ScreenZen app: is it free, what it costs and a free alternative
ScreenZen LLC · Productivity · ★ 4.9, 53K ratings in the US App Store · Free to download
AppHunt has no promo code for ScreenZen, but we have one for the alternative below.
Best free alternative to ScreenZen: Mute
ScreenZen is free and asks only for optional tips, so cost isn't why people look elsewhere. If you would rather have a simpler blocker, Mute, from the AppHunt team, runs timed pauses and daily schedules through Screen Time at no cost. With the AppHunt promo code you get 1 year of Mute premium for free.
Yes. ScreenZen is free, with no subscription: the developer calls it a donation-supported app, and the US App Store lists only four optional tips, at $5, $10, $20 and $40. It has no paid tier, free trial or promo code to hunt for; these are US App Store prices on November 2, 2026, and they may change.
Is ScreenZen free?
Everything in the app is free. ScreenZen's site says its aim is less screen time with no subscription, and that it is supported by donations, which in the App Store are four optional tips named Kind, Generous, Amazing and Fantastic. The developer doesn't say any feature is locked, and reviewers in October 2026 write that they bought a tip only to support it. The app can delay opening a distracting app, limit how often you open it, set daily goals with an optional block, run a quiz-style question before an app opens, lock its own settings and track only the apps you choose.
How much does ScreenZen cost?
There is nothing to unlock. The US App Store lists four optional tips, Kind Tip at $5.00, Generous Tip at $10.00, Amazing Tip at $20.00 and Fantastic Tip at $40.00, and the listing doesn't say they give anything in return. The developer's site also sells halo, a $49 companion device for your bedroom or desk; it is a separate product and the app doesn't need it. These are US App Store prices on November 2, 2026, and they may change.
| Kind Tip | $5.00 |
| Generous Tip | $10.00 |
| Amazing Tip | $20.00 |
| Fantastic Tip | $40.00 |
Mute or ScreenZen: how they compare
ScreenZen is already free, so Mute, made by the AppHunt team, isn't a way to save money; it is a plainer option. Mute uses Apple's Screen Time controls to shield the apps and sites you pick, for a timed pause of 15, 25, 45 or 60 minutes or on recurring schedules, and Essentials only mode keeps named apps such as messages or maps available. Blocking, schedules and usage reports are free, with no account or ads, and it never asks for tips. Its optional paid layer, Mute Plus, builds an AI-written plan of breaks and limits and is free with AppHunt's promo code at apphunt.app/app/mute-plus. ScreenZen does much more: waiting periods, open counts, per-app goals, reflective questions, breathing and other activities, a lock on its own settings, streaks, and versions for other platforms. Mute has none of this, and a manual pause can be ended from its Today screen, so it is gentler. It is iPhone only and new, with no ratings yet.
Other free alternatives to ScreenZen
Opal ·Scheduled blocks with a mode you can't cancel
BePresent ·Cutting back alongside friends, with rewards
Unrot ·Scrollers who want a flexible, refilling budget
Brick ·People who want a physical barrier, not willpower
About ScreenZen
ScreenZen, from ScreenZen LLC, has been in the App Store since July 2021 and has 53,006 ratings averaging 4.9 in the US store. Instead of one big block it offers a toolbox: a wait before an app opens, a limited number of opens, time goals, schedules by day, a reflective message, breathing and other activities while you wait, and streaks. The developer says it also runs on macOS, Windows and Android. On iPhone it needs iOS 16.4 or later, and version 4.0.0 came out on September 6, 2026. It suits people who want a flexible, free tool and will tune the settings.
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ScreenZen: questions and answers
Is ScreenZen free?
Yes. The developer says the app has no subscription and is supported by donations, and the US App Store lists only four optional tips, from $5.00 to $40.00. It doesn't describe a paid tier or locked features, so you can use everything without paying (November 2, 2026; prices may change).
How much does ScreenZen cost?
The app costs $0 and the only purchases are optional tips: Kind Tip $5.00, Generous Tip $10.00, Amazing Tip $20.00 and Fantastic Tip $40.00 in the US App Store. The developer also sells halo, a separate $49 device. US prices on November 2, 2026; they may change.
Is there a ScreenZen promo code?
AppHunt has no promo code for ScreenZen, and none is needed because the app is free and the developer's site and listing don't mention codes. If you want another free blocker, Mute is free for blocking, and our promo code at apphunt.app/app/mute-plus unlocks its paid Mute Plus.
Does ScreenZen have a free trial or premium?
No. There is no premium plan and no trial, because there is nothing to trial: the tips listed in the App Store are donations, and the developer doesn't say they unlock features.
What do reviews of ScreenZen say?
ScreenZen has 53,006 ratings averaging 4.9 in the US App Store, and 44 of its 50 newest reviews are five-star. People like that it is free, the customizable prompts and the activities offered instead of scrolling. The few three- and four-star reviews mention no notifications from blocked apps, a session extension that refreshed an app, and more promotion of the developer's other products than they wanted.
Is ScreenZen safe to use?
The developer's site says only that ScreenZen is supported by donations. One reviewer in October 2026 praises it as free without making money from harvesting your information, but that is the reviewer's view, not a statement from the developer. For what data the app handles, read the privacy policy linked from the developer's site.
What is the best free alternative to ScreenZen?
ScreenZen is itself free, so the question is what you want instead. Mute, made by the AppHunt team, is a simpler free blocker: timed pauses, daily schedules and an essentials-only mode through Apple's Screen Time, with no account or ads, and our promo code unlocks Mute Plus. It lacks ScreenZen's waiting periods, open limits and streaks. Our list of free app blockers compares more options.
AppHunt is not affiliated with ScreenZen LLC. Prices are US App Store prices checked on November 2, 2026 and can change; your country’s store may show different prices.