Best Free App Blockers for iPhone: Which Ones Actually Hold (2026)

Which free iPhone app blockers are real locks and which are freemium demos? Compare Apple Screen Time, ScreenZen, Foqos, one sec, Opal, and Jomo free tiers, limits, and bypass resistance.

10 min read

Summary of the Article

A free app blocker for iPhone is only useful if it actually stops you, not if it just shows a message you can tap through. The honest answer: three options are genuinely free with real blocking power (Apple Screen Time, ScreenZen, Foqos), while one sec, Opal, and Jomo are freemium apps whose free tiers are small previews of the paid product.

  • Apple Screen Time: completely free and built into your iPhone, but you can bypass it unless you harden it with a passcode and the right toggles.
  • ScreenZen: free, no subscription, donation-supported, with strict block and settings-lock modes.
  • Foqos: free, open source, no subscription; blocks by NFC tag, QR code, or timer. Needs iOS 17.6 or later.
  • one sec: free tier covers one app with a breathing pause; strong friction, not a lock.
  • Opal: free tier gives you 1 Rule; the hard, no-unblocks mode is paid only.
  • Jomo: free plan gives 1 Session, 1 Action or Limit, and 1 Screen Time Budget; Strict Mode is paid.
  • Kohru: a study app that pairs blocking across phone, laptop, and Chrome with focus sessions, to-dos, and habit tracking. It is not in the free-blocker list above because this article only compares free tiers.

None of these is impossible to bypass. On iOS, any blocker using Apple's Screen Time permissions can have that permission revoked in Settings, so treat every "strict" mode as harder, not unbreakable.

What 'free' really means: a lock, friction, or a demo

"Free" app blockers usually fall into three groups, and the difference matters more than the price tag.

  • Hard lock. Once the block starts, opening the app means waiting or doing something difficult. Apple Screen Time with "Block at End of Limit," ScreenZen's strict block, and Foqos sessions behave this way.
  • Friction. You can still open the app, but a delay, a breathing screen, or a message interrupts you first. This works well for automatic scrolling and poorly when you've made a deliberate decision to open the app anyway.
  • Paywalled demo. The app is free to install, but the features that make it a real lock sit behind the subscription. The free tier exists to convince you to pay.

Most freemium blockers mix all three. The question worth asking is: what can I actually do for $0, forever, without hitting a wall after a week?

Apple Screen Time: free, built in, and stronger than people think

Screen Time is Apple's built-in app and screen time manager. It costs nothing, needs no download, and it can be a genuine hard lock if you set it up correctly. Apple's own iPhone guide covers the whole feature set, including schedules, limits, and Always Allowed apps.

Apple Screen Time: free, built in, and stronger than people think, in 5 steps: App Limits; Downtime; Always Allowed; Block at End of Limit; A Screen Time passcode

The core pieces:

  1. App Limits. Set a daily time budget for any app or category. Setting the limit to 1 minute effectively blocks the app for the day. On the newest iOS versions, Apple is renaming this feature Time Allowances, but the idea is the same.
  2. Downtime. Schedule hours when only your allowed apps work, for example 9 pm to 8 am or your whole study block.
  3. Always Allowed. Pick the few apps that stay open during Downtime, like Messages or Maps.
  4. Block at End of Limit. This toggle is the key one. With it on, the app is blocked when the limit ends and asking for more time requires your Screen Time passcode. Without it, iOS shows an "Ignore Limit" button and the block is a suggestion.
  5. A Screen Time passcode. Set one in Settings > Screen Time > Lock Screen Time Settings. Without a passcode, every limit is trivially removable. Apple's passcode guide explains exactly how to set one and why the passcode must be entered before any Screen Time setting changes.

Main weakness: the block only holds against the version of you who knows the passcode. If you set the passcode yourself and you're having a bad day, you know it. If you never set one, Screen Time is barely a blocker at all.

Best for: anyone who wants $0 and no new app, especially students who already live in iOS Settings. How to Limit App Usage on iPhone walks through the setup step by step, and How to Set a Screen Time Lock for Unbreakable Focus covers hardening it against your own future self.

ScreenZen: free, no subscription, with a strict mode

ScreenZen is donation-supported. Its site states plainly that there is no subscription: "ScreenZen is completely free. You can always support the project with a small donation" (screenzen.co). The developer has written publicly about deliberately avoiding the trial-then-expensive-subscription model. Its App Store listing shows the app is free with optional tips listed as in-app purchases, so the core app costs nothing and support is voluntary.

What you get for free:

ScreenZen: free, no subscription, with a strict mode: Open delays with an optional breathing screen before a distracting app unlocks and 4 more

  • Open delays with an optional breathing screen before a distracting app unlocks.
  • Short "check your app" windows instead of open-ended scrolling.
  • App goals with optional blocking at the limit.
  • Strict block modes for time ranges or after a number of opens.
  • Locks on the app's own settings, so you can't casually turn your rules off mid-urge.

The App Store listing also confirms it requires iOS 16.4 or later.

Limits: much of ScreenZen is friction with a strict layer on top. If you decide, deliberately, that you want the app open, the delay is annoying but survivable. The settings lock is the feature that gives it teeth, so turn it on.

Best for: people who want a free app with real blocking behavior and no subscription pressure, and who are willing to configure the strict options.

Screenshot of the homepage of ScreenZen

Foqos: free, open source, physical unlocking

Foqos is a free, open-source iPhone blocker built on Apple's Screen Time API. Its site and its GitHub repository (MIT license) both state there is no subscription, no account, no ads, and no tracking (foqos.app, github.com/awaseem/foqos). The App Store listing confirms the app is free, with the only in-app purchases being optional tips for the developer that start at $1.99.

Foqos: free, open source, physical unlocking: NFC tag; QR code; Timer; Manual start from inside the app

How it works: you build blocking profiles for study, work, or bedtime, then start a session in one of these ways:

  • NFC tag. Tap your phone on a cheap tag kept away from your desk or bedside table. Ending the block means physically walking back to the tag.
  • QR code. Print a code and stick it somewhere inconvenient.
  • Timer. Choose a duration and let the block run.
  • Manual start from inside the app.

The physical angle is what makes Foqos genuinely hard to bypass. You can fight the app in Settings, but you cannot beat the fact that the NFC tag is in the kitchen.

Limits: its App Store listing confirms it needs iOS 17.6 or later, and it's a blocker only. There's no task list, habit tracking, or study planning.

Best for: students who want a hard boundary for study sessions and don't mind a little setup, like writing an NFC tag or printing a QR code.

Screenshot of the homepage of Foqos

one sec free tier: one app, one deep breath

one sec interrupts the moment before you open a distracting app with a breathing exercise. Its FAQ is direct about the free tier: "one sec offers a free version which allows to set up a breathing interruption for one app," with pro upgrades for more (one-sec.app FAQ). Pro pricing starts around €3.99 monthly or €14.99 yearly per that FAQ, and prices differ by region.

The free tier also includes the free Safari extension, so you can interrupt websites, and the app contains no ads even in the free version.

Limits: one app is rarely enough. Most people's problem is three or four apps, and the free tier makes you pick one. Also, this is friction, not a block: breathe through the pause and Instagram opens.

Best for: people with one clearly dominant bad habit, like TikTok, who want to test whether interruption actually changes their behavior before paying for anything.

Screenshot of the homepage of one sec

Opal free tier: one rule, and the hard mode is behind the paywall

Opal is a polished freemium focus app. Its pricing page lists the free plan as $0 forever with 1 Rule (a Schedule, Time Limit, or Open Limit), basic timers, and app blocking (Opal pricing). The paid tiers are what unlock the interesting part: "Harder Blocking Difficulty," "No Unblocks," and unlimited rules.

That's the problem for a $0 user. On the free plan, your one rule is a soft rule. The hard, no-way-out mode, which is exactly what makes a blocker a lock, is a Pro feature. So the free tier is a working blocker in the friction sense, and a demo of the hard lock.

Limits: one rule won't cover a study block plus a bedtime block plus a social media cap. And check current details in the app or on Opal's site, since Opal's own help center has described the free version slightly differently in the past.

Best for: someone willing to try the product and likely to pay for Pro eventually. If you're determined to stay on the free tier, Opal is not the strongest choice.

Screenshot of the homepage of Opal

Jomo free plan: a real product, sized like a preview

Jomo publishes its free plan clearly: 1 Session, 1 Action or Limit, 1 Screen Time Budget, plus Squads and Reports (Jomo pricing). Paid plans unlock up to 10 sessions, 10 actions or limits, and, importantly, Strict Mode.

So the free plan can genuinely block one app or website, or run one recurring session. That's a real function, not a broken demo. But it's clearly built to show you the system and leave you wanting more sessions.

Limits: one session and one limit is a thin budget if you're blocking multiple apps for multiple routines. Strict Mode, the bypass-resistance layer, is paid.

Best for: people who like Jomo's structure and will either upgrade or use it for exactly one well-chosen rule.

Screenshot of the homepage of Jomo

At a glance

Tool Free tier What bites you Bypass resistance (free) Needs
Apple Screen Time Fully free, built in Requires the right toggles + passcode Hard with passcode, soft without Any recent iOS
ScreenZen Fully free, tips optional Strict mode must be enabled Strong if you lock settings iOS 16.4+
Foqos Fully free, open source NFC tag lives away from you Strong, physical iOS 17.6+
one sec 1 app Only one app covered Friction only iOS + optional Safari extension
Opal 1 Rule Hard Mode is Pro Weak on free iOS, Android, Mac
Jomo 1 Session, 1 Action or Limit, 1 Budget Strict Mode is paid Weak to moderate on free iOS, Mac

The bypass caveat every app shares

No iPhone app blocker is impossible to bypass, including the ones that say so in their marketing. Most serious blockers, and Apple Screen Time itself, rely on Apple's Screen Time (Family Controls) permission. That permission lives in Settings > Screen Time > Apps with Screen Time Access, and anyone holding the phone can switch it off.

What strict modes actually do is raise the cost of giving in. A settings lock means changing your rules takes deliberate effort. An NFC tag means getting up. A passcode means your past self has to out-vote your current self. That's usually enough, and it's the honest standard to judge "actually holds" against.

How to choose: match friction to your habit

  • "My scrolling is automatic." Start with Screen Time's Block at End of Limit plus a passcode, or one sec's free single-app pause. Cheap friction fixes automatic habits.
  • "I make deals with myself at 11 pm." You need a hard layer. ScreenZen with the settings lock, or Foqos with an NFC tag or timer session.
  • "I need blocking during specific study hours." Foqos profiles with a timer, or Screen Time Downtime on a schedule.
  • "I want the most polished experience and might pay later." Opal or Jomo, knowing their free ceilings are low.

For a broader look beyond the free tier, including paid and stricter options, see Best App Blockers for iPhone in 2026: How 9 Options Rank and Best App Blocker for iPhone: 7 Top Picks.

Need more than blocking? Where Kohru fits

Every tool above blocks. If your actual problem is studying, blocking is only half the system. Kohru is a study and productivity app that blocks distracting apps and websites across your phone, laptop, and Chrome browser, turns tasks from your Work and Personal lists into focus sessions, and tracks habits, focus time, and progress. It's built for students and young professionals who want the distraction control and the study routine in one place.

If that sounds like what you've been assembling piece by piece with a blocker plus a to-do app plus a habit tracker, you can download Kohru on the App Store and pair it with the Chrome extension for focus sessions on your laptop.

Screenshot of the homepage of Kohru

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