Alternatives roundup · Reviewed June 23, 2026
Bloom Alternatives
Bloom is a one-time $39 NFC keycard you scan to unlock blocked apps. The barrier is physical, but you have to carry the card, and it ships with three emergency exits. The alternatives below are either another hardware barrier, a free open-source version, or a software consequence with no exits. Six options, with honest "best for" framing.
ScreenFine gives you a strict barrier in software, so there is no card to carry and no emergency exits to reach for. Cross your daily total and your target apps hard-lock until you complete 25 verified pushups, 1,000 steps, or 10 mindful minutes (camera or HealthKit). The barrier is real effort, not a scan, and there is no override. Every slip triggers an AI villain roast plus Wall of Shame and partner mode. The trade-off is a weekly subscription instead of Bloom's one-time price.
Pros
- + No card to carry, lose, or leave behind
- + No emergency exits or override
- + The barrier is real effort, not a scan
- + AI villain roast plus public accountability
Cons
- - Weekly subscription, not a one-time purchase
- - No free tier (7-day trial only)
- - iOS only
- - No family or child mode
Brick is the best-known NFC blocking device. You tap it to lock and unlock your selected apps. Like Bloom, the blocking is hard to bypass because it needs the physical object, and it is a one-time purchase with no subscription. Fewer escape hatches than Bloom's three emergency exits.
Pros
- + Hardest to bypass of anything here
- + One-time cost, no subscription
- + Slightly ritualistic interaction
Cons
- - Requires carrying or being near the device
- - $60 hardware cost up front
- - Iterating on settings means returning to the brick
Foqos does what Bloom does. Tap an NFC tag (or scan a QR code) to lock apps. But it is free and open source. Any cheap NTAG213 tag works, or you can use a printed QR code for nothing. The closest free substitute for Bloom's card mechanism, with strong privacy.
Pros
- + Completely free, no subscription
- + Open source and fully on-device
- + Works with ~$1 tags or free QR codes
Cons
- - No consequence beyond the tap
- - Relies on you starting sessions
- - No accountability or personality layer
Unpluq is another physical NFC tag, available on both iOS and Android. The tag is your key to unlock blocked apps. More expensive than Bloom because it carries a subscription on top of the hardware, but it works across platforms where Bloom is iOS-focused.
Pros
- + Strong physical barrier
- + Works on iOS and Android
- + Schedule-based blocking
Cons
- - Hardware cost plus an annual subscription
- - iOS limited to 49 apps
- - Requires carrying the tag
Opal is the polished, software-only option built around scheduled Deep Focus sessions and Safari blocking. No card to carry. More expensive than Bloom over time, but no hardware dependency and a deeper app for people who want strong scheduled blocks.
Pros
- + Most polished UX in the category
- + Web blocking in Safari
- + No hardware to carry
Cons
- - Among the most expensive options
- - Sessions can be ended early
- - No consequence after a block lifts
Apple Screen Time is free and built in, with no hardware. For parents with Family Sharing it is the right tool, and its passcode is genuinely hard for a child to bypass. For solo adults the "Ignore for today" button makes it soft, which is the gap Bloom's card is built to fill.
Pros
- + Free and already installed
- + OS-level integration, no hardware
- + Best for parents with Family Sharing
Cons
- - "Ignore for today" bypass in two taps
- - No consequence beyond a banner
- - Easy for an adult to disable
