Questions, answered honestly
The system
How is Time Debt different from Apple's built-in Screen Time?
Apple's "Ask for more time" forgives instantly and forgets by morning, so limits become suggestions. Time Debt uses the same enforcement underneath (real shields), but borrowed minutes automatically reduce tomorrow's allowance. Flexibility stays; amnesia goes.
What stops me from borrowing endlessly?
Guardrails: borrowing is capped per day (about a quarter of your allowance), tomorrow can never drop below your minimum floor, protected bedtime hours refuse borrowing entirely, and only one borrow session can run at a time.
Can't I just delete the app?
Yes. Time Debt is a commitment device, not a prison — it makes keeping your word the easy path and breaking it a deliberate act. In family setups, the guardian lock keeps settings and exits with the parent.
What happens in a real emergency?
Emergency access removes every shield until tomorrow with one tap. It is free, available every day, and never charged or limited by your subscription. Safety is not a sales opportunity.
What if my phone dies or I force-quit mid-session?
The ledger is designed for exactly-once accounting. On next launch Time Debt reconciles what actually happened — interrupted sessions are recovered and recorded honestly, never double-charged.
Privacy
Can Time Debt see which apps I use or what I do in them?
No. Apple's Screen Time system hands apps opaque tokens — Time Debt applies rules to those tokens without ever learning app names or content. Your rules, ledgers and family profiles stay on your device. See the privacy policy.
Do I need an account?
No account, no email, no sign-up. Subscriptions are tied to your Apple Account through the App Store, with an anonymous identifier used for receipt validation.
Subscriptions
What do I actually get for free?
A complete product: one full plan with real blocking, borrowing with all guardrails, automatic repayment, bedtime borrowing rules and reminders, core focus sessions, 7-day history and emergency access. Forever.
How much does Pro cost?
Individual Pro is $6.99/month or $44.99/year. Family Pro is $9.99/month or $69.99/year. Choosing annual saves about 46% (Individual) or 42% (Family) compared with paying monthly for a year. Prices are in USD — the App Store shows your exact localized price, and any introductory offer always displays the renewal price before you confirm. Full details on the pricing page.
What happens if I cancel or my subscription expires?
Nothing dramatic. Your data stays on your device, the core free-plan experience remains available. Shields are never left stuck, and you're never locked out of your own device.
How do I cancel?
Settings → your Apple Account → Subscriptions → Time Debt → Cancel. The app links straight there from Settings → Subscription. No retention maze, no phone calls.
How do refunds work?
All billing runs through Apple, so refunds are requested at reportaproblem.apple.com. We can't process payments or refunds ourselves.
Family
Does Family mode monitor my child remotely?
No. Family mode in Time Debt works on the devices you set it up on — profiles, requests and points stay on-device. There is no cloud dashboard and no remote surveillance. It's a structure for fairness, not a spy tool.
Can my child buy things or change rules on their profile?
No. Child mode hides purchases and settings entirely, and leaving child mode requires the guardian's authentication.
Something else? Contact support.