# Brick - Ditch Distractions — user reviews > 2,059 indexed App Store user reviews of Brick by Brick LLC (Wisconsin), rated 4.90/5 from 52,068 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brick-ditch-distractions/id6448794069/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brick-ditch-distractions/id6448794069.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 50,130 · 4★ 1,440 · 3★ 212 · 2★ 82 · 1★ 204 ## What do users think of Brick? Overall sentiment: positive **Pros** - 👍 Great concept - 🚀 Helps reclaim time and attention - 🔒 Physical barrier prevents mindless usage - 💡 Customizable blocking/allowing modes - 🚀 Improves productivity and focus - 👍 Effective for breaking phone addiction **Cons** - 🐛 Buggy app with frequent crashes - 🐛 Unreliable app functionality - 🐛 Inconsistent app behavior after updates - 🐛 Difficulty setting up and configuring - 🐛 Limited number of apps that can be allowed **Commonly reported bugs** - App crashes when selecting apps to block/allow - Saved settings get deleted or reset unexpectedly - Inability to block certain apps like Safari - Bricked mode not working as expected after phone restart **Most requested features** - Scheduled bricking/unbricking modes - Remote bricking option - Ability to block more than 50 apps - Improved app stability and reliability ## Newest reviews (17 of 2,059) ### 2/5 — Facetime blocked *2026-08-28, version 2026.35.0* Ive used this for a a few months now. its ok. for the device being $50 it is insane that theres a limit on how many apps you can lock. also facetime does not work at all despite me not having it included in my blocked apps. anytime someone facetimes me my entire phone glitches out and stops working. Maybe lower the price of the device and figure out the actual logistics first. It has potential. ### 5/5 — Amazing for a phone addiction *2026-08-26, version 2026.34.0* Great product, worth the cost for the brick. I brought down my social media time by 60% and I started at an average of 3.5 hours a day ### 5/5 — Actually kinda helps *2026-08-26, version 2026.34.0* It does kinda help ### 5/5 — Surprisingly worked, love it *2026-08-26, version 2026.34.0* I was about to return it thinking I could achieve the same by settings on the phone. But after I was away from the brick and brick had blocked all apps, I realized that I randomly opened instagram a few times but since I saw it was bricked and I would have to get up and unbrick to use the app , I just left it. Mostly opening up instagram out of boredom and easy access to it. I feel like my sleep has been a lot better too. ### 4/5 — 100 options not 50 *2026-08-26, version 2026.34.0* I have 5 authenticator apps alone. 4 bank apps. Apps that order coffee, food and on an on- and then there are useful and distracting websites. Please Brick designers get us up to 100 turned on or 100 turned off because every little function in my day has a separate app so 50 options allowed or 50 options blocked isn’t enough. ### 4/5 — I left my browser available! Let me use it! *2026-08-25, version 2026.34.0* I included my phone’s web browser in the “apps to allow” and while I can still open it, every website comes up as blocked! Is there a way to only block url’s tied to other apps on the phone like social media sites and YouTube? I might need to look something up while bricked and away from home!!! Please do let me know if I’m missing something ### 3/5 — Love the idea *2026-08-25, version 2026.34.0* I really wanted this to be the answer to my phone addiction, but it’s actually made my screen time increase after switching from Opal. I think the concept is great, but the execution needs a little work. My problem is that when I unbrick my phone, there’s no time limit, and ideally it would automatically become bricked again after 15 minutes or something. I don’t have the will power to brick my phone after a short time. I tried the schedule and I think it made things even worse. Being able to set strict app time limits would be amazing. The physical aspect of this is really helpful, but it would be more impactful if I had to go unbrick my phone every 15 minutes. ### 2/5 — Sunset Cornerstone Feature for Sloppy Alternative *2026-08-24, version 2026.34.0* Back when I first got this they had a feature that would let you set a timer for how long you wanted to brick your phone for. Fantastic feature, cut my gym scrolling in half five stars (back then). I was getting back sleep and time in the day to do things. Truly livin like Larry because of this little chunk of plastic with an RFID chip in it. Then they removed the timer feature. They didn’t replace it with something else. They removed it entirely. When I went to their help chat I was advised to “simulate” the timer feature by creating a schedule set to be a few hours a day. Despite refuting this alternative as a viable replacement, I did try it. And it worked about as well as you’d imagine. Works for a one off, but if you forget to turn that schedule off then you’re stuck on a random Tuesday with the handful of apps you tell yourself are just “the essentials” (they’re not). All in all, it’s now a decent bedtime enforcer. But reaaallllyyyyy took a lot of steps backwards by removing the timer feature without a viable replacement ready to go. ### 5/5 — Total Gamechanger *2026-08-24, version 2026.34.0* In one day it helped support better boundaries for work, reading and time with family. It helped stopped the endless scrolling! ### 5/5 — awesome app would recommend *2026-08-24, version 2026.33.0* The Brick app is really good because I finally am able to stop being on my phone and have minimal distraction so I can realize things around me that I haven’t before. I’m also able to hang out with family more often and not be distracted on my phone 100% word recommend this is an awesome app. ### 4/5 — Review *2026-08-24, version 2026.33.0* Great product! Really effective. Wish there were less emergency un bricks though :) ### 5/5 — Game changer *2026-08-23, version 2026.33.0* Eliminated late night scrolling ### 4/5 — Amazing! Small issue with schedule tho :/ *2026-08-22* I love this app, it has significantly lowered my screen time and it’s very easy to use. However I keep running into an issue regarding the schedules; it had been working before but recently whenever I have my schedule set and it ends (so it’s supposed to unbrick) it unbricks all the apps but then in the app it shows it’s still bricked, which means I cannot then brick it again, because it’s “already bricked”. I need to go up to the physical block and tap it to “unbrick” it and then brick it again. This happened last week especially when I went on vacation and accidentally left the physical brick behind, so I turned off the schedule so it wouldn’t brick, but in the app it still showed it was bricked the WHOOLE week. So in my activity for that week it shows my phone was bricked 24/7 when it was in-fact, not. All in all it’s a semi small issue, I’d still recommend the app highly, but hopefully they can fix it. **Developer response:** Thanks for sharing this detailed feedback! We’re glad Brick has significantly reduced your screen time, but we understand how frustrating it is when a Schedule ends and the apps unblock while Brick still shows an active session. That’s not the experience we want, especially when you’re away from your physical Brick. Please reach out to us at hello@getbrick.com. We truly appreciate your recommendation and patience! ### 5/5 — Staying focused *2026-08-22, version 2026.33.0* Helps me to stay focused on the things that matter most. ### 2/5 — Help - my iPad has been bricked but can’t unbrick *2026-08-22, version 2026.33.0* The app works great on my iPhone so I downloaded it for my iPad. I was able set up a mode and brick the mode correctly but now it won’t unbrick because it doesn’t support NFC (don’t know what that is). If the app doesn’t work on iPads, it should be clearly stated before bricking! Do I have to use one of my emergency unbricks? ### 5/5 — LOVE the Brick *2026-08-22, version 2026.33.0* I absolutely love the brick. As someone who is pretty addicted to my phone and has tried multiple different ways of lowering my usage, including frequently deleting apps. The Brick has helped actually shift my mindset into being more patient and not expecting to have access to things, including shopping online - immediately. It’s not only blocking access to the apps that can drain my energy, but it’s shifting my entire mindset around how I use my phone. ### 5/5 — Game changer for phone time *2026-08-22, version 2026.33.0* Have the mental block of not being able to use certain apps and having that extra level of barrier really levels up your phone time and makes it harder to access features that are distracting. I would say it’s a go ahead if you’re looking for a method you haven’t tried before when reducing phone time and time sucking apps! ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Timer got removed, Lots of bugs, doesn’t work well *2026-08-28, version 2026.35.0* Removed the best feature which was the timer, Schedules don’t work all the time like if you unbrick for some reason it does not go back to the schedule, lots of bugs in the app, very frustrating ### 1/5 — Useless customer support *2026-08-28, version 2026.35.0* I have emailed them 3 times over last two months. Not a single response. I have bought a Samsung Xcover7 as I break phones easily. Not only does the Brick not block certain websites for no reason on Chrome, but I cannot tap my phone to unbrick. So frustrating and zero response from their customer service. Would not bother again. ### 1/5 — Major Missing Feature: Timed Unbrick *2026-08-27, version 2026.35.0* The lack of a timed unbrick feature is a major flaw. You should be able to unbrick for 5–15 minutes and have it automatically rebrick. Without this, a quick check can easily become hours of scrolling the exact problem Brick is supposed to solve. It is however a great concept. Hopefully the team sees this ### 1/5 — Features Removed *2026-08-13, version 2026.32.0* Time brick was incredibly useful for unlocking my phone after work and instead it was removed because apparently Brick’s dev team is incapable of supporting while also continuing to update the app to do nothing new. If this wasn’t paid for with my FSA I’d probably be asking for a refund. ### 1/5 — Not iPad compatible *2026-08-12, version 2026.32.0* Nowhere on the purchase site does it give info on compatibility. I read a review where the reviewer said she used it with her iPad. I bought one, and when I tapped it is the first time it said it wasn’t compatible. I use my phone for phone calls and all my socials are on the iPad, so back this device goes. But I would have liked to use it. ### 1/5 — acc the worst for teens *2026-08-11, version 2026.32.0* people think that the phone is the reason but this makes them antisocial if you don’t give them enough time. This app has made me work a lot less in school since i dont see a point in even trying. Please if you dont want your kid to be social feel free to get this app but just go over their time every weekend just dont get brick please for the kids sake ### 1/5 — U app buns *2026-08-10, version 2026.32.0* U app sucks ### 1/5 — Won’t brik!!! *2026-08-09, version 2026.30.2* Won’t connect to screen time, useless!!!! ### 1/5 — Bring back the timer *2026-08-07, version 2026.30.2* It was your best feature ### 1/5 — Too easy to un-brick *2026-08-05, version 2026.30.2* Easy to get out of even when away from the brick ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Love it *2026-08-29, version 2026.35.0* Most effective thing I have used in stopping me waste time on social media ### 5/5 — Incredible device *2026-08-28, version 2026.35.0* Overall, I have been using brick for the last few weeks and my productivity throughout the day has improved drastically. Additionally I find myself enjoying being away from my phone and being more present throughout the day. Highly recommend to anyone who needs to be more productive or wants to just be more present throughout their day to day lives. ### 5/5 — Helpful! *2026-08-28* Just what I needed to keep my phone on me but ease the need to open social apps and scroll! ### 5/5 — 100% satisfied and obsessed! *2026-08-28, version 2026.35.0* At the end of the very first day of using my Brick, I emailed the company to ask about how to become an affiliate. My productivity increased by 80%! The simplicity of its design and use absolutely sealed the deal!! 10/10 recommend ### 5/5 — Brick is ingenious *2026-08-28, version 2026.35.0* So far so good! Just bought it last weekend and already been bricked for 75 hours. So peaceful. Takes a few tries to figure out which apps you truly need to keep unbricked and which ones you don’t really need, so the first week you’ll need to play around with it and think about what’s practical. My sister bought one as well and she is loving it so far. Might save us from having to buy dumbphones. We’ll see in 3 months or so! ### 5/5 — My time back *2026-08-28, version 2026.35.0* Using brick has really gave me back the ability to prioritise my time again. I used to spend hours endlessly scrolling social media through the day but now with brick I feel like I’ve been given the ability to go about my day without needless distractions ### 5/5 — Love it *2026-08-28, version 2026.35.0* Slashes my screen time. Customer support is amazing. I had an issue at it was resolved so quickly. ### 5/5 — Amazing!!! *2026-08-28, version 2026.35.0* I often get distracted with my phone and doing chores but with this app it changes everything! You can brick your phone for family time, doing work, doing chores, and SO much more!!! I love this app so much!!! ### 5/5 — Immediately Useful *2026-08-27, version 2026.34.0* Just that one step, that tiny one extra step of having to open the app and find the brick and tap the brick is enough. It’s enough for me to pick up the phone out of habit to scroll, go oops yeah, i forgot - go back to concentrating. My productivity at work this week has shot up. No surprises there! ### 5/5 — Be free *2026-08-26, version 2026.34.0* Tap the brick and get your mind back. The phone is a torture device put it away. --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-01.*