Gamban Alternative for iPhone: What to Use Instead
The main Gamban alternatives on iPhone are Recovo, BetBlocker and Apple's Screen Time. BetBlocker is free and can't be shortened. Screen Time is free and built in. Recovo adds a partner who holds the unlock code, plus a streak and journal. If you need laptops covered too, stay with Gamban.
Gamban is one of the best-known gambling blockers, and if you're reading this you probably have a specific reason to look past it: the price, the setup, or the fact that nobody but you is watching what happens on a bad night. Those reasons point to different tools, so it's worth being clear about which one is yours.
We make Recovo, so read this comparison with that in mind. The Gamban details come from its own site and App Store listing, and we've tried to be plain about when you should keep it.
When Gamban is still the better pick
Start here, because switching has a cost and sometimes there's no reason to pay it.
Keep Gamban if you bet on more than your phone. Its pitch is to "Protect ALL of your devices with one licence" (its listing adds that this is subject to a fair use policy), and Recovo only runs on iPhone. If your laptop is where the betting happens, an iPhone-only tool leaves that door open, however good it is.
What you might want instead
You don't want to pay anything: BetBlocker. A free tool from a non-profit with no registration needed. You pick a restriction period up front, and it can't be lifted early, not even by its own support team. Blocks of 2 months or longer don't end on their own: they continue until you ask to lift them, followed by a one-week cooling-off period. That's the strictest setup here, and it's also its limit: there's nothing around the block itself. No streak, no journal, nobody else in the loop.
You want the simplest possible option: Apple's Screen Time. It's free and already on your phone. You add the gambling sites yourself and remove the betting apps by hand, which our iPhone blocking guide walks through. It has one real weakness: if you know the passcode, you can turn it off, so give the passcode to someone else.
You want someone else holding the off-switch: Recovo. Gamban's protection comes from a commitment you make once, up front: the FAQ on its App Store listing says it won't remove the app before your subscription period has ended. Recovo puts a person in that role instead. Ending a block early takes a code sent by text to an accountability partner you've chosen, and they get told. If you'd rather nobody could end it, Lockdown Mode has no early exit at all, though no block covers everything.
How they compare on the things that decide it
| Gamban | Recovo | BetBlocker | Screen Time | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Subscription, 7-day free trial per its site | Subscription, free trial | Free | Free |
| Devices | Phone, tablet and computer | iPhone only | Several platforms | Apple devices |
| Who can end it early | Nobody, until your subscription ends | Your partner, by code | Nobody | Whoever holds the passcode |
| Recovery tools | A dashboard of resources | Streak, journal, partner | None | None |
If you want the longer version with BetBreaker and GamBlock included, we compare six options in the best gambling blockers for iPhone.
On price
In November 2026, Gamban's US pricing page listed a monthly subscription at $6.99 and an annual one at $41.99. Prices vary by country and change over time, so check the price for your region. Recovo's US App Store listing showed plans including $4.99 a month and yearly at $29.99 and $35, with a 7-day free trial. Which yearly price you're offered can vary, and you see it before you pay anything.
If you're switching
Don't leave a gap. The night you uninstall one blocker and haven't set up the next is the night the old apps come back. Set up the new one first and confirm a gambling site is actually blocked. Then remove the old one, which with Gamban may mean waiting until your subscription period ends.
A blocker is also only one part of this. The rest of the setup, like cutting the money rails and getting support, is in how to stop gambling.
If you're reading this because you want a block gone tonight, it may be the urge doing the shopping. Call 1-800-522-4700 in the US, or GamCare on 0808 8020 133 in the UK, first. Both are free and confidential.
Common questions
Is there a free alternative to Gamban on iPhone?
Yes, two. BetBlocker is free and can't be lifted early once a restriction starts. Apple's Screen Time is free and built into your phone, though you build the block list yourself and anyone with the passcode can lift it.
Can Recovo replace Gamban?
On iPhone, yes, if you want a partner-held unlock and recovery tools. It won't cover a laptop or an Android phone, so if you bet on those, Gamban or BetBlocker fits better.
Does Gamban work on iPhone?
Yes. It's on the App Store, and its listing describes blocking gambling websites and apps with secure DNS technology.