Arc User Reviews

Top reviews

Glitch?

I was loving using the blocking feature of this app until today it glitched out and is saying I’ve only spent 54 minutes on Instagram (I’ve spent way more) and will not lock me out even after spending 30 minutes on Instagram (the app it’s supposed to block). I was wondering if there’s a way to fix this (I use the free version)
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Response from developer

Hey there! So happy to hear you've been loving the blocking feature, that genuinely means a lot to us! Sorry to hear you're running into some trouble though! We definitely want to get this sorted out for you. Reach out to us on Instagram @arcapp.io or shoot us an email at hello@arcapp.io, whichever is easier for you, and we'll dig into it together! Thanks for using Arc!

Not working

Cool idea but not working for me. I set everything up right but the session timer isn’t going up. Hope they fix it

Response from developer

Hey! Really appreciate you saying it’s a cool idea, and sorry it’s not working as expected. That’s definitely not the experience we want. If you’re open to it, email us at hello@arcapp.io with a quick note about what you’re seeing (a screenshot helps a lot), and we’ll dig in and help get things working for you. Thanks again for trying our app, it really means a lot to us!

Great Idea

Has given me so much time for real life activities. No more wasting time scrolling.

Response from developer

This is awesome to hear! Getting time back for real-life stuff is exactly what we hope Arc helps with. So glad it’s making a difference for you!

Love it

Great app!! Really got my off my phone and building healthier habits. New years goal is to fix that broken dopamine cycle of watching short form content, and this is clearly the best way to do that!

Response from developer

Thanks so much for sharing this! We’re thrilled to hear Arc has helped you get off your phone and build healthier habits. Breaking the short-form dopamine cycle is no small thing, and it’s awesome that Arc is helping you tackle that goal this year.

Getting Back To Touching Grass

I was 100% addicted to my phone when I first downloaded this app. Endlessly doomscrolling up to an hour at a time. I knew it was a waste of time, but I truly couldn’t stop myself from scrolling—it was just too easy to keep swiping. Ever since getting this app, my habits have changed so significantly it’s remarkable. At first, I would frequently hit my session limits for Instagram, even though it was set at a lengthy 20 minutes. Now, months later, this app has trained me out of wasting time on Instagram (and other apps). I rarely hit the session limits now and have started naturally spending my free time doing something better like playing guitar or reading.

It’s ridiculous how such a big change came from an app, but it makes sense when you consider the design. The basis for my addiction to Instagram was my total disassociation with time (and thinking). The design of the arc nudges are genius because of how obnoxious they are—always reminding you that you’re doing nothing of value. As such, disassociation is impossible. However, if the nudges don’t deter you, the session limits will. When you finally hit your session limit, the decision to keep using the app is taken out of your hand. You’re just totally locked out, which forces you to find something else to do.

One of the best things about this app though, is how customizable it is. What may work for me may not work for you. For example, my wife (who also uses and loves this app), doesn’t like the nudges and doesn’t find them helpful, so she’s turned them off. Her session limits and target apps are also different than mine. In this way, even though our methods are different, our results are the same—less wasted time!

This app is such a great value and I can’t see myself without it. Do yourself a favor, give it a try and get your life back!
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Response from developer

Wow, thank you for such a thoughtful review! We really appreciate you taking the time to share what changed for you and how your habits evolved over time. Hearing that Arc helped you reconnect with real-life activities, and that the flexibility worked differently for you and your wife but led to the same result, genuinely means a lot to us. We’re so glad it’s been such a positive part of your day-to-day.

Easy way to reduce scrolling!

Love this app! It’s seriously helped me cut down my screen time without feeling restrictive. I had no idea how much time I’d get back just by scrolling less—suddenly I’m actually doing things again instead of getting sucked into my phone. The nudges are super helpful, and I really like that you can pick which apps to track.
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Response from developer

Love hearing this, thank you! It’s amazing how much time you get back once the scrolling slows down, and we’re really happy Arc helped make that feel natural instead of restrictive. Glad the nudges and individual app tracking have been working well for you.

An app to keep me off my phone

The all to keep me off all the other apps. Love the screen time stats and todo list all in once.

Response from developer

Thanks so much for the love! We’re glad Arc is helping keep you off other apps and that the screen time stats and to-do list in one place have been useful for you. Appreciate you using Arc!

The Best Screentime App

I’ve tried the apple screentime app, BePresent, and Opal and I like Arc the most hands down. Blending productivity with screentime is a home run.

I get so much more done now & my screentime was slashed in half. Love u Arc!

Response from developer

This means so much, thank you! We felt the same way after trying other screen time tools, which is why we built Arc in the first place. Hearing that your screen time was cut in half and you’re getting more done honestly makes our day!

Wish I had this in college!

Gave my self a 15 minute scroll allowance with a 30 minute cooldown… really stops me from going down a scroll hole!

Thanks!

Response from developer

Love this, thanks for sharing! It’s great to hear Arc is helping you set boundaries and avoid getting pulled into endless scrolling. Really appreciate you using the app!