Alternatives roundup · Reviewed June 23, 2026
Unpluq Alternatives
Unpluq is a physical NFC tag that keeps your chosen apps locked until you tap it. The friction is strong, but you have to carry an object, the iOS app cap is 49, and it costs a tag plus a subscription. The alternatives below are either another hardware barrier, a software consequence, or a cheaper friction tool. Six options, with honest "best for" framing.
ScreenFine gives you a strict, hard-to-game barrier in software, so there is no tag to carry or lose. 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 effort you actually have to spend, not a tap you can do anytime the tag is in reach. It also adds an AI villain roast plus Wall of Shame and partner mode, and there is no per-app cap.
Pros
- + No hardware to carry, lose, or leave behind
- + The barrier is real effort, not a tap
- + No app cap; a single daily total across the device
- + AI villain roast plus public accountability
Cons
- - Software-only, so not physically out of reach
- - No free tier (7-day trial only)
- - iOS only
- - Recurring weekly charge rather than annual
Brick is the best-known hardware competitor to Unpluq. A small NFC device you tap to lock and unlock your selected apps. Like Unpluq, the blocking is genuinely hard to bypass because it requires the physical object. A one-time ~$60 purchase with no subscription, which is its main edge over Unpluq.
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
Opal is the polished, software-only option built around scheduled Deep Focus sessions and Safari blocking. No tag to carry. More expensive than Unpluq's subscription, but no hardware dependency and a deeper app. Best if you want strong scheduled blocks without an object.
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
One Sec is the cheap, software-only friction option. A breathing pause before you open a distracting app. Far less strict than Unpluq's physical lock, but nothing to carry and a fraction of the cost. Best if Unpluq feels like overkill and you want a gentler nudge.
Pros
- + Cleanest friction-pause UX
- + Cheap and software-only
- + One free app on the free tier
Cons
- - Much softer than a hardware lock
- - No daily total cap
- - No consequence once bypassed
#5 · Best for: Free, no hardware, cross-platform
ScreenZen
Free + paid Pro iOS, macOS, Android, Windows
ScreenZen is the free, software-only, cross-platform friction tool. No tag, no subscription required for the core experience. Much softer than Unpluq, but the cheapest way to add intentional friction across all your devices.
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 exactly the weakness hardware like Unpluq and Brick is built to fix.
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
