StayFree

StayFree is a self-control tool designed to help users minimize digital distractions and improve focus, enabling them to settle down and work effectively. It offers cross-platform keyword filtering to reduce exposure to similar content and includes an "excessive usage" alert feature that notifies users when they spend too much time on a specific app, thereby curbing the allure of digital distractions. Even if users do not require the desktop blocking function, installing StayFree still provides valuable insights into their app usage habits.

Function:

Detailed usage history: view charts and statistics of your usage across all your devices.

Cross platform: easily and quickly connect devices to view total screen time (without creating an account!).

Over-use reminders: notify you when you are spending too much time in an app and start your digital detox.

Block apps: temporarily (or permanently) block any application that you are over-using.

Focus mode: create schedules to block distracting apps at specific times.

Sleep mode: disable all apps to allow you to unwind at the end of the day.

Website usage: see you which websites you actually used instead of just seeing an entry for your browser.

Export usage: save a CSV file if you want to customize your analysis or tailor it to yourself.

Avoid cheating: require a password to change any app settings.

Widget: show most used apps and total usage on a nice widget.

Highlights:

Choose your block: Depending on the situation, you can decide to temporarily or permanently block a certain app.

Unnecessary things will disappear: Users can feel secure when they do not encounter any problems related to the blocked element.

Make decisions based on history: Throughout the time you use your phone, apps you haven’t used in a while will be on your radar.

Complete specifications: With charts and graphs, all information is presented in the most complete way.

Identify fluctuations: You can spot anomalies in what you receive.

Decisions to reduce usage hours: If you want to make positive changes, you should act now.

Prevent distractions: No more things appear automatically, especially when you’re doing something important.

Important time frames: Based on the working moment, setting up blocking is also easy.

Increase focus duration: Users should take advantage of this feature to improve their concentration level.

How to use:

The StayFree has an easy to use interface.

On the main page, click the '+' button at the bottom right of the screen to see apps you want usage statistics on. Then, click the checkmark at top right of the screen to save your selection. Now, you are ready to see how much used your apps that day.

Click your chosen apps on the main page to set alarms or view it's usage statistics.

On the alarms tab, you can edit or delete your alarms.

On the history tab, you can view last 7 days usage stats. You can also export a CSV file of your usage history, from this tab.

User comments:

Overall, it's great, though the list includes apps that have already been uninstalled. I hope a feature can be added to set daily usage limits for specific apps.

The interface is clean and ad-free. One issue, however: it frequently becomes unresponsive on Oppo phones, getting stuck on the loading screen.

Excellent and irreplaceable. It offers outstanding stability, local statistics, and global average usage data.

It looks great, though the language settings are a bit hard to find.

It is far more practical than the built-in system tools and includes a PC version and browser extensions. I just wish the daily app limits could be set differently for workdays and non-workdays; since device usage is typically higher on weekends, separate limits would make more sense. Also, the app shows a black screen for a moment every time it's opened; I hope the developers continue to optimize this.

Conclusion:

StayFree is a good app for detoxing from your smartphone and reducing your screen time, or at least better understanding how you spend that time.