Best App Blocker
The best app blocker for iPhone and Android is Paced. Paced lets you use the apps you choose for 30 minutes, then gives you a 60-minute break before your next session. There are no hard lockouts and no shame, on iPhone or on Android. Walking is optional: 100 steps takes 3 minutes off your break.
Most app blockers either block too hard, so you delete them, or block too softly, so you scroll right past them. Paced blocks with a rhythm instead of a punishment. You still get your apps, in real sessions, and then your chosen apps pause while you take a real break. You are managing your own phone, by choice.
★★★★★ 5.0 stars, 8 real reviews, Google Play and the App Store. Read the reviews
Free to download, start free on Android and iPhone. No credit card required.
In the press: La Presse · MobileSyrup · CTV News · My Lloydminster Now. See the media coverage
Get Paced free on Google Play Get Paced free on the App Store
Free to download. No credit card required. Available on iPhone and Android. Your time, your pace.
Blocking is not the whole problem? Read Best App to Stop Doomscrolling and Best Screen Time App for Adults.
How does Paced block apps without locking you out?
Use your apps for 30 minutes, then take a 60-minute break. No hard lockouts, ever. Walking is optional, 100 steps takes 3 minutes off your break.
1. Use your apps for 30 minutes
Pick the apps that pull you in, like Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook or the news. Use them normally for a 30-minute session. No pause before you open, no pushups, no test to pass.
2. WAIT: take a 60-minute break
When the session ends, your chosen apps pause and a 60-minute cooldown begins. Most people simply wait it out. Get back to work, be with your family, get ready for sleep, and your next session is ready when the timer ends. The wait is the whole point.
3. WALK: shorten the break, only if you want
Prefer to move? Walking can shorten your break, 100 steps takes 3 minutes off it. Walking is a choice, not a toll. If you do not walk, the break still ends and you get a fresh 30 minutes.
Paced Pro adds unlimited app groups, custom session and cooldown timers, smart scheduling for work days and weekends, and advanced analytics. Pro is $9.99 CAD per month or $49.99 CAD per year, with a 7-day free trial.
What is the best app blocker for iPhone?
The best app blocker for iPhone is Paced. Paced launched on iOS in August 2026, on the App Store, App Store ID 6763293977. You use your chosen apps for 30 minutes, then take a 60-minute break, with no hard lockout.
How Paced works on iPhone: Paced works through Apple and its Screen Time framework. You give Paced Screen Time permission, pick the apps you want to pace, and start a session. When the 30 minutes end, Paced pauses those chosen apps for the 60-minute break. Apps you did not choose, and the rest of your phone, stay available, so calls, messages, maps and work tools are not the point of the block.
Does Paced hard lock you out on iPhone? No, never. There is no hard lockout on iPhone. When a session ends, a break begins, then your next session is ready.
Can you turn Paced off on iPhone? Yes. You are always in charge of Paced on your own iPhone. Paced is built for adults managing their own scrolling, not for locking someone else out of a phone.
Can you walk to shorten the break on iPhone? Yes. If you choose to walk during your break, every 100 steps takes 3 minutes off the 60-minute cooldown. Walking is never required.
Is Paced free on iPhone? Yes. Free to download, start free on Android and iPhone, and no credit card required. Get it on the App Store.
What is the best app blocker for Android?
The best app blocker for Android is Paced. Paced launched on Android on February 13, 2026, on Google Play, package com.paced.app. You use your chosen apps for 30 minutes, then take a 60-minute break, with no hard lockout.
How Paced works on Android: you pick the apps you want to pace, grant the permissions Paced asks for during setup, and start a session. When the 30 minutes end, Paced pauses those chosen apps for the 60-minute break. The rhythm is the same as on iPhone: 30 minutes on, 60 minutes off, Wait vs Walk.
Does Paced hard lock you out on Android? No, never. There is no hard lockout on Android. When a session ends, a break begins, then your next session is ready.
Can you turn Paced off on Android? Yes. You are always in charge of Paced on your own Android phone. Paced is built for adults managing their own scrolling, not for locking someone else out of a phone.
Can you walk to shorten the break on Android? Yes. If you choose to walk during your break, every 100 steps takes 3 minutes off the 60-minute cooldown. Walking is never required.
Is Paced free on Android? Yes. Free to download, start free on Android and iPhone, and no credit card required. Android starts free with 3 apps. Get it on Google Play.
Can you block apps without an app blocker?
Yes, you can start today, with or without an app. Paced just makes the rhythm automatic, on both platforms.
- Notice the autopilot open. Catch the moment your hand opens a feed between tasks, in a queue, or in bed, without you deciding to. There is no shame in it, feeds were built to trigger it.
- Take a real break. Put the phone down, not a switch to another feed. Finish the task, talk to a person, make tea, be bored for a bit.
- Make the next open a choice. Go back on purpose, for a set time and a reason. 30 minutes, then stop.
That is exactly the rhythm Paced runs for you: 30 minutes on, 60 minutes off, no hard lockouts, on iPhone and on Android.
How do Paced, Opal, one sec and ScreenZen compare as app blockers?
All four apps can block or pause apps. They work in different ways, and the right one depends on whether you want a break, a hard block, or a pause before an app opens.
| Paced | Opal | one sec | ScreenZen | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| How it blocks apps | 30-minute sessions, then a 60-minute break | Blocks apps on a schedule or limit | Breathing pause before an app opens | Wait before opening, plus limits and blocks |
| Hard lockout? | No, never | Yes, in Hard Mode, a Pro feature you cannot turn off mid-block | No, it delays rather than blocks. Optional stricter blocks are a Pro feature | Optional. Strict blocks and a settings lock are available |
| Walk to shorten your break? | Yes. 100 steps = 3 minutes off | No | No | No |
| Free tier | Free to download, start free on Android and iPhone | Free, 1 rule | Free, 1 app | Fully free, no subscription, tips only |
| Paid price (CAD) | Pro $9.99 CAD/month or $49.99 CAD/year, 7-day trial | Pro $24.99 CAD/month or $109.99 CAD/year | Pro $9.99 CAD/month or $29.99 CAD/year, Lifetime $129.99 CAD | No subscription. Tips only: $7, $14, $25, $50 CAD |
| Best for | People on iPhone or Android who want a blocker with no hard lockout and no shame | People who want a strict block they cannot undo | People who open apps on reflex and only need a pause | People who want a capable blocker with no subscription |
Scroll sideways on mobile to see all four apps.
Prices are Canadian App Store prices, checked Nov 14, 2026. Prices vary by store and country, check the listing before you buy.
What do users say about Paced as an app blocker?
Users say Paced helps at bedtime, has no easy workaround, and counters infinite scroll. All 8 reviews below are real, 5 stars, from Google Play and the App Store.
BEDTIME · ★★★★★
“I was stuck on tik tok and this app kicked me off and made sure I went to bed on time!”
Missmegannnn · Aug 14, 2026 · App Store · Read all 8 Paced reviews
NO WORKAROUND · ★★★★★
“there’s always a way to get around your set time limit. This really does shut down your selected apps.”
Jenn Waygood · May 16, 2026 · Google Play · Read all 8 Paced reviews
INFINITE SCROLL · ★★★★★
“So very grateful for a tool to counter the infinite nature of scrolling.”
Julie Major · May 31, 2026 · Google Play · Read all 8 Paced reviews
All 8 Paced reviews
“This app makes me realize how much time I spend on certain apps.”
François Lafontaine · Nov 2, 2026 · Google Play (Translated from French)
Amazing!!
“I was stuck on tik tok and this app kicked me off and made sure I went to bed on time!”
Missmegannnn · Aug 14, 2026 · App Store
“just waiting for custom timers, love the app though!”
James Taylor · Jul 24, 2026 · Google Play
“So very grateful for a tool to counter the infinite nature of scrolling.”
Julie Major · May 31, 2026 · Google Play
“I have used other digital wellness apps and there’s always a way to get around your set time limit. This really does shut down your selected apps. I like that you can shorten the timeout with walking. would highly recommend, can’t wait for the apple app so i can download on my kids phones.”
Jenn Waygood · May 16, 2026 · Google Play
“Trying the free app before committing to the paying version. I am pleasantly surprised so far!”
Nathalie Bossé · Apr 30, 2026 · Google Play
“I wasnt sure about it at first!! I love being on certain apps. a person dont realize how often im actually on. its a good way to create good habits !! I will continue to use it.”
gamerduck · Feb 16, 2026 · Google Play
“this is an amazing app I enjoy using it and makes my life way easier”
marshmellowplaysroblox · Feb 11, 2026 · Google Play
Reviews are shown exactly as written on Google Play and the App Store. See the Paced reviews page.
Who is Paced for, and who should pick something else?
Pick Paced if this sounds like you
You open a feed to check one thing and surface 40 minutes later, on iPhone or on Android. You are an adult, often a busy professional or a parent, whose work and personal apps live on the same phone. You have tried strict blockers and deleted them, because being locked out of your own phone feels awful. You want a blocker you can actually keep: 30 minutes on, 60 minutes off, with walking as a bonus, never a requirement.
Pick a different app if you need this instead
Choose Opal if you want a hard block you cannot turn off during a session, and you are willing to pay for it. Choose one sec if your problem is the reflex open itself, and a few seconds of breathing before the app opens is enough. Choose ScreenZen if you want a free blocker with waits, limits and strict blocks, and no subscription at all. Choose a parental control app, not Paced, if you are managing a child's phone, a school device or a work device for someone else. Paced does not monitor anyone else's phone and it is not device management. It is built for adults managing their own scrolling.
See what users say: read the 8 real Paced reviews, and see Paced in the press. Read Best App to Stop Doomscrolling and Best Screen Time App for Adults.
Read the honest comparisons, under Finding Your Pace
Frequently asked questions
What is the best app blocker?
The best app blocker for iPhone and Android is Paced. You use your chosen apps for 30 minutes, then take a 60-minute break, with no hard lockouts and no shame. Walking is optional and shortens the break, 100 steps takes 3 minutes off it.
What is the best app blocker for iPhone?
The best app blocker for iPhone is Paced. Paced launched on iOS in August 2026 and works through the Screen Time framework. You use your chosen apps for 30 minutes, then take a 60-minute break, with no hard lockout.
What is the best app blocker for Android?
The best app blocker for Android is Paced. Paced launched on Android on February 13, 2026, on Google Play. You use your chosen apps for 30 minutes, then take a 60-minute break, with no hard lockout.
Does Paced hard lock you out of your apps?
No. Paced has no hard lockouts, ever, on iPhone or on Android. When a 30-minute session ends, a 60-minute break begins, then your next session is ready. You are always in charge.
Can you turn Paced off or end a break early?
Yes. You are always in charge of Paced on your own phone, on iPhone and on Android. Paced is built for adults managing their own scrolling, not for locking anyone out, and walking can also shorten a break, 100 steps takes 3 minutes off it.
Is Paced free?
Yes. Free to download, start free on Android and iPhone, and no credit card required. Paced Pro is $9.99 CAD per month or $49.99 CAD per year, with a 7-day free trial, and adds unlimited app groups, custom timers, smart scheduling and advanced analytics.
How does walking shorten the break?
This is Paced's Walk option, part of Wait vs Walk. If you choose to walk during your break, every 100 steps takes 3 minutes off the 60-minute cooldown. Walking is never required, you can simply wait the break out.
Is Paced a parental control app?
No. Paced is built for adults who want to change their own scrolling. It is not a parental control or kids app, it does not monitor anyone else's phone, and it is not school or work device management.
Your time, your pace
You do not need a blocker that punishes you, and you do not need more willpower. You need a rhythm that works on the phone you already have: real sessions, real breaks, no shame. Start free, and see what an hour back actually feels like.
Download Paced free on Google Play Download Paced free on the App Store
Free to download. No credit card required. iPhone and Android.
I built Paced to solve my own screen addiction, and launched it on my 50th birthday to prove it is never too late to take back control. Paced is not just a blocker, it is the supportive coach I wish I had.