Keelder vs Screen Time Control
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Keelder
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You reach for your phone on autopilot. The app doesn't open. Instead, you meet one short line, written by you, for exactly this moment. That's all Keelder does. And the moment changes. Pick the apps that pull you in. In a calm minute, write one line in your own words: your anchor. From then on, a shield carries those words every time you reach for those apps. Under the words, a quiet count: "Today: open 3 · line 3". The line is yours. You decide how many opens a day is enough. Opening anyway is allowed, and counted. Past the line, the count just keeps climbing. The line is a mirror, not a wall. Each open unlocks the app for about 15 minutes. Then the shield returns, and your words are waiting. If you want a real wall, there is one: an optional hard stop at the line. Off by default. Your call. The Reflect tab keeps a quiet record of your opens: the time and the words you met, and the hours of day when you usually reach for your phone. No streaks, no scores, no shame. The apps are built to pull you back; you were never the problem. Keelder is not a blocker. It does not fight you for your phone. It gives you one honest moment before the feed, in the one voice that is hard to scroll past: your own. Keelder uses Apple's Screen Time permission to show the shield. There is no account, no server, and no analytics. Everything, including your words, stays on your phone.
Screen Time Control
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.
- Puzzle before app access
- Reduces mindless scrolling
- Nine calming puzzle types
- Customizable app blocking
- Intentional use timer
- Premium ad-free option
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Pause helps you scroll on purpose. Lowers your screen time. We all reach for the same apps on autopilot. Pause puts a small, calming puzzle between you and those apps, so opening one becomes a choice, not a reflex. HOW IT WORKS • Choose the apps you want to pause. • When you try to open one, Pause asks you to solve a quick puzzle first. • Solve it, and the app unlocks for 15 minutes of intentional use. • When time's up, the pause comes back automatically. That tiny moment of friction is enough to break the autopilot—and remind you why you picked up your phone in the first place. NINE CALMING PUZZLES Word Jumble, Mini Crossword, Sliding Tile, Ball Sort, Connect the Colors, Maze, Sixdoku, and more. Every unlock is a small mental reset instead of a mindless tap. DESIGNED FOR INTENTION, NOT RESTRICTION Pause isn't about locking yourself out—it's about adding just enough space to choose. No guilt, no lectures. Just a gentle pause. PAUSE PREMIUM • Unlock all nine puzzles • Remove ads • Start with a 7-day free trial, then annual or monthly Your privacy comes first. Pause uses Apple's Screen Time technology, and the apps you choose never leave your device. Scroll less by accident. Scroll more on purpose. — SUBSCRIPTION DETAILS Pause Premium is an auto-renewing subscription. (7-day free trial for new subscribers) • Annual — $74.99/year • Monthly — $9.99/month Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase. Your subscription renews automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period; your account is charged for renewal within 24 hours before the period ends. Manage or cancel anytime in your Apple Account settings. Any unused portion of a free trial is forfeited when you start a subscription. Privacy Policy URL: Terms of Use URL: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Keelder at none against Screen Time Control's 2. Keelder also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 4 days vs fortnightly). On price, device support and iOS requirement 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
Both are free to download. Screen Time Control sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Keelder asks for nothing beyond the download.
Keelder ships an update every 4 days, Screen Time Control fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Keelder | Screen Time Control |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 5.0 (7 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | — | 7 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 4 days — better | Fortnightly |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPad — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 16.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 1 MB | 12 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Ilya Liutsko | Carlos Velasquez |
In-app purchases
Keelder
No in-app purchases
Screen Time Control
- Pause Premium (Monthly)7 Days trial$9.991 Month
- Pause Premium (Annual)7 Days trial$74.991 Year








