TimeLimit.io vs Warpclock
Side-by-side comparison of two open source alternatives
TimeLimit.io
Flexible Apps are grouped to categories (a category can contain one or multiple App). You can chose per category at which times it should be allowed. This allows preventing playing games too late. Additionally, you can configure time limit rules. These rules limit the total usage duration at one day or over multiple days (e.g. a weekend). It is possible to combine both, e.g. 2 hours per week end day, but in total only 3 hours. Moreover, there is the possibility to set an extra time. This allows using something longer than regulary once. This can be used as bonus. There is additionally the option to disable all time limits temporarily (e.g. for the whole day or an hour). Multi user support There is the scenario that one device is used by exactly one user. However, with tablets, there are often multiple possible users. Due to that, it is possible to create multiple user profiles in TimeLimit. Each user has got different settings and time counters. There are two kinds of users: parents and children. If a parent was chosen as user, then there are no restrictions. Parents can chose any other user as current user. Children can only chose themselves as current user. Multi device support There are scenarios in which one user has got multiple devices. Instead of time limits per device and splitting the limits across the devices, it is possible to assign one user to multiple devices. Then the usage durations are counted together and allowing an App automatically affects all devices. Depending on the settings, only one device per time can be used or multiple devices at the same time. However, un the second case, it is possible to use more time than available e.g. at connection interruptions. Connected It is possible to view and change settings from any linked device. This connection is possible - if wanted - using your server. Notes Some features cost money if you don't use your own server. These features cost 1 € per month/ 10 € per year (in Germany). TimeLimit does not work good at some smartphone brands (mostly Huawei and Wiko). With the correct settings, it can work better. But better is not good. If it "does not work": This can be caused by power saving features. You can find at https://dontkillmyapp.com/ how you can disable these features. Get in touch with the support if that does not help. TimeLimit uses the permission for the usage stats access. This is only used to detect the currently used App. Based on the currently used App, the App is blocked, allowed, or the remaining time is calculated. The device admin permission is used to detect an uninstallation of TimeLimit. TimeLimit uses the notification access to block notifications of blocked apps and to count and block background playback. Notifications and their contents are not saved. TimeLimit uses an accessibility service to press the home button before showing the lock screen. This fixes blocking in some cases. Moreover, this allows opening the lockscreen at newer Android versions. TimeLimit uses the permission "draw over other Apps" to allow opening the lockscreen at newer android versions and to overlay blocked Apps until the lockscreen is launched. TimeLimit uses the location access to detect the used WiFi network and allow/ block Apps depending on it and your settings. The location access is not used otherwise. If the connected mode is used, then TimeLimit may transmit the usage durations and - if enabled - the installed Apps to the parent user.
Warpclock
Warpclock provides a quick shortcut for setting alarms based on your preferred amount of sleep. No more mental math before bed - after a single button press, your head can hit the pillow and you will warp forwards in time with minimal interruption. How to use When you open Warpclock for the first time, you should configure your preferred amount of sleep using the in-app controls. There are buttons to increase and decrease the amount by 1 hour, 10 minutes, and 1 minute. You only need to set this once. There is also a button labeled "Set alarm" inside the app. Pressing this button will create a new one-shot alarm in your default alarm clock app, configured to wake you up after your personalized amount of time has passed. The alarm will automatically delete itself from your alarm app once it has triggered, keeping your list of saved alarms clean. Once the alarm is created, you'll get two toast notifications. The first notification is from Warpclock, displaying the time that the new alarm should go off. The second notification comes from the system alarm clock, confirming that it was created sucessfully and displaying how far in the future the alarm will occur. The app also exposes a widget that you can add to your homescreen for even faster access. In the default launcher, just long-press on your homescreen background and drag the "Warpclock" widget to a location on your homescreen, and drag the edges to resize as desired. Tapping on the widget text will create a new alarm just as if you'd pressed the "Set alarm" button in the app. You'll get the same two toast notifications as well. The alarm is created in your default alarm clock app, so you should use that to configure the default alarm sound and vibration settings. Once an alarm is created, if the trigger time needs to be adjusted, that should also be done in the default alarm clock app. Current limitations This app currently does not handle Daylight Savings Time changes, it simply adds the configured amount and rolls over at 24 hours. You'll need to manually fix a couple of alarms per year if you live in a region that still changes the time back and forth.
| Feature | TimeLimit.io | Warpclock |
|---|---|---|
| License | GPL-3.0-only | GPL-3.0-only |
| Install sources | F-Droid | F-Droid |
| Categories | ProductivityCalendar | ProductivityFitnessCalendar |
| Features | Ad-FreeOpen SourceNo Tracking | Ad-FreeOpen SourceNo Tracking |
| Platforms | Android | Android |
| Website | ||
| Source code |