# Emphasis vs Screen Time Control

The clearest difference is update cadence: Screen Time Control at every 5 days against Emphasis's fortnightly. Emphasis's advantage is ratings volume (1.1K vs 157) and device support (4 vs 2). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Emphasis sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $3.49 per month and Screen Time Control sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Emphasis holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Emphasis has 1.1K ratings behind it against 157, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 84% of Emphasis's written reviews are positive against 81% of Screen Time Control's.

Emphasis ships an update fortnightly, Screen Time Control every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Emphasis | Screen Time Control |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/emphasis-flow-and-focus-timer/id733300214/reviews)** | [4.5 (157 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/screen-time-control-stay-off/id6736673615/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.1K** | 157 |
| Positive reviews | **83.9% of reviews** | 80.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 74 MB | 35 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Aleksandr Fiodorov](https://appshunter.io/developer/571378481) | [升 徐](https://appshunter.io/developer/1693016656) |

## What reviewers say

### Emphasis

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/emphasis-flow-and-focus-timer/id733300214)

This app helps users achieve deep work by providing customizable focus intervals and ambient soundscapes. It tracks your focus progress and offers personalized statistics to help you reclaim your time from distractions.

**Highlights:** Customizable focus intervals, Ambient background sounds, Focus-O-Meter for distraction tracking, Personalized progress statistics, Cloud sync across devices, Highly customizable sessions

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Emphasis Premium Subscription | $3.49 | per month |
| Emphasis Premium Subscription | $4.99 | per month |
| Premium Feature (Yearly Promo) | $12.99 | per year |
| Emphasis Premium Subscription | $29.99 | per year |
| Lifetime premium | $29.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime premium | $59.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Minimalistic and simple design
- 👍 Customizable timer settings
- 💡 Helpful for productivity and focus
- 🚀 Sleek and intuitive interface
- 👍 Visually appealing countdown timer

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Subscription model required for full features
- 🐛 Sync and login issues
- 🐛 Bugs and crashes after updates
- 🔋 Battery drain issues
- 🐛 Unreliable notifications and alerts

**Reported bugs**

- Timer not working correctly after breaks
- Task lists not saving properly
- App crashing on launch for some users
- Sync issues causing data loss

**Requested features**

- Ability to track individual tasks and time spent
- Landscape mode support
- Apple Watch app integration
- More color theme options
- Improved statistics and progress tracking


### Screen Time Control

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/screen-time-control-stay-off/id6736673615)

This app helps you regain control of your screen time by setting flexible limits on distracting applications. It rewards positive habits like exercise and learning with additional screen time, promoting a healthier relationship with technology.

**Highlights:** Flexible app limits, Adjustable restriction difficulty, Scheduled app blocking (OFF Time), Earn screen time via activity tracking, Earn screen time via learning apps, Focus Timer for study/work sessions

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| StayOff Plus Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| StayOff Plus Annual | $9.99 | per year |
| StayOff Plus Lifetime | $16.99 | one-time |
| StayOff Plus Lifetime | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Helps improve focus and productivity
- 🔓 Doesn't collect user data
- 💡 Encourages healthier phone habits
- 🎯 Motivates to stay on track with goals

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashing issues
- 🕰️ Could be more customizable

**Reported bugs**

- Crashing when adding new habits

**Requested features**

- More detailed usage analytics
- Ability to set custom app blocklists


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Emphasis free?

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

### Is Screen Time Control free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Emphasis or Screen Time Control?

Emphasis is rated higher. Emphasis averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.1K ratings, while Screen Time Control averages 4.5 from 157 ratings.

### Do Emphasis or Screen Time Control have ads?

Neither Emphasis nor Screen Time Control shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Emphasis or Screen Time Control?

Emphasis ships an update fortnightly, and Screen Time Control every 5 days. Most recently, Emphasis was updated on October 29, 2026 and Screen Time Control on October 24, 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.*