Screen Time Control vs Pushbuddy
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Screen Time Control
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Focus better. Scroll less. Take back control with Ocus. Ocus is a powerful focus and screen time app designed to help you stay productive, reduce distractions, and build healthier digital habits. Whether you're studying, working, reading, or simply trying to spend less time on distracting apps, Ocus gives you flexible tools to stay in control. Simple to set up and easy to use, Ocus helps you focus on what matters most. Key Features - Block distracting apps and websites instantly - Create deep focus sessions with custom schedules - Set app usage goals and intentional unlock limits - Pause before opening distracting apps - Reduce endless scrolling with smart interruptions - Customise focus rules by time and day - Stay motivated with streaks and productivity tracking - Lock settings to prevent bypassing restrictions - Minimal, fast, and privacy-friendly experience Ocus is built for students, creators, professionals, and anyone looking to improve focus and reduce screen time. Subscription & Pricing Some features may require an active subscription. Subscriptions automatically renew unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current billing period. You can manage or cancel your subscription anytime from your Apple ID account settings after purchase. Pricing may vary by region. Privacy Policy Ocus is designed with privacy in mind. We do not sell your personal data to third parties. Any analytics or diagnostic information collected is used only to improve app performance, reliability, and user experience. For more information, please review our Privacy Policy: https://swiftybrains.com/privacy-policy/ Terms & Conditions By using Ocus, you agree to our Terms of Use and End User License Agreement. Terms & Conditions: https://swiftybrains.com/terms-of-use/ Contact Support Need help, found a bug, or have a feature request? Contact us anytime: contact.swiftybrains@gmail.com
Pushbuddy
This app helps you break free from time-wasting applications by requiring physical activity or focused work to regain access. It tracks your progress and provides insights into your usage patterns, all while keeping your data private.
- Block any app, category, or website
- Earn access time through exercises (push-ups, squats, jumping jacks)
- Earn access time through focused work
- On-device pose detection for rep counting
- Tracks time spent in locked apps
- Privacy-focused with no account required
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Pushbuddy blocks the apps that eat your day. To get them back, you do something real. Pick what you lose hours to. Pushbuddy shields it. The shield lifts only when you have earned minutes — and minutes come from push-ups, squats, jumping jacks, a walk, or focused work. HOW IT WORKS 1. Choose what to block — any app, any category, any website. 2. Earn minutes with a habit. Your camera counts the reps on device. 3. Spend them: 15, 30 or 60 minutes. The shield returns when time is up. WHAT A HABIT BUYS • 10 push-ups — 15 minutes • 15 squats — 15 minutes • 30 jumping jacks — 15 minutes • 1,000 steps — 10 minutes • 25 minutes of focus — 25 minutes, one to one. Work never buys more scrolling than it cost. • 240 minutes a day, hard cap. You cannot bank a whole day and defeat the point. Lock early and the unused minutes come back to you. Changing your mind is not punished. SEE WHERE YOUR TIME GOES • Time in locked apps, today by the hour and this week by the day — tap any bar for the exact time. • How often you reached for a locked app this month, and whether it is falling. • Every push-up, squat, step and focused minute you have put in. REPS ARE COUNTED, NOT CLAIMED On-device pose detection watches you move, so the phone has to actually see the work. No video is recorded, saved or uploaded. Steps come from your iPhone's own motion sensor. YOUR DATA STAYS YOURS No account, ever. Camera frames are processed live and never recorded or uploaded. Pushbuddy never learns which apps you picked. The only thing that leaves is anonymous usage counts — no advertising ID, no profile. PRICE Free for 7 days with everything unlocked. Then one payment, once. No subscription, nothing to cancel. Pushbuddy uses Screen Time permission to shield your apps, and hands them back on your terms.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Pushbuddy at every 4 days against Screen Time Control's every 2 weeks. Screen Time Control's advantage is device support (4 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On price, ads and in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Screen Time Control sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and Pushbuddy sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Screen Time Control ships an update every 2 weeks, Pushbuddy every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Screen Time Control | Pushbuddy |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 5.0 (3 ratings) — better |
| Number of ratings | — | 3 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Every 4 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 52 MB | 8 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Swifty Brains LLP | Dhruwang Jariwala |
In-app purchases
Screen Time Control
- Ocus Pro3 Days trial$4.997 Days
- Ocus Pro$6.991 Month
- OCUS Pro$19.991 Year
Pushbuddy
- Pushbuddy Lifetime$9.99









