Apps like Opal: free and cheaper alternatives
Opal is a polished app, and Opal Pro costs $19.99 a month or $99.99 a year. Here's what else blocks apps on iPhone, what each one costs, and the part most lists skip: how you get back in.
The best free Opal alternatives are ScreenZen (completely free, supported by tips), Apple's built-in Screen Time, and Para (free, and a friend holds the key). one sec is free for one app, Friend Controls is free for one app, and Brick is a $59 one-time device with no subscription. The biggest difference between them isn't price, though. It's who can undo the block: with Opal, ScreenZen, one sec and Screen Time it's you; with Brick it's a physical tag; with Para and Friend Controls it's a friend.
At a glance
| App | Price | Who unlocks it | Free version |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opal | $19.99/mo, $99.99/yr, or $399 lifetime (website) | You (Hard Mode: no way out) | 1 rule |
| Para | Free | A friend approves | Every feature |
| ScreenZen | Free (optional tips) | You, after a delay | Every feature |
| one sec | $6.99/mo, $19.99/yr, $99.99 lifetime | You, after a pause | 1 app |
| Brick | $59 device, no subscription | Tap the physical Brick | App is free; needs the device |
| Apple Screen Time | Free, built in | You, or whoever holds the passcode | Everything |
| Friend Controls | Free for 1 app, paid for more | Friends approve | 1 app |
Prices and ratings are from each app's US App Store listing or website, checked September 29, 2026. They change, so check the listing before you buy.
The apps, one by one
Opal (for reference)
- Price
- Free plan with 1 rule. Opal Pro is $19.99/month or $99.99/year on the App Store, and the website also lists a $399 lifetime plan.
- How it works
- Schedules, time limits and open limits built on Apple's Screen Time API, plus a Focus Score, timers and soundscapes. Available on iPhone, Android and Mac.
- How you get back in
- You. You choose how hard it is to cancel a session, and Pro's Hard Mode ("Deep Focus") won't let you cancel at all.
Good at
- The most polished app in the category, with rich stats
- Hard Mode is strict once it's running
- Works across iPhone, Android and Mac
Watch out for
- Most of the good parts, including Hard Mode and unlimited rules, are Pro
- Outside Hard Mode, the person who can turn it off is you
Best for: People who want great stats and are happy to pay for Pro.
ParaOur app
- Price
- Free. Every feature, no ads. Optional Supporter plan ($1–$20/month) or one-time gift if you want to chip in.
- How it works
- Pick the apps you scroll too much, then block them right now, on a schedule, at a daily limit, or when you arrive at a place. Mindful mode adds a pause instead of a hard block. Then hand the key to a friend.
- How you get back in
- You ask your friend. The request says how long you want and why, and they approve or deny it in Para. Strict mode removes your own "end block" button, and Lock app deletion means deleting Para needs their OK too.
Good at
- A real person holds the key, so the override isn't one tap away
- Every feature is free, including friend approval, schedules and place-based blocks
- Blocks that start when you walk into a place (home, the office, bed)
- Deletion lock: getting around the block by deleting Para needs your friend
Watch out for
- iPhone only, and your friend needs Para (free) to approve requests
- Brand new, with only a handful of ratings so far
- Like every Screen Time app, a determined person can switch off its Screen Time access in iOS Settings
Best for: People who've already tried a willpower app and noticed they're the one turning it off.
ScreenZen
- Price
- Free. The only in-app purchases are optional tips ($5–$40).
- How it works
- Adds a delay before a distracting app opens (it can grow each time you open it), interrupts long scrolls, sets goals per app, and can block strictly for time ranges or after a number of opens. It can also lock its own settings.
- How you get back in
- You, after waiting out the delay. During a strict block, not at all.
Good at
- Completely free, with no paywall
- The highest-rated of the big blockers
- Runs on iPhone, Mac, Windows and Android
Watch out for
- The decision to get back in is still yours
- No friend-approval feature that we could find
Best for: Anyone who wants Opal-style blocking for free and responds well to friction.
one sec
- Price
- Free for one app. one sec pro is $6.99/month, $19.99/year or $99.99 lifetime.
- How it works
- Uses a Shortcuts automation to show a breathing animation every time you open a chosen app, and can kick you back out after a set time.
- How you get back in
- You, after the pause. It slows you down rather than locking you out.
Good at
- Gentle, and studied with the Max Planck Institute
- Cheap lifetime option
- iPhone, Android and a browser extension
Watch out for
- It's a speed bump, not a lock
- Free for only one app
Best for: People whose problem is autopilot opening, not deliberate binges.
Brick
- Price
- $59 for the device. The app is free, with no subscription.
- How it works
- Tap your phone on the Brick to block your chosen apps. You can start a block from the app, but you need the physical Brick to end it.
- How you get back in
- Walk over and tap the Brick. It includes 5 emergency unbricks if you lose it.
Good at
- Physical distance is hard to argue with
- One-time price, no subscription
- Very highly rated
Watch out for
- Costs $59 up front
- If the Brick sits on your nightstand, it's only a short walk
Best for: People who want a hard stop and don't mind buying hardware.
Apple Screen Time
- Price
- Free, built into iOS.
- How it works
- Schedules and per-category limits (Downtime and App Limits, renamed Screen Time Schedule and Time Allowances in iOS 27), plus a four-digit Screen Time passcode.
- How you get back in
- By default, you can ignore a limit once you reach it. With a passcode you don't know, whoever holds it decides.
Good at
- Nothing to install or pay for
- System-level and syncs across your Apple devices
- Surprisingly strict if someone else sets the passcode
Watch out for
- Limits can be ignored by default
- The passcode can be reset with your own Apple Account if recovery is on
Best for: Trying a block before paying for anything. See our guide to having a friend set the passcode.
Friend Controls
- Price
- Free for blocking one app. Blocking more needs a purchase (prices vary on the App Store).
- How it works
- Set daily limits per app. When time runs out, the app locks.
- How you get back in
- Send a request, and your friends approve or deny it.
Good at
- Friend approval is the whole idea
- Simple to set up
Watch out for
- Only one blocked app on the free version
- iPhone only as far as we could confirm
Best for: One problem app and a friend willing to hold the key.
Is Opal free?
Partly. Opal's free plan gives you one rule (a schedule, time limit or open limit), basic app blocking and today's Focus Score. Opal Pro adds Hard Mode, unlimited rules, Allow Only and score history. On the US App Store, Pro is $19.99 a month or $99.99 a year, with weekly plans too, and Opal's pricing page also lists a $399 lifetime option.
How to cancel Opal Pro
If you subscribed through the App Store: open Settings, tap your name, tap Subscriptions, tap Opal, then Cancel Subscription. If there's no Cancel button, it's already cancelled and runs until the end of the period you paid for. Deleting the app doesn't cancel the subscription. A lifetime purchase isn't a subscription, so there's nothing to cancel.
Why a cheaper Opal might not fix it
Opal, ScreenZen, one sec and Screen Time all use the same Apple Screen Time framework, so they block apps the same way. What differs is who can end the block. If your pattern is setting a limit and then turning it off at 11pm, a cheaper app with the same off-switch will go the same way. That's the case for a physical tag (Brick) or a friend (Para, Friend Controls).
FAQ
Is there a free app like Opal?
What's the cheapest Opal alternative without a subscription?
Which Opal alternative is hardest to cheat?
Do Opal alternatives work on Android?
Keep reading
Tried the willpower apps? Try a friend.
Para is free, every feature. iPhone only. About a minute to set up.