Pausa review
Pausa gives Android users free app budgets, schedules, and escalating pause controls.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Pausa is a free Android app blocker for people who want clearer limits around distracting apps. Users assign daily minute budgets to individual apps, receive a warning when five minutes remain, and see a staged pause screen after exceeding a budget. The app is designed for personal screen-time control rather than broad device management, with scheduled evening windows for selected apps and usage views covering daily, weekly, monthly, and rolling seven-day periods. Pausa also provides a Pausa Score to summarize usage.
Its strongest fit is a budget-led approach that adds friction gradually. Strict Mode can delay budget increases or wall relaxation, while scheduled evening windows support recurring boundaries around selected apps. These controls give users more structure than a simple notification, without requiring an account or an online connection. The published Free plan costs 0 and includes daily app time budgets, Strict Mode, evening windows, Pausa Score, and usage history. The plan also operates without ads, subscriptions, or analytics, making the pricing straightforward for individual Android users.
Pausa is a focused choice for app-level limits, but its scope has clear boundaries. It does not block websites, so users seeking browser-wide distraction control should choose a product built around website blocking as well. It also lacks locked-session protection, which matters for anyone who wants limits that cannot be relaxed during an active session. Android users who want offline operation, recurring app schedules, and usage feedback should consider Pausa; people needing website controls, locked sessions, or broader platform coverage should look elsewhere. The vendor is Moon Dev Design, and the official website says an iPhone version is coming soon.
Pausa pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Daily budgets, five-minute warnings, and staged pause screens
- Strict Mode delays budget increases and wall relaxation
- Offline use without accounts, ads, subscriptions, or analytics
- Where it doesn't
- Blocks apps, not websites
- No locked-session protection
- Available on Android; an iPhone version is coming soon
Pausa fact sheet, pricing and score →
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