Why unscroll is different Other apps just block your phone and leave you staring at a wall. unscroll gives you something better to do. You still pick up your phone — but now you read, learn, and grow instead of scrolling. The numbers don't lie The average person scrolls 3+ hours a day. That's over 1,000 hours a year. Enough to read 170 books. Learn a new skill. Finish 25 online courses. unscroll helps you take that time back. Subscription unscroll requires an active subscription. Plans start with a free trial so you can explore everything risk-free. You can manage or cancel your subscription anytime in your App Store settings. Terms of Use: https://unscrollread.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://unscrollread.com/privacy Support: support@unscrollread.com

About

Cortex

This app intercepts reflexive app openings, providing a brief pause and a choice to stop or continue. It helps users build real control over their attention, reduce anxiety, improve sleep, and track progress in breaking mindless scrolling habits.

Highlights
  • Intercepts reflexive app taps
  • Provides a short pause before opening apps
  • Offers a clear choice to stop or continue
  • Helps recognize and break scrolling patterns
  • Tracks self-intervention progress
  • Reduces anxiety and improves sleep
Features
Read full description

Stop opening apps without thinking. Cortex helps you interrupt automatic phone habits before mindless scrolling begins. Instead of relying only on willpower or simply blocking apps, Cortex creates a brief pause at the exact moment you feel the urge to open them. That small moment between impulse and action can help you become more aware of compulsive phone use, phone addiction, reduce distractions and regain control over how you spend your screen time. WHY CORTEX WORKS • Interrupt automatic phone habits in real time. • Reduce mindless scrolling and compulsive phone use. • Create a pause before opening distracting apps. • Become more aware of your phone habits and screen time. • Reduce the urge to constantly check your phone. • Spend less time scrolling automatically. • Build a more intentional relationship with technology. • Track your real progress and see how often you interrupt an impulse. HOW IT WORKS Choose the apps you want to use more intentionally. When you try to open one automatically, Cortex creates a brief interruption between the urge and the action. You may experience: • a short pause • a visual intervention • a simple challenge • a moment to decide whether to stop or continue These small real-time interventions help you avoid opening apps purely out of habit. Over time, Cortex helps you recognize the patterns behind automatic scrolling, compulsive phone use and phone addiction. The goal isn't to eliminate your phone or force you to block everything. It's to help you notice when you're using an app intentionally and when you're simply reacting to an impulse. MORE THAN AN APP BLOCKER Cortex is not another productivity app or a traditional app blocker. It's designed for the moments when you reach for your phone without thinking. When you open an app automatically. When you check your phone again seconds after putting it down. When you start scrolling and suddenly realize you have spent more time there than you intended. Cortex creates a moment to pause before the habit takes over. By interrupting automatic behavior at the exact moment it happens, Cortex can help you reduce mindless scrolling, regain focus and become more intentional about your screen time. Download Cortex and interrupt your next impulse before the scroll begins. Terms of Use: https://totomarchesini.github.io/cortex-legal/terms Privacy Policy: https://totomarchesini.github.io/cortex-legal/privacy

Screenshots

unscroll4 screens
Cortex4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: unscroll at none against Cortex's shown. unscroll also leads on ratings volume (133 vs 9). Cortex's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.8) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 10 days). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model 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. unscroll sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and Cortex sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Cortex holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: unscroll has 133 ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

unscroll ships an update every 10 days, Cortex every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
unscroll versus Cortex: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterunscrollCortex
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (133 ratings)5.0 (9 ratings) — better
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings133 — better9
Update frequencyEvery 10 daysEvery 4 days — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS16.4 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size96 MB133 MB
Age rating17+12+
DeveloperTitun LLCvalentino marchesini

Customer experience

unscroll

All ratings133 ratings
Positive94.7%
Neutral2.3%
Negative3.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

Cortex

All ratings9 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

4 purchases

unscroll

Subscriptions4
  • unscroll+ (weekly)$4.997 Days
  • unscroll+ (monthly)$9.991 Month
  • unscroll+ (yearly)$34.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • unscroll+ (yearly)3 Days trial$59.991 Year
7 purchases

Cortex

Subscriptions6
  • Cortex Pro - Monthly$3.991 Month
  • Cortex Pro - Semanal$4.997 Days
  • Cortex Pro Annual (3-Day Trial)7 Days trial$39.991 Year
Show 3 more
  • Cortex Pro Annual$39.991 Year
  • Cortex Pro Annual (30-Day Trial)1 Month trial$39.991 Year
  • Cortex Pro Annual (25% Off)1 Year trial$39.991 Year
One-time1
  • Cortex Pro - Lifetime$79.99

Questions

Is unscroll free?
unscroll is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Cortex free?
Cortex is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, unscroll or Cortex?
Cortex is rated higher. unscroll averages 4.8 out of 5 from 133 ratings, while Cortex averages 5.0 from 9 ratings.
Do unscroll or Cortex have ads?
Cortex shows ads; unscroll does not.
Which is updated more often, unscroll or Cortex?
unscroll ships an update every 10 days, and Cortex every 4 days. Most recently, unscroll was updated on October 14, 2026 and Cortex on October 5, 2026.

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