GoldTime Shield vs Phone Break

GoldTime is a screen time management app that helps you pause before opening apps out of habit. Group the apps you tend to get lost in—social media, videos, games, and more—and choose how you want to block them. When you reach a set limit, the app is locked, prompting you to consciously decide whether to keep using it or stop. There are three blocking modes: • Daily Limit Set a daily usage limit. Your available time decreases based on how long you actually use the apps. • Scheduled Blocking Block selected apps during specific times of the day. • Cooldown Lock Use an app for a while, then have it locked so you can take a short break. When you reach your limit, the choices are simple: • Stop using the app • Use it for just 1 more minute • Watch an ad for additional time GoldTime isn’t designed to block apps unconditionally. It adds a small cost to the choice of continuing, turning mindless use into a conscious decision. Key Features • Manage up to 5 groups and 49 apps • Organize apps into custom groups such as social media, videos, and games • Daily limits, scheduled blocking, and cooldown locks • Set different daily-limit, scheduled-blocking, and cooldown rules for each day of the week • Limits that decrease based on actual app usage • Lock screen displayed when a limit is reached • Choose to stop, extend by 1 minute, or watch an ad for more time • Review usage trends with weekly and monthly records • Track ad-free days and time spent beyond your limits GoldTime’s goal isn’t to show you more ads. If you close the app without watching one, you’ve won the day. Time is gold. Don’t just spend it—make it count.

Phone Break helps you create space from the apps you use more than you intend. Choose the apps, categories, or websites you want to pause. YOUR LIMITS, YOUR WAY • Take a timed break for 15, 30, or 60 minutes. • Set a combined daily limit from 15 to 480 minutes. • Set daily limits for individual apps from 5 to 480 minutes. • Block selected items on specific days and hours, including overnight schedules. • Pause for 5, 8, or 10 seconds on each app open (requires an app-opening automation in Shortcuts). • Choose whether to continue or close after each additional 30 minutes of use counted after enabling usage breaks. • In Strict Mode, active timed breaks, scheduled blocking, and reached daily limits cannot be changed or disabled inside the app until they end. • Standard Mode offers one five-minute grace period per day for the combined daily cap, with automatic relock. • See Screen Time suggestions and compare the last seven completed days with the seven before them. Rules work together. Continuing from a pause never removes daily caps or scheduled blocking. For Pause on each open, create a Shortcuts App automation, select Is Opened and Run Immediately, then add Phone Break’s Pause When App Opens action. A step-by-step guide is included in the app. Elapsed clock time alone no longer brings back the opening pause. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Individual app names and usage details are displayed inside Apple's protected Device Activity Report. Selection tokens, restriction settings, and break state stay on your device. There are no accounts, ads, analytics SDKs, external servers, or cloud sync. Screen Time authorization is required. You can revoke access in iPhone Settings or delete the app. Phone Break is a digital wellbeing tool, not a medical product, diagnosis, or treatment.