unplug meSCREEN TIME APP COMPARISON
Find a boundary
that fits.
Eight ways to make distracting apps less automatic, compared by the action each asks you to take.
Reviewed October 7, 2026 using each product’s own site or help pages. This comparison is published by the maker of Unplug Me; features and platform support can change. See each linked source before deciding.
Screen time tools at a glance
Start with the kind of friction you want: a schedule, a pause, a timed session, or a physical action. Prices are omitted because plans vary and change often.
| Tool | Approach | How access changes | Extra hardware? | Platforms | Good fit if you want… |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Screen Time ↗ | Built into iPhone | Daily app limits and scheduled Downtime | No | iPhone, iPad, Mac | A basic limit or schedule without another app |
| Unplug Me ↗ | Charger boundary | Plug in for a timed unlock; unplug or finish the timer to lock again | No extra device | iPhone | Keeping essentials available while separating feeds from everyday use |
| Opal ↗ | Focus rules and timer | Choose focus rules or a timed session | No | iPhone, Mac, Android | Automatic focus sessions across devices |
| one sec ↗ | Pause before opening | Add an intervention before selected apps or websites; optional scheduled blocks | No | iOS, Android, browser extension | A brief pause before an app opens |
| ScreenZen ↗ | Delays, limits, schedules | Choose limits or scheduled blocks for selected apps and sites | No | iPhone, Android, Mac, Windows | Flexible app-specific limits without a subscription for core use |
| Freedom ↗ | Cross-device sessions | Start or schedule app and site blocking across devices | No | iOS, Android, Mac, Windows | Blocking distractions on phone and computer together |
| Brick ↗ | Physical tap | Tap your phone to a separate Brick device to block or unblock apps | Yes, Brick device | iOS, Android | A physical object that can be left away from your phone |
| Jomo ↗ | Rules and sessions | Create iPhone blocking rules and timed sessions | No | iPhone | Custom iPhone blocking rules and schedules |
Source links are in the first column. “Good fit” is our interpretation of each tool’s published approach, not a performance ranking.
If a timer or schedule is enough
Start with Apple Screen Time. Its App Limits and Downtime are already on your iPhone. Opal, ScreenZen, Freedom, and Jomo add different ways to schedule or customize blocking.
If you need a moment to reconsider
one sec focuses on interrupting an automatic app open. Unplug Me uses the action of plugging in, then a timed session. They create different kinds of pauses: one happens at the screen, the other at a charger.
If you want a separate object
Brick uses a dedicated device you tap with your phone. Unplug Me uses a charger you already have. Consider where you want the object to live and how you would handle an unexpected need for access.
TRY THE CHARGER APPROACH
See if Unplug Me fits your day.
Keep essential tools available. Plug in for a timed session with distracting apps.
View Unplug Me on the App Store ↗This page adapts the format of Free Time’s comparison guide. Its January 2025 prices and feature scores were not carried over.