Comparison

JustPause vs Write First

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

Head to head
About

JustPause

Read full description

Block distracting apps. Complete a quick check. Track real usage. JustPause helps you control distracting apps without deleting them. Choose apps to restrict, complete a short breathing or exercise check, unlock access for a selected time, and track your usage over time. HOW IT WORKS Choose distracting apps: TikTok • Instagram • YouTube Open a restricted app → Complete breathing or exercise → Choose unlock duration → Use the app → Track results BLOCK DISTRACTING APPS Control the apps that consume most of your time. Apply restrictions to social media, entertainment apps, games, and other distracting apps using Screen Time technologies. Supported scenarios: • Single app unlock • Multiple app unlock • Timed access sessions UNLOCK METHODS Breathing Unlock durations: 1 min • 3 min • 5 min • 7 min Exercise Unlock durations: 15 min • 30 min • 1 hour • 2 hours Exercises: • Push-ups • Squats Exercise counting runs locally on-device. No videos are stored. SMART USAGE TIMER Unlock time decreases only while restricted apps are actively used. Example: 15 min unlocked Instagram used for 3 min Remaining access: 12 min Time does not decrease while restricted apps stay closed. Only actual app usage counts. CONTROLLED REMOVAL To remove an app from your restricted list, complete 30 push-ups or squats. Only one restricted app can be removed per day. TRACK RESULTS Monitor: • Restricted app time • Unlock activity • Daily and weekly usage • Progress over time WORKS ON • iPhone • iPad Core restrictions work locally on your device. PREMIUM Premium includes subscription and lifetime access options. Billing is handled by Apple App Store. QUESTIONS? Email: justpause.contact@gmail.com Terms: https://justpause.notion.site/Terms-of-Service-35cef6714d8980caaf91e60cafc7967d Privacy: https://justpause.notion.site/Privacy-Policy-317ef6714d898092a508d247fa78b1a9 EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Write First

Features
Read full description

Write First is a self-directed app blocker. Pick the apps that pull you in, and they stay paused until you write one honest sentence — then they unlock for a set time and re-lock on their own. When you reach for a blocked app, a calm pause screen stops you before the scroll begins. To get in, you write a single line. That one small step turns an autopilot tap into an actual decision. WHY ONE SENTENCE WORKS Most blockers make you wait, breathe, or tap "confirm." After a day or two, your thumb does all of it without you noticing. Writing one real sentence is the one kind of friction you can't do on autopilot — so the speed bump actually works. It takes about ten seconds, with a prompt already written for you. HOW IT WORKS - Pick your own apps to pause — social, news, games, whatever pulls you in. - Reach for a blocked app and a calm pause screen appears instead. - Pick a mood, get a matched prompt, write one honest line. - Your apps unlock for a set window, then re-lock automatically. - Reach for them again and the pause is right back there, at the real moment of temptation. YOU STAY IN CONTROL This is a speed bump, not a trap. You choose the apps. You choose the windows. And three emergency unlocks a day — five minutes each — open your apps right away when you genuinely need them, with no writing step. You never get locked out of your own phone. You point Write First at your own apps, on your own terms. It never monitors, supervises, or reports on anyone else. There are no dashboards anyone else sees. BUILT THE RIGHT WAY Write First runs on Apple's Screen Time framework, so blocking is system-level and reliable — no VPN trick, no background profile quietly draining your battery. SEE YOUR MOMENTUM A streak counter, check-in history, and simple stats show how often you chose to pause instead of scroll. No nagging, no guilt, no leaderboards. FEATURES - Self-directed blocking of the apps you choose - A one-sentence write step to unlock, with matched prompts - Timed unlock windows that re-lock on their own - Three 5-minute emergency unlocks a day - Streak and momentum tracking - Check-in history and simple stats - Built on Apple Screen Time — no VPN, no background network FREE TO START The free version is genuinely usable: block the apps you choose and use three emergency unlocks a day, no time limit. Write First Pro adds more — custom unlock durations, custom writing length, schedules, more prompt styles, unlimited history, full stats, export, and Face ID lock. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Your journal entries, moods, and stats stay on your iPhone — no account, no analytics, no ads, no tracking. The only thing that leaves your device is your subscription, which Apple handles to manage your Pro access. Privacy Policy: https://promptflowbusiness.com/write-first/privacy Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

JustPause4 screens
Write First4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Write First at every 2 days against JustPause's every 2 weeks. 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. JustPause sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days and Write First sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

JustPause ships an update every 2 weeks, Write First every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 7 level
JustPause versus Write First: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterJustPauseWrite First
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.617.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size64 MB16 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperErmek Tanikulovchad vasquez

In-app purchases

3 purchases

JustPause

Subscriptions2
  • JustPause Weekly$0.997 Days
  • JustPause Annual$9.991 Year
One-time1
  • JustPause Lifetime$24.99
2 purchases

Write First

Subscriptions2
  • Write First Pro$4.991 Month
  • Write First Pro7 Days trial$29.991 Year

Questions

Is JustPause free?
JustPause is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Write First free?
Write First is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do JustPause or Write First have ads?
Neither JustPause nor Write First shows ads.
Which is updated more often, JustPause or Write First?
JustPause ships an update every 2 weeks, and Write First every 2 days. Most recently, JustPause was updated on October 28, 2026 and Write First on October 31, 2026.

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