# Tempo vs Pause

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Tempo at none against Pause's 2. Tempo also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 3 weeks). Pause's advantage is ratings volume (9 vs 1). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Pause sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Tempo asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Tempo against 5.0 for Pause. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pause has 9 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Tempo ships an update every 4 days, Pause every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Tempo | Pause |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tempo-screen-time-guard/id6774021443/reviews) | [5.0 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pause-doom-scrolling-blocker/id6781665628/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **9** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 29 MB | 23 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Harry Yuan](https://appshunter.io/developer/1738692027) | [Carlos Velasquez](https://appshunter.io/developer/1814581124) |

## What reviewers say

### Tempo

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tempo-screen-time-guard/id6774021443)

This app encourages intentional screen time by prompting mindful pauses before opening distracting applications. It helps users notice their digital habits, build better routines, and track progress through clear daily and weekly patterns.

**Highlights:** Mindful pause prompts, Habit tracking, Progress visualization, Routine building, Shame-free approach

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Pause

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pause-doom-scrolling-blocker/id6781665628)

This app inserts a brief puzzle before you open selected apps, creating a moment of intentionality to reduce mindless scrolling. It offers various puzzles and a premium version for ad removal and full puzzle access.

**Highlights:** Puzzle before app access, Reduces mindless scrolling, Nine calming puzzle types, Customizable app blocking, Intentional use timer, Premium ad-free option

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pause Premium (Monthly) | $4.99 | per month |
| Pause Premium (Annual) | $49.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Tempo free?

Tempo is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Pause free?

Pause is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Tempo or Pause?

Tempo and Pause are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 9 ratings respectively.

### Do Tempo or Pause have ads?

Both Tempo and Pause show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Tempo or Pause?

Tempo ships an update every 4 days, and Pause every 3 weeks. Most recently, Tempo was updated on October 31, 2026 and Pause on November 5, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*