Review Insights · App Store
AppBlock: Block Apps & Website
MobileSoft s.r.o. · 6,200 ratings · ★ 4.6
4.6
★★★★★
6,200 ratings
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Top complaints - extracted from 50 negative reviews
Recurring phrases mined from 1-2★ reviews. The bigger the percentage, the more users have the same problem. Fix the top 2-3 in your version and you have product-market fit on day one.
1
"block"
15 negative reviews mention this · 30% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Some features don’t work as described. The feature that works is being able to set a schedule for blocking apps so from 8pm -10am I can block certain apps and I can set a strict mode that no matter what I do I can not get into those apps during that time. Now if I want to set a…" - lisabethbrock
2
"blocking"
13 negative reviews mention this · 26% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Some features don’t work as described. The feature that works is being able to set a schedule for blocking apps so from 8pm -10am I can block certain apps and I can set a strict mode that no matter what I do I can not get into those apps during that time. Now if I want to set a…" - lisabethbrock
3
"work"
12 negative reviews mention this · 24% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Some features don’t work as described. The feature that works is being able to set a schedule for blocking apps so from 8pm -10am I can block certain apps and I can set a strict mode that no matter what I do I can not get into those apps during that time. Now if I want to set a…" - lisabethbrock
4
"doesn"
10 negative reviews mention this · 20% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Location block doesn’t work on ios25 as they say it might. Got this only for that reason and paid for the subscription. Might cancel. Really miss it on Android. Will update review if they fix it." - hhsuey
5
"subscription"
10 negative reviews mention this · 20% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Location block doesn’t work on ios25 as they say it might. Got this only for that reason and paid for the subscription. Might cancel. Really miss it on Android. Will update review if they fix it." - hhsuey
6
"limit"
8 negative reviews mention this · 16% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Some features don’t work as described. The feature that works is being able to set a schedule for blocking apps so from 8pm -10am I can block certain apps and I can set a strict mode that no matter what I do I can not get into those apps during that time. Now if I want to set a…" - lisabethbrock
7
"free"
8 negative reviews mention this · 16% of all complaints
★★★★★ "So frustrating!. I was excited about this app at first. It has some cool features. But ultimately I decided to cancel before the end of the free trial and yet I’m still locked out of apps! It is impossible to get the locks to cancel. And no one is respondin…" - ktrout18
8
"features"
7 negative reviews mention this · 14% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Some features don’t work as described. The feature that works is being able to set a schedule for blocking apps so from 8pm -10am I can block certain apps and I can set a strict mode that no matter what I do I can not get into those apps during that time. Now if I want to set a…" - lisabethbrock
9
"money"
7 negative reviews mention this · 14% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Waste of time because you can’t block apps. This app is a waste of money, it has some continuous flaw in it where you can’t see half your apps in order to select them to block them, so it’s essentially pointless to have as an app blocker because you can’t block what you need." - Na56231
10
"screen"
7 negative reviews mention this · 14% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Good with one MAJOR flaw. First off, I want to say that the people who have been emailing are lovely. But I want to point out that even on strict mode, you are able to go into Apple settings- apps- AppBlock- and disable screentime permissions. To do this you don…" - emankciNreversed
11
"paid"
6 negative reviews mention this · 12% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Location block doesn’t work on ios25 as they say it might. Got this only for that reason and paid for the subscription. Might cancel. Really miss it on Android. Will update review if they fix it." - hhsuey
12
"premium"
6 negative reviews mention this · 12% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Requires Premium Version for Even the Basics. This app used to be usable at the free tier for basic app blocking. Now it is completely useless unless you are on the premium tier. I understand putting features behind a paywall, but this app is worthless without a subscription." - Jazz4food
📋 All 50 negative reviews
Every 1-2★ review we fetched. Use the copy button to grab them all for your own analysis (paste into ChatGPT/Claude with a prompt like "summarize core user problems, group by theme, ignore bugs, focus on missing features").
Waste of time because you can’t block apps
This app is a waste of money, it has some continuous flaw in it where you can’t see half your apps in order to select them to block them, so it’s essentially pointless to have as an app blocker because you can’t block what you need.
So frustrating!
I was excited about this app at first. It has some cool features. But ultimately I decided to cancel before the end of the free trial and yet I’m still locked out of apps! It is impossible to get the locks to cancel. And no one is responding to my emails regarding this issue. Extremely frustrated and disappointed. Don’t download this app!!!
Location block doesn’t work on ios25 as they say it might
Got this only for that reason and paid for the subscription. Might cancel. Really miss it on Android. Will update review if they fix it.
App doesn’t work
I can’t even open the app the delete or remove my account.
Geo-locking apps is broken
I would like to lock myself out of tik tok unless I’m at the gym on the exercise bike. To unlock tik tok I have to open appblock when I’m at the gym and to lock it again when I leave o have again open appblock. Whatever they are doing to refresh the lock in the background is totally broken (at least on iPhone 17). What is the point of the app if I have to open it every time I want to lock myself out of an app?
Charged me up front for a free trial, 3 times. 3rd payment went through
Edit 2: the company conveniently can’t find the charge and Apple has no record of the charge. They told me, after I already told them Apple has no record of me being charged that I would have to report the issue to apple, which you can’t since there is no charge to report a problem to. Use at your own risk
Edit: I was actually charged 3 times but only one of the charges stuck. I want my 21.95 back. Apple has NO record of the charges, NONE. Which tells me you all probably processed the fees in the name of Apple.
Thinking it was a Apple Pay issue I tried again and was told it was denied but I was charged a 2nd time
Edit: I was actually charged 3 times but only one of the charges stuck. I want my 21.95 back. Apple has NO record of the charges, NONE. Which tells me you all probably processed the fees in the name of Apple.
Thinking it was a Apple Pay issue I tried again and was told it was denied but I was charged a 2nd time
Requires Premium Version for Even the Basics
This app used to be usable at the free tier for basic app blocking. Now it is completely useless unless you are on the premium tier. I understand putting features behind a paywall, but this app is worthless without a subscription.
Premium...
Requires premium for literally everything and i connected it to my screen time as a minor and now i can't delete it. It requires screen time pass code to removr
Trash.
The free one is trash bro only one thing per?!?!
Constantly getting logged out
I am constantly having to log back in. I use it daily and don't understand why I'm being logged out.
Another great idea turned into a wallet sucking machine
The great thing about innovation is that it brings new ideas into the market that help a lot of people. The problem: people are getting addicted to their phones. The solution: limit screen time to ween off of phone dependency. Great! Lets make an app to do just that- its essentially a screen time block that allows you to only be aboe access the apps you want outside that block! Apple doesnt already do that, I’m so happy this app can! such a simple premise too, so gratef-
Ohhh paid subscription modellll. Right then. For a clock. The value of this app is as much as they want you to believe, not what it really is. If you tried hard enough, you can achieve exactly what this app is offering you, but because the app does the hard ooga booga thinking and discipline FOR you, now you gotta pay 7.99 a week. 7.99. I fell for it because I’ve conditioned myself to prioritize conveniance over effort, and almost got scammed by this app because I didnt have the confidence to discipline myself. To depend on this app to remove my dependence from other apps. What a joke.
Ohhh paid subscription modellll. Right then. For a clock. The value of this app is as much as they want you to believe, not what it really is. If you tried hard enough, you can achieve exactly what this app is offering you, but because the app does the hard ooga booga thinking and discipline FOR you, now you gotta pay 7.99 a week. 7.99. I fell for it because I’ve conditioned myself to prioritize conveniance over effort, and almost got scammed by this app because I didnt have the confidence to discipline myself. To depend on this app to remove my dependence from other apps. What a joke.
Worst setup ever. Don’t force me to do anything!
Trash
Not free.
So looking for something to help with the brain rot scrolling. Found this app online. It’s advertised as the best free app to help with pick ups and screen time. It is not free. Get a 7 day trial and it requires you to pay.
I hate this app so much
This app is the worst app that I have ever used in my life!!!!!!
I started using it a few months ago. Didn’t really like the setup too much so I decided to delete it from my phone. No harm no foul, right? WRONG! The app still had strict mode on, and it was somehow STILL ACTIVE ON MY PHONE AND THE APP STORE WAS COMPLETELY GONE!
I tried resetting all the settings on my phone! I tried disabling content restrictions! I had no VPN on my phone so I couldn’t use that! I tried downloading the app from Googleplay in order to try and fix it, but because this is an iPhone that didn’t work! I tried deleting the account on their website, but that didn’t work because the account was still in strict mode so I couldn’t get the verification email to delete the account! I tried emailing the company that made this app, but their response time is garbage! Not to mention, their solution was to redownload the app and put in their emergency number which I couldn’t do because again THE APP STORE IS GONE!!! I updated my Iphone to the latest version and that did nothing! I tried calling them , but they don’t have a US phone number! Their phone number is in the freaking Czech Republic! I called Apple Support and even they didn’t know what do to! They were completely flabbergasted that an app somehow had access to a phone even after deletion!
I was forced to just do a hard factory reset on my phone and wipe my data completely just to get the AppStore back! Whatever you do, don’t use this app to help you manage your time! The app sucks and the customer service is absolutely atrocious!
I started using it a few months ago. Didn’t really like the setup too much so I decided to delete it from my phone. No harm no foul, right? WRONG! The app still had strict mode on, and it was somehow STILL ACTIVE ON MY PHONE AND THE APP STORE WAS COMPLETELY GONE!
I tried resetting all the settings on my phone! I tried disabling content restrictions! I had no VPN on my phone so I couldn’t use that! I tried downloading the app from Googleplay in order to try and fix it, but because this is an iPhone that didn’t work! I tried deleting the account on their website, but that didn’t work because the account was still in strict mode so I couldn’t get the verification email to delete the account! I tried emailing the company that made this app, but their response time is garbage! Not to mention, their solution was to redownload the app and put in their emergency number which I couldn’t do because again THE APP STORE IS GONE!!! I updated my Iphone to the latest version and that did nothing! I tried calling them , but they don’t have a US phone number! Their phone number is in the freaking Czech Republic! I called Apple Support and even they didn’t know what do to! They were completely flabbergasted that an app somehow had access to a phone even after deletion!
I was forced to just do a hard factory reset on my phone and wipe my data completely just to get the AppStore back! Whatever you do, don’t use this app to help you manage your time! The app sucks and the customer service is absolutely atrocious!
Took my money, didn’t give what I paid for
Paid for an annual premium subscription and it’s still showing that I don’t have premium access. Rip off.
They are fraud
They are totally scam. They offer 7 day trial but they deduct miney immediately
Money grab
Too many basic basic features like selecting multiple days to block apps is behind a paywall. Blocking apps on your phone for more than one day should be a free feature
Not Tracking Usage Correctly
I have a social media limit set up to block my usage after 1hr 30 min, but it is always tracking more time than I’ve used. I genuinely don’t know how they count the time. It makes the app frustrating to use and I will not be renewing my subscription for this reason. I also wish they had an adequate accompanying app for mac, but that seems lacking as well.
Too hard to customize unless you’re willing to shell out money for it.
Unless you’re willing to pay for it you’ll never be able to access your apps. Unless you pay for the app you only get access to social apps for 30 min total. Not per app that’s 30 min combined. I only want this while I’m working. Not always!
Doesn’t work half the time
Often doesn’t work when it is supposed to be active
Its not blocking the apps anymore
I dont know what happened. But this app does not block the apps on my phone anymore. It used to though. I need an update or assistance regarding this.
Didn’t start using can’t delete
Dumbest app, I didn’t even start blocking because of its lack of features. Now I can’t delete it. Criminal. Don’t use or waste your money
To much payments
I can’t even use the app at this point
Always blocking
I have had the app for a couple of weeks and lately when I wake up the app block is already active even though my screen time is only minutes. I have now deleted the app.
Paywall
Paywall for blocking apps on more than one day of the week
This kinda sucks
its one of those pay to win apps, sorta. You have to pay to block apps for more than one day a week. im not doing that lol
App won’t unblock apps
The app is now blocking apps that are not on any list and even after refreshing won’t go away.
Disappointed
I really found this app to be very cumbersome to use. It was difficult to change settings and it wasnt accurate in the weekly usage reports. For instance, it said that I used apps that I don’t even have like the NY Times news app. I’ve cancelled my subscription and deleted it even though I have a few months left. I’m sure there are better blockers out there.
Issues with scheduling
Blocks well but doesn't follow schedules which is annoying
You can get around the block
The purpose of the app is to lock the owner/user of the phone from apps/websites. However the power for this app is in the screen time settings. You can’t prevent the Face ID from unlocking these settings. So no matter what, you can bypass the blocking. You don’t need to pause the edit lock at all. DO NOT BUY, doesn’t do the only thing it’s supposed to do.
Basically useless without premium
This app is basically useless without their premium subscription as you can only block apps for one day
blocks apps before the time limit hasn’t been reached :(
i even bought premium & currently not able to get refund
tried of the lazy behavior.
when did this app start pay walling features that used to be free. quick block use to last up 24 hours for free and as well as the extra options. this app has offers way less value paid or free that other app, just down load refocus.
Some features don’t work as described
The feature that works is being able to set a schedule for blocking apps so from 8pm -10am I can block certain apps and I can set a strict mode that no matter what I do I can not get into those apps during that time. Now if I want to set a daily time limit on those apps for the day it will not allow me to do strict mode.
So I can lock social media from 8pm-10am but I can not set a one hour limit and keep myself locked out. This is a problem for what I am attempting to accomplish.
So I can lock social media from 8pm-10am but I can not set a one hour limit and keep myself locked out. This is a problem for what I am attempting to accomplish.
Good with one MAJOR flaw
First off, I want to say that the people who have been emailing are lovely.
But I want to point out that even on strict mode, you are able to go into Apple settings- apps- AppBlock- and disable screentime permissions.
To do this you don’t need an Apple screentime code, OR a code from app block. Which is especially frustrating when you can turn off strict mode that way. I feel like it really defeats the of strict mode if you can turn it off that easily.
This app is LOVELY, and it’s doing its best to get the job done. But it needs to cover up these holes.
Thank you, and sorry for the low review, but I feel like it needs to be brought to attention.
But I want to point out that even on strict mode, you are able to go into Apple settings- apps- AppBlock- and disable screentime permissions.
To do this you don’t need an Apple screentime code, OR a code from app block. Which is especially frustrating when you can turn off strict mode that way. I feel like it really defeats the of strict mode if you can turn it off that easily.
This app is LOVELY, and it’s doing its best to get the job done. But it needs to cover up these holes.
Thank you, and sorry for the low review, but I feel like it needs to be brought to attention.
Everything has a fee
For this app to work properly, you need to pay. Smh.
So magical but…
When you start you are amazed and it works so well but I did go on my iPad on Thursday but it said I didn’t
Blocking has to be manually refreshed to work
This app is pretty good when it works. It has a lot of really good options for managing use of different kinds of apps. However a significant amount of the time in the last few months app blocking hasn’t turned on when it was supposed to. I find I have to open AppBlock and refresh manually which really defeats the point. The app is up-to-date so I have to wonder if they’re just having a struggle keeping up with iOS update updates.
Doesn’t Always Work
The idea of this app is great, but it doesn’t always work very well. Sometimes things are supposed to be blocked are aren’t and sometimes the opposite.
Inferior to Android version
On a former Android device I used this to set hourly limits for certain apps (eg 5 minutes per hour). This worked really well for me, but it appears this is not an option on this iOS version. Daily limits are too coarse, making them stressful and ineffective!
Kind of disappointed…
Hello Im a young kid who wants to cut his screen time down and I asked google gemini what I should do and they said that I could try out AppBlock. So I was like ok bet, and I got all excited that I was going to improve myself but then I saw you have to pay. It crushed me and I was just wondering if your really trying to help people out, then why would you take greed and make them pay for it. Like they’re already taking a big step in trying to limit their screen time and then on top of that they have to pay. Is this app made for money or made for people’s well-being?
Something is broken
Clearly something in this app is broken. I’ve been using it for about 8 months now and in the last few months, stuff has hit the fan. App starts blocking apps even outside of the scheduled blocking. Other times it says I have 2 opens remaining for the day and when I try to open the app, it says there are none. I seriously don’t know what wrong with it now. I’ve updated it, deleted and reinstall, removed and readded the required permissions but to no avail. Very disappoint given I paid for this service and I won’t even work now. I’d recommend getting a different screen time app. When it works, it works amazingly. When it doesn’t, it makes your life way harder, complicated, and just a general pain.
Glitchy lately
Worked great, have had it for a couple years. Last month or so just seems like nonstop problems, glitches all the time, unable to pause blocks without hard restarting the app and even then half the time it still won’t unblock. Had issues with it dropping my subscription. May need to look for an alternative.
Can turn off whole thing in settings
Yall gotta get direct system access or something cuz if I just go to settings and turn off access ur system breaks I payed 30 bucks for this come on stop blaming shi on Apple
But other than that works pretty well, to make the app work good tho u pretty much have to pay which is annoying every good feature is behind a paywall
But other than that works pretty well, to make the app work good tho u pretty much have to pay which is annoying every good feature is behind a paywall
Too many bugs
I like the concept of this app but everytime I set a schedule with a time limit it blocks my apps because I already opened them once that day.
It used to work
I tried the free trial and liked so much I bought a subscription but now it’s not blocking apps anymore . I have 2 schedules One base on location another base on time but found myself using the apps at the times it should be blocks , had to manually turn it in What’s the point of that? Maybe if it gets fix is worth 4/5 stars
Cuts time short
I have a daily 60 minute timer and it routinely cuts me off around 25 to 35 minutes. Really frustrating because I made it for the maximum limit of 99 days🤣 now I know better at least when my 99 days are up
No per hour block limit and no reels block like Android has
Per title. My bf has this app on android and it has features this one doesn’t. Not worth the money.
Not Blocking Apps That Aren’t On The Allowlist??
Hi. I have paid $30 for this app. It would be nice if it worked properly. Ironically the two apps that are unblocked, yet aren’t on the allow list, are my most used ones… Very affordable subscription- which I do appreciate. And it’s a lot more strict. Lovely overall. But doesn’t seem to do its intended purpose. I’m assuming this is some wack glitch.
Doesn’t work all the time
I got the premium, the app worked for a bit and then stopped working. It doesn’t block any of the apps anymore.
Sentiment summary
90%
Positive (4-5★)
3%
Neutral (3★)
8%
Negative (1-2★)