Screen Tax
Screen time was never free — but now it actually hurts.
A free Android app that charges you for time on your most distracting apps, once a month, with a hard cap of $25.
What it is
Screen Tax is a self-imposed accountability tool. You choose the apps that tend to eat your day, decide how many minutes of each are free every day, and set an hourly rate for any time beyond that. The extra time is added to your tab, and once a month your card is charged for it.
You set every rule yourself, so the “tax” is entirely in your control. The money you pay goes to Invert LLC, the company that makes Screen Tax.
Pick your apps
Choose which apps count, give each a free daily allowance in minutes, and set an hourly rate.
Use your phone
Screen Tax measures how long each tracked app is open. Time inside your daily allowance is always free.
Get charged monthly
On the 1st you’re told the month’s final total. Your card is charged once, on the 3rd.
Stay in control
Your monthly charge is capped at $25, and you can change your apps, allowances and rates at any time.
Billing, in plain terms
Free to download. You only pay for time beyond your own allowances.
- How a charge is figured For each tracked app, each day: minutes used, minus your free allowance (never below zero), divided by 60, times your hourly rate. Days add up over the calendar month.
- When you’re charged Once a month. On the 1st the app tells you the final total for the month that just ended; your card is charged on the 3rd, from about 6:00 AM your local time. If the app can’t run at that moment, the charge is attempted the next time it can — still for the same month.
- Minimum Months that total less than $0.50 are skipped and are not carried forward.
- Monthly cap You will never be charged more than $25.00 in a month, no matter how much you use your phone.
- If a charge fails Screen Tax retries automatically once a day, up to five more times. If every attempt fails, the charge is marked failed and automatic attempts stop. If your card’s issuer says it must not be charged again (for example, it was reported lost or stolen), retries stop right away and you’re asked to update your card. You can still retry yourself from Settings.
- Stopping charges In the app, go to Settings → Payment → Stop Charges & Remove Card. Your card is removed and nothing more is charged, including any month not yet charged. Tracking keeps working, and you can add a card again anytime.
- If you uninstall Charges are started by the app on your phone. If you uninstall before a month’s charge is processed, that charge is not collected. Your card stays saved with Stripe until you ask us to remove it.
Where the money goes
Charges are paid to Invert LLC, the operator of Screen Tax, which keeps them. They are the fee you agree to pay for going over the limits you set. Payments are processed by Stripe, and Stripe’s processing fees are paid by Invert LLC — they are never added to your charge.
Refunds
Every charge is eligible for a full refund if you ask within 7 days of the charge date. Email admin@invert-able.com and include your Stripe customer ID (shown in Settings). Requests after 7 days may still be considered at Invert LLC’s discretion.
Your data
Your per-app screen time never leaves your phone.
- Stays on your device: the minutes you spend in each app, and your charge history.
- No accounts: Screen Tax has no login or password. You give an email address when you save a card; it's kept with Stripe and used for receipts, a copy of your terms, a yearly reminder and billing notices. Your saved payment method is tied to the app on your phone, so if you reinstall you add your card again.
- What our server sees: a token naming your Stripe customer and the dollar amount of a month at the moment it is charged. It keeps no database of its own.
- Your card: card details are collected and stored by Stripe. Screen Tax keeps only a Stripe customer ID, the last four digits, and the card brand.
- Google Firebase Crashlytics is used for crash reports, which can include a month’s charge amount. No analytics or advertising ID.
- No ads, no selling: we don’t use advertising networks or cross-app tracking, and we don’t sell your data.
To delete your payment customer record and charge history, email admin@invert-able.com. Read the full Terms of Service and Privacy Policy; both are also shown during setup in the app and are always available under Settings.
Requirements
- An Android phone running Android 8.0 or newer.
- The Usage Access permission, which you turn on yourself in Android Settings so the app can measure time in your tracked apps.
- You must be 18 or older and live in the United States, with a credit or debit card that can be charged in US dollars.
Questions
What counts as screen time?
Only the time a tracked app is open in the foreground, as reported by Android. Apps you don’t choose to track are never charged.
Can I be charged more than $25 in a month?
No. The monthly charge is capped at $25.00 regardless of usage.
What if my month comes to less than $0.50?
It’s skipped — nothing is charged and the amount is not carried into the next month.
Can I change my apps, allowances or rates?
Yes, any time in the app. Changes apply going forward; days that have already ended keep the charge they had when they ended.
How do I get help?
Email admin@invert-able.com for support, refund requests, or data deletion.
Screen Tax is operated by Invert LLC. Billing details last updated October 2026.