Comparison

Ultimate Focus vs ActNow

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

Head to head
About

Ultimate Focus

Automatically locks distracting apps when you arrive at a chosen location and time. Reclaim your evenings and focus on what matters without willpower. The lock lifts when you leave or the time window ends.

Highlights
  • Automatic app locking based on location and time
  • Customizable app blocking lists
  • Emergency unlock option
  • Location-based zone setting
  • Usage tracking (blocked nights)
  • On-device data processing
Features
Read full description

You got home, dropped onto the couch, and opened your feed "just for a second." Forty minutes later you're still scrolling. Again. That's not a discipline problem. That's what your phone is designed to do. NoScrollHome is a different kind of app. With NoScrollHome Pro, at a place and time you choose — like home, in the evening — it locks the apps that pull you in: social media, video, mail, browsers, games. They stay locked while you're there, so the moment you walk in the door, the pull is gone. App blocking and the full feature set described below require a NoScrollHome Pro subscription. A 7-day free trial is available with the Yearly plan. Without NoScrollHome Pro, you can explore the onboarding, but app blocking is disabled. When you leave home, or the time window ends, the lock lifts. Your phone is yours again, until the next time you come home. It's not about willpower. Blockers ask you to resist a button that's always one tap away. NoScrollHome makes the button disappear where and when it matters most — automatically, even if the app is force-quit — so there's nothing left to resist. How it works 1. Pick the apps that pull you in. 2. Set your home and the hours you want them gone. 3. Arrive home during that window, and they lock themselves. 4. See your home zone on a map, how many apps are blocked, and the nights you stayed off. Everything runs on your device. Your location and your app choices never leave your phone. How a day might look with NoScrollHome Pro 6:30 PM. You get home. Social apps lock on their own — no button to press, no settings to toggle. Dinner without a screen in your hand. 9:00 PM. Still locked. The evening is yours: read, talk, rest. If you genuinely need out, one emergency unlock is there — but you'll think twice. 7:00 AM. You leave for the day. The lock lifts on its own. Your phone is fully yours again, until tonight. A note on what we don't do No social feed. No friends leaderboard. No notifications begging you to come back. Nothing about NoScrollHome tries to keep you on your phone — the whole point is the opposite. Subscription details NoScrollHome Pro is required to use app blocking and the full feature set. A 7-day free trial is available with the Yearly plan. After the trial, the Yearly plan is billed annually at the price shown on the subscription screen. The Monthly plan is billed each month at the displayed monthly price. The Lifetime option is a one-time payment with no recurring charges. Your Yearly subscription renews automatically at the end of each 12-month period unless you cancel at least 24 hours before the trial or current period ends. Canceling stops future renewals; you keep access through the end of the period you've paid for. Subscriptions are managed in your App Store account. Deleting the app does not cancel your subscription. Terms of Use (EULA): https://zen-first.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://zen-first.com/privacy

About

ActNow

Features
Read full description

Before doom-scrolling takes over, let your body move first. ActNow helps you set daily limits on attention-intensive apps — TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Reels, and more. When the quota is used up, those apps are shielded by the system. To earn a short bonus window, open ActNow, straighten your arm, and draw shoulder circles. Circle count rises with each unlock, so “just a few more minutes” has a real cost. — What you get — • Pick the apps to guard; set per-app and global limits • Auto-shield at the limit; draw circles in ActNow to unlock (+10 minutes) • Calibrate your circle gesture; filters out wrist-wagging cheats • Weekend/holiday ×2 quota (subscription); tighter limits at night or low battery • Fully on-device: no account, no server uploads Category: screen time/screen time control Action: blocker/app limit/block/focus Scene: tiktok, instagram, youtube, facebook, reddit Benefits: self control/focus/productivity/detox — Who it’s for — Anyone who wants less feed-scrolling and more time for what they truly want to do. — Subscription (ActNow Premium, yearly) — With a subscription you get: • Unlimited managed apps • Customizable global daily limit • Weekend/holiday ×2 quotas • Today’s usage stats and unlock history You may also try full features for 3 days after onboarding at no charge (no purchase required). The local trial is independent of the yearly subscription purchase. After trial or without subscription, free tier: 1 managed app, fixed 2-hour global limit. Price shown in the App Store for your region; payment charged to Apple ID; cancel at least 24 hours before renewal in Settings → Apple ID → Subscriptions. — Legal — Privacy Policy: https://lowoodz.github.io/ActNow/privacy.html Terms of Use (Apple Standard EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ — Privacy — Screen Time, motion sensors, and battery state are used only on-device for limits and circle detection. See the in-app privacy note.

Screenshots

Ultimate Focus4 screens
ActNow4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: ActNow at daily against Ultimate Focus's every 10 days. 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Ultimate Focus sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and ActNow sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $5.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Ultimate Focus ships an update every 10 days, ActNow daily. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Ultimate Focus versus ActNow: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterUltimate FocusActNow
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 10 daysDaily — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS16.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size35 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperZEN LABO LTD关林 梁

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Ultimate Focus

Subscriptions3
  • Pro Monthly$2.991 Month
  • Pro Yearly Offer3 Days trial$12.991 Year
  • Pro Yearly3 Days trial$19.991 Year
One-time1
  • Pro Lifetime$49.99
1 purchases

ActNow

Subscriptions1
  • ActNow: Screen Time Control$5.991 Year

Questions

Is Ultimate Focus free?
Ultimate Focus is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ActNow free?
ActNow is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Ultimate Focus or ActNow have ads?
Neither Ultimate Focus nor ActNow shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Ultimate Focus or ActNow?
Ultimate Focus ships an update every 10 days, and ActNow daily. Most recently, Ultimate Focus was updated on October 31, 2026 and ActNow on November 5, 2026.

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