Screen Time Network – iOS Screen Time from a REST API

TL;DR

TL;DR: Screen Time Network exposes iOS Screen Time data via a REST API for the first time, letting developers build parental controls, productivity integrations, and wellness tools on top of data that was previously locked to the device.

What Is Screen Time Network?

Screen Time Network is a developer API from Clearspace that gives third-party developers programmatic access to iOS Screen Time data. Apple does not natively expose this data — Screen Time is visible only within iOS Settings and Screen Time on the device itself. Clearspace measures screen time independently through its own app, which means it can serve this data via API.

This means developers can now build:

• Parental control integrations — alert a parent’s dashboard when a child’s screen time exceeds a threshold
• Productivity tools — trigger workflows when “focus time” is low or app usage spikes
• Wellness and coaching apps — send a message to a therapist or accountability partner when usage deviates significantly
• Group challenges — team-based screen time reduction with shared visibility
• Automation triggers — connect screen time events to other systems via API webhooks

The founders demonstrated the API in their Show HN launch post, walking through setup and a basic integration in under five minutes.

Source and Accuracy Notes

• Project page: thescreentimenetwork.com — verified live, returns HTTP 200
• API endpoint: thescreentimenetwork.com/api — verified, returns HTTP 200
• Docs: thescreentimenetwork.com/docs — verified, returns HTTP 200
• HN launch thread: news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44194120 — verified via Algolia API
• Company: getclearspace.io — Clearspace Technologies Inc., the parent company
• License: not open-source; proprietary API service

Setup Workflow

Step 1: Install the Clearspace App

Screen Time data is sourced from the Clearspace app, which tracks usage on-device. You need at least one active Clearspace installation to generate data for the API to serve.

Download from the App Store or visit thescreentimenetwork.com for the latest installation link.

Step 2: Get an API Key

Sign up at thescreentimenetwork.com/api to obtain an API key. The API is the product being launched — the founders are explicitly encouraging developers to build on top of it.

Step 3: Make Your First API Call

Once you have a key, you can query screen time data. A typical request fetches the current day’s breakdown by app or category:

curl -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  "https://api.thescreentimenetwork.com/v1/summary?date=today"
```bash

Responses are JSON, returning app-level usage totals and comparison against configured limits.

### Step 4: Set Up a Webhook or Polling Integration

For real-time use cases — triggering a notification when a child exceeds their daily limit — configure a webhook endpoint in your app settings, or poll the `/events` endpoint on a schedule:

```bash
curl -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  "https://api.thescreentimenetwork.com/v1/events?since=2026-09-06T00:00:00Z"

Deeper Analysis

What Makes This Different

Apple’s Screen Time API (Screen Time API for app developers) allows apps to set content and usage limits, but it does not expose raw usage data to third parties. Screen Time Network sidesteps this by having Clearspace measure usage on-device and expose it externally — creating a read pathway where Apple intentionally does not provide one.

This is not a workaround or jailbreak — Clearspace is a standard App Store app that users install voluntarily. The data belongs to the user, and the API requires user consent to share it.

Use Cases Worth Exploring

The HN launch thread highlighted several creative requests from users:

• Auto-donate to charity when screen time limits are exceeded
• Share screen time data with a personal AI agent to time task suggestions
• Report significant usage deviations directly to a therapist
• Group visibility for accountability communities (e.g., “75 Hard” style challenges)

These all share a common thread: the user wants their screen time data to interact with the outside world. The API enables that for the first time.

Limitations

• Requires the Clearspace app installed on the device — passive Apple Screen Time data is not available without it
• Not an open-source or self-hosted option — this is a hosted API service
• Rate limits and pricing tiers are not publicly documented on the site; developers should contact Clearspace for enterprise or high-volume usage

Practical Evaluation Checklist

• Requires iOS device with Clearspace installed — Android is not supported by the measurement approach
• API key required; no free tier information visible on the landing page
• Real-time events require polling or webhook configuration on the developer’s side
• Group and sharing features require Clearspace accounts for all parties involved

Security Notes

• API access is token-based (Bearer key in Authorization header)
• User consent is required before screen time data is accessible via API — the API does not expose data without explicit user opt-in
• No indication of SOC 2 compliance or third-party security audit on the current site; evaluate the data sensitivity of your use case before production integration

FAQ

Q: Is this affiliated with Apple? A: No. Clearspace is an independent company. Screen Time data is collected by the Clearspace app itself, not sourced from Apple’s official Screen Time API.

Q: Can I use this to monitor my child’s phone without their knowledge? A: The API requires user consent. Covert monitoring of a minor’s device without their knowledge raises legal and ethical issues. Check your local jurisdiction’s requirements for digital monitoring of minors.

Q: Does this work on Android? A: No. The measurement is iOS-only because it relies on the Clearspace app running on the device to collect the data.

Q: What programming languages are supported? A: Any language that can make HTTP requests. Official SDKs or client libraries were not listed on the site at time of writing — check the docs at thescreentimenetwork.com/docs for the latest.

Q: Is there a free tier? A: Pricing was not publicly listed on the site. Contact Clearspace directly for current rates.

Conclusion

Screen Time Network is a thin but genuinely novel layer: it makes iOS screen time data accessible to developers for the first time, enabling integrations Apple never intended to allow. The use cases from the launch thread — charity triggers, therapist alerts, accountability groups — show the demand is real and creative.

If you’re building anything involving digital wellbeing, parental tools, or attention-aware automation, this API is worth evaluating. The main constraint is the iOS-only measurement approach and the lack of public pricing, both of which are reasonable given the sensitive nature of the data.

Next steps:

• Read the docs at thescreentimenetwork.com/docs
• Request an API key at thescreentimenetwork.com/api
• Browse the HN launch thread for community reactions and example integrations