Anchor - Bet Blocker
Quit gambling with real blocking, not just willpower
3 followers
Quit gambling with real blocking, not just willpower
3 followers
Gambling blocker for iPhone that does more than block. Blocked apps show rotating roast messages designed to kill the impulse before it becomes action. 2,500+ gambling websites blocked across all browsers. When urges hit, an SOS flow walks you through it with breathing exercises, physical challenges, and creative distractions. Streak tracker shows your gamble-free days and estimated savings. Daily check-ins to stay honest. No account needed. No sign-in wall. No data leaves your phone.
Hey Product Hunt! 👋
I'm Branko, a solo developer. I built Anchor - Bet Blocker iOS app.
Why this exists:
Gambling is one of those problems people try to deal with alone, usually at their worst moments. I wanted to build something that actually meets you there: blocks the apps at the system level, hits you with an honest message when you slip, and gives you real tools to get through an urge. No fluff, no "you've got this champ" energy.
What Anchor does:
- Blocks gambling apps at the OS level using Apple's Screen Time APIs (not a content filter, real system-level blocking)
- Blocks 2,500+ gambling websites across all browsers
- Shows rotating roast messages when you try to open a blocked app. Not a polite "this app is blocked" screen. Something blunt. Something that breaks the impulse before it becomes action.
- Full SOS flow with breathing exercises, physical challenges, and coping activities for when urges hit
- Streak tracker with estimated savings based on your actual spending
- Zero accounts. Zero tracking. Everything stays on your device.
What's free and what's not:
The SOS crisis flow, breathing exercises, coping activities, and daily check-ins are all free. If someone is in the middle of a gambling urge, they shouldn't hit a paywall before getting help. Blocking (apps + websites) and the accountability partner feature require a subscription.
The roast messages:
This is the thing I'm most excited about. When you try to open a blocked gambling app, instead of a generic lock screen, you get a message that sounds like a friend who cares enough not to sugarcoat it. They rotate so you see a different one each time. It's the kind of friction that actually works, and it's the part people remember.
The build story: I wrote a full breakdown of the 7-day build, including 5 major pivots, like deleting an entire authentication system on day 4 because I realized friction is the enemy of a gambling blocker. Full post on https://heyanchor.app/blog.
I'd love your feedback, especially on the roast message concept and whether the SOS flow resonates. Happy to answer anything about the build, the Screen Time APIs, or the product itself.