Comparison

conscious screen time controls vs Screen Time Control

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

Head to head
About

conscious screen time controls

Features
Read full description

Most screen-time apps either lock you out or do nothing. Conscious takes a different approach: first show you what's really happening, then give you controls that actually work. You can't change what you can't see. Conscious starts by making your phone use legible, daily rings showing time spent on productive vs. draining apps, a 7-day chart of your real patterns, and a location-aware timeline that tells you where you actually opened your phone. At home? At work? In transit? Most people are surprised. That moment of clarity is the first half of changing the habit. The second half is having tools that match the problem. Hard blocks work for some apps. Gentle friction works for others. Scheduled rules work for the rest. Conscious gives you all three and lets you mix them, so the right control kicks in at the right moment. INSIGHTS YOU'LL ACTUALLY USE • Three productivity rings track total time, productive vs. draining mix, and a daily health score • 7-day chart and 30-day heatmap show your real patterns, not vibes • Location-aware timeline reveals which apps you opened at home, work, the coffee shop, in transit • Tap any place to see total time spent and your top apps there • Set a daily goal (1–8 hours) and watch the rings fill in real time CONTROLS THAT ACTUALLY WORK Mindful Friction Gates A 15-second breathing pause when you tap a distracting app, with a "Don't open" button as the default. Daily Limits Set an allowance for any app or category: 30 minutes a day for social, 1 hour for news. When time's up, the app is blocked until tomorrow. Scheduled Blocks Block social media weekdays 9 to 5. Block delivery apps after 10pm. Whatever your weak spot is. Focus Sessions Start a timed block. 5 minutes or 5 hours for deep work. Shows as a Live Activity on your Lock Screen so you can see your progress at a glance. WHY IT WORKS Most blockers treat your phone like a discipline problem and your future self like an enemy. Conscious treats it like an awareness problem. You don't need someone to lock you out, you need to see what's happening, then have the right tool for the moment. The rings show you the pattern. The friction gives you a second to choose. The blocks hold the line when you've already decided. The goal isn't less screen time for its own sake. The goal is to stop using your phone on autopilot. PRIVACY FIRST Your screen-time data, location history, and app activity stay on your device. We never see what apps you use, where you go, or when you open them. The only data Conscious sends online is anonymous product analytics so we can improve the app. PRICING Free: One control, basic home screen. Free account: Two controls, basic Insights. Conscious Pro: Unlimited controls, full Insights, all widget styles. Requires iOS Screen Time permission. Location and Motion are optional, used only for the place timeline. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Screen Time Control

This app inserts a brief puzzle before you open selected apps, creating a moment of intentionality to reduce mindless scrolling. It offers various puzzles and a premium version for ad removal and full puzzle access.

Highlights
  • Puzzle before app access
  • Reduces mindless scrolling
  • Nine calming puzzle types
  • Customizable app blocking
  • Intentional use timer
  • Premium ad-free option
Features
Read full description

Pause helps you scroll on purpose. Lowers your screen time. We all reach for the same apps on autopilot. Pause puts a small, calming puzzle between you and those apps, so opening one becomes a choice, not a reflex. HOW IT WORKS • Choose the apps you want to pause. • When you try to open one, Pause asks you to solve a quick puzzle first. • Solve it, and the app unlocks for 15 minutes of intentional use. • When time's up, the pause comes back automatically. That tiny moment of friction is enough to break the autopilot—and remind you why you picked up your phone in the first place. NINE CALMING PUZZLES Word Jumble, Mini Crossword, Sliding Tile, Ball Sort, Connect the Colors, Maze, Sixdoku, and more. Every unlock is a small mental reset instead of a mindless tap. DESIGNED FOR INTENTION, NOT RESTRICTION Pause isn't about locking yourself out—it's about adding just enough space to choose. No guilt, no lectures. Just a gentle pause. PAUSE PREMIUM • Unlock all nine puzzles • Remove ads • Start with a 7-day free trial, then annual or monthly Your privacy comes first. Pause uses Apple's Screen Time technology, and the apps you choose never leave your device. Scroll less by accident. Scroll more on purpose. — SUBSCRIPTION DETAILS Pause Premium is an auto-renewing subscription. (7-day free trial for new subscribers) • Annual — $74.99/year • Monthly — $9.99/month Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase. Your subscription renews automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period; your account is charged for renewal within 24 hours before the period ends. Manage or cancel anytime in your Apple Account settings. Any unused portion of a free trial is forfeited when you start a subscription. Privacy Policy URL: Terms of Use URL: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

conscious screen time controls4 screens
Screen Time Control4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: conscious screen time controls at none against Screen Time Control's shown. Screen Time Control's advantage is iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). On price, update cadence, 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. conscious screen time controls sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Screen Time Control sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

conscious screen time controls ships an update every 3 weeks, Screen Time Control fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
conscious screen time controls versus Screen Time Control: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parameterconscious screen time controlsScreen Time Control
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (7 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—7 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksFortnightly — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Free with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS18.016.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size88 MB12 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAndi YaoCarlos Velasquez

In-app purchases

2 purchases

conscious screen time controls

Subscriptions2
  • Pro Monthly7 Days trial$4.991 Month
  • Pro Annual7 Days trial$49.991 Year
2 purchases

Screen Time Control

Subscriptions2
  • Pause Premium (Monthly)7 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Pause Premium (Annual)7 Days trial$74.991 Year

Questions

Is conscious screen time controls free?
conscious screen time controls is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Screen Time Control free?
Screen Time Control is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do conscious screen time controls or Screen Time Control have ads?
Screen Time Control shows ads; conscious screen time controls does not.
Which is updated more often, conscious screen time controls or Screen Time Control?
conscious screen time controls ships an update every 3 weeks, and Screen Time Control fortnightly. Most recently, conscious screen time controls was updated on October 2, 2026 and Screen Time Control on October 6, 2026.

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