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Parenting · head to head

Apple Screen Time vs The Bump

Apple Screen Time logo

Apple Screen Time

Parenting

Apple's built-in parental controls for iOS and Mac

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
The Bump logo

The Bump

Parenting

Pregnancy and baby app with expert advice

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Apple Screen Time parental controls require setting up Family Sharing and a Child Account rather than working standalone; The Bump the Bump is free with no paid tier; it carries no subscription and monetises through advertising and retail partnerships
  • They diverge on capability: Apple Screen Time covers Screen time tracking, The Bump covers Week-by-week pregnancy guides.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Apple Screen Time and The Bump actually diverge.

Attributes where Apple Screen Time and The Bump differ
AttributeApple Screen TimeThe Bump
PlatformsIos, Ipados, MacosWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20162000

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Parenting).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Apple Screen Time

  • Screen time tracking
  • App limits
  • Downtime scheduling
  • Content filtering
  • App restrictions
  • Communication limits
  • Purchase controls
  • Family Sharing management

Only in The Bump

  • Week-by-week pregnancy guides
  • Baby development tracking
  • Expert advice
  • Community support
  • Registry planning
  • Due date calculator
  • Symptom checker
  • Shopping lists

Both cover

  • Cloud deployment
  • Ios support
  • English language support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Apple Screen Time

  • Screen time managementnot The Bump
  • Content filteringnot The Bump
  • Device controlnot The Bump
  • Family safetynot The Bump

The Bump

  • Pregnancy informationnot Apple Screen Time
  • Baby trackingnot Apple Screen Time
  • Registry planningnot Apple Screen Time
  • Parenting supportnot Apple Screen Time

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Apple Screen Time

  • Parental controls require setting up Family Sharing and a Child Account rather than working standalone

The Bump

  • The Bump is free with no paid tier; it carries no subscription and monetises through advertising and retail partnerships

Pricing, plan by plan

Apple Screen Time

Free
  • Included with iOS/macOSFree
    • Screen time limits
    • App restrictions
    • Content filtering

The Bump

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Week-by-week guides
    • Baby development tracker
    • Expert articles

Which should you pick?

Choose Apple Screen Time if

  • You need screen time tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Ios, Ipados, Macos.
  • You also want app limits.
Apple Screen Time review

Choose The Bump if

  • You need week-by-week pregnancy guides.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want baby development tracking.
The Bump review

Questions people ask

Is Apple Screen Time or The Bump better?
Neither clearly leads. Apple Screen Time starts at Free and The Bump at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Apple Screen Time or The Bump?
Apple Screen Time starts at Free and The Bump at Free.
Does Apple Screen Time or The Bump run on more platforms?
Apple Screen Time runs on Ios, Ipados, Macos. The Bump runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Apple Screen Time for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Apple Screen Time best used for?
Apple Screen Time is most often used for screen time management, content filtering, device control, family safety. Of those, screen time management and content filtering are not what The Bump is typically brought in for.
What can Apple Screen Time do that The Bump cannot?
Apple Screen Time covers Screen time tracking, App limits, Downtime scheduling, Content filtering. The Bump covers Week-by-week pregnancy guides, Baby development tracking, Expert advice, Community support. Both handle Cloud deployment, Ios support, English language support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Apple Screen Time: Is Screen Time included with iOS at no additional cost?

Screen Time is included with iOS as a built-in parental control feature. There is no additional cost beyond the iOS operating system.

Source
Apple Screen Time: What parental control features does Screen Time provide?

Screen Time allows parents to set time allowances across app categories like Entertainment, Games, and Social Media, create schedules to control which apps are available at specific times or days, and check how children are using their devices.

Source
Apple Screen Time: Which iOS devices support Screen Time?

Screen Time is available on iOS-compatible devices. Based on current iOS, this includes iPhone SE (2nd generation) and later, as well as current-generation models including iPhone 17.

Source
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