Work · alternatives · 2026
24 alternatives to Barrier
Stop doomscrolling by blocking your addictive apps!
Barrier is an iOS app that helps users reduce time spent on addictive applications. It limits usage to 10-minute sessions, then blocks the app with a 30-second waiting period before unlocking. The delay is designed to… Below are 24 products that do a similar job, ranked by how close each is in meaning and then by launch-day votes.
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i wanted to change the habit of reaching for my phone in the morning and doomscrolling away an hour so i built an app to help me. now i have to literally touch grass before accessing my most distracting apps the app is built in swiftui, uses the screen time apis provided by apple and google vision to recognise grass or not i'd love to get your thoughts on the concept.
2025 · touchgrass.now · its alternatives →
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Shutout▲406Lock yourself out of Screen Time & stop doomscrolling.
2024 · shutout.app · its alternatives →
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SpeedBump▲196The intentionally annoying app to break doomscrolling
2025 · speedbumpapp.com · its alternatives →
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Habit Doom▲32Habit Doom helps you stop doomscrolling by turning screen time into a reward for real habits. Choose the apps that waste your time, set daily habits like exercise or reading, and earn minutes by checking them off. The app auto-locks selected apps at midnight and unlocks them with
Apr 2026 · habitdoom.com · its alternatives →
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I wanted to find a way to use Instagram without ending up scrolling for two hours every time I open the app to see a friend's story. Most screen time apps I found focus on blocking the app itself instead of the addictive feed, so I created this app to allow me to keep using the "healthy" and "social" features and block the infinite scrolling (Reels) After implementing the block on Instagram Reels, I got addicted to YouTube Shorts and Reddit feed. So, I extended the app to cover these as well. To avoid replacing the scrolling for regular feeds, I also added a feature that shows a pop-up when…
2025 · scrollguard.app · its alternatives →
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AppBlock▲87Block apps with one tap and stay focused when it matters
2022 · appblock.app · its alternatives →
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ScreenBreak▲125Hi HN, I built ScreenBreak after realizing that most app blockers failed in practice. “Hard blocks” were too rigid — I either locked myself out entirely or tapped Ignore Limit and kept scrolling. There was no useful middle state. In reality, people still need to open apps like TikTok or Instagram for specific tasks: looking something up, replying to someone, checking updates, etc. The problem isn’t intentional use; it’s the unplanned, unconscious scrolling that follows. I wanted a system that interrupts the impulse without fully preventing access. ScreenBreak uses soft blocking plus…
Dec 2025 · screenbreak.app · its alternatives →
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Based on personal struggles, I built an app that shows annoying things on my phone when I doomscroll. This includes dancing cats, the screen time police, or rain. Social media is great as long as you don't overuse it -- I learn and connect with friends thanks to it. But it's too easy to get hooked. When you open addictive apps, SpeedBump gives you a few options: 2, 5, 15, 30 minutes. The more you want to use, the more you have to wait before opening. Once time's up, it starts to annoy you a lot. There's no way to extend the timer without breaking your streak; you'll have to take a 15 min…
2025 · speedbumpapp.com · its alternatives →
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1Block▲64Highly customizable app blocking and app timer for Android
2019 · play.google.com · its alternatives →
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Set time or locations to block distractions from apps.
2018 · play.google.com · its alternatives →
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Block distractions to eliminate wasteful browsing habits
2017 · selfcontrol.apki.io · its alternatives →
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Hi HN, It's super hard to quit addicting apps. Existing solutions are non-binding, and therefore, require constant self-discipline and vigilance to be effective. Which is ironic, considering the problem we are trying to solve, is a lack of self-discipline. There exists a physical solution to this problem, in the form of a time-locked safe[1]. It’s effective for reducing app usage, but it's cumbersome and inconvenient. Fundamentally, what these lock-boxes do is impose a real-world cost on breaking your commitment. It’s not impossible to break your commitment, but it would require destroying…
2023 · discipline.io · its alternatives →
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AppBlocker▲73Increase productivity and reduce screen time
2022 · play.google.com · its alternatives →
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EvoCat▲17I’ve always struggled with mindless scrolling, even when I had important work to do. Timers and app blockers never stuck — they felt boring and were easy to bypass. I built EvoCat as a small side project to solve my own problem. It’s a simple iOS app that blocks distracting apps and websites, but adds a fun layer of gamification: • You earn XP for staying focused • You evolve a digital cat as your self-control grows • Each evolution makes the blocking stronger (harder to quit sessions) It’s still in early beta, but this approach has helped me stay more mindful with my phone use. Would love…
2025 · evocat.app · its alternatives →
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AntiScroll▲10Block reels and short videos and control time spend on App
2025 · play.google.com · its alternatives →
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I built Recode because I realized I was spending 8-10 hours a day on my phone pretty consistently. I tried other screen time apps but I found them too easy to bypass and end my blocks whenever I wanted to use an app. My solution was to build an app blocker app that makes users have to scan a physical QR/barcode to take a break from their app blocks. This helped me be able to get my screen time down to just a few hours everyday since I didn't want to physically get up and go across the house to get my barcode. Anyways, since it worked for me I felt like sharing it. App store link:…
2025 · apps.apple.com · its alternatives →
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Block apps and set focus timers to help iPhone addiction.
2024 · apps.apple.com · its alternatives →
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The newest way to limit your app use, without full lockouts.
Jul 2026 · play.google.com · its alternatives →
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Zone▲13Block apps, track Screen time. No account needed
Jan 2026 · apps.apple.com · its alternatives →
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Ranked by how close each launch is in meaning, then by votes. Prices were read from each product’s own site when checked and can change. Refine with your own description →