Comparison

TimeBack vs MoodState

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

Head to head
About

TimeBack

Features
Read full description

Take your time back. TimeBack helps you cut screen time with real, enforceable blocks β€” not just gentle reminders. Built on Apple's Screen Time technology, it stays out of your way until the moment you need willpower most. BLOCK YOUR WAY β€’ Daily Limits β€” give any app a per-day allowance; when it's spent, the app is blocked for the rest of the day β€’ Forced Breaks β€” auto-pause after continuous use, so marathon sessions get a breather β€’ Schedules β€” block apps during focus hours, dinner time or bedtime, on the weekdays you choose β€’ Location Blocks β€” apps lock automatically when you arrive somewhere (library, office, classroom) β€’ Your words on the wall β€” customize the block screen's title, message and buttons STAY HONEST β€’ Face ID lock protects your settings β€’ Optional guardian passcode β€” hand the key to someone you trust, so quitting is never one tap away β€’ Prevent App Deletion β€” stops the impulsive "just delete the blocker" move (iOS applies this to all apps on the device while enabled) SEE PROGRESS β€’ Today's usage and distraction counts at a glance β€’ Weekly Review β€” a quiet Sunday summary of the time you took back PRIVATE BY DESIGN Everything stays on your device. No account, no analytics, no server. TimeBack asks for Screen Time permission to block apps β€” that is its only required permission. Location is requested only if you use Location Blocks. Built by an indie developer. If TimeBack helps you, you can buy me a coffee in Settings.

About

MoodState

Read full description

MoodState is a private mood tracker designed for quick check-ins and useful reflection. Log how you feel in seconds, add optional emotion, context and notes, then review your mood patterns over time. MoodState keeps your entries on device first and gives you fast access from the app, Home Screen widget and Lock Screen widget. With MoodState Pro you can unlock deeper reporting, Apple Health sync, mood reminders, custom moods, exports and on-device AI Analysis powered by Apple Intelligence where available. Please note: MoodState is designed for personal reflection and wellbeing tracking. It is not a medical device and does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment guidance! Key Features: β€’ Quick mood logging with five simple mood states β€’ Optional emotion, context and private notes β€’ Recent mood history with date and time β€’ Edit or delete mood entries β€’ Mood trend chart by week, month, quarter, year or all time β€’ Home Screen widget for fast mood logging β€’ Lock Screen widget for quick access β€’ Customizable Home Screen widget background β€’ Private by design, saved on device first β€’ Clear help section inside the app MoodState Pro Features: β€’ Apple Health Sync: Write opted-in mood logs to Apple Health as State of Mind entries β€’ Mood Reminders: Create multiple daily reminders for regular check-ins β€’ Pro Reports: Review average mood, top context, top emotion, mood distribution and selected-period patterns β€’ On-device AI Analysis: Generate a private Apple Intelligence summary for the selected period where supported (private notes are excluded unless you choose to include them) β€’ Custom Moods: Personalize mood names, icons, colours and health values β€’ CSV Exports: Export raw mood logs for spreadsheet review β€’ PDF Summaries: Export readable reports with trend chart, deeper patterns, mood distribution and recent logs

Screenshots

TimeBack4 screens
MoodState4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: TimeBack at none against MoodState's 1. MoodState's advantage is iOS requirement (18.6 vs 26.2). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Both are free to download. MoodState sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. TimeBack asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences Β· 4 level
TimeBack versus MoodState: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTimeBackMoodState
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 3 daysEvery 3 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo β€” betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS26.218.6 β€” better
Further details β€” not scored
Size23 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developerthomas kiangWolfram Wacker

In-app purchases

None

TimeBack

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

MoodState

One-time1
  • MoodState Pro$0.99

Questions

Is TimeBack free?
TimeBack is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is MoodState free?
MoodState is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do TimeBack or MoodState have ads?
Neither TimeBack nor MoodState shows ads.
Which is updated more often, TimeBack or MoodState?
TimeBack ships an update every 3 days, and MoodState every 3 days. Most recently, TimeBack was updated on October 5, 2026 and MoodState on September 30, 2026.

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