Best Free Screen Time Apps 2026: 6 Options Compared

Screen time apps answer two different questions, and the free versions of each are limited in different ways. The first is a parent asking how to limit what a child does on a phone. Apple Screen Time, Google Family Link and Microsoft Family Safety are built for that, and since they come from the platform owners they can enforce limits at system level. Qustodio is a third-party option whose free version protects one device with basic features; its cheapest paid plan is $59.95 a year for up to five devices. The second question is an adult asking where their own time goes or how to stop wasting it. For that, ActivityWatch records your usage automatically and keeps the data on your device, while Cold Turkey Blocker's free edition blocks websites and does timed blocks. Choose by who owns the decision. A tool that a child can switch off in settings is a reminder, not a control, so for kids use a system-level option and tell them it is on. For yourself, a blocker you cannot easily undo works better than a report you will not read. The trade-off is platform lock-in: Apple's tool does not manage Android phones, and Family Link is aimed at Android and Chromebooks, so mixed households may need two tools or a third-party app.

Apple Screen Time

Built into iPhone, iPad and Mac with parental controls through Family Sharing. No fee is stated, but it only manages Apple devices.

Price: Free (Built into Apple operating systems; the support page states no fee) (Apple Screen Time pricing, checked 2026-10-24).

Platforms and license: iOS, iPadOS, macOS. Proprietary.

Best for: Households that use Apple devices.

Google Family Link

Google's tool for screen time limits, downtime schedules and a location map for a child's device. The page states no price.

Price: Free (Free to download; check Google's page for current terms) (Google Family Link pricing, checked 2026-10-24).

Platforms and license: Android, iOS, Web. Proprietary.

Best for: Parents with Android phones or Chromebooks.

Microsoft Family Safety

Screen time limits for devices, apps and games, plus content filtering, covering Windows and other devices. The page offers a free trial path but does not state plan limits.

Price: Free (Page offers 'Try for free'; plan limits are not stated) (Microsoft Family Safety pricing, checked 2026-10-24).

Platforms and license: Windows, Android, iOS, Xbox. Proprietary.

Best for: Windows and Xbox households.

Qustodio

Free version protects one device with basic features, which the page does not list. Premium Basic costs $59.95 a year for up to 5 devices, so most families will need to pay.

Price: Free (Free version protects a single device with basic protection features; the page does not list which); paid from $59.95 per year, Basic Premium (Qustodio pricing, checked 2026-10-24).

Platforms and license: Windows, macOS, Android, iOS. Proprietary.

Best for: Families wanting a cross-platform dashboard.

Worth knowing: Premium Basic is $59.95 a year for up to 5 devices.

ActivityWatch

Open-source tracker that records your own usage automatically and keeps data on your device. It reports time spent and does not block anything.

Price: Free (Free open source; data stays on your device) (ActivityWatch pricing, checked 2026-10-24).

Platforms and license: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android. MPL-2.0 (open source).

Project activity: 19.4k GitHub stars · latest release v0.14.1 (Oct 10, 2026) · last commit Oct 26, 2026

Best for: Adults who want to see where time goes.

Worth knowing: Site describes it as an automatic time tracker; it records your own usage and does not block apps.

Cold Turkey Blocker

Blocker Free covers website blocking, exceptions, timed blocks and statistics. App blocking and locking features need the paid lifetime Pro edition.

Price: Free (Blocker Free: block websites, exceptions, timed blocks, statistics) (Cold Turkey Blocker pricing, checked 2026-10-24).

Platforms and license: Windows, macOS. Proprietary.

Best for: Adults who need to block distractions.

Worth knowing: Pro lifetime price not read; Pro adds app blocking, scheduled blocks and locking features.

Which one to pick

• You have young children on iPhones: Apple Screen Time
• You have children on Android phones: Google Family Link
• Your family uses Windows and Xbox: Microsoft Family Safety
• You want to block distracting sites for yourself: Cold Turkey Blocker