Comparison

Control Dopamine vs Screen Time Control

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

Head to head
About

Control Dopamine

This app helps you build healthier screen time habits by gamifying your digital life. Earn credits through real-world activities to unlock distracting apps, with a virtual mascot to visualize your progress.

Highlights
  • Smart App Blocking
  • Brain Credits System
  • Yelo Mascot for Motivation
  • 28-Day Focus Reset Challenge
  • Streak Tracking
  • Weekly Progress Reports
Read full description

Stop doomscrolling. Start living. Control Dopamine helps you build healthier screen-time habits by turning screen time into something you earn β€” not something that controls you. Your phone wasn't designed to let you go. Every notification, every infinite scroll, every autoplay video is designed to keep you hooked. Control Dopamine fights back with habit-building gamification that makes healthy routines more rewarding than mindless scrolling. HOW IT WORKS Block the apps stealing your time β€” Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat, Reddit, X (Twitter), Facebook, and more. Then earn "brain credits" by doing activities that actually make you feel good: β€’ Meditation & mindfulness sessions β€’ Reading real books β€’ Exercise & walking β€’ Journaling & reflection β€’ Time in nature Spend your earned credits to temporarily unlock blocked apps. You stay in control β€” your brain gets the break it needs. MEET YELO β€” YOUR BRAIN MASCOT Yelo is your cute companion that reflects your progress and momentum in real time. The more healthy habits you build, the happier and more energized Yelo becomes. Skip your habits and watch Yelo struggle. It's the visual motivation you didn't know you needed. 28-DAY FOCUS RESET CHALLENGE Take the 28-day challenge to build lasting focus habits: β€’ Daily streaks that keep you accountable β€’ Weekly progress reports β€” see your screen time drop β€’ Milestone rewards for consistency β€’ Before vs. after comparison charts FEATURES β€’ Smart App Blocking β€” block distracting apps β€’ Brain Credits System β€” earn credits through healthy activities β€’ Yelo Mascot β€” watch your progress visualized β€’ 28-Day Challenges β€” structured programs for lasting change β€’ Streak Tracking β€” build momentum with daily streaks β€’ Weekly Reports β€” compare your screen time week over week β€’ Activity Timer β€” time meditation, reading, exercise and more β€’ 30+ Languages β€” fully localized experience THE APPROACH Control Dopamine draws on behavioral psychology principles β€” variable reward schedules, commitment devices, and habit stacking β€” to help you reduce aimless scrolling and build healthier screen-time patterns. SIMPLE PRICING New subscribers start with a 3-day free trial. Then keep going with the plan that fits you β€” weekly, monthly, or yearly. Your local price is shown before you subscribe. Cancel anytime in your subscription settings. PRIVACY FIRST Your data stays on your device. We don't sell your information, track your browsing, or share data with advertisers. Your journey to digital wellness is private. Less scrolling. More controlling. Start your plan today and take back your focus. Terms of Use: https://controldopamine.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://controldopamine.com/privacy

About

Screen Time Control

Features
Read full description

Pausi helps you take control of long screen sessions with smart breaks, app limits, and simple usage insights. Instead of only tracking total screen time, Pausi focuses on continuous usage. Choose the apps you want to monitor, set your preferred session limit, and Pausi steps in when it is time to pause. Whether you want better digital balance for yourself or a healthier screen routine for your child, Pausi makes screen breaks easier to manage. Key Features β€’ Smart Break Reminders β€” Set how long an app can be used before a break is required. β€’ App-Based Monitoring β€” Choose specific apps or categories you want Pausi to watch. β€’ Break Duration Control β€” Decide how long each break should last before usage can continue. β€’ Usage Insights β€” See simple statistics that help you understand screen habits over time. β€’ For Families and Individuals β€” Use Pausi for yourself or as part of your child’s screen time routine. Why Pausi? Long, uninterrupted screen sessions are easy to miss. Pausi helps create natural stopping points, so screen time becomes more intentional and easier to manage. Start building healthier screen habits, one pause at a time. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://pausi.app/privacypolicy

Screenshots

Control Dopamine4 screens
Screen Time Control4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Control Dopamine at none against Screen Time Control's 6. On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Both are free to download. Screen Time Control sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days. Control Dopamine asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on September 11, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference Β· 7 level
Control Dopamine versus Screen Time Control: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterControl DopamineScreen Time Control
PriceFreeFree
Positive reviews0.0% of reviewsβ€”
Update frequencyEvery 5 daysEvery 5 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo β€” betterYes
MonetizationSubscriptionβ€”
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad β€” better
Requires iOS17.0 β€” better17.4
Further details β€” not scored
Size73 MB30 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGH SERVICOS DIGITAIS LTDAHakan Onder

In-app purchases

None

Control Dopamine

No in-app purchases

6 purchases

Screen Time Control

Subscriptions6
  • Pausi Pro$0.997 Days
  • Pausi Pro$1.997 Days
  • Pausi Pro$2.991 Month
Show 3 more
  • Pausi Pro$4.991 Month
  • Pausi Pro7 Days trial$14.991 Year
  • Pausi Pro7 Days trial$19.991 Year

Questions

Is Control Dopamine free?
Control Dopamine is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Screen Time Control free?
Screen Time Control is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Control Dopamine or Screen Time Control have ads?
Neither Control Dopamine nor Screen Time Control shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Control Dopamine or Screen Time Control?
Control Dopamine ships an update every 5 days, and Screen Time Control every 5 days. Most recently, Control Dopamine was updated on September 11, 2026 and Screen Time Control on September 19, 2026.

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