Screen Time Network API – iOS Screen Time From a REST API

TL;DR: The Screen Time Network exposes iOS Screen Time data through a REST API for the first time — built by the Clearspace team who measure screen time themselves through their app, since Apple provides no official API.

The gap it fills

Apple does not expose iOS Screen Time data to third-party developers. There is no public API for it, no entitlement, no documented way to read your own usage data programmatically. The Screen Time Network, built by Oliver and Royce at Clearspace, sidesteps that gap by measuring screen time through their own iOS app and exposing it via a public REST API.

Since the team collects the data themselves via the Clearspace app rather than accessing Apple’s private APIs, they can legally expose it to developers who want to build downstream tools. The launch HN post gives concrete examples of what’s been requested:

• Auto-donate to charity when daily screen time limits are exceeded
• Group visibility for accountability groups (75 Hard challenge teams, study groups)
• Notify personal AI agents when it’s a good time to tackle tasks
• Report anomalous screen time deviations to therapists

How to wire it up

The API sits at https://www.thescreentimenetwork.com/api/. After signing up at thescreentimenetwork.com and connecting a Clearspace account, you can query your data with standard REST calls. The HN launch post recommends creating an account through the API docs to get a specialized onboarding flow for API setup rather than the general app setup.

The data itself originates from the Clearspace iOS app, which tracks usage on your device. Once connected, the API returns structured data on daily and weekly usage, broken down by app category or individual apps.

A demo video on Google Drive walks through the setup and request flow if you want to see it in action before signing up.

What this is and isn’t

This is not an official Apple API. The Screen Time Network measures data through its own app instrumentation, which means a few practical caveats:

• Data accuracy depends on Clearspace’s measurement, not Apple’s system-level APIs. If you’re building anything where precision matters, verify against Apple’s own Screen Time settings in iOS Settings first.
• Users must install the Clearspace app and grant it screen time permissions.
• API behavior and rate limits may change as the service evolves.
• Currently iOS only — there’s no Android or desktop coverage, since measurement is done through the Clearspace iOS app.

Each user must explicitly connect their own Clearspace account. The API is scoped to your own data — there’s no way to access someone else’s screen time.

What you might build with it

Beyond personal dashboards, the API opens up a category of apps that were previously impossible without deep OS integration:

• Habit tracking apps that reward low screen time
• Parental control integrations that extend beyond Apple’s restrictions
• Workplace wellness program integrations
• Academic research on digital behavior and mental well-being

One HN commenter described using Apple Health data imported into a Jupyter notebook alongside journal sentiment and finance data — Screen Time adds another dimension to that personal analytics picture.

Pricing is listed on the site; check the current plans before committing to a build.

Source and Accuracy Notes

• Project page: thescreentimenetwork.com
• HN launch thread: news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44194120 — 106 points, June 5, 2025
• Parent company: Clearspace — the team behind the iOS screen time tracking app
• License: Proprietary SaaS (no open-source license stated on the project page)