# Pause vs Drip Screen Time

The clearest difference is ads: Drip Screen Time at none against Pause's shown. Drip Screen Time also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). Pause's advantage is ratings volume (9 vs 3). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Pause sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Drip Screen Time sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Pause against 5.0 for Drip Screen Time. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 9 and 3 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

Pause ships an update every 3 weeks, Drip Screen Time every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pause | Drip Screen Time |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pause-doom-scrolling-blocker/id6781665628/reviews) | [5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drip-screen-time/id6793185312/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **9** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 23 MB | 7 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Carlos Velasquez](https://appshunter.io/developer/1814581124) | [Roman Pisani](https://appshunter.io/developer/1792082408) |

## What reviewers say

### 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 |


### Drip Screen Time

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drip-screen-time/id6793185312)

This app provides a renewable screen time budget, allowing you to set limits on specific apps, websites, and categories. Once your budget is depleted, access is blocked until minutes drip back over a set interval.

**Highlights:** Renewable screen time budget, App and website limiting, Category-based restrictions, Customizable drip intervals, Blocks access when budget is zero

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Drip Pro | $5.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pause free?

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

### Is Drip Screen Time free?

Drip Screen Time is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Pause or Drip Screen Time?

Pause and Drip Screen Time are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 9 and 3 ratings respectively.

### Do Pause or Drip Screen Time have ads?

Pause shows ads; Drip Screen Time does not.

### Which is updated more often, Pause or Drip Screen Time?

Pause ships an update every 3 weeks, and Drip Screen Time every 2 weeks. Most recently, Pause was updated on November 5, 2026 and Drip Screen Time on October 31, 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.*