Comparison

Opal vs ClearSpace

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Opal

This app helps you regain control of your digital life by limiting app usage, blocking distractions, and improving focus. It provides tools and insights to reduce screen time, boost productivity, and enhance well-being.

Highlights
  • Screen time control
  • App blocker
  • Set app limits
  • Focus modes
  • Productivity reports
  • Block apps and websites
  • Mindful block screens
Features
Read full description

Achieve screen time control with the world’s most-loved screen time app! Opal is the fun, free Screen Time app to improve your focus and make the most out of every day. 5 to 6 hours. That’s the average time you’ll spend looking at your phone today, often without realizing it. It's time to fight back. With a combination of screen time control, app limits, app blockers, real time data, leaderboards and rewards, you will focus better and accomplish your dreams, just like Opal’s members. **As of August 2026, Opal has saved humanity 500 Million hours of screen time. ** Many of the world's top teams and companies trust Opal to help protect their focus. You can too. **Opal cut my screen time by 2 hours per day – Marketing at Google ** **You need this app. When I first got opal my daily screen-time was about 8 1/2 hours a day. Now it's 1 hour. ** **Opal has become an indispensable tool in my quest for productivity and mindful technology usage ** **Get Opal! - Ali Abdaal, productivity expert** BENEFITS Save 1 hour and 23 minutes per DAY from less screen time, on average. 94% of Opal members are less distracted 93% are more productive thanks to the app 90% report improved well-being Added benefits: - Better screen time control - Better productivity at work - Reduce stress, be more mindful - Supports focus challenges, including ADHD - Set daily work hours, sleep, and routines - Block apps to unplug and detox - Stay in focus when you need it most - You're happy and in control of your screen time FEATURES - #1 Screen Time Control: the most loved app for screen time control with 4.8/5. - #1 App Blocker: Instantly Block apps and websites you choose at a specific time of day throughout the week to organize your time. - Focus Difficulty: Make it hard, or make it a bit easier. Deep Focus won't let you cancel or bypass at all. - App Limits: Set daily usage limits on apps and websites to automatically block them and prevent overuse. - Mindful Block Screens: Discover quotes, puns and more every time you try to open an app or website you really shoudn't. - Blocklist & Allowlist: Easily pick any app, game or website you want to block or allow during your Blocks. - Focus Report: Measure your progress with clear metrics, actionable screen time stats, and benchmark against your peers. - Focus Score: Check your screen time and focus level at any point easily spotting Focus and Distracted time. - Calendar: Set daily working hours, sleep and routines, block apps automatically, so you don’t have to remember. - Precious Rewards: Unlock unique MileStones you can share with friends. - Leaderboard: Challenge friends to top the leaderboard, enhancing productivity, focus and keeping each other motivated. - Breaks: Choose the app you want to use, write your intention, and set a timer. - Focus Mode Integration: Sync your Opal Focus Sessions with iPhone Focus Mode to block apps. - Shortcut Integration: Connect iPhone shortcut automations to start/stop Focus Sessions based on app opens, time, location and more! - Focus Reminders: Get timely reminder notifications when you get distracted or reach a time limit. - Deep Focus: Need ultimate focus? Deep Focus is the maximum level of protection — you can’t bypass or cancel. - More Fun: Opal is guilt-free and fun. - Widget: Have Opal on your home screen! CREATE A PERSONALIZED APP BLOCK LIST Easily pick any app, game or website you want to block or allow to Block Apps. PRIVATE & SAFE We use Apple's Screen Time API in order to monitor and block apps you use. Installation is easy and takes a few seconds on your iPhone. Unlike most apps, Opal works entirely on your phone and personal browsing data never leaves your device. TERMS, PRIVACY & CONDITIONS Read on https://opal.so/terms & https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

ClearSpace

This app helps you regain control of your phone usage by making your device less addictive. It offers tools to block distractions, manage app time, and build better digital habits. Achieve greater focus, productivity, and mental well-being by reducing impulse opens and doomscrolling.

Highlights
  • Block and limit distracting apps
  • Manage social media doomscrolling
  • Set schedules for app usage
  • Build better digital habits
  • Engage in attention-building challenges
  • Minimalist and straightforward design
  • Accountability partners for goals
  • Detailed screen time reporting
Features
Read full description

Controlling Screen Time is critical for mental health, focus, productivity, and relationships. Social media and other addictive apps can easily distract you from your goals. Clearspace helps you control screen time by giving you the tools to fight phone addiction by making your phone less addictive. Clearspace blocks distractions while retaining utilities. Say goodbye to impulse opens and social media doom scrolling. You don’t need to quit cold turkey or buy a dumb phone in order to get your scrolling in check. Instead of a new device, Clearspace gives you the freedom to make sober minded decisions about your usage allowing you to get control of your screen time. Attention is a precious resource, protect it with Clearspace features: - Block and Limit apps: block any apps you find distracting and limit screen time. - Social Media Doomscrolling: app time limits enable session management makes sure you don’t scroll for too long. - Focus management: set schedules for when to use apps - Habit change: dopamine is less powerful when you pause before opening an app which eventually creates a virtuous habit loop to make habits more atomic. - Screen Time Challenges: train your attention by engaging in challenges that strengthen your ability to focus. - Minimalist Design: the app is straightforward. We don’t want to take your attention away, instead we give it back to you. - Screen Time Accountability: have trusted accountability partners help you stick to your goals. - Screen Time Reporting: Streaks and budgets give you a better look at your screen time data in a way that helps you improve. - Digital Wellbeing: Align your intentions with your usage of your phone. Alignment can be helpful in health journeys battling anxiety and adhd. Blocking Apps helps you control impulse clicks. Users find that Clearspace helps them: - Reduce social media impulse opens - Focus on deep work and engage in flow state activities Social Media Doomscrolling is the cause of excessive screen time for many people, with Clearspace users report that: - Phone Addiction subsides - Dopamine craving for apps is less powerful Digital Minimalism is a new health wave that Clearspace enables for users: - Limiting apps in alignment with your intention - Mindfulness practices encourage a more balanced approach to phone usage Digital Wellbeing is a large and growing consideration in the health and wellness spaces. Clearspace users have found it helpful in dealing with: - Anxiety - ADHD - Depression - Socializing Research demonstrates that negative habits are hard to change through willpower alone, but that small, recurring nudges are effective at reshaping default patterns of behavior. Enter Clearspace. The idea is simple: - Select an app that you want to use less - When you click on a selected app, decide - proceed after a deep breath or opt out? - Over time, you'll notice you are in control of the usage Controlling Screen Time is essential for digital wellbeing, freedom from phone addiction, and maintaining focus. Clearspace empowers users with app limits, screen time control, and an app blocker to combat social media distractions. By aligning intentions with usage, Clearspace fosters healthier habits and a mindful approach to technology. Its minimalist design ensures attention is not diverted, enabling users to reclaim their time and break free from the grips of excessive screen time. With features such as screen time reporting, accountability partners, and challenges, Clearspace offers the tools needed to reshape default patterns of behavior and reduce the powerful hold of dopamine-driven app cravings. Embrace Clearspace as your ally in the journey towards a balanced digital lifestyle. Clearspace is a diet program for your digital consumption. A reminder to breathe before making decisions. Terms: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy: https://getclearspace.notion.site/Privacy-Policy-05fb16506a294132acee914a8f6e5331

Screenshots

Opal4 screens
ClearSpace4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Opal at none against ClearSpace's shown. Opal also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 2 weeks) and ratings volume (90K vs 8.9K). ClearSpace's advantage is iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Opal sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and ClearSpace sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Opal against 4.7 for ClearSpace. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Opal has 90K ratings behind it against 8.9K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 62% of Opal's written reviews are positive against 69% of ClearSpace's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Opal ships an update every 5 days, ClearSpace every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
Opal versus ClearSpace: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOpalClearSpace
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (90K ratings)4.7 (8.9K ratings)
Positive reviews61.6% of reviews69.3% of reviews — better
Number of ratings90K — better8.9K
Update frequencyEvery 5 days — betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#45 — better—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS18.016.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size304 MB80 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperOpal OSclearspace

Customer experience

Opal

All ratings89,769 ratings
Positive93.2%
Neutral2.0%
Negative4.7%
Written reviews5,686 reviews
Positive61.6%
Neutral9.1%
Negative29.2%

ClearSpace

All ratings8,900 ratings
Positive94.2%
Neutral2.4%
Negative3.4%
Written reviews612 reviews
Positive69.3%
Neutral12.3%
Negative18.5%

User reviews

Opal

From 90K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Helps reduce screen time
  • 🚀 Effective at blocking distracting apps
  • 💡 Customizable blocking schedules
  • 🎨 Aesthetically pleasing design
  • 🔒 Difficult to bypass blocks

Room to improve

  • 💰 Expensive subscription
  • 🐛 Buggy and unreliable at times
  • 🔓 Easy to bypass blocks in some cases
  • 🤯 Can be frustrating when blocks don't work as expected
  • 🕰️ Longer wait times to take breaks

ClearSpace

From 8.9K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Helps reduce screen time
  • 🚀 Effective at limiting app usage
  • 💡 Breathing exercise and quotes are helpful
  • 🤖 Tracks app usage well
  • 🤔 Makes users more mindful about phone usage

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Buggy and laggy performance
  • 💰 Expensive subscription
  • 🔓 Allows bypassing restrictions
  • 🤖 Limited to one app in free version
  • 🤔 Breathing exercise can be annoying

Bugs and requests

Opal

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Blocks apps that are not selected
  • Inconsistent behavior when ending focus sessions
  • Crashes when trying to manage blocked apps
  • VPN issues causing other connectivity problems

Requested features

5 requests
  • Allow more customization of blocked apps
  • Integrate with more productivity tools
  • Provide more granular time tracking and reporting
  • Offer a one-time purchase option
  • Improve stability and reduce bugs

ClearSpace

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Crashes when trying to block apps
  • Notification issues and UI glitches
  • Inconsistent tracking of app usage
  • Problems with phone number verification

Requested features

5 requests
  • Allow blocking multiple apps in free version
  • Add more exercise options beyond just breathing
  • Provide more customization options
  • Integrate with other fitness/health tracking apps
  • Improve website/app blocking capabilities

In-app purchases

13 purchases

Opal

Subscriptions13
  • Weekly Plan3 Days trial$4.997 Days
  • Weekly Plan3 Days trial$9.997 Days
  • Opal Student Weekly3 Days trial$9.997 Days
Show 10 more
  • Monthly Plan3 Days trial2 variants$19.991 Month
  • Monthly Plan7 Days trial$19.991 Month
  • Opal Pro Subscription7 Days trial$49.991 Year
  • Yearly Plan7 Days trial$69.991 Year
  • Yearly Plan7 Days trial$89.991 Year
  • Yearly Plan7 Days trial2 variants$99.991 Year
  • Yearly Plan1 Month trial2 variants$99.991 Year
  • Opal Pro Yearly$99.991 Year
  • Yearly Plan7 Days trial$129.991 Year
  • Yearly Plan7 Days trial$179.991 Year
8 purchases

ClearSpace

Subscriptions8
  • ClearSpace Premium (Monthly)$6.991 Month
  • Clearspace Premium Student$9.991 Year
  • ClearSpace Premium (Annual)$44.991 Year
Show 5 more
  • Clearspace Premium7 Days trial$44.991 Year
  • Clearspace Premium3 Days trial$49.991 Year
  • Clearspace Premium7 Days trial$49.991 Year
  • Clearspace Premium7 Days trial$59.991 Year
  • Clearspace Premium Family$79.991 Year

Questions

Is Opal free?
Opal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ClearSpace free?
ClearSpace is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Opal or ClearSpace?
Opal and ClearSpace are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 90K and 8.9K ratings respectively.
Do Opal or ClearSpace have ads?
ClearSpace shows ads; Opal does not.
Which is updated more often, Opal or ClearSpace?
Opal ships an update every 5 days, and ClearSpace every 2 weeks. Most recently, Opal was updated on October 14, 2026 and ClearSpace on October 13, 2026.

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