# BlockRot vs Nova

The clearest difference is update cadence: BlockRot at daily against Nova's every 4 days. Nova's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On price, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. BlockRot sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per 7 days and Nova sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $7.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

BlockRot ships an update daily, Nova every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | BlockRot | Nova |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (510 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blockrot-screen-time-control/id6761429056/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **510** | — |
| Positive reviews | 62.1% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Daily** | Every 4 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 241 MB | 11 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Matthew Heester](https://appshunter.io/developer/1834464869) | [Nicholas Estevez](https://appshunter.io/developer/6784472564) |

## What reviewers say

### BlockRot

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blockrot-screen-time-control/id6761429056)

This app helps users break free from phone addiction and reclaim focus by rewarding healthy real-life habits with screen time. It uses a unique gem system and a virtual companion to motivate users to build discipline and reverse the effects of excessive digital consumption.

**Highlights:** Rot Gems system for earning screen time, Penguin companion for motivation, Photo-based task verification, 30+ healthy habit tasks, App blocking via Apple Screen Time, Private and secure by default

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Weekly | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium Yearly | $24.99 | per year |
| Premium Yearly | $24.99 | per year |
| Premium Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| Premium Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| Premium Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| Premium Yearly | $49.99 | per year |
| Premium Yearly | $49.99 | per year |
| Premium Yearly | $79.99 | per year |
| Premium Yearly | $79.99 | per year |


### Nova

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nova-life-os/id6784472562)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Nova Pro | $7.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is BlockRot free?

BlockRot is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Nova free?

Nova is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do BlockRot or Nova have ads?

Neither BlockRot nor Nova shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, BlockRot or Nova?

BlockRot ships an update daily, and Nova every 4 days. Most recently, BlockRot was updated on October 28, 2026 and Nova on October 24, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*