LatchApp blockers compared: why we think Latch is the one to pick
Latch, Brick, Opal, Unpluq, one sec and ScreenZen all try to get you off your phone. They go about it in different ways: some add a pause, some block on a schedule, and some make you tap a physical object to get back in. Here's how they compare, and why we built Latch the way we did.
We make Latch, so we're biased, and we'd rather say so. Details about the other apps come from their own websites and App Store listings as of September 2026, and each one links to its source.
Our pick
Latch: a real lock, a key that costs cents, and no subscription
- Your apps stay locked until you scan a key you keep in another room, so the urge has to survive a walk.
- The key is a few-cent NFC sticker, a QR code you print, or a number of steps. Keep one at home, at work and in the car.
- It locks on its own: on a schedule, when you arrive somewhere, while you drive, or when you ask Siri or Google Assistant.
- Free to start. Pro is $9.99 once, against $59 for a Brick or $99.99 a year for Opal.
At a glance
| App | How you get back in | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Latch Our pick | Scan a key kept elsewhere: an NFC sticker, a printed QR code, or a number of steps | Free; Pro $9.99 once |
| Brick | Tap your phone on the Brick, an NFC device | $59 per Brick (source) |
| Unpluq | Tap the Unpluq Tag, or use one of up to 7 digital barriers | Premium subscription for 3, 6 or 12 months, from $29 (source) |
| Opal | From the app; Hard Mode leaves no way out until the session ends | Free; $19.99 a month or $99.99 a year (source) |
| one sec | A short pause, like a deep breath, before the app opens | Free; Pro $6.99 a month, $19.99 a year or $99.99 lifetime (source) |
| ScreenZen | A mindful pause and limited daily unlocks | Free, donation-supported (source) |
Prices in US dollars. Brick, Unpluq, Opal, one sec and ScreenZen are trademarks of their owners; Latch isn't affiliated with any of them.
Two kinds of friction
A pause app like one sec or ScreenZen asks you to stop and think before an app opens. That's useful for noticing the habit. The catch is that the choice still happens on the phone, in the same second as the urge, so on the nights when you most want to scroll, you tap through the pause.
A physical-key app moves the choice somewhere else. To get back into your apps, you have to go and scan or tap something in another room. That short trip is usually enough to change your mind, and it's why people who have tried softer tools end up with a key. Latch, Brick and Unpluq all work this way. Latch is the one where the key costs cents, you can have several, and you never pay a subscription.
Opal sits in between: it runs on the phone, but its Hard Mode is built so you can't turn it off during a session.
Each one, briefly
Latch
Latch locks your apps until you scan your key. The key can be a few-cent NFC sticker, a QR code you print at home, or a walk of 500 to 20,000 steps, so you can keep keys at home, at work and in the car. It can lock on a schedule, when you arrive at a place, while you drive, or from Siri and Google Assistant. It's free to start, Pro is $9.99 once, and there's no account. It's out now on the App Store for iPhone and iPad, and on Google Play.
Brick
Brick is a $59 NFC device you tap to lock and unlock. It's a well-made, single physical object with no batteries, a 30-day money-back guarantee and five emergency unbricks. Pick it if you want one dedicated object or a gift. Read Latch vs Brick.
Unpluq
Unpluq pairs an NFC Tag with a Premium subscription and offers up to seven digital barriers as other ways to unlock. It supports iOS 16 and Android, with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Pick it if you want several unlock options and don't mind subscribing. Read Latch vs Unpluq.
Opal
Opal is a polished focus app with detailed stats, a Mac app and a Hard Mode that can't be turned off mid-session. It's free to download, with the full version at $19.99 a month or $99.99 a year, and it has 89,000 App Store ratings averaging 4.7. Pick it if you want to block your computer too. Read Latch vs Opal.
one sec
one sec interrupts you with a short exercise, like a deep breath or rotating your phone, before a blocked app opens. It's free for basic use, with Pro at $19.99 a year or $99.99 for life, and it runs on iPhone, Android and as a browser extension. Pick it if you want a gentle nudge more than a lock.
ScreenZen
ScreenZen is free and supported by donations. It adds a mindful pause, limits how many times a day you can open an app, and runs on iOS, macOS, Windows and Android. Pick it if cost matters most and a pause is enough for you.
How to choose
For most people: Latch
- you want a lock you can't tap past
- you want keys in more than one place, for a few cents each
- you'd rather pay $9.99 once than $59 a device or a yearly subscription
- you want it to lock on its own by schedule, place or driving
When another one fits better
- Brick, if you want a single object to give as a gift
- Opal, if you also need to block your Mac
- Unpluq, if you want several digital unlock options
- ScreenZen or one sec, if a gentle pause is all you want. Latch is free to start too.
Common questions
What is the best free app blocker?
Latch is free for one key, three profiles and two places, and it gives you a real lock instead of a pause. ScreenZen is free and donation-supported, and one sec and Opal have free versions with paid upgrades.
Which app blockers use a physical key?
Latch, Brick and Unpluq. Brick uses its own $59 device, Unpluq uses its Tag with a subscription, and Latch uses any NTAG NFC sticker, a printed QR code, or a number of steps.
Which app blocker is hardest to get around?
The ones that move the unlock off your phone, like Latch, Brick and Unpluq, or Opal's Hard Mode, which can't be turned off during a session. Latch's Hard lock can also stop deleting and reinstalling apps while you're locked.
Try the cheaper key
Latch is out now on the App Store for iPhone and iPad, and on Google Play (Android 9 and later).
Last updated September 28, 2026.