# unscroll vs ReadUp

The clearest difference is review sentiment: ReadUp at 100% against unscroll's 0%. ReadUp also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.8). unscroll's advantage is monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and ratings volume (133 vs 6). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. unscroll sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and ReadUp sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReadUp 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 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of unscroll's written reviews are positive against 100% of ReadUp's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | unscroll | ReadUp |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (133 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/unscroll-screen-time-control/id6758288764/reviews) | **[5.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/readup-read-for-screen-time/id6790545729/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **133** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 10 days | Every 10 days |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Size | 96 MB | 55 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.4** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Titun LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1786289921) | [Nedas Mikucionis](https://appshunter.io/developer/6790545731) |

## 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 |


### ReadUp

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/readup-read-for-screen-time/id6790545729)

This app encourages reading by temporarily blocking distracting applications. Users set reading goals and unlock their apps only after completing their reading sessions, promoting focused engagement with content.

**Highlights:** Block distracting apps, Set reading goals, Unlock apps after reading, Curated book library, Focused reading experience, Track reading progress

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Access (Weekly) | $8.99 | per 7 days |
| Full Access (Yearly) | $49.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is unscroll free?

unscroll is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is ReadUp free?

ReadUp is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, unscroll or ReadUp?

ReadUp is rated higher. unscroll averages 4.8 out of 5 from 133 ratings, while ReadUp averages 5.0 from 6 ratings.

### Do unscroll or ReadUp have ads?

Neither unscroll nor ReadUp shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, unscroll or ReadUp?

unscroll ships an update every 10 days, and ReadUp every 10 days. Most recently, unscroll was updated on October 14, 2026 and ReadUp on October 11, 2026.

---

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