Comparison

OpenIntent vs Intend.

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

Head to head
About

OpenIntent

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OpenIntent blocks your most distracting apps until you do 10 squats — earning 10 minutes on one app. On-device motion only, no camera. You choose which apps to protect. When you try to open one, OpenIntent asks you to earn access first — a short physical ritual instead of a mindless tap. How it works - Protect the exact apps that break your focus - Complete 10 squats to unlock one app for 10 minutes - Protection returns automatically when the timer ends - Motion counting runs on device in real time Why it works OpenIntent turns mindless scrolling into a short physical ritual. The rule stays fixed, the unlock stays narrow, and one unlock opens only one app at a time. Privacy and product truth - On-device motion counting only - No camera upload or cloud motion scoring in the shipping path - Uses Apple's Screen Time controls for exact app protection - No account required to get started Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Intend.

Features
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-- Support yourself Open engaging apps with time limits through the app. When the time is up, the app is blocked so you can follow your original intention. This helps avoid endless scrolling sessions, and perhaps it even changes your relationship with your apps — from opening them out of habit and reflex, to doing so more consciously and with a sense of reservation. -- Support your young adults Intend is built so it can be shared with your Apple Family. Build awareness and healthy digital habits together, as a family. For teenagers who already have their own smartphone, Intend can help them take control. Setting a limit for oneself — and actually managing to follow it — builds a sense of self‑confidence that can positively influence other parts of their life. We believe Intend can be a valuable supplement to Apple’s parental controls. -- Give controlled and regulated encounters with technology We believe in giving our children as little screen as possible, and we believe in postponing their first personal smartphone for as long as possible. We feel — and acknowledge — the digital pressure we are facing, together with our kids, and we believe that the practice of lending out our own phones to offer controlled encounters with technology can be of importance both in terms of stalling but also in building awareness around the digital space. With Intend, you can start lending sessions by opening apps with a time limit and setting a PIN code. "Intend." blocks the app when the time limit is reached, and ensures that all other apps remain blocked — until the PIN is entered again. Technology that stops itself, acting as a neutral party, is a rarity in today’s digital landscape. Use the phrase “Give it back when it stops”, and stick to it. This way, it’s not us adults who interfere. We avoid nagging, and technology can become a positive element. At the same time, children learn that technology must be regulated — an understanding that becomes important once they get their own devices. Intend is not designed to capture the user’s attention, and no information about you or your device is collected. This is a tool that runs locally on your device. The app requests access to Screen Time in order to function as intended. The company behind the app is a personal endeavor, driven by a commitment to create technology and other initiatives that bring more calm and initiate more time off screen. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://www.withintend.com/intend-privacy-policy

Screenshots

OpenIntent4 screens
Intend.4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: OpenIntent at every 2 days against Intend.'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. OpenIntent sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month and Intend. sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

OpenIntent ships an update every 2 days, Intend. every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 12, 2026 and September 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 5 level
OpenIntent versus Intend.: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOpenIntentIntend.
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 2 days — betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS17.0 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size132 MB6 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperOpenHealth IncWithintend By Marius Mjelde

In-app purchases

2 purchases

OpenIntent

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly$7.991 Month
  • Annual7 Days trial$39.991 Year
1 purchases

Intend.

Subscriptions1
  • Intend Subscription - Monthly$2.991 Month

Questions

Is OpenIntent free?
OpenIntent is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Intend. free?
Intend. is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do OpenIntent or Intend. have ads?
Neither OpenIntent nor Intend. shows ads.
Which is updated more often, OpenIntent or Intend.?
OpenIntent ships an update every 2 days, and Intend. every 2 weeks. Most recently, OpenIntent was updated on September 12, 2026 and Intend. on September 15, 2026.

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