App Usage Limiter vs Focusly
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
App Usage Limiter
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You already know how much time you want to give an app. Free Full Usage Limiter is what makes that decision stick. Pick an app, give it a daily budget, and when the budget runs out the app stops opening. That's it. No streaks, no coaching, no account to create. SET LIMITS THE WAY YOU ACTUALLY THINK • Per app — give one app its own daily budget. • Per folder — group several apps together and give them a single shared budget. Twenty minutes across all your social apps, however you split it. When the budget is gone, they all lock at once. TWO WAYS TO BE STOPPED Friction mode leaves a door, but makes you work for it. To buy back a few minutes you type out a full sentence by hand — pasting is rejected — and then sit through a countdown that restarts if you leave the app. Most of the time you'll close it instead. That's the point. Absolute mode has no door. When the time is gone, it's gone until midnight. An absolute limit also can't be loosened or deleted afterwards; you can only make it stricter. Choose it when you already know you'll negotiate with yourself later. IT NOTICES WHEN YOU KEEP TRYING Every time you hit the lock screen, the message changes. The first one is a gentle nudge. By the tenth it isn't gentle, and it tells you how many times you've tried today. Seeing that number is usually what breaks the loop. SEE WHAT YOU GOT BACK A weekly report shows how much less you used your phone compared to the same point last week — overall and app by app. Not a guilt chart. Just the hours you took back. BUILT TO BE BORING ABOUT YOUR DATA No account. No sign-up. No subscription. No ads. No analytics. No third-party code of any kind. There is no server, because there is nothing to send anywhere. Your limits live on your iPhone and nowhere else. Your usage numbers are read inside an isolated system extension that Apple does not let apps read from — which means even this app cannot see them. That's also why the main screen shows a progress bar rather than a live countdown: iOS genuinely does not allow it. HONEST LIMITATIONS • Requires Screen Time permission. It's what makes blocking possible. • Blocks can take up to a minute to appear after your time runs out. That's how iOS reports usage. • Deleting this app removes every block, including absolute ones. Apple does not allow that door to be closed, and we'd rather tell you than pretend otherwise. Free, completely. There is no paid tier to upsell you to.
Focusly
This app helps you regain focus by blocking distracting applications for a set period. Easily select which apps to disable and start a focus session to concentrate on work, study, or relaxation without interruptions.
- Block distracting apps
- Set focus session length
- Start focus mode quickly
- Keep selected apps unavailable
- Customizable app blocking
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"Take back control over your phone usage. The average person spends hours mindlessly scrolling every day. Stop distractions and reclaim your time for work, study, rest and sleep. Block distracting apps and in‑app web content, set focus timers, and build auto‑running routines to stay productive. Our focus score tracks your wellbeing, helping you reduce screen time effortlessly. Key Benefits • Cut daily screen‑time and stop mindless scrolling • Reduce distractions for work, study & deep work • Improve focus, stress relief and better sleep quality • Friendly for users needing focus support including ADHD • Build custom daily routines for work hours, sleep & family time Powerful Features App & In‑App Web Content Blocker Block distracting apps and in‑app web content on custom schedules. Build blocklist & allowlist for work, bedtime or leisure. Focus Timer & Deep Focus Mode One‑tap focus sessions. Deep‑Focus mode prevents you from bypassing blocks for undisturbed deep work. Auto‑Running Rules & Routines Schedule automatic blocking rules. Pre‑built templates for deep work, sleep‑time, lunch break and family moments. Focus Reports & Focus Score Track screen‑time, distracted time and wellness metrics. Compare your progress against your own history. Resist Temptation Add friction to unblock apps. Challenge yourself before disabling blocks to avoid mindless opening. Smart Distraction Alerts Get gentle reminders when you spend too much time on distracting applications. System Integration Support system shortcuts & focus‑mode linkage. Home‑screen widget available. Private & Secure All processing runs locally on your device. Your personal usage data never leaves your phone. Regain your focus and take charge of your digital life today!"
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Focusly at every 2 days against App Usage Limiter's every 9 days. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
App Usage Limiter ships an update every 9 days, Focusly every 2 days. Both last shipped on November 10, 2026.
| Parameter | App Usage Limiter | Focusly |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 5.0 (3 ratings) — better |
| Number of ratings | — | 3 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days | Every 2 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPad — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.4 | 16.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 2 MB | 6 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | JAIME MANUEL SERRANO GONZALEZ | APTE Ltd |
In-app purchases
App Usage Limiter
No in-app purchases
Focusly
No in-app purchases









