10 Best Free App Blocker Apps for iPhone
Updated September 29, 2026 · written by AppHunt
Every app on this list leans on Apple's Screen Time system, so the blocking itself is solid. What differs is the push each one gives you: a hard block on a schedule, a pause and a breath before an app opens, a physical tag to tap, or a virtual tree you do not want to lose.
Mute
AppHunt partner · promo codeMute puts distracting apps behind Apple's Screen Time shields: pick what to block, start a pause of 15 to 60 minutes or set a daily schedule, and keep messages, maps or banking open in Essentials only mode. A weekly break timed to sunset adds one longer reset, and blocking itself costs nothing.
Good for: A calmer phone without losing the apps you need
Glory Mae Dagapioso$39.99→Free/ 1 YearNew subscribers. Renews at the standard price unless canceled. Offer terms
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Opal
Once you grant it Screen Time access, Opal shields the apps and websites you pick, either on a weekly timetable or as soon as a daily allowance is spent. Sessions come in difficulty levels, and the strictest one cannot be cancelled early. Friend leaderboards and a focus score track progress.
Good for: Scheduled blocks with a mode you can't cancel
Keep in mind: Premium is billed weekly, monthly or yearly; the listing doesn't spell out which features stay free.
View in the App Store
BePresent
BePresent treats cutting back as a team sport. Its blocking sessions run through iOS Screen Time and can be started solo or with friends, with a stricter Beast Mode for when you mean it. Staying under your daily goal keeps a streak alive and earns points toward partner perks.
Good for: Cutting back alongside friends, with rewards
Keep in mind: Optional cash stakes are forfeited if you overshoot your goal; paid plans come monthly, yearly or as a family option.
View in the App Store
Unrot
Unrot gives your chosen apps one shared battery instead of separate timers. Scrolling drains it, and at zero those apps lock; time spent elsewhere tops it back up. The idea is to shrink the allowance step by step until you scroll roughly half as much as before.
Good for: Scrollers who want a flexible, refilling budget
Keep in mind: Per the developer, the blocking controls only work with an active subscription.
View in the App Store
Brick
Brick moves the off switch out of your phone. Pick apps and Safari sites for each mode, then touch your iPhone to the small Brick and they disappear. Only another tap on that device brings them back, so keep it in another room; five emergency overrides are included.
Good for: People who want a physical barrier, not willpower
Keep in mind: Works only with the physical Brick, sold separately; there is no subscription.
View in the App Store
ScreenZen
ScreenZen makes each open of a problem app cost a short wait, and that wait can grow every time you give in. You can cap opens or minutes, hard-block by time of day and lock your own settings. The only in-app purchases are optional tips.
Good for: Free blocking with lots of friction options
View in the App Store
Forest
Forest is at heart a focus timer: a virtual tree grows while the phone stays down and wilts if you give up early. It also blocks for real. During a session only apps on your allow list will open, and Time Guard shuts distractions on a schedule.
Good for: Students who like a game-style focus timer
Keep in mind: Forest Plus (monthly or yearly) adds extra coins and exclusive trees; the listing doesn't say whether blocking needs it.
View in the App Store
one sec
one sec doesn't slam the door; it makes you wait. Opening a chosen app first plays a short breathing screen, triggered through an iOS Shortcuts automation, and you then decide whether to continue. Long sessions can be interrupted after a set time, and a Safari extension covers websites.
Good for: Gentle friction instead of hard blocks
Keep in mind: Free for one app; more apps need one sec pro (monthly, yearly or lifetime).
View in the App Store
Brainrot
Brainrot pairs a standard Screen Time blocker with a cartoon brain that looks worse the longer you scroll. You choose apps and websites, block them on the spot or on bedtime, morning or meeting schedules, and run Pomodoro-style focus timers. Everything is processed on the iPhone itself.
Good for: Visual nudges plus classic block schedules
Keep in mind: The developer says every listed feature needs a subscription; a weekly plan is offered.
View in the App Store
Pushscroll
Pushscroll makes you pay for scrolling in reps. Blocked apps stay shut until you exercise in front of the camera, which counts each rep, and one push-up buys a minute. Squats, lunges, sit-ups and daily steps from Apple Health also earn time, so the budget tracks your activity.
Good for: Swapping scroll time for push-ups and squats
Keep in mind: Needs a paid plan once the free trial ends; monthly and yearly options.
View in the App Store
Questions and answers
Can I block apps on iPhone for free?
Yes. iPhone's own Screen Time sets daily limits under Settings → Screen Time → App Limits. Among the apps here, blocking in Mute is free, ScreenZen asks only for optional tips, and one sec adds its pause to one app at no cost.
Do app blockers really work?
They use the same Screen Time system as Apple's own limits, so a blocked app shows a shield instead of opening. You can usually get past a shield on purpose; the apps that help most make that step slower — a timer, a breath, a physical tag.
What do these apps add to Screen Time?
Schedules and one-tap sessions, friction before an app opens, stats and streaks. Mute also keeps a list of essential apps, so a pause does not cut you off from messages, maps or banking.
How do I use the Mute promo code?
Tap Get on the Mute card. If you are not signed in to AppHunt you will be asked to log in, and the code appears right after. Redeem opens the App Store's own redemption screen with the code filled in.
How is the list ordered?
First place is Mute, an app made by the AppHunt team, with a promo code. Places 2–10 are ordered by the number of ratings in the US App Store.