Comparison

Promise vs Fried

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

Head to head
About

Promise

This app helps you reduce screen time and digital distractions with playful app blocking and focus routines. It features a cute companion that keeps you accountable, offering gentle warnings before blocking access to distracting applications.

Highlights
  • Block distracting apps
  • Reduce screen time
  • Set app limits
  • Focus routines
  • Soft warnings before blocks
  • Track screen time and usage
  • Build healthier phone habits
Read full description

Social media apps are designed to keep you scrolling. Promise helps you reduce screen time with playful app blocking, focus routines, and a cute companion who keeps you accountable. Set limits for distracting apps like TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, games, or any app you want to use less. When you try to open a blocked app, Promise gives you a gentle pause before you continue. You can take a short break — or break your promise and watch your companion’s happiness drop. Promise is more than a screen time tracker or app blocker. It makes screen time control feel personal, visual, and motivating. Features: • Block distracting apps • Reduce screen time and doomscrolling • Set app limits and focus routines • Get soft warnings before hard blocks • Break the heart to unlock apps intentionally • Track screen time, phone pickups, and app usage • Build streaks and healthier phone habits • Choose cute companions like Whiskers, Mochi, or Capy Perfect for: • Reducing phone addiction • Spending less time on social media • Staying focused while studying or working • Building better digital wellbeing habits • Turning app blocking into something you actually care about Make a promise. Protect your companion. Take back your screen time.

About

Fried

This app helps you reduce phone usage by blocking distracting applications and setting daily limits. It offers focus sessions, smart scheduling, and insights into your screen time habits, all while keeping a playful companion happy.

Highlights
  • Block distracting apps
  • Set daily limits
  • Focus sessions
  • Smart schedules
  • Screen time insights
  • Focus companion
Features
Read full description

Stop losing hours to your phone. Fried is a playful screen time control app that helps you spend less time scrolling and more time living. Block distracting apps, set limits that actually stick, and keep Pebble happy while you stay focused. Less scrolling. More life. What you get: • Block distracting apps before they steal your attention • Daily limits that help you spend less time on your phone • Focus sessions for work, school, studying, and deep work • Smart schedules for bedtime, mornings, and daily routines • Gentle reminders before you go over your limits • Screen time insights to track your progress • Pebble, your tiny focus companion, who reacts to your habits PRIVATE & SECURE Fried uses Apple's Screen Time API to block apps and manage screen time directly on your device. Your data stays on your device and is never sold or shared. Some features require a subscription. Terms of Service: https://app.notion.com/p/Terms-of-Service-382e65a7343180e9a443da1aeb2abf9b?source=copy_link Privacy Policy: https://app.notion.com/p/Fried-Privacy-Policy-382e65a7343180a48fd7d604ca50fe82?source=copy_link

Screenshots

Promise4 screens
Fried4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Promise at none against Fried's 2. Promise also leads on iOS requirement (18.6 vs 26.0). Fried's advantage is ratings volume (3 vs 1). On price, rating, update cadence and ads 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. Fried sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Promise asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Promise against 5.0 for Fried. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 3 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 5 level
Promise versus Fried: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPromiseFried
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (3 ratings)
Number of ratings13 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 daysEvery 3 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.6 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size33 MB111 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJAKUB ELIASCarter Clark

Customer experience

Promise

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Fried

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Promise

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Fried

Subscriptions2
  • Fried Premium Monthly$9.991 Month
  • Fried Premium Yearly7 Days trial$49.991 Year

Questions

Is Promise free?
Promise is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Fried free?
Fried is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Promise or Fried?
Promise and Fried are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 3 ratings respectively.
Do Promise or Fried have ads?
Neither Promise nor Fried shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Promise or Fried?
Promise ships an update every 3 days, and Fried every 3 days. Most recently, Promise was updated on September 30, 2026 and Fried on October 4, 2026.

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