Brick alternatives for iPhone without the hardware (2026)
Brick blocks the apps you choose when you tap your phone on a small NFC device, and unblocks them only when you tap it again. It costs $59 once, with no subscription. Without hardware, the closest option is iPhone Screen Time with a passcode someone else keeps, which is free. Opal's Deep Focus can't be cancelled, ScreenZen can lock its own settings and is free, and one sec adds a pause instead of a block. If what you want to stop is Reels and Shorts rather than whole apps, minulo hides only those parts and keeps DMs.
This page is written by Ayumu Kitabayashi, the developer of minulo, which is one of the apps compared. Facts about other apps come only from their US App Store pages (description, in-app purchases and US ratings), Brick's official website and Apple Support, checked on 2026-10-23.
| Option | How it limits you | How hard is it to undo? | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brick (58,193 US ratings) | Tap your phone on the Brick to block the apps and Safari websites you chose, and their notifications. Modes and schedules too. Brick Night blocks apps by Bluetooth when you enter your bedroom. | Hard. You tap the Brick again to unblock. 5 Emergency Unbricks are included, and Strict Mode stops you from deleting the app or changing settings to get out. | $59 once (Brick Night $129, both $169). No subscription. |
| iPhone Screen Time (built in) | Schedules and Time Allowances by category, such as Social Media, in iOS 27. | Easy on your own. Hard if someone else sets and keeps the Screen Time passcode. | Free. |
| Opal (90,205) | Blocks the apps and websites you choose at set times, with app limits and Focus Sessions. Focus Difficulty sets how easy a session is to end. | Deep Focus can't be bypassed or cancelled, per its App Store description. | Free download. Yearly $99.99, monthly $19.99, weekly from $4.99. |
| ScreenZen (52,253) | A delay before opening that can grow each time, scrolling interruptions, app goals, and strict blocks by time range or number of opens. | Medium. It can lock its own settings so you can't change them when you want to open an app. | Free. Optional tips from $5. |
| one sec (23,739) | A short pause, such as a breathing exercise, before a distracting app opens. Can send you out after a set time. | Easy by design. It delays access instead of blocking. | Free for one app. one sec pro $6.99 a month, $19.99 a year or $99.99 lifetime. |
| minulo (new, 0 US ratings) | Opens 10 networks inside the app with Reels, Shorts and suggested posts hidden. Can lock the official apps with Screen Time and send you to minulo. | Free blocks last up to 2 hours. Pro's Hard Mode makes turning a block off take a few minutes on purpose. You can still delete minulo. | Hiding is free. Pro $9.99 a month or $39.99 a year. |
What Brick does well
Brick's point is that the off switch is not on your phone. Its website says Screen Time limits are easy to skip, while Brick needs a rescan to end a session, and Strict Mode closes the usual ways out such as deleting the app. It is a one-time purchase, it has 58,193 US ratings averaging 4.9, and Brick says it ships worldwide. If you have tried app blockers and always turn them off, a physical device is a real difference.
The trade-offs: you pay $59 and wait for shipping, you have to keep the device somewhere you can reach when you need your apps back, and a blocked app is blocked completely, so Instagram DMs and Snapchat chats stop too.
The free version: Screen Time with someone else's passcode
- Set your limits in Settings › Screen Time. In iOS 27 you can use a Screen Time Schedule and Time Allowances for categories such as Social Media.
- Hand your iPhone to a friend or family member and let them create the Screen Time passcode (Settings › Screen Time › Manage Screen Time › Lock Screen Time Settings).
- Ask them to keep it and not tell you.
Apple says the passcode must be entered before any Screen Time setting can change. Apple also recommends adding Screen Time Passcode Recovery with an Apple Account. If you add your own account, you can reset the passcode yourself, which defeats the purpose. Let the other person enter their own Apple Account there instead. Apple says that without the recovery account, you can't reset or remove the passcode and Apple can't provide it.
If the problem is Reels and Shorts, not your whole phone
Brick, Opal and Screen Time work on whole apps. That fits if you want time away from your phone. If you still need Instagram for DMs or YouTube for a class, blocking the app takes those away too. minulo opens Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, X, Threads, Facebook, Reddit, Snapchat, Pinterest and LinkedIn with Reels, Shorts and suggested posts hidden, and DMs, friends' posts and search keep working. Hiding is free.
minulo can also lock the official apps with Screen Time so tapping their icon sends you to minulo. That is free for up to 2 hours per block. While an official app is locked, its notifications don't arrive. Pro adds schedules, longer blocks, Hard Mode and multiple block lists. minulo is not as strict as Brick: there is no device, and you can delete minulo at any time.
Is there a free alternative to Brick?
Yes. iPhone Screen Time is built in and free. Set your limits, then let a friend or family member create the Screen Time passcode and keep it, so you can't change the settings on your own. ScreenZen is also free (its only in-app purchases are tips) and can lock its own settings.
How much does Brick cost?
On Brick's website in October 2026, Brick is $59, Brick Night is $129, and both together are $169. Brick says these are one-time purchases with no subscription, and the App Store app is free.
Can I use Brick without the Brick device?
Not for its main feature. You start and end a session by tapping your phone on the device. If you need to get out without it, the app includes 5 Emergency Unbricks that unblock all apps.
Which app is hardest to turn off without hardware?
Opal says its Deep Focus mode can't be bypassed or cancelled once it starts. Screen Time with a passcode only someone else knows is also hard to undo, as long as you don't add Passcode Recovery with your own Apple Account, since that lets you reset it yourself.
What if I only want to stop Reels and Shorts, not block Instagram?
Brick, Opal and Screen Time block the whole app, so DMs are blocked too. minulo opens Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and 7 other networks with Reels, Shorts and suggested posts hidden, and DMs keep working. Hiding is free.
Sources
- Brick official website (checked 2026-10-23)
- Brick: product page and prices (checked 2026-10-23)
- App Store: Brick - Ditch Distractions (checked 2026-10-23)
- Apple: How to set a Screen Time passcode on an iPhone or iPad (checked 2026-10-23)
- Apple: Set Screen Time Schedules and Time Allowances on iPhone (checked 2026-10-23)
- App Store: Opal: Screen Time Control (checked 2026-10-23)
- App Store: ScreenZen- Screen Time Control (checked 2026-10-23)
- App Store: one sec | screen time + focus (checked 2026-10-23)
- App Store: minulo: Block Reels & Shorts (checked 2026-10-23)
