Opal has a free plan, but Deep Focus needs Opal Pro. What's free, what it costs, whether it's safe, and the best Opal alternatives for iPhone and Android.
Quick answer: Opal is free to download and has a free plan with basic blocking, app limits and screen time stats, but its Deep Focus sessions need Opal Pro, which costs about $19.99 a month or $99.99 a year (checked October 2026). The best Opal alternative depends on why you're switching: one sec for a gentle pause, Freedom for blocking on your phone and computer, Clearspace for a light exercise habit, and ScrollToll: Screen-Time Gym if you keep getting around blockers, because it makes you earn screen time with squats, pushups or a walk, counted by your phone's camera.
This post is published by ScrollToll, one of the apps on this list.
Is Opal free?
Opal is free to download, and the free plan covers the basics. The features most people download it for need Opal Pro.
| Opal free plan | Opal Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| App blocking and limits | Basic | Full |
| Screen time stats | Yes | Yes |
| Deep Focus sessions | No | Yes |
| Price | Free | About $19.99/month or $99.99/year |
So yes, you can use Opal for free, but it works like a basic blocker. If Pro's price is the main reason you're looking elsewhere, the options below cost less or nothing at all.
What Opal does well
Opal is one of the most polished blockers on iPhone. Its focus sessions are easy to set up, its screen time reports are clear, and Deep Focus makes a session hard to end early. If you mostly need structure during the workday and rarely switch blockers off, Opal is a good choice.
Why people look for an Opal alternative
Most people who leave Opal fall into one of three groups:
- The price: Pro costs more than most blockers, and the free plan leaves out the strict features.
- The phone: Opal started on iPhone and Mac. Its Android version is described by reviewers as lighter than the iPhone app.
- The habit: session-based blockers only work when you start a session. On a tired night, the easiest way around any blocker is not to turn it on, or to end it.
The third group is the biggest, and it's the same problem Apple's own Screen Time has: when skipping a limit costs one tap, people tap. If that sounds familiar, read our guide on how to stop tapping Ignore Limit.
Is the Opal app safe?
Opal is a widely used app. On iPhone it works through Apple's Screen Time framework, which lets blocking apps limit the apps you choose without seeing what you do inside them. As with any app, read its privacy policy before you sign up.
Does Opal work on Android?
Yes, but the Android version is newer and more limited than the iPhone app, according to reviewers. If you're on Android, every alternative below except Clearspace and Habit Doom supports it.
Opal alternatives compared
| App | Best for | How it blocks | Price (checked October 2026) | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Screen Time / Digital Wellbeing | Free and built in | Time limits you can skip with one tap | Free | iPhone / Android |
| Opal | Structured focus sessions | Scheduled blocking; Deep Focus on Pro | Free plan; Pro about $19.99/month or $99.99/year | iPhone, Mac, Android |
| one sec | A gentle pause | A breathing pause before an app opens | Free for one app; Pro paid | iPhone, Android |
| Freedom | Phone and computer together | Scheduled sessions on every device | $8.99/month or $39.99/year | Mac, Windows, iPhone, Android |
| Clearspace | A light exercise habit | A pause or self-reported exercise | Free to download; Premium about $6.99/month or $44.99/year | iPhone |
| Habit Doom | Habit-based unlocks | Unlock after daily habits, checked with a photo | Free plan; Pro from about $19.99/year | iPhone |
| ScrollToll: Screen-Time Gym | If you keep bypassing blockers | Earn minutes with camera-counted reps or walking; Strict Mode delays rule changes by 24 hours | 3-day trial, then paid; student and hardship discounts | iPhone, Android |
Clearspace vs ScrollToll: both use exercise, but differently. In Clearspace, the exercise is self-reported: you say you did it. ScrollToll counts each rep with your phone's camera, on the device, so you can't skip it.
How ScrollToll: Screen-Time Gym works
ScrollToll: Screen-Time Gym puts a toll on the apps you choose. To open them, you earn minutes by moving:
- Pick your apps: Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube or any other app.
- Pick your exercises: pushups, squats, jumping jacks, lunges and more, or a walk. Remove the ones you can't do.
- Earn your time: the camera counts each rep using on-device pose detection. Nothing is recorded or uploaded.
Strict Mode handles the moment you'd normally switch a blocker off. To remove an app from your block list, you need verified reps, a cooldown timer or a trusted person's approval, and any change that makes your rules easier waits 24 hours.
The idea behind it: the urge to scroll usually passes before you finish ten squats. Read more about how an app blocker that needs exercise to unlock works.
Choosing your Opal alternative
- Opal's price is the problem: try one sec or the built-in tools first.
- You need blocking on your computer too: choose Freedom.
- You want a light exercise nudge: try Clearspace.
- You keep switching blockers off: choose ScrollToll: Screen-Time Gym, which makes every unlock cost a few reps.
Want to see what your current habit costs you? Try the ScrollToll screen time calculator, or compare more options in our list of the best app blockers.
Ready to break the loop? Download ScrollToll: Screen-Time Gym on the App Store for iPhone or Google Play for Android, and start earning your screen time through real movement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Opal free?
Opal is free to download and has a free plan with basic blocking, app limits and screen time stats. Deep Focus sessions need Opal Pro, which costs about $19.99 a month or $99.99 a year (checked October 2026).
Can you use Opal for free?
Yes, with the free plan, which covers basic blocking and stats. For Deep Focus and stricter blocking you need Opal Pro.
Is the Opal app safe?
Opal is a widely used app. On iPhone it works through Apple's Screen Time framework, which lets it block the apps you choose without seeing what you do inside them. Read its privacy policy before signing up.
What is the best free alternative to Opal?
The built-in tools: Screen Time on iPhone and Digital Wellbeing on Android. They're easy to skip, though. one sec is free for one app. If you keep skipping limits, ScrollToll: Screen-Time Gym makes you earn screen time with exercise and starts with a 3-day trial.
How do app blockers actually work?
On iPhone and Android, app blockers use the system's screen time tools to limit the apps you choose. When you open a blocked app, a screen appears instead. What happens next depends on the app: a pause, a timer, or in ScrollToll's case, a set of reps to earn more time.
Can you block apps on iPhone in a way you can't bypass?
Apple's built-in limits are easy to override with Ignore Limit or a passcode you know. The hardest setups use a passcode someone else holds, or a blocker that makes unlocking cost real effort, like ScrollToll: Screen-Time Gym with Strict Mode.
Is ScrollToll available on Android?
Yes. ScrollToll: Screen-Time Gym is available on iPhone and Android.
Is ScrollToll better than Opal for people who keep bypassing their limits?
For people who keep bypassing their limits, often yes. Opal blocks during sessions, which you can skip by not starting one. ScrollToll makes each unlock cost a few reps, and Strict Mode delays any change that loosens your rules by 24 hours.
Does ScrollToll work for Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat?
Yes. You can add any app to your block list, including Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and YouTube.
Can you get around Opal?
Opal's Deep Focus sessions are built so you can't end them early inside the app. Like every iPhone blocker, though, Opal depends on Screen Time permission, so it stops working if you turn that permission off or delete the app. If you find yourself doing that, a blocker that makes every unlock cost effort, like ScrollToll: Screen-Time Gym with Strict Mode, is harder to undo on impulse.
Ready to break the loop?
Download ScrollToll and start earning your screen time through real movement.
