Squirrel: Screen Time Savings
App blocker that pays you back
Only for iPhone
Free · In‑App Purchases · Designed for iPhone. Not verified for macOS.
iPhone
Opening the app is a decision. Make it worth something.
Some apps you open on purpose. Some you open out of habit. Squirrel turns the habit into savings, money you keep and invest.
I almost never chose to open Instagram, it was always a knee-jerk reaction to being on my phone with nothing better to do. Growing up, staying focused and managing my time has always been a real struggle for me, and as social media got bigger, I felt more and more susceptible to doom scrolling and being careless with how I used these apps.
But I never wanted to delete them. I truly believe there's a time and place for all of them. A lot of my relationships are better because of social media, whether that be from sending memes to friends, looking back on old memories, meeting my college roommate (true story), and even meeting my now girlfriend (another true story). It would be hypocritical to say social media hasn't improved my life, it certainly has. But the problem is the other side of it, the hours I lost without consciously deciding to.
I've tried the built-in screen time limits. I had Instagram capped at 40 minutes a day... that same week I spent 12 hours and 48 minutes on it, more than double my next most used app, because "ignore limit for today" is one tap away. The week after I started using Squirrel it was 1 hour and 45 minutes. The week after that, 56 minutes. That's just my usage, but the drop was hard to argue with.
Squirrel is different because it doesn't treat these apps as the enemy. Other apps do the blocking part, but none of them connect it to the other thing people my age are behind on, which is investing. Two problems most college students and young adults have: too much time on their phones, and no idea where to start with money. Squirrel puts them together so each one fixes the other.
HOW IT WORKS
Pick the apps you want to put behind a decision.
Opening one is your cue to set a few dollars aside for yourself.
Nothing is charged. No money moves through Squirrel. It only records what you set aside.
You invest it yourself, wherever you already invest, and tell Squirrel what you bought.
The optional Portfolio upgrade tracks it so you can watch it grow.
NOTHING IS CHARGED
Opening a blocked app is always free. The amount you set aside is a note to yourself, like a swear jar. Squirrel never processes a payment for it, never connects to your bank or brokerage, and never moves money. You decide what to do with it, outside the app.
There are no goals, no targets, no limits, and no streaks. There is nothing to fail.
FREE AND PAID
Blocking, setting money aside, and your savings history are free forever. The Portfolio view (holdings, growth charts, market prices, and projections) is an optional paid upgrade: $19.99 once, or $8.99/year auto-renewing. Prices may vary by region. Portfolio features shown in the screenshots are part of this upgrade, and have nothing to do with blocking or opening apps.
No account, no login, no ads, no tracking. Everything stays on your phone and in your own iCloud.
Squirrel is not a bank, broker, or financial advisor and does not give investment advice. You make every investment yourself. Any growth figures shown are illustrations, not guarantees.
Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Privacy Policy: https://brian-hall-dev.github.io/squirrel-site/#privacy
Ratings & Reviews
The developer, BRIAN RICHARD HALL, indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .
Data Not Collected
The developer does not collect any data from this app.
Accessibility
The developer has not yet indicated which accessibility features this app supports. Learn More
Information
- Seller
- BRIAN RICHARD HALL
- Size
- 15.2 MB
- Category
- Productivity
- Compatibility
Requires iOS 26.0 or later.
- iPhone
Requires iOS 26.0 or later. - Mac
Requires macOS 26.0 or later and a Mac with Apple M1 chip or later. - Apple Vision
Requires visionOS 26.0 or later.
- iPhone
- Languages
- English
- Age Rating
4+
- 4+
- In-App Purchases
Yes
- Portfolio Annual $8.99
- Portfolio Lifetime $19.99
- Copyright
- © 2026 Brian Hall