# Fluid Friction: Stop Scrolling — Screen Time, App Block & Focus

> App that adds friction to scrolling to reduce mindless usage and improve focus. (iPhone/iPad app by Gustav Mtenji Bergdal Mjengwa.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fluid-friction-stop-scrolling/id6782510849 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Gustav Mtenji Bergdal Mjengwa](https://appshunter.io/developer/6782510851)
- Category: Productivity, Health & Fitness
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 3.00/5 from 2 App Store ratings · 2 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 17+
- Requires: iOS 17.0 · 43 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2026-07-27
- Data updated: 2026-09-09
- Monetization: freemium
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fluid-friction-stop-scrolling/id6782510849/reviews.md

## What is Fluid Friction?

Mindless scrolling stops working with Fluid Friction.

Open Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Reddit, X, Snapchat, Facebook or LinkedIn inside Fluid Friction, or add any website you choose, and the feed pushes back. Fluid rises from the edge of the screen against your thumb. Drag through it until a bubble forms and rises off the screen. Only then does the next post arrive. Cross the threshold on purpose, or set the phone down.

It doesn't shame you. It just makes you mean it.

WHY IT WORKS
Infinite feeds run on autopilot. Fluid Friction slips one deliberate moment between you and the scroll, so doomscrolling becomes a decision instead of a reflex. No workout to film, no quiz to pass, no habit checklist to clear first: the friction lives inside the scroll itself. Dial it from gentle to intense, set scroll limits per app, and let YouTube friction fire on Shorts only.

CALM SHIELDS FOR YOUR OTHER APPS
Block any native app, or a website, with Screen Time. Instead of a wall of shame you get a calm, warm screen, a clear count of the opens you chose to keep, a cooldown between opens, and a breathing, math or passphrase moment before you go in. Timed sessions count down right in the Dynamic Island and the shield returns when time is up. One toggle also blocks adult websites. Strict when you ask for it, dignified always.

KEEP THE CHATS, SKIP THE RABBIT HOLE
Hide Reels, Shorts, Stories, Explore and For You while messages keep working. Open apps to a calmer landing page, follow only the people you chose, hide recommendations and comments on YouTube, or go grayscale across every feed. Multiple accounts with separate sessions, YouTube background play and picture in picture are all built in, so the calmer way is also the comfortable way.

TAP & SCAN
Turn any NFC tag you already own into a physical key: a sticker, a card, even a transit pass. Tap to lock your distracting apps, tap to release them, or require a scan to unlock a shield. No extra hardware to buy; a QR code or a barcode in your kitchen works too.

WAKE UP WITHOUT THE FEED
An alarm that ends with a scan, not a scroll. Dismiss it with your tag or a barcode across the room, answer a quick wake challenge, and let a morning block hold the feeds until you are up. Wind down at night, track your wake streak, and earn 25 honest milestones. Snooze stays off unless you turn it on. On iOS 26 the alarm rings like the built-in clock; on earlier versions it alerts through notifications.

SEE YOURSELF CLEARLY
A Calm Score and Brainy, your small clay companion, reflect how your scrolling actually went. Real Screen Time numbers, weekly recaps, and tailored suggestions you can apply with one tap, like a schedule for the hour that always gets you.

FOCUS WHEN IT COUNTS
Focus timer, Pomodoro sessions, and a Focus Bank that turns focused minutes into earned, deliberate breaks. Breaks keep the feeds blocked by default, and the countdown lives in the Dynamic Island.

MAKE IT YOURS
91 bubble themes, from aurora to plasma, with mystery unlocks and matching app icons. A quiet rank ladder climbs from Copper to Champion as you show up for yourself, and it never punishes a missed day. Home screen widgets too, including a minimalist launcher that routes tempting apps through the wave.

PRIVATE AND FAIR
No ads. No tracking. Your usage stays on your device. Every tool is free: the friction, the shields, the alarm, the insights. Fluid Pro, if you ever want it, unlocks themes and comfort extras like dark mode, with a 7 day free trial.

MADE BY TWIN BROTHERS
We're Manfred and Gustav. We built Fluid Friction because we needed it ourselves, and we kept the parts that matter calm, honest and respectful of your attention. No nagging, no guilt trips, no tricks.

The wave is rising. Scroll like you mean it.

Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Privacy Policy: https://fluidfriction.app/ios/privacy
Terms of Service: https://fluidfriction.app/ios/terms

## Key features

- Deliberate friction for scrolling
- App and website blocking
- Timed sessions with cooldowns
- NFC tag integration for unlocking
- Focus timer and Pomodoro sessions
- Calm Score and progress tracking
- Customizable themes

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**Subscriptions**

| Subscription | Price | Period |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Annual | $39.99 | per year |


## Recent user reviews (2 of 2)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fluid-friction-stop-scrolling/id6782510849/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Free and great

*2026-08-19*

This app is really good. It helps me a lot with my busy schedule. I love how it’s all free except for the themes. 😍

### 1/5 — Can’t auth in. Uses built in browser

*2026-08-07*

Built-in browser doesn't allow me to have dark mode. This is just absolutely terrible if you ask me. Seems like it's AI slop. Good luck with it.

Have fun. I don't recommend

## Frequently asked questions about Fluid Friction

### What is Fluid Friction?

Fluid Friction is a productivity app designed to combat mindless scrolling by introducing deliberate friction into app usage. It helps users become more intentional about their screen time and improve focus.

### How does Fluid Friction work?

It adds a physical resistance to scrolling within apps like Instagram or TikTok, requiring a deliberate action to proceed. It also offers app blocking, timed sessions, and focus timers to manage usage.

### Can I use Fluid Friction to block specific apps?

Yes, you can block any native app or website using Fluid Friction's Screen Time feature. It provides a calm shield with cooldowns and optional challenges before re-accessing apps.

### Does Fluid Friction have ads?

No, Fluid Friction does not contain advertisements. The app is free to download and offers optional in-app purchases and subscription plans for advanced features.

### What are the subscription options for Fluid Friction?

Fluid Friction offers a monthly subscription for $4.99 with a 7-day free trial, and an annual subscription for $39.99 with a 7-day free trial. These plans unlock premium features.

### What devices does Fluid Friction support?

Fluid Friction is currently supported on iPhone devices. It was released on July 27, 2026, and the latest version is 1.2, last updated on August 4, 2026.

### What is the age rating for Fluid Friction?

Fluid Friction has an age rating of 17+. This is based on its content and features, which may include mature themes or complex functionalities.

### How does Fluid Friction help with waking up?

Fluid Friction includes an alarm that requires a scan or challenge to dismiss, preventing immediate scrolling upon waking. It also tracks wake streaks and offers morning blocks to hold feeds until you are ready.

## Version history (last 4 releases)

### 1.3 — 2026-09-01

Blocking you can trust.
Screen Time access can be switched off in iOS Settings at any time, and when it goes, every app block and schedule dies with it, silently. Fluid Friction now catches that and tells you, instead of showing blocks as active when nothing is being blocked. Choosing which apps to block works the first time now too: no more empty app picker and no idea why.

Strict Mode is now genuinely strict.
Turning on Strict Mode ends any Quick Disable already running, so a timer you forgot about can no longer unlock your blocked apps behind your back.

A first run that actually lands.
Setup is shorter, clearer, and straight with you about privacy in three plain claims. The scroll friction demo now coaches you through the drag until it clicks, so you feel what makes this app different before you have even finished setting up.

Plus faster sharing, a calmer landing when you arrive from a widget, and fixes throughout.

### 1.2 — 2026-08-04

New: QR codes and barcodes as interventions.
Turn any QR code or barcode into a physical key for your commitments. Scan it to manage blocked apps, focus sessions, scroll limits, and alarms. Save a key once, reuse it across every tool, and manage them all in Settings under Your Keys. The scanner even helps in the dark with a torch hint.

New Home Screen icon.
Fluid Friction now wears a hand sculpted clay icon: a hand pressing the orb, the same gesture you make every time you choose focus over the feed. Pro members can still switch to the classic orb icons that follow their theme.

Rate us in Settings.
If Fluid Friction helps you stop scrolling and win back your screen time, you can now say so in one tap. It genuinely helps.

Plus small fixes that keep every scroll calm and intentional.

### 1.1 — 2026-07-30

New: Block Story Ads for Instagram.

Stories now flow friend to friend. Turn on Block Story Ads and sponsored stories are skipped for you, so you watch the people you follow and get out.

Find it in Instagram's settings under Ads & Clutter. Off by default, on in one tap, always your choice.

Plus small fixes to keep every scroll calm and intentional.

### 1.0 — 2026-07-28

No release notes.

## Related topics

[tag hijacking shield](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/tag-hijacking-shield) · [mivo scrolling](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/mivo-scrolling) · [cerberus anpr](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/cerberus-anpr) · [productive scrolling](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/productive-scrolling)

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*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 2026-09-09.*