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PeerPause vs Apple Screen Time
Screen Time is free and already on your iPhone; try it properly first. PeerPause is built on the same Apple technology, with the one thing Screen Time lacks: someone else deciding when you get more time.
We make PeerPause, so weigh this accordingly. Prices and features checked ; see Apple Screen Time’s own page for the latest.
The short answer
Pick Apple Screen Time if…
- You haven’t tried it with a passcode and Block at End of Limit yet.
- You want something free and built in.
- You want the same limits on your iPad and Mac.
Pick PeerPause if…
- You tap Ignore Limit, or you know the passcode.
- You tried giving a friend the passcode and it got awkward.
- You want a friend to approve 15 minutes from anywhere.
Side by side
| Apple Screen Time | PeerPause | |
|---|---|---|
| How it stops you | Daily app and category limits, plus Downtime | A daily limit or schedule that locks the app, with no Ignore button |
| When you want more time | Tap Ignore Limit; with a passcode, One More Minute once, then the passcode | Ask your Time Buddy for 15 minutes to an hour, with a note |
| Who decides | Whoever knows the passcode | Your Time Buddy, a friend you choose. Changing or removing a limit needs their OK too |
| Works on | iPhone, iPad and Mac | iPhone |
| Price | Free, built in | Free to be a Time Buddy; Pro subscription to limit your own apps |
Prices are US App Store or official-site prices as of October 2026.
Where Apple Screen Time is ahead
Free, built in, everywhere
Screen Time is already on your iPhone, iPad and Mac. If you set a Screen Time passcode and turn on Block at End of Limit, the easy Ignore options mostly disappear. That’s worth trying before you pay for anything.
Downtime
Downtime blocks everything except the apps you allow during set hours, which is a simple, strong setup for the evenings.
Where PeerPause is different
No passcode to share, no reset to cheat with
Giving a friend the passcode works better, but they have to be with you to type it, it unlocks everything or nothing, and if passcode recovery is set up with your Apple Account you can reset it yourself. With PeerPause your buddy approves a specific amount of time remotely.
Getting past the limit means asking a person
When you hit your limit there’s nothing to tap through. You send your Time Buddy a request for 15 minutes to an hour, with a note if you like, and they accept or deny it from wherever they are. Typing “just one more reel” to a real person is often enough to make you put the phone down.
You can’t quietly undo it at 1am
Changing or removing a limit needs your buddy’s OK as well, so the tired version of you can’t overrule the calm one. Your buddy sees only the app name, the time you asked for and your note: never your messages, photos or what you do inside an app.
The trade-off: it needs a friend who replies
PeerPause only works as well as your Time Buddy. If they never answer, you wait; if they say yes to everything, the limit means nothing. Pick someone who will reply and who will say no when you don’t have a good reason. Being a buddy costs nothing; limiting your own apps needs PeerPause Pro.
Questions people ask
Why doesn’t Screen Time work for me?
Usually because the Ignore Limit button is one tap away, or because you know the passcode. Setting a passcode and Block at End of Limit helps; having someone else decide works better.
Does PeerPause use Screen Time?
Yes. PeerPause is built on Apple’s Screen Time technology, and your Screen Time data stays on your phone. What changes is who can give you more time: your Time Buddy instead of an Ignore button.
Should I give a friend my Screen Time passcode?
It works better than nothing, but your friend has to be there to type it, it’s all or nothing, and you can often reset it through your Apple Account. PeerPause lets a friend approve or deny extra time remotely, with no passcode.
How much does PeerPause cost?
Being someone’s Time Buddy is always free. Setting limits on your own apps needs PeerPause Pro, a subscription through the App Store. The app shows the price for your country before you subscribe.
Friends keep you off your phone
PeerPause locks your apps. Only your Time Buddy can give you more time.