# unscroll vs Cortex

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.

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.

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | unscroll | Cortex |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (133 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/unscroll-screen-time-control/id6758288764/reviews) | **[5.0 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cortex-less-phone-more-life/id6760275313/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **133** | 9 |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 10 days | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 96 MB | 133 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.4** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Titun LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1786289921) | [valentino marchesini](https://appshunter.io/developer/1883584552) |

## What reviewers say

### unscroll

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/unscroll-screen-time-control/id6758288764)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| unscroll+ (weekly) | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| unscroll+ (monthly) | $9.99 | per month |
| unscroll+ (yearly) | $34.99 | per year |
| unscroll+ (yearly) | $59.99 | per year |


### Cortex

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cortex-less-phone-more-life/id6760275313)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cortex Pro - Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Cortex Pro - Semanal | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Cortex Pro Annual (3-Day Trial) | $39.99 | per year |
| Cortex Pro Annual | $39.99 | per year |
| Cortex Pro Annual (30-Day Trial) | $39.99 | per year |
| Cortex Pro Annual (25% Off) | $39.99 | per year |
| Cortex Pro - Lifetime | $79.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked 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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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*