MinT vs StartKind

MinT is not a Pomodoro timer, or another timer that starts after you have already decided to focus. It is an app blocker built to help you quit using your phone on autopilot. A Pomodoro asks you to decide, “I am starting now.” A regular timer only tells you how much time has passed. But the moment that trips many of us up happens earlier: Before you have formed a thought, your hand has already opened a short-video, social, shopping, or news app. By the time you notice, ten minutes are gone and the thing you meant to start is still waiting. That is the moment MinT protects. It creates a small but real space between your finger and the feed, giving awareness time to catch up. Remember why you picked up your phone, then choose: open with a purpose or stop here. HOW AN APP OPEN BECOMES A CHOICE AGAIN Choose the app that pulls you in most easily. The next time you open it, Apple's Screen Time shield catches the action before the feed appears. It shows today's opening and usage context so you can recognize the impulse. If you really need the app, choose a clear amount of time and turn the ring clockwise. Finish the ritual and MinT opens a temporary access window. When the time ends, protection returns automatically. Halfway through, you may realize, “I do not actually want to scroll. I just do not want to face what is in front of me.” Open Tasks instead and carry that existing momentum into one smaller, easier first action. That is what awareness means in MinT. It is not a message telling you to use your phone less. It is the feeling of having a choice again at the exact moment an impulse occurs. WHY A RING YOU HAVE TO TURN Ordinary pop-ups quickly become muscle memory: appear, dismiss, continue. MinT's ring asks for a continuous physical action. One-way rotation removes extra decisions, while tactile feedback gives restless fingers somewhere else to land. You do not need to be fast or perfect. Briefly lifting your finger does not erase all your effort. There is no puzzle or lecture, only a moment of being present. If you are restless, easily distracted, or recognize ADHD traits in yourself, stillness can be a burden. MinT lets the body move first, then brings awareness back. QUIT THE MOMENT YOU “COME TO” AFTER TEN MINUTES OF SCROLLING MinT does not demand that you never watch another short video, or pretend every kind of entertainment is wrong. You can enter with a purpose, decide how long you need, or change your mind when awareness returns. Over time, the habit you are breaking is not just one app. It is the automatic path of opening without choosing. MinT keeps that awareness with you through: • Countdowns, Live Activities, and Dynamic Island keep remaining time visible. • Halfway reminders bring back the purpose of the open. • Fixed-time or Screen Time usage modes restore protection by time or actual usage. • Per-app controls set the ritual, duration, and intervention strength. • Progressive pressure can make repeated opens require more effort. • Free Start uses the ring without opening a protected app. • Deep Focus keeps protected apps locked for a chosen period. • Tasks turn a reminder, event, or personal prompt into one small next step. • Local insights separate access-window time from actual usage. • Gentle nudges and quiet themes reduce stimulation and shame. If you often know what to do but cannot begin; if your hand regularly moves faster than your mind; if limits, reminders, and timers have not stopped the automatic open, MinT is designed for that missing moment of awareness. The free version protects one app. MinT Pro unlocks multiple protected apps, full personalization, and advanced on-device insights. MinT does not diagnose or treat ADHD and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Quitting mindless phone use does not have to be a war with yourself. Before the next open, let awareness return. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Starting is the hard part. StartKind is for adults whose difficulty isn't knowing what to do — it's beginning. You say or type the messy thing in your head, and you get back one small action you can start right now. Not a plan. Not a list. One step. WHAT IT DOES • One next step — Speak or type "I have a stack of unopened mail and a bill I keep avoiding" and get a concrete first action with a clear place to stop. • A timer that expects you to stop — 5, 10, 15 or 25 minutes, with a stop condition so finishing is defined and small. • No-shame outcomes — Done, partial, or "I got interrupted" all lead somewhere kind. Nothing is scored. Nothing is lost. • I'm stuck — One tap turns whatever you're avoiding into something smaller. • Recovery — Paused work comes back with a note about where you were, so returning doesn't mean starting over. • Patterns — A quiet summary of when starting has actually worked for you. Observations, not grades. • Co-start — Work alongside a friend for 25 minutes with a six-digit code, or start quietly on your own. WHAT IT DOESN'T DO No streaks. No overdue piles. No badges, no guilt, no productivity scores. Missing a day costs you nothing. PRIVACY Your history lives in your own iCloud and syncs across your devices. There is no account, no email, no password. When you ask for a next step, what you typed passes through our server to our AI provider to write it. We don't store that text, and we keep no copy of your history. FREE Five next steps a day, the full timer, recovery, patterns, templates, widgets, the share extension, and one Admin Quick Start a day. STARTKIND PLUS Unlimited next steps, unlimited Admin Quick Starts for bills and letters, deeper calibration, unlimited recovery, and unlimited co-start rooms with friends. $9.99/month or $89.99/year. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the period ends. Manage or cancel in your App Store account settings. StartKind is not a medical device and does not diagnose, treat, or cure ADHD or any health condition. For diagnosis, medication, or treatment decisions, consult a qualified clinician. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://startk.livepet.ren/privacy.html