BrainMaxx vs ReadUp
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
BrainMaxx
This app helps you regain control of your time and focus by blocking distracting applications and setting usage schedules. It features a unique visual representation of your screen time habits, encouraging healthier digital engagement and improved productivity.
- App blocking with custom schedules
- Visual brain health indicator
- Mindful break options
- Screen time insights
- Daily streaks for motivation
- Habit-building features
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Get your time, focus, and attention span back with BrainMaxx, the screen time app with a cute brain that rots as you doomscroll and heals when you live your life. Block the apps that eat your day, set schedules, and let the brain nudge you to put the phone down. Save about 2 hours a day, think clearer, sleep better, and actually get things done. What you get: - A brain that rots as you doom scroll, so you see the damage before it's done - App blocking with schedules for mornings, work hours, bedtime and custom times - Unrots: quick habits that heal your brain, like walking, reading, touching grass, and push-ups - A brain that talks you out of scrolling the moment you open a blocked app - Mindful breaks you choose on purpose, without the guilt or shame - Clear insights into your screen time, pickups, and worst hours - Daily streaks that unlock new worlds for your brain PRIVATE & SECURE BrainMaxx uses Apple's Screen Time API. All monitoring, blocking, and your brain health score stay entirely on your device. Your app usage never leaves your phone. Stop scrolling. Unrot your brain. *All features described above require a subscription. Privacy Policy: https://www.brainmaxxapp.com/privacy Terms of Service: https://www.brainmaxxapp.com/terms Support: support@doerpal.com
ReadUp
This app encourages reading by temporarily blocking distracting applications. Users set reading goals and unlock their apps only after completing their reading sessions, promoting focused engagement with content.
- Block distracting apps
- Set reading goals
- Unlock apps after reading
- Curated book library
- Focused reading experience
- Track reading progress
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Read first. Scroll later. Your phone makes scrolling effortless and reading easy to postpone. ReadUp flips that around: Block the apps that distract you. Pick books you want to read. Read until you reach your goal, then your apps unlock. No endless bans. No pretending you’ll never scroll again. Just one simple trade: Your attention, spent on something worth reading first. How it works 1. Choose the apps you want to block 2. Pick a book and set a reading goal 3. Read actively in ReadUp 4. Unlock your apps for the time you earned 5. Return tomorrow and keep your progress going You can keep reading for as long as you want. ReadUp never interrupts a good chapter just because you’ve reached your goal. Why ReadUp? Most app blockers only tell you to stop. ReadUp gives you something better to do. A chapter before TikTok. A few pages before Instagram. A meaningful story before another hour disappears into your feed. You don’t have to delete the apps you enjoy. You simply put reading first. What’s inside * A curated library of great books * A focused, comfortable reading experience * Custom reading and unlock times * App shielding using Apple’s Screen Time controls * Active reading and inactivity tracking * Saved reading position * Reading streaks and daily progress * Pages read, books completed, and reading time tracked * A view of how much scrolling time you’ve replaced What changes You finish more books. You scroll with intention. You protect time for something meaningful. Your phone comes after the promise you made to yourself. Less doomscrolling. More stories, ideas, and pages you’ll remember. Read first. Then scroll. ** Ongoing use requires an active subscription. ** Privacy Policy: https://readup-app.com/privacy/ Terms of Service: https://readup-app.com/tos/ Contact: contact@readup-app.com
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: BrainMaxx at 86% against ReadUp's 50%. BrainMaxx also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.4) and ratings volume (194 vs 11). ReadUp's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. BrainMaxx sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per 7 days and ReadUp sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
BrainMaxx holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: BrainMaxx has 194 ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 86% of BrainMaxx's written reviews are positive against 50% of ReadUp's.
BrainMaxx ships an update weekly, ReadUp every 10 days. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.
| Parameter | BrainMaxx | ReadUp |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (194 ratings) — better | 4.4 (11 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 85.7% of reviews — better | 50.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 194 — better | 11 |
| Update frequency | Weekly — better | Every 10 days |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Subscription | Subscription |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 170 MB | 54 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Juan Vizoso Prado | Nedas Mikucionis |
Customer experience
BrainMaxx
ReadUp
In-app purchases
BrainMaxx
- Pro Weekly$9.997 Days
- Weekly Subscription$12.997 Days
- Pro Yearly Offer$29.991 Year
Show 6 moreShow fewer
- Full Access3 Days trial$29.991 Year
- Full Access$34.991 Year
- Yearly Subscription$44.991 Year
- Yearly Subscription$59.991 Year
- Yearly Subscription3 Days trial$59.991 Year
- Full Access$69.991 Year
ReadUp
- Full Access (Weekly)$8.997 Days
- Full Access (Discounted Yearly)$24.991 Year
- Full Access (Yearly)2 variants$39.991 Year
Show 2 moreShow fewer
- Full Access (YearlyNT)$49.991 Year
- Full Access (Yearly)3 Days trial$50.001 Year








