# Star Writer vs Freedom

The clearest difference is rating: Star Writer at 5.0 against Freedom's 4.4. Star Writer also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 6) and review sentiment (83% vs 64%). Freedom's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 42 months) and ratings volume (6.1K vs 6). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Freedom sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per month. Star Writer asks for nothing beyond the download.

Star Writer holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Freedom has 6.1K ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 83% of Star Writer's written reviews are positive against 64% of Freedom's.

Star Writer ships an update every 42 months, Freedom every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Star Writer | Freedom |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/star-writer/id985877519/reviews)** | [4.4 (6.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/freedom-screen-time-control/id1269788228/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 6 | **6.1K** |
| Positive reviews | **83.3% of reviews** | 64.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 42 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Subscription |
| Size | 20 MB | 94 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 16.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Rainbow Brainskull LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/886945476) | [Eighty Percent Solutions](https://appshunter.io/developer/960372430) |

## What reviewers say

### Star Writer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/star-writer/id985877519)

Create mesmerizing psychedelic art with this drawing tool.  The speed of your finger movements directly influences the flow of energy in your creations. Explore endless visual possibilities by adjusting star sizes.

**Highlights:** Psychedelic imagery creation, Finger-drag responsive energy flow, Adjustable star sizes, Intuitive drawing interface

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Freedom

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/freedom-screen-time-control/id1269788228)

This app helps you block distracting apps and websites to improve focus and productivity. Schedule blocking sessions across all your devices to build better screen time habits and reclaim productive hours.

**Highlights:** Block distracting apps and websites, Schedule blocking sessions, Sync across all devices, Block the internet, Locked Mode for habit commitment, Focus sounds

**Features:** Safari Extension, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $8.99 | per month |
| Freedom Monthly | $12.99 | per month |
| Freedom Yearly Subscription | $39.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription | $39.99 | per year |
| Freedom Yearly | $59.99 | per year |
| Freedom Forever | $199.00 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Effective at blocking distractions
- 👍 Customizable blocklists
- 🔒 Locked mode prevents bypassing
- 💡 Cross-device sync
- 👍 Helpful for productivity and focus

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inconsistent blocking, doesn't always work as expected
- 🐛 Scheduled sessions don't always start automatically
- 🐛 Buggy, crashes frequently
- 🔒 Easy to bypass by disabling VPN or deleting app
- 👎 Limited app blocking on iOS

**Reported bugs**

- Blocks unintended apps/websites
- Fails to block certain apps like Facebook, Instagram
- Doesn't work in low power mode on iOS

**Requested features**

- Allow specific app whitelisting
- Add time limit/usage tracking features
- Improve scheduling options (e.g. by day, not just time)
- Better integration with mobile OS features (e.g. iOS Screen Time)


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Star Writer free?

Star Writer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Freedom free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Star Writer or Freedom?

Star Writer is rated higher. Star Writer averages 5.0 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while Freedom averages 4.4 from 6.1K ratings.

### Do Star Writer or Freedom have ads?

Neither Star Writer nor Freedom shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Star Writer or Freedom?

Star Writer ships an update every 42 months, and Freedom every 2 weeks. Most recently, Star Writer was updated on October 24, 2026 and Freedom on October 27, 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.*