Brick App Blocker Review: Is the $59 Device Worth It? (Plus Cheaper Alternatives)
By Fred Smith, maker of Drill Sergeant / Updated / 8 min read
Worth it if every app-only blocker has failed you. Brick is a $59 device, with no subscription and a 30-day money-back guarantee, that keeps your chosen apps blocked until you tap your phone on it again, so the key can live in another room. It's rated 4.9 from about 59,000 App Store ratings. Free alternative: Foqos on iPhone, with any NFC tag or a printed QR code. Just for the bedroom: ScreenZen's $49 halo, or Brick Night at $129.
Most app blockers lose to the same opponent: you, at 11 pm, with the off switch one tap away. Brick's answer is physical. The key to your apps is a small device you leave somewhere else. Here's what it costs, how well it works, where it falls short, and the cheaper ways to get the same effect, all checked on 2 November 2026. We make Drill Sergeant, which takes a different approach and is one of the alternatives.
- Price
- $59 for the device; the app is free, with no subscription listed[1]
- Works on
- iPhone with iOS 18 or later, Android 12 or later; one Brick for as many phones as you like[1]
- Unblocking
- Tap your phone on the Brick; five Emergency Unbricks included[2]
- Guarantee
- 30-day money-back[1]
- Made by
- Brick LLC, on the App Store since September 2023[2]
How Brick works
- Choose what to block. Any app except the phone dialer, which Apple doesn't let apps block, plus Safari websites you select[2].
- Tap to brick. Hold your phone to the Brick and the apps, and their notifications, disappear.
- Walk away. Leave the Brick in another room, at the office or with someone you live with.
- Tap to unbrick. To get your apps back, you go to the Brick. A Strict Mode stops you deleting the app or changing settings to get round it[1].
You can also set modes (work, family, sleep, gym) and schedules that block automatically[2]. Brick Night ($129) skips the tap: it uses Bluetooth to block your chosen apps when you enter your bedroom[1].
- Real friction: unblocking means going to get the Brick
- One payment, no subscription
- Works on iPhone and Android, with as many phones as you like
- Strict Mode stops the easy workarounds
- Schedules and modes for work, family and sleep
- $59 up front, before you know if it suits you (there is a 30-day guarantee)
- If the Brick stays in your pocket, it’s just one more tap
- Needs iOS 18 or later on iPhone
- Only five emergency unblocks, so plan for days away from it
- It blocks; it doesn’t give you anything to do instead
Is Brick worth $59?
If you've tried Screen Time, ScreenZen or Opal and always found your way round them, yes: the distance between you and the off switch is the one thing those apps can't create, and Brick does it for the price of about three months of Opal ($19.99 a month)[11]. The 30-day guarantee takes most of the risk out. If you've never tried a free blocker, start with one and see whether you actually need a physical key.
The best Brick alternatives
| Option | Price (US) | How you unblock | Works on | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brick[2] | $59 device | Tap the Brick | iPhone, Android | 4.9 (59K) |
| Foqos[4] | Free (tips) | Tap any NFC tag or scan a QR code you print | iPhone | 4.9 (5.7K) |
| Bloom[5][6] | App free; NFC card sold by Bloom | Tap the Bloom card; three emergency exits | iPhone, Android | 4.8 (3.5K) |
| Unpluq[7][8] | Premium $6.99/mo or $59.99/yr; Tag bundles on its website | Tap the Unpluq Tag, or pass a digital barrier | iPhone, Android | 4.8 (928) |
| ScreenZen halo[9] | $49 device (US only) | Leave the room: it blocks when you walk in | iPhone, Android | n/a |
| Brick Night[1] | $129 device | Leave the bedroom: Bluetooth blocks when you enter | iPhone, Android | n/a |
| Refocus[10] | Pro from $7.99 | A passcode, an NFC tag, a wait or a typing challenge | iPhone | 4.8 (12K) |
| Drill Sergeant[12] | See the stores | Earn it: 10 push-ups or a report of real work | iPhone, Android | New |
App ratings are App Store averages on 2 November 2026; prices are US.
Free: Foqos
Foqos is the open secret of tap-to-block: free, rated 4.9, and it works with any NFC sticker or a QR code you print and tape to your desk. You can set up different tags for study, work and bed, and tags aren't tied to one phone, so a household can share them[4]. iPhone only; on Android, see the tap-to-block alternatives for Android.
Same idea, own key: Bloom and Unpluq
Bloom uses an NFC keycard, with schedules, mindful breaks, a Strict Mode that stops you deleting the app and three emergency exits[5]. Unpluq pairs a physical Tag with digital “barriers” you can use instead, and sells Premium plans with the Tag on its website[7][8].
Just the bedroom: halo or Brick Night
If your problem is scrolling in bed, a device that blocks when you walk in beats one you have to remember to tap. ScreenZen's halo does it for $49 (US only) and runs on replaceable batteries for 2.5+ years[9]; Brick Night does it for $129[1].
Earn it instead: Drill Sergeant
Brick makes unblocking a walk to another room. Drill Sergeant makes it ten push-ups, counted by your camera, or a report of real work, and Captain Jack turns your goals into daily objectives[12]. No hardware to lose, and the effort is the point. More in apps that make you do push-ups first.
Put the key in another room, or earn your scroll. Either way, decide before you pick up the phone.
How we reviewed Brick
We read Brick's website, App Store and Google Play listings on 2 November 2026, and did the same for each alternative. Brick's survey figures are its own and haven't been independently tested. We weren't paid by Brick or anyone else on this page, and there are no affiliate links. For the wider field, see the best app blockers for iPhone and is there an app blocker you can't turn off?
Questions people ask
How does Brick work?
You pick the apps to block in the Brick app, tap your phone on the Brick to start a session, and leave the Brick somewhere out of reach. Your apps stay blocked until you tap the phone on the Brick again.
How much does Brick cost?
The Brick device is $59 in the US and the app is free, with no subscription listed. Brick Night, a Bluetooth version that blocks apps when you enter your bedroom, is $129. Both come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Does Brick work on Android?
Yes. Brick works on Android 12 or later and on iPhones with iOS 18 or later, and one Brick can be used with as many phones as you like.
What happens if I lose my Brick or need my apps in an emergency?
Brick's App Store listing says five Emergency Unbricks are included for unexpected situations, so you can unblock without the device a limited number of times.
Is there a free alternative to Brick?
Yes, on iPhone: Foqos is free and works the same way with any NFC tag or a QR code you print yourself. Bloom and Unpluq sell their own NFC keys, and ScreenZen's halo is a $49 bedroom device.
Can Brick block websites too?
Yes, selected Safari websites on iPhone, as well as any app except the phone dialer, which Apple doesn’t allow apps to block.
Sources
- Brick. Prices, guarantee, shipping and compatibility (checked 2 November 2026).
- Brick - Ditch Distractions, App Store listing (checked 2 November 2026).
- Brick - Ditch Distractions, Google Play listing (checked 2 November 2026).
- Foqos - Tap to Block, App Store listing (checked 2 November 2026).
- Bloom - Conquer Screen Time, App Store listing (checked 2 November 2026).
- Bloom - Conquer Screen Time, Google Play listing (checked 2 November 2026).
- Unpluq. Premium subscription with the Unpluq Tag (checked 2 November 2026).
- Unpluq: Reduce Screen Time, App Store listing and in-app purchases (checked 2 November 2026).
- ScreenZen. Halo product page (checked 2 November 2026).
- Refocus: App Blocker & Lock, App Store listing (checked 2 November 2026).
- Opal: Screen Time Control, App Store listing and in-app purchases (checked 2 November 2026).
- Drill Sergeant: App Blocker, App Store listing.