Free tool · Updated 2026-05-10
Screen-time cost calculator
A counterfactual calculator. Computes what you would owe at ScreenFine's original $0.50 / 15-min rate. Convert to the current model: every $0.50 = 25 pushups (or 1,000 steps, or 10 mindful minutes). Share the result.
Counterfactual rate
ScreenFine pivoted in May 2026 from variable money charges to verified-exercise redemption. The dollar figures below are what users would owe at the old rate; the current model has no money charges. Read each $0.50 as 25 pushups.
If you used ScreenFine at this rate
$1,825 / year
That is the same as 5,200 unwalked steps a day. Or 31 unread book pages. Or 9 hours of focused work lost to context-switching.
Share your receipt
Send your number. Friends compare theirs. The link below opens with your inputs pre-filled.
How the math works
- Daily overage = (daily phone use in minutes) - (your limit in minutes), floored at 0.
- 15-minute blocks past the limit = floor(overage / 15).
- Daily redemption owed = blocks × 25 pushups (or chosen redemption).
- No daily cap. The count keeps rising with every block you stay over.
- Weekly fine = daily fine × 7.
- Annual fine = daily fine × 365 (assumes consistent pattern; real-world numbers are typically lower because people pause the jar or reduce use).
For the underlying data this calculator references (US averages, age cohorts, comparison framing), see the Screen Time Cost Index 2026 data report. For the behavioural-economics rationale, see loss aversion in product design.
Embed this calculator
Free for editorial and educational use. Paste this iframe into your post:
<iframe src="https://screenfine.info/calculator/?embed=1" width="100%" height="900" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" title="ScreenFine cost calculator"></iframe> The embed displays the calculator without the site nav and footer. Standard responsive iframe; min-height 700px recommended.
Questions about the calculator
How does ScreenFine calculate the screen-time fine? +
Every 15 minutes you spend over your self-set daily limit counts as one block. The calculator multiplies your daily blocks by the original $0.50 rate, then by 7 for a week and 365 for a year. There is no daily cap, so the figure keeps climbing the longer you stay over.
Is the dollar figure a real charge? +
No. ScreenFine moved away from money charges in May 2026. Today a fine is a behavioural slip: each $0.50 block translates into a small action like 25 pushups, 1,000 steps, or 10 mindful minutes that unlocks your apps. The only real charge is the flat $1 per week subscription.
What is the average daily screen time? +
The US average is about 5 hours 16 minutes a day (5.25 hours), which is the default in this calculator. Your own number is in iPhone Settings under Screen Time, or in Digital Wellbeing on Android.
What daily limit should I set? +
The median ScreenFine onboarding choice is 90 minutes. A useful starting point is 25 to 40 percent below your current daily average, then tighten it once that holds for a week.
Does the calculator store or send my data? +
No. The whole calculation runs in your browser. Nothing you type is sent to a server or saved. The share link only encodes the two numbers you entered so a friend can compare theirs.
How accurate is the yearly projection? +
It assumes you repeat the same day every day, so treat it as an upper bound. Real totals are usually lower because people pause the jar, reduce their use, or stay under their limit on some days.
New here? Start with what a commitment device is, the story of the Ulysses pact it is built on, or the signs of phone addiction checklist.
From hypothetical to real
The number above is what you would owe at ScreenFine's rate. The point of the app is to make sure you actually pay. So the loss-framing kicks in before the fine, not after.