PhonePause vs TrueFocus
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
PhonePause
This app helps parents manage their child's screen time with instant phone locking. It offers features like PIN-protected access, app whitelisting, and manual unlocking. Premium options include scheduled locks and blocking specific communication apps.
- Instant phone locking
- PIN-protected parent access
- App whitelisting during lock
- Scheduled school hour locks
- Timed punishment locks
- Block messaging apps
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PhonePause - Parent Lock helps parents manage their child's screen time with powerful phone locking features. FREE FEATURES: • Lock your child's phone instantly with one tap • PIN-protected parent access • Choose which apps to allow during lock • Manual unlock when you're ready PREMIUM ($1.99 one-time): • School Hours Lock — automatically lock during class time with weekday scheduling and holiday support • Timed Punishment Lock — set a lock duration (minutes or hours) that auto-unlocks • Messages & FaceTime Blocking — block messaging apps during lock DESIGNED FOR PARENTS: Set up directly on your child's iPhone. No accounts, no cloud, no subscriptions. Everything stays on the device. IMPORTANT: Remember your PIN. If forgotten, the only way to regain access is to erase and restore the iPhone from a backup.
TrueFocus
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Did you know the average adult checks their phone over 100 times a day—mostly on autopilot? That’s over 5 hours of your day spent scrolling without ever consciously deciding to. TrueFocus is here to help you take your life back. By protecting your mornings, focus sessions, and sleep, TrueFocus replaces frustrating hard blocks with intentional daily guards and mindful pauses. Build true self-discipline, reclaim up to 2 hours every single day, and put your time where it actually matters. Why Other Screen Time Control Apps Fail We know you’ve tried to fix this before. But rigid locks only lead to frustration (and instant bypasses), while endless usage charts don't stop autopilot taps. TrueFocus is different. Instead of trapped restrictions, it gives your day structure, interrupts habit loops, and trains your brain to step away naturally. The Benefits You’ll Have • Reclaim 1–2 Hours Daily: Turn wasted scroll time into hobbies, family, and rest. • Break Autopilot Taps: Stop impulsive app-opening habits before they start. • Sleep Deeper & Rest Better: Gain up to 50 extra minutes of quality sleep every week. • Supercharge Productivity: Complete tasks faster without constant digital noise. 3 Smart Guards for Your Critical Routines • Morning Guard: Stop losing your first 30 minutes in bed to doomscrolling. Start your morning with clarity before social feeds pull you in. • Focus Guard: Eliminate constant app notifications during deep work or study. Protect your flow state and finish tasks in less time. • Night Guard: End the "just 5 more minutes" bedtime trap. Keep screens out of bed, wind down peacefully, and protect your sleep quality. A Mindful Pause, Not a Cold Hard Wall When you reach for a guarded app on autopilot, TrueFocus doesn't just slam the door—it interrupts the urge with interactive friction to help you wake up your prefrontal cortex: • Intention Check-In: Answer one honest question: "What are you here for?" • Guided Breathing: Take a 5-second deep breath to let the dopamine rush settle. • Brain Micro-Tasks: Solve a quick math challenge or tap a mini-task to reset your impulsive brain. • Science-Backed: Research published in PNAS found that adding a mindful pause before opening distracting apps helped reduce actual app openings by 57% over six weeks. Most times, you'll realize you didn't need the app at all! Precision Rules: Allowlists, Blocklists & Categories Tailor your limits to your actual lifestyle with maximum flexibility: • Blacklists & Whitelists: Block specific distracting apps (Social, Games, Shopping, Video) or lock everything except essential tools like Maps, Work Chat, and Calls. • Category & App-Level Control: Group and guard entire categories with one tap, or pick individual apps with surgical precision. Detailed Control Logs: Track Every Attempt & Victory • Open vs. Resisted Counts: See exact daily metrics—how many times you reached for an app versus how many times you successfully resisted and walked away. • Precise Timestamps: View a complete Control Moments timeline showing the exact time of every attempt, pause, and breakthrough. • Daily Victory Summaries: Get positive, encouraging feedback ("You resisted 14 impulsive taps and reclaimed 1h 32m for yourself today!"). Private, Safe & In Your Control • Powered by Apple’s Screen Time API: Built natively for iOS with zero battery drain. • 100% Private: Your browsing history, messages, and personal data never leave your device. • You Hold the Key: Turn any guard on or off whenever you choose. Unlock TrueFocus Pro Upgrade to TrueFocus Premium for smarter screen time control, distraction blocking, and tools to build healthier digital habits. TrueFocus Pro is available as an auto-renewable subscription. You can manage or cancel your subscription anytime in your Apple ID settings. Privacy Policy: https://www.qstonelabs.com/screen-time-control-privacy.html Terms of Use: https://www.qstonelabs.com/terms.html
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: TrueFocus at none against PhonePause's 1. On price, update cadence, ads 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. PhonePause sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. TrueFocus asks for nothing beyond the download.
PhonePause ships an update every 3 weeks, TrueFocus every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on August 22, 2026 and September 16, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | PhonePause | TrueFocus |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better | — |
| Number of ratings | 1 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 16.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 4 MB | 40 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Andrew Meyers | Quillstone Limited |
In-app purchases
PhonePause
- PhonePause Premium$1.99
TrueFocus
No in-app purchases





