Comparison

For You Control vs Fluid Friction

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

Head to head
About

For You Control

Features
Read full description

For You Control is a lightweight Safari extension that hides the "For You" tab on X (formerly Twitter) and automatically switches to your Following timeline. No algorithms, no distractions — just the posts from people you actually follow. Features: - Hides the For You tab on X.com - Auto-switches to your Following timeline - Simple on/off toggle from the Safari toolbar - No data collected — everything runs locally on your device Works on iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

About

Fluid Friction

This app introduces deliberate friction to your scrolling habits, making mindless consumption a conscious choice. It offers customizable shields for apps and websites, NFC tag integration for physical access control, and a unique alarm system to start your day without immediate digital distraction.

Highlights
  • Customizable scroll friction
  • App and website blocking
  • NFC tag integration
  • Intentional alarm system
  • Calm shields with cooldowns
  • Focus timer and Pomodoro sessions
  • Calm Score and weekly recaps
Features
Read full description

Block Reels, Shorts and For You, and keep your messages. Every feed blocker in Fluid Friction is free. Then go further: open Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Reddit, X, Snapchat, Facebook or LinkedIn inside Fluid Friction, or add any website you choose, and the feed pushes back. Fluid rises from the edge of the screen against your thumb. Drag through it until a bubble forms and rises off the screen. Only then does the next post arrive. Cross the threshold on purpose, or set the phone down. It doesn't shame you. It just makes you mean it. WHY IT WORKS Infinite feeds run on autopilot. Fluid Friction slips one deliberate moment between you and the scroll, so doomscrolling becomes a decision instead of a reflex. The friction lives inside the scroll itself. Dial it from gentle to intense, set scroll limits per app, and let YouTube friction fire on Shorts only. CALM SHIELDS FOR YOUR OTHER APPS Block any native app, or a website, with Screen Time. Instead of a wall of shame you get a calm, warm screen, a clear count of the opens you chose to keep, a cooldown between opens, and a breathing, math or passphrase moment before you go in. Timed sessions count down right in the Dynamic Island and the shield returns when time is up. One toggle also blocks adult websites. Strict when you ask for it, dignified always. KEEP THE CHATS, SKIP THE RABBIT HOLE Hide Reels, Shorts, Stories, Explore and For You while messages keep working. Open apps to a calmer landing page, follow only the people you chose, hide recommendations and comments on YouTube, or go grayscale across every feed. Multiple accounts with separate sessions are built in, so the calmer way is also the comfortable way. TAP & SCAN Turn any NFC tag you already own into a physical key (NFC on iPhone): a sticker, a card, even a transit pass. Tap to lock your distracting apps, tap to release them, or require a scan to unlock a shield. No extra hardware to buy; a QR code or a barcode in your kitchen works too. WAKE UP WITHOUT THE FEED An alarm that ends with a scan, not a scroll. Dismiss it with your tag or a barcode across the room, answer a quick wake challenge, and let a morning block hold the feeds until you are up. Wind down at night, track your wake streak, and earn 25 honest milestones. On iOS 26 the alarm rings like the built-in clock; on earlier versions it alerts through notifications. SEE YOURSELF CLEARLY A Calm Score reflects how your scrolling actually went. Real Screen Time numbers, weekly recaps, and tailored suggestions you can apply with one tap, like a schedule for the hour that always gets you. FOCUS WHEN IT COUNTS Focus timer, Pomodoro sessions, and a Focus Bank that turns focused minutes into earned, deliberate breaks. Breaks keep the feeds blocked by default, and the countdown lives in the Dynamic Island. ON IPAD AND APPLE WATCH Fluid Friction now runs natively on iPad, with calm feeds, shields and insights laid out for the bigger screen. On iPad, your key is a QR code or a barcode. On Apple Watch, start a focus session, lock your apps now, see and set your alarms, and keep your wake streak. The blocking itself runs on your iPhone. MAKE IT YOURS 91 bubble themes, from aurora to plasma, with mystery unlocks and matching app icons. Home screen widgets too, including a minimalist launcher that routes tempting apps through the wave. PRIVATE AND FAIR No ads. No tracking. Your usage stays on your device. Every tool is free: the friction, the shields, the alarm, the insights. Fluid Pro, if you ever want it, unlocks themes and comfort extras like dark mode, with a 7 day free trial. MADE BY TWIN BROTHERS We're Manfred and Gustav. We built Fluid Friction because we needed it ourselves, and we kept the parts that matter calm, honest and respectful of your attention. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://fluidfriction.app/ios/privacy Terms of Service: https://fluidfriction.app/ios/terms

Screenshots

For You Control3 screens
Fluid Friction4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: For You Control at none against Fluid Friction's 2. For You Control also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads 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. Fluid Friction sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. For You Control asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
For You Control versus Fluid Friction: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFor You ControlFluid Friction
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.6 (20 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—85.7% of reviews
Number of ratings—20 — better
Update frequency—Every 10 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Freemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch
Requires iOS15.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size2 MB103 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperBora OdabasiGustav Mtenji Bergdal Mjengwa

In-app purchases

None

For You Control

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Fluid Friction

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly7 Days trial$4.991 Month
  • Annual7 Days trial$39.991 Year

Questions

Is For You Control free?
For You Control is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Fluid Friction free?
Fluid Friction is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do For You Control or Fluid Friction have ads?
Neither For You Control nor Fluid Friction shows ads.

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