LatchWhich app blocker unlocks with an NFC tag?
Four do: Latch, Brick, Unpluq and Foqos. Latch works with any NTAG213, NTAG215 or NTAG216 sticker, costing a few cents, on iPhone and Android. Brick uses its own $59 device. Unpluq uses its own Tag with a Premium subscription. Foqos is free and open source, for iPhone only.
We make Latch, so read this with that in mind. Details about the other apps come from their own websites, App Store listings and README, checked October 2026, and link to their sources.
NFC app blockers compared
| App | The NFC key | Other ways in | Phones | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Latch Our pick | Any NTAG213, NTAG215 or NTAG216 sticker | Printed QR code, or 500 to 20,000 steps; Break glass 3 times a month | iPhone, iPad (QR key), Android 9+ | Free; Pro $9.99 once |
| Brick | The Brick, its own device | 5 emergency unbricks (source) | iPhone (iOS 18+), Android 12+ | $59 per Brick (source) |
| Unpluq | The Unpluq Tag | Up to 7 digital barriers (source) | iPhone (iOS 16+), Android | Premium subscription for 3, 6 or 12 months, from $29 |
| Foqos | An NFC tag | QR code or barcode, timers, a break allowance (README) | iPhone (iOS 17.6+) | Free, optional tips (App Store) |
Prices in US dollars. Brick, Unpluq and Foqos are trademarks of their owners; Latch isn't affiliated with any of them.
How an NFC app blocker works
You choose the apps to block and lock them. To unlock, you hold your phone to an NFC tag, which you keep somewhere you'd have to get up for: the fridge, a drawer downstairs, your desk at work. The tag is the only everyday way back in, so reaching for a blocked app turns into a short walk. Most of the time, that walk is enough to change your mind.
Some blockers sell their own tag or device. Latch writes its key to an ordinary NFC sticker, so you can use stickers you already own or buy a pack for a few cents each.
Which NFC stickers work with Latch
- Any NTAG213, NTAG215 or NTAG216 sticker. These are the common kind sold in packs online.
- MIFARE Classic stickers don't work, with iPhone or with Latch on Android.
- Hold your phone near the sticker without opening Latch first. Latch writes the key and locks the sticker with a password, so no one can write over it. You can save the password in Apple's Passwords app or Google Password Manager.
- On Android, hold the sticker to the back of your phone.
If you'd rather not shop for stickers, the Latch Key Kit has three NFC stickers and three peel-and-stick QR keys for $7.99 with free US shipping.
No NFC, or no sticker yet
A printed QR code works as a Latch key with any phone camera, including iPads and Android tablets that have no NFC. Print it at home, scan the paper once to finish setup, and keep it away from your phone. With Latch Pro, a key can also be a number of steps, from 500 to 20,000, on iPhone and Android phones that count steps.
Several keys, one price
Because a sticker costs cents, you can keep a key in each place you need one: home, work and the car. With Brick, each of those is another $59. With Latch, the free version gives you one key, and Latch Pro adds unlimited keys for $9.99 once. One key can unlock every phone you own, and you can share a key on the fridge with the people you live with.
Which should you choose?
Pick something else if
- you want a single dedicated object, or a gift: Brick
- you want several digital ways to unlock: Unpluq
- you only use an iPhone and want it free and open source: Foqos
Pick Latch if
- you want to use any cheap NTAG sticker
- you have an Android phone, an iPad, or both
- you want a QR or steps key as well
- you'd rather pay $9.99 once
Common questions
Which app blocker unlocks with an NFC tag?
Latch, Brick, Unpluq and Foqos all unlock with an NFC tag. Latch works with any NTAG213, NTAG215 or NTAG216 sticker on iPhone and Android, Brick uses its own $59 device, Unpluq uses its Tag with a Premium subscription, and Foqos is a free, open-source iPhone app.
Which NFC stickers work with Latch?
Any NTAG213, NTAG215 or NTAG216 sticker. They cost a few cents each online. MIFARE Classic stickers don't work with iPhone or with Latch on Android.
Can someone write over my NFC sticker?
Not once it's locked. Latch locks a sticker with a password when it writes your key. Anyone can still tap it to unlock, but no one can change it without the password.
What if my phone or tablet has no NFC?
Use a printed QR key, which works with any phone camera, including iPads and Android tablets without NFC. On phones with a step counter, a steps key needs nothing at all.
What if I lose the NFC tag?
In Latch, open Break glass and choose "Lost your key? End the session instead". It uses one of your three a month. Then add a new key and remove the lost one.
Turn a few-cent sticker into a key
Latch is out now on the App Store for iPhone and iPad, and on Google Play (Android 9 and later).
Last updated by Sudarshan Neupane, founder of Lukla Logic. See also: all app blockers compared.