Sworn

Switching from Covenant Eyes?

Accountability,
without the screenshots.

Covenant Eyes takes periodic screenshots of your screen and sends them to an ally to review. Sworn asks nothing of your ally except that they care: what you swore off doesn't load, and they hear one sentence if you try. No screenshots, no always-on VPN, and less than half the price.

Get Sworn Compare them

Free malware and ad/tracker blocking, always. Other categories and partner alerts: 7-day free trial, then $7/month.

The real difference

Two different ideas of accountability.

  1. 01

    Covenant Eyes watches.

    Its “Screen Accountability” takes periodic screenshots of your screen, scans them with AI, and sends reports to an ally. On iPhone those screenshots are Safari-only. Chrome and native apps like Instagram or TikTok aren't seen. A filtered VPN runs on the device to block sites. Plans run about $200/year.

  2. 02

    Sworn blocks.

    On every app on your phone, not just one browser, and with no VPN, the site you've sworn off simply doesn't load. There's nothing to screenshot. If you slip, your partner gets a count and the category — 3 blocked attempts in the last 24 hours. Never a picture of your screen. If real visibility matters to you both, the app keeps a 7-day view of blocked attempts on the user's own phone, to review together by choice rather than by feed. $84/year.

Neither is “better” for everyone. If you want a screenshot record of what you browse, Covenant Eyes is built for that. If you want the temptation gone without being watched, that’s what Sworn is for.

Side by side

Sworn vs Covenant Eyes.

Sworn Covenant Eyes
Core approach Blocks the site so it never loads Screenshots & reports your screen activity
Screenshots of your activity Never Yes, AI-scanned periodic screen captures
What your partner sees A count and the category — never the URL Your activity, with flagged screenshots
Coverage Blocks every app on your phone and your computer — not just one browser Screen monitoring is Safari-only. Chrome & native apps aren't seen
Uses a VPN? No Yes, it runs your whole connection through the app
Speed & battery Fast, and barely touches the battery Reviews report slow loading, dropped connections & battery drain
Setup One quick setting, about 3 minutes App + Safari + VPN profile + Screen Time tweaks
Use it solo Yes, partners are optional Built around an ally / report model
Price $7/mo · $84/yr ~$18/mo · ~$200/yr
Platforms iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, Linux, Chromebook iOS, Android, Windows, Mac

A VPN sounds like a privacy feature. Here it’s only how these apps filter, and it’s why the same complaints keep appearing in VPN-based apps’ reviews: slow loading, dropped connections, and battery drain. Sworn doesn’t use one, so it stays fast and out of your way.

Reflects the iPhone experience. Comparison compiled June 2026 from Covenant Eyes’ published pricing and support documentation; their plans and features can change. Check their site for the latest. Covenant Eyes ships a Mac app; Sworn’s is with Apple for review. We’re not affiliated with Covenant Eyes; all names belong to their owners.

In their own words

You’re not imagining it.

  • “The VPN kicks off after a phone update and … won’t stay connected until I uninstall and reinstall…”
    App Store review (2026) of Covenant Eyes
  • “I had to uninstall several apps because it only monitors Safari, what’s the point of having a ‘blocker’ if it’s not blocking anything…”
    App Store review (2026) of Covenant Eyes

Sworn uses no VPN and blocks on every app. Nothing to kick off, and nothing slips past in another browser. Quoted from recent App Store reviews, trimmed only for length (…); like any app, Covenant Eyes has its fans too.

Switching over

Move in about three minutes.

  1. Install Sworn and pick what to block. Malware blocking is on by default; ad/tracker blocking is free too, one toggle away. Add pornography, gambling, social media, shopping, gaming, or VPN/proxy blocking with a 7-day free trial, then $7/month.
  2. Turn on the filter. Sworn walks you through one Settings screen to turn it on. No screen recording, no always-on VPN. Blocked sites just stop loading everywhere.
  3. (Optional) Add up to three partners. Each gets an invite to confirm, and at most one reminder. They only ever see a count of blocked attempts and the category, never a URL and never a screenshot of your screen.
  4. Cancel Covenant Eyes. Once Sworn is running, remove Covenant Eyes’ profile and cancel its subscription. You’re covered without the screenshots, and for less than half the price.

Keep comparing

See how Sworn stacks up.

Sworn vs Ever Accountable Sworn vs Accountable2You All comparisons

Stay honest — without
being watched.

Free to start. Three minutes to set up.

Download on the App Store Get it on Google Play

On a computer too? Set up the phone first, then add Windows, Mac, Linux or Chromebook to the same account.