Free screen time apps compared
| App | What it does | What’s free |
|---|---|---|
| Apple Screen Time (iPhone, iPad) | Usage reports, App Limits and Downtime. Limits can be ignored with a tap unless a Screen Time passcode is set. | Everything, built in |
| Digital Wellbeing (Android) | Usage dashboard, app timers, Focus mode and Bedtime mode. | Everything, built into most Android phones |
| AppBlocker (iPhone, iPad, Android) | Screen-time stats, scheduled blocks, Doomscroll Protection that stops you after 15 minutes in the apps you pick, and a manual block. | All of it. No subscription, supported by ads |
| ScreenZen | A short pause and prompt before an app opens, plus optional daily open limits. | Everything. No premium tier |
| One Sec | A forced breath before a chosen app opens. | One app free. More apps need Pro |
| Opal | Scheduled blocks and focus sessions. | Free tier with one rule. More needs Opal Pro |
Tracking vs limiting: which do you need?
A tracker shows you where your time goes. A limiter or blocker does something about it. Tracking is a good first week, because most people are surprised by their top app and their number of pickups. But numbers alone rarely change a habit, so if you already know you’re losing too much time, pick something that adds friction in the moment.
How to choose
- iPhone or Android? Apple Screen Time and Digital Wellbeing are platform-specific. AppBlocker runs on iPhone, iPad and Android.
- Do you need a wall or a nudge? If a hard block is what stops you, use a blocker or a Screen Time limit with a passcode someone else holds. If a pause is enough, ScreenZen or One Sec is lighter.
- Check what free covers. Some apps are free to download but keep the features you want behind a subscription.
- Can you turn it off too easily? A limit you can disable in two taps mid-craving won’t hold. Set it in advance.
Which one should you start with?
If you’d rather not install anything, start with Screen Time or Digital Wellbeing for a week and see what the numbers say. If you want one free app that both shows your usage and blocks on iPhone, iPad or Android, AppBlocker is built for that (disclosure again: it’s mine). If you’d like the gentlest option, ScreenZen is a good free pause. There’s a deeper rundown of the blockers in the best free app blockers for iPhone, and an honest comparison of every major app in the screen time apps breakdown.
Frequently asked questions
Is Apple Screen Time free?
Yes. Screen Time is built into iPhone and iPad and costs nothing. Its limits can be ignored with a tap unless you set a Screen Time passcode, ideally one that someone else holds.
Is there a free screen time app for Android?
Yes. Digital Wellbeing is built into most Android phones and is free. AppBlocker is also free on Android, with no subscription, and adds scheduled blocks, Doomscroll Protection and a manual block.
Which free screen time app actually limits my time rather than just tracking it?
Apple Screen Time and Digital Wellbeing can set limits, and AppBlocker and ScreenZen add blocking or a pause before an app opens. The ones that hold up are set in advance and are hard to switch off in the moment.
What’s the difference between a screen time tracker and an app blocker?
A tracker reports how much time you spend in each app. A blocker keeps chosen apps shut, on a schedule or after a set time, so you stop even when you’d rather keep going.
AppBlocker is free, with no sign-up, and shows your screen-time stats as well as blocking. iPhone and iPad · Android