Comparison

simpleblocker by recursn vs ProgressTimer

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

Head to head
About

simpleblocker by recursn

This minimalist app blocks your screen time to help you focus. It performs its single function effectively without collecting any user data. Designed for simplicity and privacy.

Highlights
  • Minimalist design
  • App blocking functionality
  • Screentime reduction
  • Data privacy focused
  • Single function optimization
Features
Read full description

a minimalistic app blocker, that seeks only to serve that one function well. Does not collect data.

About

ProgressTimer

Features
Read full description

Time, shown as a single bar. ProgressTimer is a minimal landscape timer that turns elapsed time into a full-screen progress bar. For pomodoro sessions, workouts, cooking, presentation rehearsals — anywhere you want to see time at a glance, even from across the room. ◆ Two modes Count Down Set a duration and watch the bar fill from empty to full as time elapses. Count Up Start from zero and let the bar grow toward your target duration. Both modes auto-stop when the target is reached and play your selected alarm tone. ◆ Landscape × giant progress bar Numbers are secondary — progress is the point. A monochrome bar fills the entire screen so you can read your status from a distance. The time is rendered in a large monospaced number at the center, optimized for legibility against the moving bar. ◆ Lock Screen & Dynamic Island Full Live Activity support. The progress bar and remaining time appear on your Lock Screen and in the Dynamic Island. Play, pause, and restart the timer without ever opening the app. ◆ Keeps running in the background Closing the app or locking your screen doesn't stop the timer. When time's up, a local notification fires with your chosen alarm tone — Beep, Chime, Bell, or Digital. Use the system volume or set an in-app volume independently. ◆ Icon-first interface No text labels — every control is an icon. From mode selection to duration setup to start, you can begin a session in three taps. Designed to stay out of your way. ◆ Features ・Count Down / Count Up modes ・Hours / Minutes / Seconds wheel picker (up to 24 hours) ・Full-screen progress bar (landscape-only) ・Live Activity (Lock Screen / Dynamic Island) ・Pause / Resume / Restart from Lock Screen ・4 built-in alarm tones + none ・System volume or in-app volume slider ・Local notifications for background alarms ・In-app language switching (English / Japanese) ・Theme support (System / Light / Dark) ・Pure monochrome, distraction-free design ・Locked to landscape for fullscreen visibility ◆ Completely offline, completely private ProgressTimer makes zero network requests. Your settings and timer state stay entirely on your device, never sent to any server. No ads, no tracking. Works anywhere, no signal needed. ◆ Who it's for ・Anyone using pomodoro or time-blocking for focus ・Workout and stretching timers ・Presentation and interview rehearsals ・Cooking timers ・People who want to glance at the timer from across the room ・Anyone looking for a simple, ad-free timer app ◆ How to use 1. Pick a mode (Count Down / Count Up) 2. Set the duration with the wheel picker 3. Tap play 4. Control from your Lock Screen or Dynamic Island anytime That's it.

Screenshots

simpleblocker by recursn4 screens
ProgressTimer3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: ProgressTimer at 17.0 against simpleblocker by recursn's 26.2. 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
simpleblocker by recursn versus ProgressTimer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parametersimpleblocker by recursnProgressTimer
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequency—Every 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS26.217.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size0 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAndy PhuTaniguchi Yota

In-app purchases

None

simpleblocker by recursn

No in-app purchases

None

ProgressTimer

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is simpleblocker by recursn free?
simpleblocker by recursn is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is ProgressTimer free?
ProgressTimer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do simpleblocker by recursn or ProgressTimer have ads?
Neither simpleblocker by recursn nor ProgressTimer shows ads.

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