# Tonic vs BrainMaxx

The clearest difference is ads: Tonic at none against BrainMaxx's shown. Tonic also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.8) and update cadence (every 3 days vs weekly). BrainMaxx's advantage is ratings volume (176 vs 36). On price, review sentiment, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Tonic sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and BrainMaxx sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Tonic holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 36 and 176 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 95% of Tonic's written reviews are positive against 92% of BrainMaxx's.

Tonic ships an update every 3 days, BrainMaxx weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Tonic | BrainMaxx |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (36 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tonic-earn-screen-time/id6760635258/reviews)** | [4.8 (176 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brainmaxx-screen-time-control/id6760669409/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 36 | **176** |
| Positive reviews | **95.2% of reviews** | 92.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 days** | Weekly |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 37 MB | 126 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.4 | **17.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Sets Studio LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1885438054) | [Juan Vizoso Prado](https://appshunter.io/developer/1868188557) |

## What reviewers say

### Tonic

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tonic-earn-screen-time/id6760635258)

This app helps you build good habits by making them unlock your other apps. It allows you to set limits on distracting apps and rewards productive behavior. You can customize rules to integrate with your existing life and achieve your goals.

**Highlights:** Habit-based app unlocking, Customizable screen time limits, Integration with Apple Health, Flexible rule setting, Productive minute banking, Escalating pause feature

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tonic Unlimited | $9.99 | per month |
| Tonic Unlimited | $29.99 | per year |


### BrainMaxx

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brainmaxx-screen-time-control/id6760669409)

This app helps you complete tasks and habits before you can access your phone's apps. Earn screen time by finishing your to-do list and keep a virtual pet happy with your progress. Build discipline and a healthier relationship with your device.

**Highlights:** Task and habit completion, App blocking, Earn screen time, Virtual pet companion, Progress tracking, Routine building

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Weekly | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Subscription | $12.99 | per 7 days |
| Pro Yearly Offer | $29.99 | per year |
| Full Access | $29.99 | per year |
| Full Access | $34.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription | $44.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription | $59.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription | $59.99 | per year |
| Full Access | $69.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Tonic free?

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

### Is BrainMaxx free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Tonic or BrainMaxx?

Tonic is rated higher. Tonic averages 5.0 out of 5 from 36 ratings, while BrainMaxx averages 4.8 from 176 ratings.

### Do Tonic or BrainMaxx have ads?

BrainMaxx shows ads; Tonic does not.

### Which is updated more often, Tonic or BrainMaxx?

Tonic ships an update every 3 days, and BrainMaxx weekly. Most recently, Tonic was updated on October 9, 2026 and BrainMaxx on October 13, 2026.

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