I used to just use screen time and have my boyfriend set my passcode but it was still too easy to ask for more time—I would just click “Ask for more time” and hand my phone over and my boyfriend would just put in the passcode. Now I use the free version of refocus to add an additional blocker on addicting apps and screen time my access to those apps AND refocus after 9pm to prevent late night doom scrolling. In order to access Instagram or tik tok I now have to ask my boyfriend to unblock refocus and then ask him to unblock the app itself from screen time, finally making it sufficiently annoying enough to make me think twice about using the apps. I don’t have screen time after 9pm on weekends but I still have refocus with a moderate time limit on extra addicting apps like Instagram and tik tok. This helps me live my life better by giving me more control over my ability to sleep and be present, and as an added bonus it gets me away from fixating on bizarre insecurities like “neck lines” that tend to get shoveled onto my algorithm in the name of selling more beauty products. If you don’t have a boyfriend who lives with you and you have impulse control as bad as mine (ADHD), I would guess that the premium version is worth a try or maybe ask a family member.

Truly one of the best apps on my phone after using for more than a year - it has helped me reclaim my time, turn my phone into the tool it is meant to be instead of a distraction. I’ve only used the free version and while the upgraded version seems to offer even better features, I have been able to get everything I need out of the free version with the scheduled blocking and optional timed blocking. It is so much more than and better than the simple time limit offered in my phone settings, which doesn’t block the time at which I can access apps, only how long I spend on them. Refocus does it all, even the free version. It creates a physical block between me and the apps that sap my time and take me away from important projects when it’s hard for me to make that decision myself. If you want to simplify your phone and reclaim your time I highly recommend using Refocus.

This is the best solution I’ve found yet for screen time management. I’ve looked through some others, but this one is one of the easiest ones to use. It has plenty of features available for free. Now, there is only one thing that I slightly dislike. I have tried a couple other screen time management apps, and some of them to allow you to lock the app with a passcode. This app doesn’t have it, and while it is still the best app around for managing screen time, I do wish it had that as a feature you could turn on in settings. Overall, the app looks nice, works well, and is the best app (especially with the amount of free features) I tried yet.

Does as advertised and allows for you to be specific about the apps and websites you block. I like that it doesn’t just shut off the entirety of my browser for example. However, it’s way too easy to bypass the restrictions. Yes, it allows a moment to reflect on whether I want to disable it and for how long, but ultimately, I click two buttons and I can be back to browsing. To me, this is no different than iPhone’s built in screen time lock. I think the ability to add photos, videos that play before being unable to unlock, or a math problem - something that actually causes a hinderance to using the restricted apps would go a long way. It has definitely helped in restricting, and has cut my screen time but I think some of these features would create a bigger impact.Cheers!