Waking Up is the better app overall, scoring 9.0 to 8.6. Waking Up wins on 3 of the 5 scores, ScrollCop on 2.
Curious meditators who want to understand the mind, not just unwind
iPhone users who keep turning off their own app limits
Score by score
The details
| Feature | Waking Up | ScrollCop |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Mind & Focus | Mind & Focus |
| Category rank | #1 of 9 | #4 of 9 |
| Developer | Waking Up Course LLC | The Big Head |
| Pricing | Subscription | Free |
| Usable for free | No | Yes |
| iPhone & iPad | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | ✓ | — |
Strengths and weaknesses
Waking Up
- Teaches the why of meditation, not just the how
- Calm, ad-free app without gamified pressure
- Free access for anyone who can't afford it
- Less focused on sleep and quick stress relief
- Intellectual tone won't suit everyone
Waking Up treats meditation as a skill to understand, not just a way to relax. Sam Harris's introductory course is the clearest guide to mindfulness in any app, and lessons and talks from other teachers go deep. There are no ads or gamified streaks. It is less suited to quick stress relief or sleep, and it is a subscription, though the company offers free access to anyone who can't afford it.
Full Waking Up review
ScrollCop
- A friend can hold the key, so blocks actually stick
- Free with no subscription, no ads and no account
- Blocks whole categories and websites, not just apps
- iPhone only, with no Android or desktop version
- Fewer stats and reports than Opal
ScrollCop blocks the apps and sites that eat your time using Apple's Screen Time, so blocked apps really disappear. Its best idea is the key: when you start a block you can let a friend hold a one-time PIN, so you can't quietly end it at midnight. Daily schedules, an SOS button for cravings and short boredom exercises round it out. It is iPhone-only, but free with no subscription.
Full ScrollCop review
