Beyond Alarm vs Apple Screen Time

Screen Time is built into every iPhone, and it is the engine every iPhone app blocker runs on — Beyond Alarm included. The difference is what sits on top: when a block starts, and whether you can end it early.

The short answer

• Beyond Alarm uses Apple's own blocking, so the shield you see is iOS's.
• Strict mode has no stop button until the timer ends, and is free after one short ad.
• Morning Lockout starts the moment you finish your wake-up mission.
• Wake-up missions on Apple's AlarmKit, including camera-counted push-ups, squats and jumping jacks — all free right now.

Side by side

Screen Time's column comes from Apple's iPhone User Guide at the time of writing (27 October 2026), which describes iOS 27. "—" means the guide doesn't mention it.

Where Beyond Alarm pulls ahead

A block you can start now, for exactly as long as you need

Screen Time's tools are daily allowances and time windows. Beyond Alarm adds a Phone Block you start by hand — a preset, or a custom length from 5 minutes to 8 hours — for a study session, an evening or a flight. Switching the phone off doesn't pause it, and it survives a restart.

Strict mode, free

Regular mode lets you leave early only after a short ad and a continuous five-second hold. Strict mode has no stop button at all; the timer is the only way out. Free users turn it on with one short ad, and Pro users get it with no ad.

A lockout tied to your alarm

A schedule has to guess when your morning starts. Beyond Alarm's Morning Lockout begins the moment you finish your alarm's mission and keeps the apps or categories you chose shut while you get going.

Beyond Alarm

Beyond Alarm does this part for you: the alarm will not switch off until you have actually moved, and the apps you pick stay locked afterwards.

What Screen Time offers

According to Apple's iPhone User Guide at the time of writing, Screen Time reports how long you spend in apps and websites, with weekly summaries, pickups and notifications. On iOS 27, Time Allowances set how long you can use categories such as Entertainment, Games and Social Media each day, and a Screen Time Schedule sets time windows for when they're available. Always Allowed keeps chosen apps and contacts available at all times, content restrictions limit what can be accessed, and a Screen Time passcode protects the settings. Share Across Devices applies the same limits on iPhone, iPad and Mac.

Switching to Beyond Alarm

1. Install Beyond Alarm (iOS 26.1 or later) and allow Screen Time access when it asks.
2. In Apple's picker, tick whole categories such as Social or Games rather than single apps, so new apps are covered too.
3. Start a Phone Block for your next focus session and try Strict mode once.
4. Set your alarm, pick a mission, and turn on Morning Lockout.
5. Keep Screen Time's reports and Always Allowed list — they work alongside Beyond Alarm.
6. If you want extra friction, turn on Prevent app uninstall in Beyond Alarm's settings. It uses Screen Time's own guard, which stops any app being deleted while it is on.

Sources

Checked on 27 October 2026. Apple renames Screen Time features between iOS versions, so check the guide for yours. Beyond Alarm's details are checked against its own code.

• Apple: Set up Screen Time for yourself on iPhone
• Apple: Set Screen Time Schedules and Time Allowances on iPhone
• Apple: Family Controls developer documentation