Cortex app vs ScreenZen
Prices and ratings from the US App Store, checked on 2026-09-13. They change; tell us if one is outdated.
ScreenZen is the free, do-everything option; Cortex app is the pause turned into a brain workout with a score. If price decides, ScreenZen wins. If what happens in the five seconds decides, Cortex app.
ScreenZen is free, donation-supported, and combines a delay before apps open with limits, strict blocking, website blocking and prompts. Cortex app is freemium and centers on what happens inside the pause: typed math, trivia, a mirror of your own usage, an intention question and a daily score. If you want free and flexible, ScreenZen; if you want the pause turned into a habit you can measure, Cortex app.
ScreenZen has 49,000 US ratings at 4.9 stars, runs on iPhone and Android, and its whole feature set is free with optional tips. It is the closest app to Cortex app in spirit — it even has a breathing exercise and an “is this important?” prompt. What it doesn’t have: typed arithmetic, trivia, the work/leisure/autopilot classification, the 0–100 score that resets at midnight, or Portuguese.
| Cortex app | ScreenZen | |
|---|---|---|
| Approach | Pause + intention question | Pause, limits or hard block |
| What happens during the pause | Breathing · typed math · trivia · your own usage numbers · time box | Delay, “is this important?” prompt, breathing, scroll interruption |
| Asks why you’re opening the app | Yes | Partial |
| Daily score and streaks | Yes | Partial |
| Custom pause length | Pro | Yes |
| Schedules | Pro | Yes |
| Daily usage limits | Pro | Yes |
| Blocks websites | No | Yes |
| Shortcuts / automations | Yes | No |
| Platforms | iPhone | iPhone, Android |
| Minimum iOS | iOS 17 | iOS 16.4 |
| Free tier | 1 app, full features | Everything, free |
| Yearly | $14.99 | Free (optional tips) |
| Monthly | $3.99 | Free (optional tips) |
| Lifetime | $79.99 | Free (optional tips) |
| Published research | No | No |
| App Store rating (US) | See App Store | 4.9 ★ · 49K |
Choose ScreenZen if…
- You want everything free, including strict blocking and website blocking.
- You also need it on Android.
- You want scroll interruption inside long sessions, not only a pause at the door.
Choose Cortex app if…
- You want the five seconds to do something — a sum, a trivia fact, a mirror of your own numbers.
- You want one number (0–100, reset daily) and a weekly report that tells you if it’s working.
- You want it in Portuguese, or you want Shortcuts / App Intents.
Cortex app vs ScreenZen — FAQ
Is ScreenZen really free?
Yes. Every feature is free; it asks for optional tips of $5 to $40 inside the app. Cortex app is free for one monitored app and $14.99 a year for Pro.
Which one blocks harder?
ScreenZen: it has strict blocking by time range or open count and a settings lock. Cortex app never blocks.
Does ScreenZen ask why you’re opening the app?
It shows a customizable prompt such as “is this important?”. Cortex app asks you to classify the open as work, leisure or autopilot and scores your decision afterwards.
Does ScreenZen work in Portuguese?
Its App Store listing lists English, French, German, Simplified Chinese, Spanish and Vietnamese (checked 2026-09-13). Cortex app ships Portuguese (Brazil).
5.0 ★ on the App Store · iOS 17+