Brick

Your Phone, Minus The Distractions

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Your Phone, Minus The Distractions

111 followers

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Time tracking apps

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Activity tracking

A device that temporarily removes distracting apps (and their notifications) from your phone - leaving only the powerful tools you choose. Now you don’t have to take the distractions with you everywhere - leave them behind with the Brick, and engage with more.

The Best Brick Alternatives

The best Brick alternatives are Unpluq, Focus Bear, BePresent, clearspace, and Barrier: The FREE screen time focus app.

Unpluq

5.0 ·

Choose Unpluq if...

✓you want a physical key to unlock apps
✓you need a friend or parent holding access
✓you like configurable unlocking patterns and obstacles

See details ↓

Focus Bear

4.2 ·

Choose Focus Bear if...

✓you need focus blocking on desktop and mobile
✓you want routines and breaks built in
✓you need stronger reminders for punctuality

See details ↓

BePresent

5.0 ·

Choose BePresent if...

✓you stay motivated by gamified habit-building rewards
✓you want a positive, encouragement-led approach
✓you want group accountability without extra hardware

See details ↓

clearspace

4.8 ·

Choose clearspace if...

✓you want quick friction tasks before opening apps
✓you prefer mindful nudges over full lockouts
✓you want simple set and forget controls

See details ↓

Barrier: The FREE screen time focus app

5.0 ·

Choose Barrier: The FREE screen time focus app if...

✓you want time boxed social app sessions
✓you want big reductions without total blocking
✓you want a free lightweight iOS option

See details ↓

What to Consider

Brick has become a go-to for people who want a simple, physical “tap-to-block” commitment device that makes mindless phone use harder in the moment. The alternatives span a wide range of behavior-change styles: Unpluq doubles down on the physical-key concept (and can add outside accountability), clearspace uses lightweight in-app friction like pauses or tasks before opening distracting apps, Focus Bear expands into a cross-device productivity system with routines and break enforcement, while BePresent leans into gamified motivation and Barrier emphasizes time-boxed social sessions.

In evaluating Brick alternatives, we looked at how “hard” the barrier really feels day to day, how quickly you can override or bypass it (including iOS limitations), and whether the tool supports your workflow across phone and desktop. We also weighed setup simplicity, reliability and support experiences, subscription/pricing risk, and whether features like accountability handoffs, routines, or session caps better match how you want to change your habits.

Unpluq

Off Your Screen, Into Your Life.

5.0 · 22 reviews

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Unpluq leans hard into a “physical barrier” approach, using a key-like tag to make opening distracting apps an intentional act rather than a reflex. Compared with Brick’s tap-to-toggle flow, Unpluq is often chosen when the goal is stricter unlocking: the phone stays restricted until a deliberate, real-world action happens.

A standout advantage is external accountability. The system can be set up so a trusted friend or parent holds the fob or access codes, which is useful when self-control tools are too easy to override alone.

Unpluq also supports more nuanced friction than a simple on/off state, including configurable unlocking patterns that create a pause before access. The trade-off is that its strength depends partly on OS-level controls, so the “hard barrier” feel can vary by platform and configuration.

For people chasing a dumb-phone feeling without giving up smartphone essentials, Unpluq offers a clear, repeatable ritual that breaks autopilot checking and protects deep work time.

Best for

Ideal for people who want a stronger physical unlock barrier and optional third-party accountability.

Standout features

✓Physical key required to unlock apps
✓Accountability handoff to trusted person
✓Configurable unlocking patterns
✓Designed to break compulsive checking loops

Focus Bear

Block Distractions. Build Habits. For ADHDers by ADHDers.

4.2 · 17 reviews

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Focus Bear is built less like a lock and more like an operating system for your day, combining distraction blocking with routines and recovery breaks. Where Brick primarily targets phone friction via hardware, Focus Bear extends the fight against distraction to desktop browsing and online reading—often where knowledge work and studying actually unravel.

Its routines and break prompts are the differentiator: instead of only preventing certain apps, it nudges users through structured habits that reduce burnout and keep momentum. That makes it a better fit than a pure blocker when the real problem is starting, switching, and sustaining focus across a full workday.

Focus Bear can also help with punctuality and task follow-through by making reminders harder to ignore and tying them to routine blocks. The downside versus Brick is added complexity: it takes more setup and ongoing tuning, and it’s more of a system to maintain than a single “tap to lock” behavior.

For users who want one tool that blends blocking, routines, and wellbeing guardrails across devices, Focus Bear is the more comprehensive alternative.

Best for

Best for students and knowledge workers who need cross-device blocking plus structured routines and breaks.

Standout features

✓Cross-device website and distraction blocking
✓Routine builder with guided habit sequences
✓Break prompts to prevent burnout
✓On-topic reading and refocus nudges
✓Stronger reminders for schedule adherence

BePresent

Duolingo for reducing screen time

5.0 · 1 review

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BePresent takes a motivation-first route, using a more encouraging, game-like approach to reducing phone use instead of relying on physical friction. Compared with Brick’s hardware-centric commitment device, it’s attractive when the goal is consistent behavior change through positive reinforcement rather than strict lock-and-key access.

Because it’s software-first, BePresent can fit naturally into everyday life without needing a separate object nearby. That makes it easier to adopt for people who want less ceremony and more gentle guidance to stay off their phone.

It’s also well-suited to social accountability, where progress and incentives can feel more engaging with friends or a group dynamic. The trade-off is that it typically won’t feel as “unbreakable” as a physical key—its strength comes from motivation and momentum, not maximum enforcement.

If Brick feels too binary or hardware-dependent, BePresent is a compelling alternative for users who respond better to encouragement and streak-building than restrictions.

Best for

Best for users who prefer gamified motivation and social encouragement over hard lockouts.

Standout features

✓Gamified incentives for reduced phone use
✓Encouragement-led behavior change design
✓Lightweight software-only setup
✓Accountability-friendly progress tracking

clearspace

make your phone less addicting

4.8 · 15 reviews

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Clearspace focuses on in-the-moment interruption: it adds a small task or pause right before opening the apps that trigger doomscrolling. Instead of Brick’s physical tap requirement, Clearspace creates friction directly on the phone with micro-obstacles that prompt a quick “do I really want this?” moment.

This approach works well for people who don’t want to block social completely, but do want to break the automatic open-and-scroll loop. It’s intentionally “light touch,” aiming for mindful control rather than a strict lock that can feel punishing.

Clearspace is also appealing for its simplicity—set it up once, apply it to the most tempting apps, and let the tiny speed bump do the work. The main trade-off versus Brick is that the barrier is psychological rather than physical, so it’s best when a pause is enough to change behavior.

For anyone who wants immediate, practical friction without carrying hardware, Clearspace stands out as a clean alternative.

Best for

Ideal for people who want mindful friction to curb impulsive social app opens.

Standout features

✓Friction tasks before opening selected apps
✓Mindful pause to interrupt habit loops
✓Simple set-and-forget controls
✓Targets doomscrolling and compulsive checking

Barrier: The FREE screen time focus app

Stop doomscrolling by blocking your addictive apps!

5.0 · 1 review

Learn more →

Barrier is designed for people who want limits without a full block, emphasizing short, controlled sessions rather than an all-or-nothing lock. Compared with Brick’s physical “unlock to access” pattern, Barrier’s time-boxing approach is a better fit when the goal is to keep social media available but contained.

By shaping usage into small increments, it helps prevent accidental long scroll sessions and makes “just checking” less likely to turn into an hour. That makes it attractive for users who bounce off strict restriction tools and prefer guardrails that still allow intentional use.

Barrier can also be compelling as a lightweight option for Apple users who want a straightforward way to cut usage dramatically without extra hardware. The trade-off is less ceremonial commitment than Brick: it’s about session design and waiting, not a physical object that enforces distance.

For users who want a gentler, time-based model of control, Barrier is a practical alternative.