Alternatives roundup · Reviewed May 8, 2026
Brick Alternatives
Brick is a $60 NFC tile that genuinely works for users who respond to physical objects and can keep the tile reliably present at home or in the office. If you travel often, keep losing the tile, want a daily cap instead of per-app locks, or want a mechanism that does not depend on hardware, the answer is a software tool with a real consequence (a fine or a verified-exercise lock) or, at the extreme, a dedicated phone. Six options below, with honest "best for" framing.
ScreenFine is software-only and works wherever your phone is. Once you exceed your daily limit, target apps are locked and you owe a verified action: 1,000 steps, a workout, 10 mindful minutes, 25 camera-counted pushups, or 25 squats. Each fine stays redeemable for 1 week before it expires into a recorded slip. Going over never charges your card. Built on loss aversion. A real consequence works where physical absence (a tile left at home) breaks down. The only charge is the $1/week subscription, roughly $52/year, no hardware required.
Pros
- + No hardware to carry, lose, or forget
- + Real-money consequence on overage (redeemable via exercise)
- + Daily total-device cap, not only per-app
- + 1-week behavioural redemption window per fine
- + Wall of Shame and partner mode for external accountability
Cons
- - Recurring subscription rather than one-time hardware cost
- - iOS only
- - Less visceral than tapping a physical object
- - Pause-anytime is allowed (Brick is harder to bypass when the tile is present)
#2 · Best for: Polished scheduled focus sessions
Opal
$80-100/yr iOS, Android, macOS
Opal is the polished, premium friction-based blocker with scheduled "Deep Focus" sessions, per-app limits, and detailed analytics. The closest software analogue to Brick at the high end of the friction category. Cross-platform across iOS, Android, and Mac, which Brick is not. Override button is one tap away, which Brick is not. Trade-offs in both directions.
Pros
- + Most polished UI in the friction category
- + Cross-platform across iOS, Android, and Mac
- + Strong scheduled focus-session mechanic
- + No hardware required
Cons
- - Among the most expensive in the category
- - Override button is one tap away (Brick is harder to bypass)
- - Subscription stacks up over years
One Sec inserts a breathing pause and a moment of intention before you open distracting apps. The mindful-software answer to the same pickup problem Brick solves with hardware. Cheaper, more portable, less effective at the strict-block end. Good first stop for users not yet ready for hardware or financial commitment.
Pros
- + Cleanest, most-considered friction-pause UX
- + No hardware, fully portable
- + Calm, mindful tone
- + One free app on the free tier
Cons
- - No daily total cap
- - Pause becomes part of the loop for some users
- - Much easier to bypass than tapping a tile
#4 · Best for: Free, cross-platform, mindful
ScreenZen
Free + paid Pro iOS, macOS, Android, Windows
ScreenZen is the indie-built, free, mindful-friction tool with a strong following in the digital-minimalism community. Generous free tier. Cross-platform across phone, laptop, and tablet. Same general philosophy as One Sec, broader platform reach. Softer than Brick on the strict-block axis, harder to beat on price.
Pros
- + Free for the core experience
- + Cross-platform (iOS, macOS, Android, Windows)
- + Indie-built, no dark patterns
- + Customisable intentions and delays
Cons
- - No daily total-device cap
- - No consequence to ignoring the prompts
- - Much easier to bypass than Brick
Apple Screen Time is built into iOS and free. For parents using Family Sharing, it is the right tool. A passcode the child cannot bypass. For solo adults, the "Ignore for today" button turns the limit into a suggestion. Brick is the opposite end of the strictness spectrum: a physical lock you cannot ignore. Listed here as the baseline most Brick users are escalating away from.
Pros
- + Free and already on every iPhone
- + OS-level integration third parties cannot match
- + Best-in-class for parents with Family Sharing
- + No data leaves the device
Cons
- - "Ignore for today" button bypasses the limit in two taps
- - No consequence beyond a beige system banner
- - Most users who try Apple Screen Time alone end up looking for alternatives
Light Phone is a minimalist secondary phone that only does calls, texts, and a few basic tools (maps, music, alarm). No browser, no social apps, no app store. The most extreme escalation from Brick: instead of locking apps on your iPhone, you carry a different device for stretches of the day. Real cost (~$300-500) and a real lifestyle commitment. For users who have decided the smartphone itself is the problem.
Pros
- + Most decisive option in this list. No apps to lock because there are no apps
- + One-time hardware cost, no subscription for the screen-time benefit
- + Battery life of multiple days
- + Strong digital-minimalist community
Cons
- - Expensive device cost
- - You still own your iPhone. This is an addition, not a replacement, for most users
- - No maps in some versions, no messaging apps, occasional friction with daily life
- - Not a screen-time-on-iPhone fix; a different-phone solution
