Comparison

Instead vs Couples Game

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

Head to head
About

Instead

This app offers a curated menu of real-life activities to help you break the habit of excessive scrolling. It suggests small, engaging tasks based on your available time and mood, promoting mindfulness and intentional downtime.

Highlights
  • Personalized activity suggestions
  • Time-based activity filtering
  • Mood-based activity filtering
  • Customizable activity menu
  • Streak tracking
  • Weekly statistics
Features
Read full description

Instead is a menu of things you'd rather do than scroll. You never decide to lose an hour to your phone — it just happens. Instead fixes the moment right before that. When the urge to scroll hits, it hands you one small, real-life thing to do instead, sized to the time and energy you actually have. Think of it like a restaurant menu for your free minutes: • Starters (1–5 min) — easy wins: step outside, splash cold water, three slow breaths • Mains (10–30 min) — the good stuff: a real walk, ten pages of a book, make the call • Desserts — quick joy, not junk: one loud song, pet an animal, watch the sky Instead requires a paid subscription to unlock its content. New users get a 3-day free trial, after which the subscription auto-renews unless cancelled. WHY IT WORKS When the urge to scroll hits, you don't make good decisions. So you decide now, while you're calm. You build your own menu in about two minutes, and Instead serves it back to you exactly when you need it — no willpower required. HOW IT WORKS • Tell Instead your mood and how much time you have - it filters the menu to what fits this exact moment • Tap "Surprise me" and let it choose for you • Finish it, build a streak, and watch your screen-free habit grow • Add, edit, and personalize your own activities anytime • See your weekly stats and history INSTEAD IS FOR YOU IF YOU WANT TO • Cut your screen time and stop doomscrolling • Break a phone or social-media habit - without an app blocker nagging you • Try a gentler digital detox or dopamine detox • Be more present, mindful, and intentional with your downtime • Find quick things to do instead of reaching for your phone Instead isn't another screen-time blocker or app limit that just tells you "no." It gives you a better "yes" - a personal, curated list of analog, offline, real-life things that leave you feeling better than a feed ever could. Instead offers an auto-renewable subscription: monthly and yearly Includes a 3-day free trial for new subscribers. Payment is charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase. The subscription auto-renews unless cancelled before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel anytime in your Apple account settings. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Couples Game

Features
Read full description

CouplesQuiz is more than a quiz night. It's a game for two on one phone, with a daily check-in and a guided space for the harder conversations. You start for free, with no accounts and no second device. Pass the phone back and forth, guess what the other one will say, then see how close you were. No accounts, no second device, no signal needed. EVERY DAY - A daily question and a shared streak - A mood check-in, just for you - Little notes you write for each other and keep FOR AN EVENING IN - How well do you know each other: one guesses, the other answers for real - Truth or Dare - Who Am I? One of you knows, the other has to guess WHEN IT GETS HARDER - Difficult Conversation, guided step by step - Mini-courses on talking to each other - Badges and memories that stay WHAT IS FREE AND WHAT IS NOT The daily question, the check-in, the notes and the core quizzes are free, with no time limit. Premium unlocks every quiz type, full-evening games, deeper questions, Difficult Conversation and the mini-courses. One subscription, yearly or monthly, for one phone, which means for both of you. Prices and terms are shown in the app. Separately, the Hot Pack adds 100 bolder questions as a one-time purchase you keep forever. Subscriptions renew automatically until cancelled. You can manage them in your App Store account settings. Privacy policy: https://couplesquiz.io/privacy Terms and support: https://couplesquiz.io

Screenshots

Instead4 screens
Couples Game4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Instead at 16.4 against Couples Game's 18.0. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. Instead sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month and Couples Game sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $12.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 11 days. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Instead versus Couples Game: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterInsteadCouples Game
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (3 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings3 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 11 daysEvery 11 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationSubscription—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS16.4 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size65 MB44 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperSarthak JainMarek Jeziorek

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Instead

Subscriptions2
  • Instead Premium Monthly7 Days trial$6.991 Month
  • Instead Premium Yearly7 Days trial$39.991 Year
3 purchases

Couples Game

Subscriptions2
  • CouplesQuiz Premium$12.991 Month
  • CouplesQuiz Premium7 Days trial$24.991 Year
One-time1
  • Hot Pack$3.99

Questions

Is Instead free?
Instead is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Couples Game free?
Couples Game is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Instead or Couples Game have ads?
Neither Instead nor Couples Game shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Instead or Couples Game?
Instead ships an update every 11 days, and Couples Game every 11 days. Most recently, Instead was updated on October 31, 2026 and Couples Game on October 31, 2026.

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