Comparison

Screen Time Control vs HoldOn

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

Head to head
About

Screen Time Control

This app helps you master your attention and reclaim your digital independence by setting strict screen time limits and blocking distracting applications. It combines Stoic philosophy with powerful tools to foster discipline, focus on goals, and improve digital well-being for individuals and families.

Highlights
  • Rigorous screen time control
  • App locker and hider
  • Deep work and time blocking
  • Family safety features
  • Discipline building
  • Digital well-being tools
Features
Read full description

Master Your Attention. Rule Your Time. In an era of constant distraction, Temper helps you build the discipline to focus on what matters. We combine the philosophy of Stoicism with powerful technical tools to help you limit screen time and reclaim your digital independence. Don't let algorithms control your life. Lock in on your goals with Temper. - Rigorous Screen Time Control: Achieve true digital well-being by setting strict boundaries. Create a daily app time limit for social media and games. When the time is up, the app locks, forcing you to practice self-control. - The Vault: App Locker & Hider Distractions are everywhere. Use Temper as a robust app locker to secure your focus. - Deep Work & Time Blocking: Use our time blocking schedules to dedicate specific hours to work or study. Temper acts as a study tracker and time tracker, showing you exactly where your hours go so you can improve your habits. - Stay Focused & Present: Instantly app lock distractions and stay focused during critical tasks. Whether you are studying or enjoying downtime, ensure you are present in the moment. - Leadership & Family Safety Stoicism is about setting an example. Ensure family safety by managing screen habits for yourself and your loved ones. Protect your family from digital addiction and model a balanced life. - Build Discipline: Turn app limits into a daily practice of virtue. - Mastery: Stop consuming. Start creating. A subscription is required to use Temper. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://www.freeprivacypolicy.com/live/8f276018-3b7a-4a6f-9d8a-70109beef03d

About

HoldOn

This app intervenes when you open distracting applications, offering a variety of rotating messages to help you break the cycle of mindless scrolling. It tracks your usage, identifies your scroll type, and provides weekly reports without locking your device.

Highlights
  • Rotating nudges to prevent habituation
  • Identifies user's scroll type
  • Weekly usage reports
  • Pause nudges for specific periods
  • Tracks app opens and resistance instances
  • No device locking or timers
Read full description

Willpower doesn't work against an algorithm built by thousands of engineers. So Hold On doesn't ask for willpower. Every time you open Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, or Snapchat, Hold On steps in with a nudge - a different nudge based on the moment Most screen time apps show you the same block screen so often you stop reading it after day three. Hold On has 500+ nudges that rotate so it never gets old, and never gets ignored. HOW IT WORKS Open a distracting app → Hold On shows up first, always. Read the nudge (funny, sharp, sometimes a little mean, never preachy). Decide: close the app, or continue in. Keep scrolling? Hold On comes back — every 5 minutes or so, not just once. So you are never left to Doomscroll FIND YOUR SCROLL TYPE After a week of app usage we find out your scroll type — The Night Owl, The Weekend Goblin, The Alarm Clock, and more. Share it with friends YOUR WEEKLY REPORT See exactly how much time went to which apps, how many times you opened them, and how many times you actually resisted. No shame, just the numbers. GOING SOMEWHERE? Pause nudges for a day, a weekend, or however long you need. So you dont need to uninstall the app all together, just Pause the nudges FREE VS PRO - Free: track and get nudged on 1 app. - Pro: unlimited apps, full nudge variety, full weekly reports. Hold On doesn't lock your phone or set a timer counting down to a fight with yourself. It just makes sure you never open distracting apps on autopilot again. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Terms of Use: https://hold-on-web.vercel.app/terms Privacy Policy: https://hold-on-web.vercel.app/privacy

Screenshots

Screen Time Control3 screens
HoldOn4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is monetization model: HoldOn at freemium against Screen Time Control's subscription. On price, rating, ratings volume and ads 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. Screen Time Control sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and HoldOn sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Screen Time Control against 5.0 for HoldOn. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Screen Time Control versus HoldOn: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterScreen Time ControlHoldOn
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings2 — better1
Update frequency—Every 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationSubscriptionFreemium — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS18.0 — better18.6
Further details — not scored
Size22 MB12 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDANIEL PETRISOR ATITIENEIPardhasaradhi Tirumalasetti

Customer experience

Screen Time Control

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

HoldOn

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Screen Time Control

Subscriptions3
  • Weekly Plan$4.997 Days
  • Yearly Plan Discount$14.991 Year
  • Yearly Plan$29.991 Year
1 purchases

HoldOn

Subscriptions1
  • Hold On Pro$3.991 Month

Questions

Is Screen Time Control free?
Screen Time Control is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is HoldOn free?
HoldOn is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Screen Time Control or HoldOn?
Screen Time Control and HoldOn are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2 and 1 ratings respectively.
Do Screen Time Control or HoldOn have ads?
Neither Screen Time Control nor HoldOn shows ads.

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