Alternatives roundup · Reviewed June 23, 2026
Foqos Alternatives
Foqos is a free, open-source tap-to-block app using NFC tags or QR codes. It is excellent and costs nothing, but it relies on you starting sessions and not tapping yourself back in. If free friction is not enough, the alternatives below add a consequence, a stronger physical barrier, or a deeper feature set. Six options, with honest "best for" framing.
Foqos lets you tap a tag to lock apps, and tap again to unlock. The unlock is the gap: it costs nothing once the tag is in front of you. ScreenFine replaces the tap with effort. Cross your daily total and your target apps hard-lock until you complete 25 verified pushups, 1,000 steps, or 10 mindful minutes, with no tap to undo it. It also caps your whole day automatically rather than relying on you starting a session, and adds an AI villain roast plus public accountability. The cost is $1 per week, where Foqos is free.
Pros
- + A consequence you work off, not a tap you control
- + A daily cap that runs without starting a session
- + No override or tap-to-unlock
- + AI villain roast plus Wall of Shame and partner mode
Cons
- - Paid ($1/week) where Foqos is free
- - Closed source and account-based
- - iOS only
- - No QR or NFC flexibility
Brick is the premium hardware version of what Foqos does for free. A dedicated NFC device you tap to lock and unlock apps. The build quality and the ritual are nicer than a bare tag, and the one-time purchase means no subscription, but you pay ~$60 for what Foqos does with a $1 tag.
Pros
- + Hardest to bypass of anything here
- + One-time cost, no subscription
- + Polished, dedicated device
Cons
- - $60 versus a ~$1 tag for the same idea
- - Requires carrying the device
- - No consequence beyond the tap
Bloom is a Shark Tank NFC keycard, a one-time $39 with lifetime app access. More polished than Foqos, with schedules, a Child Mode, and a focus-streak competition. The trade-off is three emergency exits that make it easier to bypass than Foqos in a strict moment.
Pros
- + Polished, funded product
- + One-time purchase, lifetime access
- + Child Mode and family controls
Cons
- - Three emergency exits to bypass
- - Costs $39 versus free
- - Requires carrying the card
One Sec inserts a breathing pause before you open a distracting app. No tag, no QR code, no object at all. Softer than Foqos's physical lock, but nothing to carry or set up. Best if Foqos's tap ritual feels like too much friction to maintain.
Pros
- + No hardware or setup ritual
- + Cleanest friction-pause UX
- + One free app on the free tier
Cons
- - Softer than a physical lock
- - No daily total cap
- - No consequence once bypassed
#5 · Best for: Free friction without any hardware
ScreenZen
Free + paid Pro iOS, macOS, Android, Windows
ScreenZen is the other strong free option, but software-only. No tag or QR code. A generous free tier with customisable delays across phone, laptop, and tablet. If you liked that Foqos is free but want to drop the hardware step, ScreenZen is the closest match.
Pros
- + Free for the core experience
- + Cross-platform, no hardware
- + Customisable delays
Cons
- - No physical barrier
- - No daily total-device cap
- - No consequence to ignoring prompts
Apple Screen Time is free and built in, with no hardware. For parents with Family Sharing it is the right tool. For solo adults the "Ignore for today" button makes it soft, which is why people add a tap-to-block tool like Foqos in the first place.
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
