Try the activity-or-habit gate
Available now on the App Store with a free tier.
Seven screen time apps compared on access mechanic, platform coverage, current pricing, and bypass resistance. Features and prices can change; verify each current listing.
In short
The right screen-time app depends on the mechanic and devices you want. HabitUnlock uses a configured activity or habit gate; other products emphasize schedules, website coverage, pauses, or earned-time systems. Deep Lock removes HabitUnlock’s in-app override and survives force-quit while Family Controls permission remains enabled; iOS Settings and app removal can still affect blocking.
Disclosure: HabitUnlock publishes this comparison. Treat the ranking as our editorial view, and verify every product’s current App Store listing before deciding because features, ratings, and prices change by date and region.
Official product sources checked September 9, 2026. These describe features, not a head-to-head effectiveness test.
Our editorial ranking weighs documented bypass resistance, access mechanic, current pricing, and platform coverage. Verify each product’s current listing before choosing.
| # | App | Price | Mechanic | Bypass-Resistance | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | HabitUnlock | US storefront: $39.99/yr $6.99/mo · $4.99/wk · prices vary by storefront |
Activity gate (walking from Apple Health; push-ups timed; breathing guided in-app) | Deep Lock has no in-app override; documented iOS limitations apply | Designed for activity- or habit-gated access. Learn more → |
| 2 | Opal | See current App Store listing | Timer / scheduled focus sessions | Check current controls | Review Opal's current listing. vs HabitUnlock → |
| 3 | Freedom | See current App Store listing | Scheduled block sessions (apps + sites) | Locked Mode; limitations vary by platform | Review Freedom's current platform support. vs HabitUnlock → |
| 4 | one sec | See current App Store listing | Multiple interventions and blocking tools | Check current controls | Review one sec's current options. vs HabitUnlock → |
| 5 | ScreenZen | See current App Store listing | Delays, schedules, limits, prompts, and lock mode | Check current controls | Review ScreenZen's current listing. vs HabitUnlock → |
| 6 | AppBlock | Free plan with limits paid monthly / yearly / lifetime; vendor does not publish the figure |
Schedules & usage-limit profiles | Strict Mode; check platform and plan limits | Review AppBlock's current rule system. vs HabitUnlock → |
| 7 | Unrot | See current App Store listing | Coin economy — habits earn screen time | Not publicly documented | Review Unrot's current coin mechanic. vs HabitUnlock → |
*HabitUnlock prices shown are US storefront examples and may vary. Competitor features and prices change; use each current App Store listing as the purchasing source of truth.
What each app is genuinely good at — and where it falls down.
HabitUnlock puts a configured activity or habit between you and selected apps: walking from Apple Health, timed push-ups, guided breathing, or a habit you define. Deep Lock removes the in-app override and survives force-quit while Family Controls permission remains enabled; iOS Settings and app removal can still affect blocking.
Limitation: iPhone only — HabitUnlock can shield selected apps, categories, and web domains on that iPhone, but it does not control other devices. Avoid running multiple Screen Time managers together unless you have tested the combination.
Opal uses its own access controls and may support different platforms or workflows. Check its current official listing for features, pricing, ratings, and limitations; this page does not claim equivalent outcomes.
Read the full breakdown: HabitUnlock vs Opal →
Freedom uses its own access controls and may support different platforms or workflows. Check its current official listing for features, pricing, ratings, and limitations; this page does not claim equivalent outcomes.
Read the full breakdown: HabitUnlock vs Freedom →
one sec uses its own access controls and may support different platforms or workflows. Check its current official listing for features, pricing, ratings, and limitations; this page does not claim equivalent outcomes.
Read the full breakdown: HabitUnlock vs one sec →
ScreenZen uses its own access controls and may support different platforms or workflows. Check its current official listing for features, pricing, ratings, and limitations; this page does not claim equivalent outcomes.
Read the full breakdown: HabitUnlock vs ScreenZen →
AppBlock uses its own access controls and may support different platforms or workflows. Check its current official listing for features, pricing, ratings, and limitations; this page does not claim equivalent outcomes.
Read the full breakdown: HabitUnlock vs AppBlock →
Unrot uses its own access controls and may support different platforms or workflows. Check its current official listing for features, pricing, ratings, and limitations; this page does not claim equivalent outcomes.
Read the full breakdown: HabitUnlock vs Unrot →
Screen-time tools use different access mechanics, and some combine more than one. Compare the actual control shown in the current product before choosing.
1. Time limits. You assign an allowance; behavior at the limit depends on the app and configuration.
2. Scheduled sessions. Apps or websites are restricted during windows you define; available commitment controls vary by product.
3. Friction pauses. A wait, breath, or intention prompt adds a deliberate step before access.
4. Activity or habit gates. HabitUnlock asks you to complete a configured activity or habit before selected apps unlock. It does not guarantee a behavior or health outcome.
Current products use a mix of Apple Screen Time controls, schedules, pauses, and earned-access mechanics. Their behavior depends on platform permissions, product settings, and later vendor changes.
Prices and offers vary by storefront and eligibility. This page shows HabitUnlock’s current US examples only; verify every product in the App Store before purchasing.
This is HabitUnlock’s editorial ranking, based on documented access controls, mechanic, platform coverage, and current listing information. It is not an independent efficacy study, and it does not claim that any product changes behavior or health.
HabitUnlock uses an activity gate: walking from Apple Health, timed push-ups, or guided breathing before the timed unlock is applied.
Walking is read from Apple Health; timed push-ups and guided breathing run in-app. These are access mechanics, not promised health outcomes.
Deep Lock Mode removes HabitUnlock’s in-app override and survives force-quit while Family Controls permission remains enabled. iOS Settings and app removal can still affect blocking.
Compare the access mechanic, supported devices, current price, and how settings can be changed. HabitUnlock uses a configured activity or habit gate; Deep Lock removes its in-app override and survives force-quit while Family Controls permission remains enabled. Its free tier covers 1 app and 3 habits. Check every product’s current listing before choosing.
Screen-time tools commonly use measurement and App Limits, schedules, friction pauses, or earned-access mechanics. Override behavior depends on each product and configuration. HabitUnlock requires a configured activity or habit; verify other products in their current listings.
There is no universal best choice. HabitUnlock uses a configured activity or habit gate; other products emphasize schedules, website coverage, pauses, or earned-time systems. Choose from current listings based on the mechanic and devices you need.
Deep Lock removes HabitUnlock’s in-app override and delays protected-setting changes for 24 hours, and its Screen Time shield survives force-quit while Family Controls permission remains enabled. iOS Settings and app removal can still affect blocking. Verify competing products’ current controls directly.
A free blocker can be enough when its limits and controls fit your needs. HabitUnlock’s free tier includes the activity gate for 1 blocked app and up to 3 habits; Pro expands limits and adds Deep Lock. Compare current listings before paying.
Compare each product's current listing and limitations. Our Instagram walkthrough covers Apple Screen Time, HabitUnlock's configured activity-or-habit gate, deleting the app, and grayscale mode.
Step-by-step guides for the apps people most want to quit.
Available now on the App Store with a free tier.