Best Screen Time Tracker App for TikTok, Instagram & YouTube (Free)
Stop Brain Rot is a free iPhone app to track and limit TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube screen time. Break doom scrolling habits with this digital detox app.
Looking for a screen time tracker app that actually helps you reduce phone usage? Stop Brain Rot is a free iPhone app designed to help you limit TikTok time, control Instagram screen time, and break the doom scrolling habit for good.
Five hours. That's the average daily screen time for most people. A huge chunk goes to TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube—not watching something meaningful, just endless scrolling.
Today we're launching Stop Brain Rot, a free digital detox app for iPhone that tracks your social media usage and alerts you before hours disappear.
Download Stop Brain Rot (Free): https://apps.apple.com/us/app/stop-brain-rot/id6757938126
Learn more: https://stop-brain-rot.storqlabs.com/
How to Stop Doom Scrolling on TikTok and Instagram
Everyone knows they should spend less time on social media. The problem? These apps are engineered by thousands of people whose job is keeping you hooked. They study psychology, test dopamine triggers, and optimize for engagement—not your wellbeing.
Willpower alone doesn't work against this. You need a screen time control app that makes you aware of your habits.
That's exactly what Stop Brain Rot does. It's a social media addiction app that tracks your usage and sends gentle alerts when you're approaching your limits. No judgment. No hard blocks. Just awareness.
Best Free Screen Time App for iPhone in 2026
Stop Brain Rot stands out from other phone usage tracker apps because it's:
- 100% free – No premium tier, no trials, no ads
- Privacy-first – All data stays on your device
- Focused – Built specifically for TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube
- Lightweight – No battery drain, runs silently in background
Apple's built-in Screen Time feature exists, but it's buried in settings, shows confusing data, and restrictions are easy to bypass. Stop Brain Rot is a dedicated focus app for phone that targets the specific apps causing doom scrolling.
How This TikTok Timer App Works
Setting up your screen time limits takes under a minute:
- Download Stop Brain Rot from the App Store
- Grant permissions for screen time tracking
- Set daily limits for TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube
- Get alerts when you're approaching your limit
The app tracks your usage in real-time. When you've spent 45 minutes on TikTok and your limit is 60, you'll get a notification. The choice to stop is yours—we don't lock you out.
This approach works better than hard blocks. People disable restrictions when they feel controlled. Awareness changes behavior without triggering resistance.
Limit TikTok Time Without Blocking Apps
Most screen time tracker apps use the same approach: block access after a time limit. This sounds logical but fails in practice. Users find workarounds, disable restrictions, or feel resentful.
Stop Brain Rot takes a different approach to help you reduce phone usage:
Gentle alerts, not hard blocks You get a notification when approaching your limit. You decide what to do. This respects your autonomy while making you conscious of time spent.
Customizable limits per app Want 30 minutes of YouTube but only 15 for Instagram? Set different limits based on which apps drain your time most.
Real-time tracking See exactly how many minutes you've spent today—not weekly averages or approximations. Current usage, right now.
Instagram Screen Time Limit: Why It Matters
Research shows excessive social media use is linked to anxiety, depression, and reduced attention span. The term "brain rot" describes the mental fog from consuming too much low-quality content.
Setting an Instagram screen time limit isn't about restriction—it's about reclaiming mental clarity. Same for TikTok and YouTube. These platforms are designed to maximize watch time, not your wellbeing.
Stop Brain Rot helps you:
- Track exactly where your screen time goes
- Set realistic daily limits for each social media app
- Build awareness of unconscious scrolling habits
- Gradually reduce usage without feeling deprived
Digital Detox App for iPhone: Who It's For
Stop Brain Rot works for anyone wanting to reduce social media usage:
Students who lose study time to "one more video" that becomes two hours of scrolling.
Remote workers whose quick Instagram breaks stretch into productivity black holes.
Parents who want to be present with their kids instead of half-watching while scrolling.
Anyone who checks their weekly screen time report and thinks "that can't be right."
If you've tried to cut back before and failed, this phone addiction app might help. Not through force, but through making the invisible visible.
How to Reduce Screen Time on TikTok (Step by Step)
Here's how to use Stop Brain Rot as your TikTok timer app:
Step 1: Know your baseline Use the app for a few days without strict limits. See how much time you actually spend. Most people are shocked.
Step 2: Set realistic limits If you're currently at 3 hours of TikTok daily, don't set a 30-minute limit. Start with 2 hours. Sustainable change beats dramatic failure.
Step 3: Notice the triggers Pay attention to when alerts hit. Bored? Stressed? Just woke up? Understanding triggers helps you address root causes.
Step 4: Reduce gradually Each week, lower your limit by 10-15 minutes. Small reductions compound into major time savings.
Stop Brain Rot vs Apple Screen Time
Apple's Screen Time is built into iOS, so why use a separate screen time control app?
| Feature | Apple Screen Time | Stop Brain Rot |
|---|---|---|
| Focus on social media | No (tracks everything) | Yes (TikTok, Instagram, YouTube) |
| Easy to bypass | Yes | Awareness-based, no bypass needed |
| Clear daily dashboard | Buried in settings | Front and center |
| Privacy | Syncs with iCloud | 100% on-device |
| Approach | Hard blocks | Gentle alerts |
Stop Brain Rot is purpose-built to break scrolling habits on the apps that matter most. It's a scalpel, not a sledgehammer.
Social Media Addiction App: The Science Behind It
Why does awareness work better than blocking for reducing phone usage?
Cognitive awareness – Simply knowing your usage makes you conscious of automatic behaviors. That reach for your phone becomes a choice, not a reflex.
No rebellion effect – Hard restrictions trigger psychological reactance. People want what they can't have. Gentle alerts don't trigger this.
Self-efficacy – When you choose to stop (rather than being forced), you build confidence in your ability to control your habits.
Stop Brain Rot leverages these principles. It's not about fighting yourself. It's about seeing clearly.
Free Download: Best Phone Usage Tracker for Social Media
Ready to stop doom scrolling and take back your time?
Stop Brain Rot is completely free. No trials. No premium features locked behind paywalls. No ads.
We built this because we needed it ourselves. The platforms profiting from your attention have unlimited resources. A free tool to fight back seemed like the least we could do.
Download Stop Brain Rot: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/stop-brain-rot/id6757938126
Works on any iPhone running iOS 16.0 or later. iPad supported too.
What's Next for This Screen Time Tracker App
Version 1.0 focuses on the essentials: tracking, limits, and alerts. Based on feedback, we're considering:
- Weekly and monthly trends to visualize progress
- Support for additional apps beyond the big three
- Home screen widget for at-a-glance time remaining
- Focus modes for different times of day
We'd rather keep it simple than bloat it with features nobody uses. The core promise—help you reduce phone usage on social media—won't change.
Building in Public
We're actively building, shipping, and experimenting. If you want to follow along, see what's coming next, or give feedback, you can find us here:
- Website: https://www.storqlabs.com/
- X (Twitter): https://x.com/StorqLabs
Start Your Digital Detox Today
Your attention is valuable. Companies spend billions capturing it. The least you can do is know where it goes.
Stop Brain Rot won't magically fix your phone habits. But it makes them visible. And visibility is the first step to change.
If you've ever finished a scrolling session thinking "I wish I had that time back," try this free screen time tracker app. It's private, it's simple, and it might help you reclaim hours of your life.
Stop scrolling. Start living.
