Comparison

Control Dopamine vs Mialera

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — 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 — 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 — Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat, Reddit, X (Twitter), Facebook, and more. Then earn "brain credits" by doing activities that actually make you feel good: • Meditation & mindfulness sessions • Reading real books • Exercise & walking • Journaling & reflection • Time in nature Spend your earned credits to temporarily unlock blocked apps. You stay in control — your brain gets the break it needs. MEET YELO — 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: • Daily streaks that keep you accountable • Weekly progress reports — see your screen time drop • Milestone rewards for consistency • Before vs. after comparison charts FEATURES • Smart App Blocking — block distracting apps • Brain Credits System — earn credits through healthy activities • Yelo Mascot — watch your progress visualized • 28-Day Challenges — structured programs for lasting change • Streak Tracking — build momentum with daily streaks • Weekly Reports — compare your screen time week over week • Activity Timer — time meditation, reading, exercise and more THE APPROACH Control Dopamine draws on behavioral psychology principles — variable reward schedules, commitment devices, and habit stacking — to help you reduce aimless scrolling and build healthier screen-time patterns. SIMPLE PRICING Choose a monthly or annual subscription. Free trial offers depend on the plan, region and eligibility, and are shown before purchase. Your local price and renewal terms are shown before purchase. Subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled in your App Store 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

Mialera

This app enforces screen time limits by locking specified applications once the allotted time is reached. It utilizes the device's built-in screen time API, offering a straightforward way to manage app usage without ads or account creation. The free plan provides unlimited access to its core features.

Highlights
  • App time limits
  • App locking
  • Screen time API integration
  • No ads
  • No account required
  • Free plan
Features
Read full description

Instagram closes at 2 hours of use. And stays closed. Mialera is not one more hour counter — it closes what you asked it to close, using the iPhone's Screen Time API. You choose how much time each app gets. When it runs out, Bento closes it — and the block screen has no unlock button. Terms of Use: https://mialera.app/en/termos.html

Screenshots

Control Dopamine4 screens
Mialera4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Mialera at none against Control Dopamine's 4. Control Dopamine's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 2 days vs every 11 days). On price, review sentiment, device support and iOS requirement 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. Control Dopamine sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days. Mialera asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Control Dopamine ships an update every 2 days, Mialera every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Control Dopamine versus Mialera: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterControl DopamineMialera
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (7 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews81.8% of reviews — better75.0% of reviews
Number of ratings7 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 days — betterEvery 11 days
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationSubscriptionFree — better
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS17.016.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size85 MB92 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGH SERVICOS DIGITAIS LTDAGabriel de Borba

Customer experience

Control Dopamine

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews11 reviews
Positive81.8%
Neutral0.0%
Negative18.2%

Mialera

Written reviews8 reviews
Positive75.0%
Neutral12.5%
Negative12.5%

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Control Dopamine

Subscriptions4
  • ControlDopamine Pro Weekly$6.997 Days
  • ControlDopamine Pro Monthly$14.991 Month
  • Annual Welcome Offer$14.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • ControlDopamine Pro Yearly3 Days trial$49.991 Year
None

Mialera

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Control Dopamine free?
Control Dopamine is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Mialera free?
Mialera is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Control Dopamine or Mialera have ads?
Mialera shows ads; Control Dopamine does not.
Which is updated more often, Control Dopamine or Mialera?
Control Dopamine ships an update every 2 days, and Mialera every 11 days. Most recently, Control Dopamine was updated on October 28, 2026 and Mialera on October 24, 2026.

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