Growth · alternatives · 2026
24 alternatives to Digital Detox
Break Social Media Addiction with NFC-Powered Blocking
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 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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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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Hi HN! Super proud to showcase Foqos! I wanted to create a way to physically block apps on my phone, always had a bunch of NFC tags, combined the 2 together over the holiday break and Foqos was born. You can create profiles, write them to NFC tags and track your weekly focus. Its completely open source and will always be free! There is an affiliate link in the app for nfc tags and donations are completely optional Link here: https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/foqos/id6736793117
2025 · foqos.app · 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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Your calmer, digital detox experience on iPhone
Jan 2026 · minimalistphone.com · its alternatives →
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Barrier▲373Stop doomscrolling by blocking your addictive apps!
2025 · apps.apple.com · its alternatives →
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Addicted▲142Break your bad habits in a fun way
2025 · addicted.crxapplications.com · its alternatives →
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Social media is the next big addiction.
2016 · soundcloud.com · its alternatives →
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- 17DN
I've been trying to minimize my compulsive browsing of social media for a while, and tried a bunch of extensions and apps to block websites and such, but always ended up disabling them even if they were supposed to be "hard to disable". The fact is that sometimes you need to visit reddit for some info, but you don't want to get caught in an addictive loop. Disabling entire hostnames or trying to configure intricate block lists is annoying, and the end result is annoying. Parental controls don't work on me, and I resent them. I remembered what Tristan Harris once said on ways to prevent…
2023 · its alternatives →
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I built an app to block my own Instagram addiction.
Jun 2026 · play.google.com · its alternatives →
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Say goodbye to phone addiction and hello to focus.
2024 · play.google.com · its alternatives →
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I'm a solo dev. A few years ago, I got addicted to Reddit. Spent months in that loop. Being a programmer, I thought I'd be clever. Redirected Reddit's domain to nowhere in my DNS file. Worked great until I'd just... open the file and undo it 20 minutes later. So I made it irreversible. Locked the DNS file so it can't be edited unless I boot my Mac in safe mode. And if I do that, there's a script that instantly locks it again. Haven't used Reddit since last year. Problem solved, right? Wrong. I just replaced Reddit with Twitch and YouTube. Started keeping streams running in the background…
Nov 2025 · chromewebstore.google.com · its alternatives →
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Kill screen addiction by walking with your phone in pocket
Jun 2026 · tikkerpower.com · its alternatives →
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Also compare
- I built an app to block Shorts and Reels alternatives
- ScreenBreak alternatives
- I made a app that uses NFC as a physical switch to block distractions alternatives
- Discipline.io – Make binding commitments to your better self alternatives
- NoPhoneMinimalist alternatives
- minimalist phone app for iOS alternatives
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 →