Terms of Use
These terms are an agreement between you and Shiran Athapaththu, an individual developer based in Sri Lanka, who publishes the app under the name CNTRL (“we” or “us”) for the use of the CNTRL iPhone app and this website. By installing or using CNTRL you agree to them. Apple’s Licensed Application End User License Agreement also applies; where the two conflict, these terms take precedence to the extent Apple’s agreement allows.
1. What CNTRL is
CNTRL is a self-directed screen time and focus tool. It limits apps, runs timed Deep Work sessions and shows usage statistics based on settings you choose. It is not a parental control product, a medical device, or a substitute for professional advice.
2. Licence
We grant you a personal, non-transferable, non-exclusive licence to use CNTRL on Apple devices you own or control, subject to these terms and the App Store terms. You may not copy, modify, reverse engineer, or redistribute the app except where the law permits.
3. Free trial and subscriptions
- CNTRL is a paid app. There is no free tier. To start using it, you begin a 14-day free trial of Pro through the App Store. Nothing is charged during the trial.
- Unless you cancel at least 24 hours before the trial ends, it becomes the paid Pro plan you chose and your Apple ID is charged.
- If your trial or subscription ends without renewing, most of the app’s features are locked behind the paywall until you subscribe. Your data stays on your phone, and anything already running finishes.
- Payment is charged to your Apple ID when you confirm the purchase, or when the free trial ends if you started one.
- If you buy a subscription during the free trial, any unused part of the trial ends when the purchase is made.
- Pro is $9.99 per month or $59.99 per year (US dollars). The App Store sets the price for your country and currency, so the price you see may differ.
- Deep Work is part of Pro. There are no free Deep Work sessions.
- Pro+ Social is planned but cannot be bought at launch.
- Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your Apple ID is charged for renewal within 24 hours before the period ends.
- You can manage or cancel in iPhone Settings → your name → Subscriptions. Cancelling takes effect at the end of the current period; there are no partial refunds for unused time.
- Refunds are handled by Apple under its policies. You can request one at reportaproblem.apple.com.
4. Screen Time permission and “No Exit”
CNTRL relies on Apple’s Screen Time permission to work. You are responsible for the limits, plans and Deep Work lengths you choose. By design, Deep Work sessions cannot be ended early and some modes release apps only in phases. You can always revoke Screen Time permission in iPhone Settings, delete the app, or, in an emergency, use the phone’s built-in Emergency SOS, which CNTRL never blocks.
5. Acceptable use
Do not use CNTRL to control a device you do not own or have permission to configure, to interfere with Apple’s systems, or in any unlawful way.
6. Availability and changes
We may update, change or discontinue features. Where a change materially reduces what a paid plan includes, we will tell you inside the app in advance. CNTRL depends on Apple frameworks, and iOS updates can affect how it behaves in ways we do not control.
7. Disclaimer and liability
CNTRL is provided “as is”. To the fullest extent the law allows, we exclude all warranties and are not liable for indirect or consequential loss, or for any loss arising from an app being blocked or unblocked at a particular time. Our total liability to you for any claim is limited to the amount you paid for CNTRL in the 12 months before the claim. Nothing in these terms limits liability that cannot be limited by law.
8. Governing law
These terms are governed by the laws of Sri Lanka. If you are a consumer, you also keep any mandatory protections of the country you live in.