Compare

# ScreenFine vs everyone else.

Most screen-time apps add a speed bump. ScreenFine adds a consequence. Here's where each
one wins, loses, and quietly lets you off the hook.

SCREEN⁠FINEAPPLE SCREEN TIMEONE SECOPALSCREENZEN

Cost $1/week Free $20-30 / yr $80-100 / yr Free + Pro

Earn-back to unlock ✓ 25 pushups, steps or workout ✕ ✕ ✕ ✕

AI roast / villain ✓ Six villain personas ✕ ✕ ✕ ✕

Public accountability ✓ Wall + partner mode ~ Family Sharing ✕ ~ Friend leaderboard ✕

Per-app limits ✓ ✓ ~ ✓ ~

Total-device daily cap ✓ ✓ ~ ✓ ✓

Pause for travel ✓ ✓ ~ ✓ ~

Hard to disable on a whim ✓ ~ ✕ ~ ✕

Free tier ~ Paid from day one ✓ ~ ~ ✓

✓ Yes ~ Partial / workaround ✕ No

## Where each one wins, and loses.

APPLE SCREEN TIME

+ Free and built in

+ True OS-level data

✕ "Ignore limit" is one tap away

✕ No consequence, no accountability

ONE SEC

+ Great breathing-pause friction

+ Cheap, simple

✕ You can still proceed every time

✕ No earn-back, no real stakes

OPAL

+ Polished, strong blocking sessions

+ Good focus scores

✕ Expensive vs $1/week

✕ No physical earn-back or villain

SCREENZEN

+ Free, gentle nudges

+ Good for light users

✕ Easy to bypass when motivated

✕ No accountability layer

Go deeper

## Read the full comparisons.

[Compared ScreenFine vs Opal Reviewed 2026-05-08 →](/compare/vs/opal/)[Compared ScreenFine vs Apple Screen Time Reviewed 2026-05-08 →](/compare/vs/apple-screen-time/)[Compared ScreenFine vs One Sec Reviewed 2026-05-08 →](/compare/vs/one-sec/)[Compared ScreenFine vs ScreenZen Reviewed 2026-05-08 →](/compare/vs/screenzen/)[Compared ScreenFine vs Forfeit Reviewed 2026-05-08 →](/compare/vs/forfeit/)[Compared ScreenFine vs StickK Reviewed 2026-05-10 →](/compare/vs/stickk/)[Compared ScreenFine vs Beeminder Reviewed 2026-06-26 →](/compare/vs/beeminder/)[Compared ScreenFine vs Brick Reviewed 2026-05-10 →](/compare/vs/brick/)[Compared ScreenFine vs Freedom Reviewed 2026-05-16 →](/compare/vs/freedom/)[Compared ScreenFine vs RescueTime Reviewed 2026-05-16 →](/compare/vs/rescuetime/)[Compared ScreenFine vs Forest Reviewed 2026-05-16 →](/compare/vs/forest/)[Compared ScreenFine vs Cold Turkey Reviewed 2026-05-16 →](/compare/vs/cold-turkey/)[Compared ScreenFine vs Digital Wellbeing Reviewed 2026-05-16 →](/compare/vs/digital-wellbeing/)[Compared ScreenFine vs StayFocusd Reviewed 2026-05-16 →](/compare/vs/stayfocusd/)[Compared ScreenFine vs SelfControl Reviewed 2026-06-26 →](/compare/vs/selfcontrol/)[Compared ScreenFine vs Jomo Reviewed 2026-06-23 →](/compare/vs/jomo/)[Compared ScreenFine vs Clearspace Reviewed 2026-06-23 →](/compare/vs/clearspace/)[Compared ScreenFine vs Roots Reviewed 2026-06-23 →](/compare/vs/roots/)[Compared ScreenFine vs Unpluq Reviewed 2026-06-23 →](/compare/vs/unpluq/)[Compared ScreenFine vs Bloom Reviewed 2026-06-23 →](/compare/vs/bloom/)[Compared ScreenFine vs Foqos Reviewed 2026-06-23 →](/compare/vs/foqos/)[Compared ScreenFine vs AppBlock Reviewed 2026-06-23 →](/compare/vs/appblock/)

Head to head

## Competitor vs competitor.

[Compared ScreenZen vs Brick Reviewed 2026-07-04 →](/compare/screenzen-vs-brick/)[Compared Freedom vs Cold Turkey Reviewed 2026-07-04 →](/compare/freedom-vs-cold-turkey/)[Compared Opal vs ScreenZen Reviewed 2026-07-04 →](/compare/opal-vs-screenzen/)[Compared Freedom vs Opal Reviewed 2026-07-04 →](/compare/freedom-vs-opal/)

How to choose

## How to pick a screen-time app.

Before you choose, be honest about the failure you keep hitting. If you simply forget
your goals, a tracker that reports your usage is enough. If you remember the goal and
override it anyway, a tracker won't help, and neither will a timer you can dismiss. That
is the line most tools never cross: they assume the problem is awareness, when for most
people the problem is the override.

Three questions sort the field. First, can you bypass it in the moment? Soft blockers
like One Sec or Opal add a pause you can click through; ScreenFine uses Apple's Family
Controls to deny the launch outright. Second, what does breaking the rule cost? For most
apps it costs nothing, so there is no reason not to. Third, how do you get back in? A
countdown only rewards waiting; an effort-based unlock rewards doing something better
with the moment.

If you want a gentle nudge and full flexibility, the lighter tools are a fine fit. If
gentle nudges are exactly what stopped working, you want a real consequence and a hard
block you can't wave away, which is the gap ScreenFine was built to fill.

The bottom line

## Everyone else builds a speed bump. We built a pre-commitment device.

The others rely on the same willpower that already failed you at the limit. ScreenFine takes
the decision away from future-you and gives it to the version of you who set the rule, then
makes breaking it cost something your body has to pay. That's the whole difference.

[Get ScreenFine](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/screenfine/id6760267071) [See how it works](/#how)