JustWait vs shells screen time controls
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
JustWait
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You pick up your phone 150 times a day. Most of the time, you don't even know why. JustWait places a single, intentional pause between you and your apps. Not a blocker. Not a lecture. Just one mindful moment that helps you decide: do I really want this right now? And here's the thing — that pause can be anything you want it to be. — CHOOSE YOUR GOAL JustWait isn't one-size-fits-all. When you start, you tell us what you're here for, and the entire experience adapts: · Stop Doomscrolling — Add friction to break the scroll-and-forget cycle. Breathing exercises, reflection prompts, and wait timers help you pause before you fall down the feed. · Learn & Grow — Turn every phone unlock into a micro-lesson. Quick math puzzles, trivia questions, and AI-powered quizzes make idle moments productive. · Stay Focused — Protect your deep work. Cognitive challenges and reflection prompts make you think twice before you get distracted. · Digital Detox — Seriously reduce your screen time. Longer wait timers, physical actions (rotate your phone, shake to unlock), and voice oaths create real friction. · Be More Mindful — Turn your phone into a mindfulness tool. Guided breathing, wisdom quotes, and voice affirmations bring you back to the present moment. — 20+ INTERVENTION STYLES Every pause is different. Choose from: · Breathing — Cyclical sigh, box breathing, 4-7-8, diaphragmatic, and more · Physical — Rotate your phone, tap patterns, shake to unlock · Brain challenges — Math puzzles, trivia, typing challenges, AI quizzes · Reflection — Motivational quotes, self-reflection prompts, wisdom · Personal — Record your own voice oath, affirmations, or custom readings Mix and match. Change anytime. Your pause plan evolves with you. — HOW IT WORKS 1. Tell us your goal (takes 30 seconds) 2. We build a personalized pause plan for you 3. Choose which apps trigger a pause 4. Every time you open those apps, your pause appears first 5. Complete the pause, then decide if you still want to continue That's it. Only one setup and you will use everything. No guilt trips. Just one moment of awareness. — BUILT FOR YOUR LIFE · Works with Siri Shortcuts — automate your pauses and integrate with your routines · Adjustable friction — quick 3-second pauses or deep 30-second sessions · Multiple intervention styles in one plan — mix breathing with puzzles with reflection · Change your goal anytime — switch between modes as your needs change — THE SMALL PRINT (THE GOOD KIND) JustWait is free to try for 3 days. After that, continue with a subscription to keep all interventions, personalized plans, and future updates. We don't sell your data. We don't show ads. We built this because we needed it ourselves. One pause at a time. — SUBSCRIPTION INFO JustWait Pro is available as an auto-renewing subscription with two options: · Monthly Plan — includes a 7-day free trial · Yearly Plan — includes a 14-day free trial · Payment will be charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase · Your subscription automatically renews unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period · Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period · You can manage and cancel your subscription in your App Store account settings after purchase · Any unused portion of a free trial period will be forfeited when purchasing a subscription Privacy Policy: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1la77X9np4eiMjhjk42iAoDf80EGt8aWjJLqZQ9JlLr4/edit?usp=sharing Terms of Use: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1la77X9np4eiMjhjk42iAoDf80EGt8aWjJLqZQ9JlLr4/edit?usp=sharing
shells screen time controls
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Take some of your hours back. Shells shows you where your phone time really goes, then helps you use it a little less. It gives you the whole range, from a gentle nudge to a short pause to a firm block, so you can start gentle and only go firmer for the apps that keep pulling you in. LIGHT: GENTLE NUDGES, NOTHING BLOCKED • Soft Nudges: a Volume Warning at 90% of your daily goal, Usage Milestones as your day adds up, a Daily Check-in Reminder for your streak, and Reach Alerts when you keep reaching for a paused or blocked app. MEDIUM: A SHORT PAUSE BEFORE AN APP OPENS • Mindful Pauses (iOS 26 or later): a Shortcuts automation brings up a calm 15 second breath when you open a chosen app, then you pick how long you'd like it for. Its notifications still come through. • Mindful Pauses + No Notifications: the Screen Time version. The app stays behind a shield between pauses, which can also keep its notifications out of the way. • Exercise Unlock: a few squats or a plank first, counted on your iPhone by the camera. • Steps Unlock: a short walk first. • Quick Session: an optional 20 second pass for a quick reply. STRICT: APPS STAY CLOSED WHEN YOU NEED THEM TO • Morning Block: keep your phone down first thing, apart from the essentials you pick. • App Limits: a daily allowance. Once it's used up, the app stays blocked until tomorrow, with 5 minutes of Emergency access if you really need it. • Scheduled Blocks: close apps at set times, like 9 to 5 on weekdays. • Location Blocks: block apps at the places you choose, or allow them only there. • NFC Locks: apps stay locked until you tap your own NFC sticker. AND A FEW EXTRAS • Holiday Mode: pause or relax any control while you're away. Everything switches back on by itself after the last day you pick. • Focus Sessions: block apps for a set time, with a Lock Screen countdown. • Calm browsing: open Instagram, YouTube, X, TikTok, Facebook and Reddit inside Shells with the parts you choose hidden, like the feed, Reels or Shorts. • Widgets: time left today, trends, the apps you choose, and one-tap Focus Sessions. SEE YOUR DAY CLEARLY • Three rings for productivity, screen time and a daily health score. • An hour by hour chart, pickups, a 30-day heatmap and a closer look at any app. • If you like, a timeline of the places where you use your phone most. YOUR DATA Your screen time, places and location history stay on your iPhone. What goes online: your optional Sign in with Apple account, referrals and feedback (Supabase), Pro status (RevenueCat), and product analytics with a device ID and your account ID (Statsig), never your screen time or location. Turn on iCloud backup and your settings, check-in notes, places and recent location history go to your own iCloud. We never sell your data. SHELLS AND PRO Each app you pause, each limit or block, each NFC Lock group and each Calm browsing site uses a Shell. Everyone starts with 1, and inviting friends earns up to 2 more. A free account adds basic Insights. Shells Pro gives you unlimited Shells, so every control runs at once, plus every Insights card. Widgets and Holiday Mode are free, and every control works on the free plan using your Shells. Pro comes as Monthly, Annual or Lifetime (one-time purchase). Annual and Lifetime have launch pricing, and new Monthly and Annual subscribers get a 1-month free trial (eligibility applies), until 31 December 2026 unless changed or extended. Payment is charged to your Apple ID. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the period ends; manage them in your App Store account settings. WHAT YOU NEED iOS 18 or later, Screen Time access and notifications (the Screen Time pause opens from a notification). Mindful Pauses via Shortcuts need iOS 26 or later. Location, Motion, Camera and NFC are optional. Privacy Policy: https://consciousscreentime.netlify.app/privacy.html Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
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Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: JustWait at every 2 days against shells screen time controls's every 3 weeks. On price, ads, 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
Both are free to download. JustWait sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and shells screen time controls sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
JustWait ships an update every 2 days, shells screen time controls every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | JustWait | shells screen time controls |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 2 days — better | Every 3 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 77 MB | 99 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Noway Mobile OU | Andi Yao |
In-app purchases
JustWait
- Monthly Subscription7 Days trial$4.991 Month
- Yearly Subscription14 Days trial$39.991 Year
shells screen time controls
- Pro Monthly1 Month trial$4.991 Month
- Pro Annual1 Month trial$29.991 Year
- Pro Lifetime$49.99
Questions
Is JustWait free?
Is shells screen time controls free?
Do JustWait or shells screen time controls have ads?
Which is updated more often, JustWait or shells screen time controls?
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