Name: Freedom: Screen Time Control
Rating: 4.17542 (2685 reviews)

User Reviews for Freedom: Screen Time Control

4.18 out of 5

2.7K Ratings

3 years ago, 946802789

Overall a great app

It has a good amount of features, and the UI is nice. The app has a locked mode, which prevents you from signing out from your account. Also, the app suggests you use a screen time passcode to prevent you from deleting the app. My main problem with the app is that like all apps, it can be bypassed. You can technically bypass the app, such as deleting the VPN (turning it off doesn’t work because it the VPN automatically turns on when needed) and disabling content blockers on safari. However, this is not really the app’s fault because this is the most it can do on Apple devices. I still like this app though and I think it’ll at least make me think twice before going off-task. If you truly want to block your device, screen time is the best option. (Although it doesn’t have the same features of this app, so you have to weigh in the options)

12 months ago, reasonable/review

This app is incredible - some thoughts to make it even better

I’ve used this app for a little over a year now and it has absolutely changed my life. Tech addiction is one of the biggest problems today and I tell all of my friends to get this app. I’m currently attending law school and this has really helped me stay productive. One suggestion for improvement that would really take this to next level: tie the app-blocker timer to how much time you ACTUALLY spend doing something productive. With the current features, you can often just wait off the clock by distracting yourself in other ways until the app-blocking has turned off. But, what if the timer only counted down when you have your device on? For example, if I blocked all distracting websites on my laptop, and the timer only counts while I keep my laptop on, I have to spend that time doing non-distracting stuff on my laptop like, say, writing the essay I have due this Monday. This way, the Freedom App could have a reward feature to it (e.g. when I spend 3 hours doing something productive, I am rewarded with access to social media). I would really love to see this in the app if it doesn’t already exist. If this is already a feature, let me know how to turn it on!

2 years ago, ZanyButterflier

Collects your data. Also hard to use

Had trouble getting app to work, and emailed with tech support. Was surprised to discover that tech support person, who had no info about me except my email address, was able to tell me what settings I had used in the app, *even though when I emailed tech support I had uninstalled Freedom.* Want a company to have a permanent record of the sites you have trouble staying away from? Then Freedom’s the app for you. Also, I apparently made big errors setting up the app. After I got it running, set I thought to block Twitter and nothing else, it blocked the entire internet. I could not even send emails. While I don’t work in tech I’m pretty competent with my electronics, and have never made the kind of a boneheaded errors in setting up an app that I apparently did with Freedom. According to tech support, though, I really screwed it up. If all the problems were really from my errors, seems to me the info for new users is not clear enough. Also, after installing and setting up, and deleting Freedom TWICE after it paralyzed my iPhone, I asked to have my money refunded — this was after I had had app for about 2 days. Tech support said there was no possible way for them to get me a refund (and of course there are multiple possible ways), and told me I had to go to Apple and ask for a refund on my Apple account. Apple account does not show the $40 payment I made. Payment was withdrawn from my bank acct though. So I’m also out $40.

1 year ago, DarkSunSamauriLegend

This could be life changing.

I’ve only had Freedom for a week or so, but I already love it. It gives me the self control I never had on my own and I have multiple recurring sessions set up, to make sure I have a time to do certain work, to get a good night’s sleep, etc. I think “Freedom” is a pretty fitting name for it by the way. :) However I also have a couple of suggestions that could make it better: 1- have a “limit” mode in addition to the current “block” ability. What I mean is, adding sites and apps to a “limit” list for a certain time period, where Freedom will let you access it for a set amount of time (like 5 minutes), but then start blocking it. I understand there is a browser extension Freedom supports for limiting websites, but it would be nice to also have it for apps and just incorporate it better into the main thing. 2-have a toggle-able “random reminders” mode. What that means is, if the user turns this mode on, then during times where a block session is not active, sending reminders at random time intervals asking if the user is currently distracted by something time wasting. The random nature of the reminders could help the user to snap out of a distracted trance.

5 months ago, Mcalton

Worth It

When I decided that I wanted to be more productive (and accordingly determined that my phone was my biggest barrier to doing so), I started searching for free app-blocker apps. Eventually, via online recommendations, I arrived at Freedom, which has a free version. I decided to buy the paid subscription despite not having a ton of disposable income at the time, and I don’t regret it. Frankly, the extra features are necessary, and spending the money—which really wasn’t much, especially in the scope of my increased productivity—allowed me to commit, not wanting my investment to go to waste. This is easily a 5-star app, but I would still love to mention some features that I think would be useful in the future to enhance UI. First, I’d love a schedule-view of my recurring block sessions. Visually, I feel like it would help with organization, and I’m a sl*t for calendar views. Second, I’d love the option to set a time limit instead of a blocked out schedule. The app by no means needs either of these, but I think they’d be pretty cool if you’re look into expanding features at any point. Regardless, I love the app, and I will continue using it happily. Thanks for the great system.

4 years ago, Shhshshshsjs

Doesn’t “block” apps. Just stop refreshing.

I was doing the free trial of premium to try and figure out how to stop my smartphone addiction while still having access to my phone. I’m a Comp Sci student so I need access to tech and internet to do my work but Facebook and Reddit get in the way so I only need them blocked when I’m doing work at random hours. I tried other things but the work arounds were so easy that I just always went with the work around. I thought this didn’t have that problem but apparently if you don’t leave the app open in the background it won’t block stuff. For apps like Facebook those launch with near infinite data so you can still go through a lot of the website when it’s blocked. I only have a couple phone games so I didn’t trouble shoot them but it looks like those distractions can’t be blocked since they don’t connect to the internet. I have no idea if this is possible, but I was expecting something that once I set the timer, it made me physically incapable of starting apps I had put on a blocklist, and it’s was impossible to undo the timer. But if you’re looking for something like that this isn’t it

2 years ago, Roccaday

Much better than my last review

I bumped my review from one star to 5 stars. They’ve really improved since my last review and I’m fairly pleased with the app overall… However I’d like to make a suggestion for an even better experience. Can you consider allowing scheduled sessions on certain calendar days. For instance scheduling a session for the 3rd and then a different session for the 4th and so on. I don’t have the same work schedule from day to day, or even week to week. So sometimes when I schedule sessions for certain days of the week I often forget to change it based on my schedule for that day and end up being blocked when I really need certain apps or NOT being blocked when i need to be productive… if that makes sense.. Just a suggestion for those of us with inconsistent or hectic schedules… If you have tips on how to achieve similar goal with your current features I’d be glad to hear. Thanks!

1 year ago, JoeyDeFab

Useful but so extremely frustrating

This app is useful when it is working properly, but extremely frustrating when it’s not. I have schedules set up to block distractions during the work day, but then give me back unrestricted access after work hours. It does a great job of blocking my selected sites and helping me focus, but it also blocks everything else too. Including ITSELF. Which means the app can’t connect to the internet to read when my focus schedules are on or off, and it shuts everything down in the process (essentially bricking my phone). The way around this is to temporarily disconnect from WiFi, connect to cellular, open the app again and refresh, then then turn wifi back on. Which would be fine if this didn’t happen almost every time I open my phone, even when I don’t have schedules set up to run. It also sometimes just stops working again randomly for whatever reason, so I end up doing this little work around about 20-30 times a day. If I hadn’t already paid the annual fee, I would have dumped this app months ago. It’s so frustrating.

2 years ago, jgp1216492872

Great if it was actually automatic.

You can schedule sessions which seems great until you find out that if you’re on low power mode it doesn’t work. This is genuinely a big enough issue for me that I would give it 5 stars otherwise. My phone battery doesn’t last long and it needs to be on low power mode when it’s not charging. I have this app because I struggle with self control regarding social media, like many other who use this app I assume. If I’m on social media and my scheduled session (I have one that’s meant to keep my off my phone before bed) is supposed to start but it doesn’t - I’m not going to open the app and turn off low power mode. If I could get myself to do that I wouldn’t need the app. I would be able to put my phone down. The scheduled session would ideally give you no choice. You make the choice far in advance, which makes it easier. That, and sometimes when I’m not on low power mode it says my phone put the app to sleep. I don’t get why. It makes that feature near useless when it would’ve been the most useful. I do hope this improves.

4 years ago, happylittleclouds

Seriously, it doesn’t work

In response to the developer’s response: No, the apps I tested were still fully functional. I guess it might work on an app that *must* connect to the internet to work, if that’s what you mean by refresh, but it certainly doesn’t stop me from using any apps that don’t need to be “refreshed” to work, like self-contained games or apps with previously downloaded content that I could still peruse. Suggestion: instead of saying it “blocks apps”, give a more accurate description of what your product actually does and which types of apps are likely to be affected. There are scores of reviews on here saying the app blocking function doesn’t work on iPhones. The developers say “make sure you have the freedom app open in the background.” Check! “Make sure you’ve installed the app blocker.” Check, vpn running! And yet I have an app blocking session running and I can still access all my apps. So what am I missing? If you want to claim you have good customer service then actually check out these complaints further. And if the complaints are due to people missing a step during installation then you should improve your user interface.

3 years ago, carrottomato

Blocks internet use on phone

I’m happy to find an app that blocks Internet use on my phone. I wish that feature was more obvious. It is the main reason I bought Freedom. I also use screen time for iOS and the Cold Turkey app. Neither of these are able to block Internet on my phone. Cold Turkey does have a more full featured scheduler and list capabilities. Some points of feedback - It would be nice to have a whitelist of websites. For instance, I do a lot of my writing in Google docs, and there’s no way to unblock that. - It would be nice to have more information on how exactly Freedom works upfront. I had to dig for that info by searching the help desk and reading App Store reviews. This would help me understand what I can or can’t rely on Freedom to do. It looks like Freedom uses VPN technology to block network requests. This is why you can open apps but the API requests fail and the apps don’t work. It also looks like this doesn’t quite work for some social media apps like Facebook or Instagram. - The credit card payment form is not optimized for mobile. The number and CVV fields should have input type number. Otherwise, on mobile, it will show the default alphabetical keyboard, which is harder to fill out. - As a minor note, configuring the block list could be slightly easier. I had to click multiple times to block all of the options. A select all button would be great.

2 months ago, yaboiedddd

The developer of cold turkey recommended me this for mobile devices

It’s a good app, it’s not as powerful as cold turkey blocker but only because of the difference in platform. On a computer you have more freedom with what you can make unaccessible (pretty ironic right?). I do however have a few notes on aspects that make this a little bit too easy to get around. The easiest get around to this app when your in a block period is to put your device in battery saver mode. I do not know how to fix this, to this extent the app works more of a small hurdle than an actual blocker. With cold turkey I have made the settings on my block literally unbreakable, god forbid that app ever causes problems with my computer because it’s not even possible for me to uninstall it without factory resetting my computer. If this app can find ways to block opening your settings, then it’s golden. Without settings you would have to wait for your device to run out of battery and get put into energy saver mode. But I know it’s not that simple and that there are many hurdles involved with the different operating systems these apps are based on. Anyway, I will continue to use the app because a “small hurdle” is better than me just doom scrolling when I have 80 chapters left to read in my masters program. Cheers.

4 years ago, weertyitwpq

Freedom App Review

This app has done wonders for helping with my productivity. It blocks websites efficiently, comes with several pre-built block lists, has a strong notification system, and while it may not block apps effectively, I understand this to be a fault with the AppStore generally, as opposed to Freedom specifically. Blocking websites is a core feature, and is very simple to implement. You can either choose from the aforementioned prebuilt block lists or create your own by typing in the website address. Once that’s done, you select a length of time, a block list, and the device/s you want the app to run on. Once you set it, it goes until it’s done with no exceptions. The caveat here being, of course, that Freedom can be disabled via deleting the app from your phone, or killing the functionality on a laptop. That said, it’s a simple, effective system that will work as long as you do.

2 years ago, beazaurus

Dissapointed

Im embarrassed i bought this without trying it, rule number 1 is don’t pay until you know you are getting something good. I paid because the premium option allowed you to plan out “sessions “ or time blocked from apps. I scheduled 2 sessions for the morning afternoon of work every day, and was really excited to not be distracted. But when i woke up, my saved session set for mon - fri were gone - i found out when i accessed tiktok in bed realizing a few minutes later i had installed an app to prevent exactly this. I tried resetting both sessions multiple times only for them to disappear as soon as i hit the save button. Then i tried a single times session and it too did not block anything. Im disapointed i was drawn into the clean aesthetic, seeming ease of use, and the simplicity of the functionality i was interested in. I will continue to try for a few days but honestly the whole point i bought it was to save time, And I’m not sure that really going to happen at this point.

1 year ago, Adhdholic

Vastly improved — finally 5-star worthy

I’ve been using this app from way, way back on desktop. It was always a bit wonky, and you could never really count on a session starting, ending, or blocking as expected, but I paid for a subscription anyway because Freedom worked better (or less badly) than any other blocking app. For years, OS vendors, especially Apple, kept trying to defeat this app and others like it. Finally the hostility seems to have ended, and Freedom has truly blossomed. The new “app blocking” feature that works with ios’s restrictions is an amazing game changer, and the website blocking is finally working consistently. Looking back, I’m impressed with how doggedly the team has worked on maintaining Freedom and improving it through the years. It’s been a long journey.

8 months ago, Sunroseserenity

Work around

Was super excited about subscribing this app until I discovered it doesn’t always turn on automatically even when scheduled sessions are in place. It is an excellent tool when working! I had hoped to save money by canceling my dumb phone that I use when not on my smartphone but it seems I will probably go back to having 2 phones again as it was much more effective to just not have a smartphone out when I needed to focus. There have been too many times when this app’s scheduled session did not start. I gave it 3 stars because it does work most of the time. It works for sure if the app is already open and tapped on but since I know the work around that there’s a chance it won’t work if I don’t tap on it, hours of my time have been devoured on the smartphone again.

1 month ago, Trumperonni

Narrators Voice

Whoever the man is that is narrating Exodus 90 (currently going through Junes Sacred Heart) is absolutely amazing. I wake up very early every day and make a cappuccino, open my Bible to the daily readings, throw on my headphones and open your app to press play. In a way, I’ve learned to long for both the daily Word and just hearing whoever this man is on the recording. His voice gives the impression of an older, wise, mentor figure. The type of man you just want to have coffee with and listen to because he’s “been there done that”. It’s almost like being read the Word every morning by Liam Neeson. Can’t tell you how many podcasts/monthly prayer programs I’ve listened to with some dude with a voice that is just not…convicting. You guys really picked a winner with this one. 5/5 stars!

3 months ago, bbbddd29

Some bugs but overall very valuable

I love that this allows me to set a window of the day that I want apps blocked versus a countdown timer. Often with countdown timers I can go into a endless scroll just waiting till I am locked out. With this, I don’t have the timer hanging over my head making me feel like I can waste time until the timer stops me. I know certain hours of the day when I need the apps blocked most and I can just schedule Freedom to lock me out of those apps on a schedule. For instance, I’m always on my phone after work. So now I have 2 hour window after work when I am locked out of my apps.

2 years ago, foggn

Can’t select specific apps?

This should be the most basic functionality. I want to block specific apps that I have installed but even a premium membership gives you clustered app choices. What prevents me from uninstalling the app during a scheduled blocked period? I can change my iTunes settings to not allow uninstallation however, if I can’t block the settings app, I can change it. Close the loop by allowing users to specify which apps they want on their lists. Otherwise good tool, I need serious preventative measures to get off my phone. Hoping development will see this and change the functionality. Really don’t care if I have to allow more permissions to have this addition. Thanks. Update: Make it so that an app can’t be launched in the first place. Why can I still launch facebook and see old posts? I might just make my own app at this point no company seems to be doing what users want.

3 years ago, Hmcdds

Where has this app been all my life (or since 2008)?

I have been a Facebook addict since 2008. In the past, I have not been able to stay off of FB unless I actually deactivate my account. Logging in and scrolling for way too much time was completely automatic and unintentional. Like breathing. This app broke me of my Facebook addiction in about a week. Not only am I a million percent more productive, I don’t even have the urge to look at Facebook at all. I don’t use other social media aside from Snapchat for quick communication with certain people, so I can’t really comment on other SM. I ABSOLUTELY recommend this app for those who have trouble managing their social media time. Facebook, in particular, was a major problem for me. No more!

1 year ago, Lucky Lotus

The app I’ve been looking for!

This is the only app I have found that allows you to lock yourself out of distracting apps and websites. Others that lock down are aimed at parents or they are aimed at adults but don’t actually lock things down. A feature I would love to see is the ability to set a time limit on use regardless of the time of day. For example, I could allow myself a total of 30 mins a day on social media and get locked out after 30mins is up, whether that was 15 mins in the morning and 15 mins in the evening, or 30mins all at one time. A step component could be an interesting feature as well. Walk a certain number of steps and ‘earn’ access to blocked sites and apps.

2 months ago, Motropuk

Life changing

This app has changed my relationship with work in a very positive way. While I always made sure I blocked notifications from Email, Teams and Slack after hours, I would always been drawn to open the apps and check what was going on. Freedom has stopped this habit and with locked mode really ensures you don’t even have the option to go into these apps even if I wanted to. One suggestion for the developer for a future addition would be the ability to schedule as session for a defined date range - say when you go on vacation. Also being able to schedule sessions for a date in the future. At the moment you can only really schedule 24 hours in advance

2 years ago, EngineeringChick

Potential But Lacking in Development

This app has so much potential but is it’s own worst enemy due to lack of features that other similar apps have (Opal). Namely, it doesn’t let you have exceptions. I have Noom - a meal logging / health app - and for whatever reason Freedom has decided noon isn’t allowed. Even logging out won’t fix the problem. I keep having to delete and redownload the app. I am about to give up and go back to Opal, which is sad because I love the cross platform (laptop, phone, desktop, etc) sync capabilities this app has. I wish they had put just a little more effort into development. If they had, this app would have been a leader on the market. As it is, it is often another chore, and I only gave one example of how app exceptions would be so helpful. there are many like it.

3 years ago, Kaliyah #9

Please add a feature to block specific apps.

The one thing missing from Freedom is the tool that allows blocking SPECIFIC apps. I wish there was some way for freedom to assess what apps I have and I could choose from my apps which ones to block and which ones to allow. If I want to set a time for working or studying, I want to allow certain apps that I need focus like OneNote or Word and block other apps that are games. Or if I want to have time to relax, I should be able to choose apps that I deem the work and study apps and allow certain games and entertainment apps. And I don’t mean the url because you can’t get url of apps on your phone. I mean apps from the AppStore. I get little use out of blocking all apps. I really hope this changes because I would really like to continue using Freedom.

1 year ago, lrlc

Glitchy

I had freedom on and off for two years. The biggest issue I had was that I would set it to start on its own and tell me when it would be starting. I stopped receiving the notifications And it no longer started on its own. I’m very compulsive with screen time, etc so when it doesn’t start on its own I usually avoid clicking on the app voluntarily because I know that ut will start running. Hence the reason why I need it to start on its own. Other than this, it was very hard to get past the dopamine fix from apps and my phone when using it at first and then at times on and off throughout the time that I used it. And of course, one can easily just delete the app from their phone. Without the current glitches I would probably still be using it

3 years ago, Projectmanagermom

Hard to admit I need it, but…

This app has been such a huge help for me. I use it for a few weeks, think I’ve got the impulses under control, and before I know I’m “just checking Twitter one more time before I get to work” again. And then I start the process over. ;-) I’ve got news, stocks, & social media scheduled to be blocked from 9pm to 7am, and it’s been very helpful for making sure I get to bed on time and don’t get sucked into the news before meditating in the morning. It’s well-worth the price to make sure you’ve got it on all platforms…before I had installed it on my iPad, I’d inevitably sneak in some Twitter-time even though it was blocked on my iPhone & PC.

2 months ago, Ellen Munsk

App used to be great: Update

I upgraded my rating to five stars. The app is much more user friendly than it used to be when I left a three star review a few years ago. However, the main reason I left five stars is because this app is better than all the others out there that do the same thing. I’ve tried them all and Freedom is the best. But I still think the Freedom App should explain the various actions you need take to block apps, websites, etc. While it may seem obvious to a tech savvy person, there should be a little ‘Read more’ type button explaining what a Freedom Profile, App Blocker, etc, does and why you need to install it.

4 months ago, DisappointedMe76

Helpful but Could Be Better

I like being able to block times off so I don’t waste too much time on my phone at night and when I wake up. I also appreciate that I can’t just click ignore and continue using blocked apps. There are some glitches that I noticed. Sometimes apps say they are restricted outside of the blocked time or they aren’t blocked when they are supposed to be. It typically resolves if I go into the Freedom app, but one time I had to set a block time of a couple minutes and allow it to reset just to use an app I was supposed to have access to. Also I REALLY wish there was a feature to set daily time limits for the app as well since the screen time settings on the iPhone don’t work they are supposed to and it’s easy to just hit ignore.

1 year ago, Xangetsu

The real deal

This app is the only one that’s been successful at keeping me from any of my phone distractions. It blocks both apps and websites in your devices’ network settings, making them impossible to access by using a different browser, private browsing, or a browser inside a different app. You can even lock the session so you can’t deactivate it. All this leaves you free to use your phone for music, notes, or whatever you decide not to block. As someone with a brain that’s always trying to squirm out of unpleasant tasks, I greatly appreciate this app for helping me finish my master’s degree and move one after the other.

1 year ago, Loseyourlife

This is amazing- absolute control of your internet on all devices!

Helps a person to be able to focus on what they need to and it’s pretty amazing at doing that. I like how much one can customize the settings although there is a learning curve. I like the function of not being able to change the settings when you have a session going. I also like you can turn this off if you’d like overall, to really amazing program it’s really helped my life to keep me focused and to get out of bad habits of endlessly scrolling on the news when I should be doing other things like making some news! Thanks for this life enhancing app!!!!!

1 year ago, bailaconmigo94

Freedom has given me my life back

Growing up on social media, I knew I was a full social media addict, but didn’t realize how much time it was sucking away until recently. I needed something to just catch me when mindlessly clicking away from a freelance project and into the dark pit of tiktok or Twitter and this saved me. I went from spending 60+ hours on social media to only 2 hours a day, which is still not where I want to be, but getting better! I have been a 1000x more productive at work, I’ve been more creative and have had more time to spend on myself and my goals. Truly wouldn’t have been able to happen without Freedom!

3 years ago, Vgatz42

Works Well on Desktop, Very Inconsistent on iOS

In general, I’m a big fan of this app. I’ve used it to successfully launch study habits and with its help I’ve developed better discipline overall. That said, the app has always been inconsistent on iOS. Sometimes the content blocker doesn’t work at all, other times it blocks websites or apps that aren’t on your blocklist. As far as I know, it only works on Safari too which of course, is more problematic at most iOS power users won’t touch Safari with a 1000 foot pole. I almost regret purchasing the lifetime membership however. In the past year there have been no meaningful changes to the iOS experience and as a result, I’ve had to turn to other methods to better enforce my discipline.

2 years ago, jsa8654

Frustrating

Freedom feels like a lifesaver—the right kind of functionality, nice UI, etc. The one minor issue: The thing just doesn’t work. I’ll often begin a session and it simply doesn’t block anything. And yes, I’ve checked all the potential user-error boxes, understand the whole bit about Freedom not truly blocking apps like FB and IG (only blocking the loading of new content), etc. Mind you, sometimes it does work, but too often it just doesn’t. If it is user error, then the app is too high maintenance and requires a bit too much from its users—I’m trying to be on my best behavior and follow the known rules and recommendations for optimal use. I’m not deleting it yet, in hopes that the developer will make improvements.

2 years ago, berkeleysunbeam

it helps!

It keeps getting better and better. The reason why I’m not giving it five stars is because: I can’t use the iPhone app in low power mode. I have to give the app some rights that I would rather not have to do. I have it installed on five devices and it’s require some effort to keep them all working together. I like that I can block a specific website, or a specific app. I like that it does allow me to control five devices. I like that it has a lock mode. I like thatI can make schedules and also spontaneously start the session when I need to. It works pretty well. The interface is easy to use.

4 years ago, Richie Montes

GLITCHES AND AFFECTS OTHER PARTS OF THE PHONE

This app is a great idea and I was so excited to try it, but it really needs some work. I have a distraction list which has the only websites they are supposed to block, but it started to block tons of other ones too. And i had to keep refreshing till it worked. Same thing with the app store, i saw another comment say it blocked them from using it and the developer replied that that isn’t possible, but It happened to me now. As soon as I uninstalled it i was able to open the app store immediately and my phone stopped randomly blocking websites that weren't on the list. Chrome stay focused has a timer for each website and its in the corner only letting you be on each website like 20 or 30 min a day and it works amazingly, wish this had that too

2 years ago, OliveVanna

I think this app just saved my relationship!

Holy ****. This app is above and beyond my expectations. First of all I feel like social media has been a huge issue in a lot of relationships not just mine. This is EXACTLY what I was looking for. When I downloaded it, the first thing I did was test it lol it’s like don’t hit the red button hahaha it works!!! To the point I had to get ahold of customer service to make ANY changes at all, surprisingly they got back to me in 15 minutes. Further more I recommend you set up a password on screen time to stop yourself from just deleting the app lol Im actually really curious to what the heck I’m going to do with all my extra time now. It’s amazing how many mindless hours you spend scrolling on meaningless crap that do nothing positive for you. Freedom is a perfect name. As weird as it sounds I feel like a weight has been lifted. Anyways super geeked up about this app. It’s in expensive and SO WORTH IT Thank you ❤️

4 years ago, DanMan888

Would be great if it worked right

The idea of this app is a good one, but it has way too many frustrating flaws. For one, even though iI turned on background app refresh, I still have to open the app for the blocking to work. I also made my own blocklist in order to block apps that weren’t blocked automatically, but whenever I put those blocklists into my schedule, it never stays. For example, I have a blocklist called other Apps. I make a schedule for myself, and in the blocklist tab, I clicked on my custom blocklist, and there was a little checkmark that indicated that it was selected. After I saved it, I would reopen the schedule and that blocklist would no longer be part of it. This happened repeatedly. I’m upset to have spent money on an app that is so clearly glitchy and unfinished.

4 weeks ago, LiMingZi

Everything works smoothly

I find Freedom very easy to work with. I can select which apps to keep open or close and at what times and days of the week. This also goes for internet use in general or specific websites. Users of iPhones should note that iOS puts all apps to sleep if the app is not opened every couple of days. Therefore, in order to keep Freedom running, you either have to keep the app open in the background or make sure you open it every day or two. You can also have Freedom remind you of this if it’s not open in the background.

3 years ago, hello__dolly

Blocks websites but NOT apps like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!

This app is only good if you need to block websites. My problem is social media apps like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. I enjoy using them on my iPhone but want to limit my time on them. I thought that this app could help me but unfortunately I can still easily get on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter during a session. Content refreshes, new content loads and I can interact with posts as normal. The developers need to figure out a way to block social media apps. Tech support is responsive and offers advice but nothing has solved this issue for me yet. Blocking apps during a session shouldn’t be this difficult. If blocking apps is not possible due to outside forces, then the sales team should be very upfront about that before people purchase.

3 years ago, Tarloq

break free from dopamine addiction

this app is like a bodyguard for my brain and my focus. it protects me from myself and let's me turn off social when i normally otherwise would not be able to have the self control to turn it off. i feel more free in just a few days of using it. I'm confident life going forward will be more productive for me and less draining on my mental health now that I'm not constantly at the mercy of my compulsions to keep up with the trivial information overload of social media and the desire to overshare every minutia of my day and personal thoughts

5 years ago, TerryB.

Does not work as advertised

I was a Premium user of a few years - simply let my subscription expire but the pp was basically 'as advertsed'. I recently suggested it to a pair of friends who then found out the ONLY app it blocks are individual website on Safari. None on Chrome. No apps. Not Facebook. Not Instagram. Not even the app store (which could be a nice workaround). Who is addicted to using Safari on their cell phone? I feel terrible that I suggested such a misleading app. I suppose that it doesn't promise to block apps, simply websites but really? Really? Really? Edit - I've left another review for this app recently that is five stars. Not sure why it let me leave that instead of updating here but the app has improved much through the years (with customer service along with it). I probably will delete this review id possible.

1 year ago, shgihcjf

Doesn’t completely work. (Update)

The issue I’m having has been a problem since I had the app. I currently have a session that suppose to always run and another that I set to run for 24 hours. Both session are blocking the same things but their not working. The blocker does work at times but it’s not enough for me to rely on it. The issues I discussed are still present for whatever reason. The app blocking feature needs refinement. I made a tester blocklist for one minute and the app remained blocker after the time period. I'm honestly frustrated at this point. My reoccurring blockers still don't work and when I set a new blocker it runs over the time also. It makes for a unreliable experience so now I'll have to look towards finding soemthing different.

7 months ago, OkcPete

Great potential

I love the concept and the base functionality of it, but there still seems to be a lot of bugs within the app. Anytime I was in session, all other functionality of my phone would slow down dramatically. Sometimes apps specifically not marked within the block list would not function and other times blocked apps would not unlock after sessions were over. I think there is great potential here, but I’m going to wait for a few more app updates before I try again or consider paying for premium.

4 weeks ago, alisabee

First weeks were perfection!

The first weeks of using Freedom were indeed freeing. It was all I wanted in an app blocker. Felt like I had my life back. And then I realized you could just turn it off under Screen Time settings and it became almost worthless. It’s one more barrier to using my time sucking apps so I do still use it but so disappointed. I realize the problem is with Apple. So wish they at least had an option to required a passcode to change THOSE screen time settings so I could ask another person to set that. It’s so sad how much our society is impacted by phone use and even those of us who realize our limitations for self control and are trying to do better are foiled.

1 year ago, Big4 JM

Fixed some glitches. Great!!!

When I first started using Freedom at the beginning of COVID work from home, it interferes with my MSFT Teams. I abandoned it for awhile and recently started reusing it. Issues are resolved!!! I love this and put 12-hour blocks of my day that have been so helpful. I’m more organized, more focused and have more quality time with my daughter. I hate being stuck in stupid stuff on my phone and this helps me put it down and walk away to spend time on things that actually matter. Love it love it love it!!!

4 years ago, a seller and occasional buyer

Helpful with technology addiction but could use some work

This app has been very helpful when it comes to decreasing how much I aimlessly waste my time online. One problem I have is that there isn't an “allowed” list which would be very beneficial in narrowing down the priorities you need to focus on. I also found a way how to curb the app on my phone which was easy to figure out. I am going back to using screen time for these reasons. Overall, the app is very useful if you get premium. You even get special discounts for other productivity tools. Even though the app has no use for me in terms of blocking distractions, I won’t be trying to get a refund for this reason.

2 years ago, wr18r02

AVOID THIS APP

This is a remarkably poor, unstable app, and the subscription model is very likely why; the company gets paid every month no matter what they do, so there's no incentive to actually improve the product. This crashed three times when I tried to use it. I've found that to be a common experience with apps that require subscriptions. Just a reminder that this is subscriptionware; you don't own it. If the company disappears, so does the app. If you use this app for five years, you will have paid $200 for it. That's a lot of money to sink into an app that could disappear at any time. (Especially for software that barely works.) Update: canned, mostly irrelevant response from the developer completes the picture that this is a product and company best avoided.

3 years ago, New Freedom User

New App, Who Dis?

I just recently got this app, and I like the idea and also the multi platform option. Although there is some room for improvement like the vpn can be turned off on ios stopping the app from doing its job. I like the focus sounds on the desktop version really wish they were on the mobile version. Also the freedom mobile interface has some useless things like the block apps section which if you tap on it does not let you choose any apps to block. Freedom can be the best productivity app for sure, just needs some fixes.

4 years ago, Abebro

Useful but flawed - Devs address this please!

(Disclaimer: I have the premium version). This app works largely as intended: you can block out distracting websites and apps, and I haven’t figured a way around it once it’s in “locked” mode (although I haven’t tried super hard). You can even schedule recurring sessions ahead of time. Great. However, those scheduled sessions don’t start until the app has been opened recently! So I can wake up in the a.m. and mess around on social media for a long time before realizing I’m supposed to be in a scheduled locked session. The app then HAS to be opened for the (pre-scheduled) session to begin. Even if the session started an hour or two prior. I know its just a small step, but if I had that much self-control I wouldn’t need the premium version of the app! Devs could make the app perfect if it auto-locked whenever a scheduled session began without the need of “activating” it by opening the app. Because once I realized I could be on social media all day as long as I never open the app it rendered the thing almost useless.

4 years ago, jsbgixiej

Improved and totally effective!

I tried this app a while ago when it only blocked your browser and stopped using it. With the new improvements and app blocking it’s exactly what I wanted and 100% effective. I have had zero problems with it and am soooooo glad it’s available! I use my phone for work so having black out times is extremely helpful! It also doesn’t have a lot of the drawback that other app blocking tools have, like having to reset your notifications every time you block them. So pleased with this app!

Description

Block distracting apps and websites so you can focus, be more productive, and build better screen time habits. We've built the world's best app and website blocker, trusted by over 3 million individuals and teams to deliver focused attention for the things that matter most. During a Freedom session, when you attempt to open an app or website on your blocklist, Freedom blocks the app from opening and displays a peaceful green screen - reminding you that you're currently free of that distraction. Freedom users report gaining an average of 2.5 hours of productive time every day. They're more fulfilled, happier with work and family life, and have a healthier relationship with their technology. Schedule a Freedom app blocking session to start automatically when you need it – for complete, seamless control over distractions. Because Freedom works across all your devices, you'll feel confident knowing you're in complete control. We call it mindful productivity. There's no limit to the number of devices (including phones, tablets, and computers) you can connect to Freedom, so you can block apps and websites regardless of where you are or what you're doing. You'll stay focused, productive, and distraction-free. "Our favorite distraction-killing app blocker." – Lifehacker "One antidote to the always-on life is Freedom…" – Time Magazine "As Freedom shows, the solution to the problems created by technology isn't anti-technology, but more and better technology." – Huffington Post "Freedom has garnered celeb fans like Dave Eggers, Nick Hornby, Seth Godin, and Nora Ephron." – Mashable PEACE OF MIND - COVER EVERY DEVICE - For one price, Freedom covers all your devices (phones, tablets, and computers) with our powerful distraction-blocking technology. TURN OFF THE NOISE - BLOCK APPS and WEBSITES - Block distracting apps and websites for as long as you want. Select from a pre-made blocklist or create a custom blocklist of your time-consuming distractions. EXPERIENCE TOTAL PEACE - BLOCK THE INTERNET - Block the internet with a single button. Enjoy peace, quiet, and focus, away from all distractions. Freedom won't block important texts or calls, so you can enjoy offline time knowing you can be reached if need be! SMART COVERAGE - SYNC ACROSS YOUR DEVICES - Distractions aren't limited to your phone! Sync block sessions to your phones, tablets, and computers. There's no limit to the number of devices you can use. CREATE GOOD HABITS - USE POWERFUL SCHEDULING - Schedule your blocks now, later, or create recurring blocks to help make focus and productivity a habit. LOCKED MODE - Use Locked Mode to commit to breaking bad digital habits and addictions. FOCUS SOUNDS - Free audio tracks give you an assortment of music, café, office, and nature sounds to help you stay focused and productive, no matter where you are. We're excited about helping you be the best version of yourself. We're continually building new tools - and they're always included in your subscription. We've also got a great Perks program which offers discounts on top productivity products. SUBSCRIPTION PRICING AND TERMS We’re confident that you’ll love Freedom, but just so you can be sure, we offer a 7-day free trial of Freedom Premium. After that it’s only $39.99 per year. Many Freedom users tell us it pays for itself within a few days! These prices are for United States customers. Pricing in other countries may vary and actual charges may be converted to your local currency depending on the country of residence. Your Freedom subscription will automatically renew at the end of each term and your credit card will be charged through your iTunes account. Your subscription will automatically renew unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can turn off auto-renew at any time from your iTunes account settings. Terms and Conditions - https://freedom.to/terms Privacy Policy - https://freedom.to/privacy Thank you!