Screen Time Apps Compared
Not all screen time apps work the same way. Here's how the top options stack up.
Five Approaches to Screen Time
Hard Blocking
Opal locks apps completely during focus sessions. Deep focus mode prevents you from ending early. Effective but rigid — all-or-nothing.
Breathing Friction
One Sec inserts a breathing exercise before opening apps. Gentle and science-backed, but can become automatic once the novelty fades.
Feature-rich Blocking
AppBlock offers schedules, timers, strict mode, and PIN protection. Highly configurable but complex to set up and easy to disable.
Habit Rewards
Unrot lets you earn screen time through healthy activities — walking, reading, meditating. You spend "braincells" to unlock apps. Effective if you follow through on tasks.
Gamified Friction
AppGlitch requires you to beat a cognitive brain game. Active engagement means you can't autopilot through it — your brain has to actively participate.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | AppGlitch | Opal | One Sec | AppBlock | Unrot |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| App blocking | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cognitive brain games | ✓ | — | — | — | — |
| Breathing exercises | — | — | ✓ | — | — |
| Schedule-based blocking | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | — |
| Per-app time limits | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Zero data collection | ✓ | — | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| Free tier available | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Multiple blocking modes | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Usage statistics | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| No account required | ✓ | — | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| Multi-platform support | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | — |
| Approach | Gamified friction | Hard blocking | Breathing friction | Feature-rich blocking | Habit-based rewards |
| Pricing | Free tier / $2.99/mo / $19.99/yr / $39.99 lifetime | $19.99/mo / $99.99/yr / $399 lifetime | $2.99/mo / $19.99/yr / $49.99 lifetime | Free tier / $4.99/mo / $29.99/yr | Free tier / ~$4.99/mo |
| Platforms | iOS | iOS, Mac, Android (beta) | iOS, Android, Mac, Browser extensions | iOS, Android, Chrome, Edge, Brave | iOS |
AppGlitch
Gamified friction · iOS
Beat a cognitive brain game to unlock blocked apps. 3 brain games, 250+ blockable apps, instant and delayed modes.
Free tier / $2.99/mo / $19.99/yr / $39.99 lifetime
Opal
Hard blocking · iOS, Mac, Android (beta)
Blocks apps completely during focus sessions. Deep focus mode prevents early exit. Syncs between iPhone and Mac.
$19.99/mo / $99.99/yr / $399 lifetime
One Sec
Breathing friction · iOS, Android, Mac, Browser extensions
Inserts a breathing exercise before opening apps. Also offers math problems, intention tracking, and block sessions.
$2.99/mo / $19.99/yr / $49.99 lifetime
AppBlock
Feature-rich blocking · iOS, Android, Chrome, Edge, Brave
Comprehensive blocker with profile-based rules, scheduling, strict mode, and PIN protection. Cross-platform sync.
Free tier / $4.99/mo / $29.99/yr
Unrot
Habit-based rewards · iOS
Earn screen time by completing healthy activities like walking, reading, and meditating. Also offers friction-based blocking with pause shields and math challenges.
Free tier / ~$4.99/mo
Why Choose AppGlitch?
Every approach has trade-offs. Hard blockers like Opal are effective but rigid. Breathing exercises from One Sec are gentle but can become automatic. AppBlock gives you tons of options but takes time to configure. Unrot's habit rewards are motivating but depend on following through with activities. AppGlitch takes a different path: cognitive brain games that require your brain to actively engage — creating friction you can't autopilot through. It won't work for everyone, but if you want to break the doom-scroll reflex without locking yourself out completely, it's worth a try.
Free forever · 3-day premium trial · iOS only
Comparison data based on publicly available information as of April 2026. Pricing and features may have changed.