Comparison

Bounded Focus vs Whittle

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

Head to head
About

Bounded Focus

Features
Read full description

Most app blockers fail because you can dismiss them in one tap. Bounded Focus uses Apple Screen Time, so a block actually holds. It survives a force quit, a restart, and a reinstall. Block the apps that pull you in, cut your screen time, and get your focus back. Built for ADHD brains and anyone tired of losing hours to endless scrolling. BLOCK DISTRACTING APPS Pick the apps and websites that pull you in, social media, games, video, news, and block them on demand or automatically. No more opening Instagram on autopilot. SCHEDULES THAT RUN THEMSELVES Ready made routines like Sleep mode, Work hours, Deep work, and Study session block the right apps at the right times, every day, without you lifting a finger. GROW A FOCUS STREAK Every day you respect your blocks, your garden grows and your streak goes up. A gentle, rewarding way to build the habit, because progress should feel good, not like punishment. SEE YOUR REAL SCREEN TIME A clear breakdown of where your hours actually go, so you can decide what to cut. Your usage stays private, on your device. MADE FOR ADHD No shame, no guilt, no nagging. Grace tokens forgive a slip, so one rough day never breaks your streak. Friction and a calm design help you pause before you doomscroll. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Blocking runs through Apple Screen Time. We never see what you do in your apps. Your data stays on your device. WHY PEOPLE STAY People use Bounded Focus to study, to do deep work, to sleep better, to be present with family, and to finally take their attention back from apps that are designed to keep them hooked. Reclaim your time. Download Bounded Focus and start your first focus streak today. Bounded Pro is an auto-renewable subscription, with a monthly plan and a yearly plan that includes a 7-day free trial. Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase. The subscription renews automatically unless it is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel anytime in your Apple Account settings. Terms of Use: https://boundedfocus.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://boundedfocus.com/privacy

About

Whittle

Read full description

Measuring is free. Whittle counts a week of your own screen time on the apps you choose, then gives you one number: your daily average. Whittle Pro lowers that number by 8% a week, over twelve weeks by default. Once today's minutes are used, a pause appears in front of the apps you chose. One tap on Open anyway lifts it. A pause, not a lock. HOW IT WORKS 1. Pick the apps that take your time. 2. Whittle measures for a week. Nothing changes while it counts. 3. After a week you get one number, say 82 minutes a day. 4. With Whittle Pro, each week's daily target is 8% lower: 82, then 75, then 69. Eighty-two minutes a day becomes about thirty after twelve weeks. A few minutes at a time, small enough not to feel. FREE Measuring your week, and your number. Today's minutes, and your history. No account, no payment. WHITTLE PRO A daily target that falls 8% a week. The pace and the length of the program are yours to change. Once today's minutes are used, a pause in front of the apps you chose. Open anyway lifts it with one tap. It may ask again later that day. On Sunday, next week's target. A widget that counts down what is left today. If a week felt steep, hold the same target one more week. Don't want to wait a week? Start today from a limit you choose. ABOUT THE PAUSE While a pause is up, iOS may hold back notifications from those apps, so messaging apps like WhatsApp are best left off the list. You can turn the pause off in Whittle's settings; your minutes are still counted. WHAT IT WON'T DO No red. No streaks to lose. No badges, no confetti, no comparison with anyone else. WHAT YOU GET BACK 82 minutes a day is 20 days a year. Twelve weeks later it's about seven. PRIVATE BY DEFAULT No account. No login. No analytics. Your minutes stay on the phone that measured them, unless you send a report yourself with Share diagnostics. The subscription is the one thing that talks to the outside, and it never carries a minute with it. NOTIFICATIONS A note when your number is ready. Then one each Sunday: your week, and with Whittle Pro, next week's target. No sound. SUBSCRIPTION Whittle Pro is an auto-renewable subscription, yearly or monthly. If you are eligible, the first 7 days are free; the price for your country is shown before you confirm. It renews automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Cancel anytime in Settings. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: http://mustafaemir.com/whittle/privacy.html

Screenshots

Bounded Focus4 screens
Whittle4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Whittle at none against Bounded Focus's 2. On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. Bounded Focus sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whittle asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference ยท 5 level
Bounded Focus versus Whittle: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBounded FocusWhittle
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 2 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo โ€” better
DevicesiPhone, iPad โ€” betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.016.4 โ€” better
Further details โ€” not scored
Size86 MB46 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDedaldev DooMUSTAFA EMIR

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Bounded Focus

Subscriptions2
  • Bounded Pro Monthly$9.991 Month
  • Bounded Pro Yearly7 Days trial$49.991 Year
None

Whittle

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Bounded Focus free?
Bounded Focus is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Whittle free?
Whittle is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Bounded Focus or Whittle have ads?
Neither Bounded Focus nor Whittle shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Bounded Focus or Whittle?
Bounded Focus ships an update every 2 weeks, and Whittle every 2 weeks. Most recently, Bounded Focus was updated on October 25, 2026 and Whittle on October 17, 2026.

Other comparisons