# PhonePause vs Kinsera

The clearest difference is update cadence: Kinsera at every 3 days against PhonePause's every 3 weeks. PhonePause's advantage is iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PhonePause sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Kinsera sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

PhonePause ships an update every 3 weeks, Kinsera every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PhonePause | Kinsera |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phonepause-parent-lock/id6759881302/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1** | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 4 MB | 102 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Andrew Meyers](https://appshunter.io/developer/1879595732) | [Lester Romero Bernardo](https://appshunter.io/developer/1882861367) |

## What reviewers say

### PhonePause

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phonepause-parent-lock/id6759881302)

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.

**Highlights:** Instant phone locking, PIN-protected parent access, App whitelisting during lock, Scheduled school hour locks, Timed punishment locks, Block messaging apps

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PhonePause Premium | $1.99 | one-time |


### Kinsera

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kinsera-parental-controls/id6805556421)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Yearly | $24.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PhonePause free?

PhonePause is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Kinsera free?

Kinsera is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do PhonePause or Kinsera have ads?

Neither PhonePause nor Kinsera shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PhonePause or Kinsera?

PhonePause ships an update every 3 weeks, and Kinsera every 3 days. Most recently, PhonePause was updated on October 5, 2026 and Kinsera on October 18, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*