Opal vs Brick: An App, or a Physical Lock?
The same goal reached two different ways. One is software that enforces a schedule; the other is an object you have to physically walk back to before your phone works normally again.
The short answer
Choose Brick if you get past software blockers without really deciding to, the barrier being physical is the entire point, and it is the one difference that matters here. Getting your phone back means physically returning to wherever you left the tag, which is friction no app can provide. It is a one-off $59.00 with no subscription for the app, and it works on both iOS and Android. Choose Opal if scheduling and app-level control are what you actually need and a physical object would just become one more thing to lose: it blocks apps on a schedule or on demand, on iPhone only, on a free trial and then a subscription it publishes no checkable figure for. The honest test is which failure mode is yours. If you reliably obey a software block once it is set, the hardware buys you nothing a free app would not, and a Brick you carry with you is a Brick that does nothing.
How they differ
| Feature | Opal | Brick |
|---|---|---|
| What it actually is | An app that blocks apps on a schedule or on demand | A physical NFC tag plus an app: tapping the tag locks and unlocks the phone |
| Devices covered | iOS | iOS and Android |
| What getting past it takes | Ending or working around a session on the device in front of you | Physically returning to wherever you left the tag |
| Cost model | Free trial, then a paid subscription. No published figure we can check, so no number is quoted here. | $59.00 once, with no subscription for the app |
| The reason to skip it | Cost is the deciding factor. ScreenZen covers similar ground on more platforms for nothing. | You will carry it with you. A Brick in your pocket is a Brick that does nothing, and it costs more than most apps. |
Prices as listed on each vendor’s own page in August 2026. Pricing changes without notice, so check before buying.
Where to get them
VisitOpal
Screen time coach powered by AI
AI-powered focus coach that learns your habits and blocks distractions at the system level.
Read our Opal review →
VisitBrick
Physical NFC tag to lock your phone
Tap a physical brick to lock distracting apps. You have to physically return to it to unlock.
Read our Brick review →
Common questions
Is a physical device really better than an app?
Only for one specific failure mode: reaching past a block without consciously deciding to. If that is your pattern, the walk back to the tag is the friction an app cannot provide. If you reliably obey a software block once it is set, the hardware buys you nothing that Opal or a free app would not.
What happens if I leave the Brick at home by accident?
That is the practical risk with any physical commitment device, and worth thinking about before buying: the same barrier that makes it effective makes it inconvenient when you actually need your phone unlocked. Check the vendor’s current unlock and emergency options on its own product page rather than relying on a summary.
Can I just use both?
You could, but they mostly overlap. A more useful pairing is a physical barrier for the reflex plus something gentler for the moments you legitimately need the phone. See the best screen time apps for what fits that second role.