# Opal vs Screen Time Blocker

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Opal at 88K against Screen Time Blocker's 21. Opal also leads on chart position (#41 vs unranked) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 10 days). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Opal sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and Screen Time Blocker sells 15 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Opal against 4.6 for Screen Time Blocker. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Opal has 88K ratings behind it against 21, 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 68% of Screen Time Blocker's.

Opal ships an update every 5 days, Screen Time Blocker every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Opal | Screen Time Blocker |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (88K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/opal-screen-time-control/id1497465230/reviews)** | [4.6 (21 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/screen-time-blocker-focus/id1663997320/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **88K** | 21 |
| Positive reviews | 62.1% of reviews | **68.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Every 10 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | **#41** | — |
| Size | 303 MB | 109 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Opal OS](https://appshunter.io/developer/1497465229) | [yudai hirose](https://appshunter.io/developer/1062610569) |

## What reviewers say

### Opal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/opal-screen-time-control/id1497465230)

**Currently charting:** #41 Top Grossing · Productivity, #82 Top Free · Productivity (US App Store)

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:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Plan | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Plan | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Opal Student Weekly | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Plan | $19.99 | per month |
| Monthly Plan | $19.99 | per month |
| Opal Pro Subscription | $49.99 | per year |
| Yearly Plan | $69.99 | per year |
| Yearly Plan | $89.99 | per year |
| Yearly Plan | $99.99 | per year |
| Yearly Plan | $99.99 | per year |
| Opal Pro Yearly | $99.99 | per year |
| Yearly Plan | $129.99 | per year |
| Yearly Plan | $179.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 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

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- 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


### Screen Time Blocker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/screen-time-blocker-focus/id1663997320)

This app helps you regain control of your smartphone usage by setting app and website limits. It creates focused moments for work, study, or sleep by blocking distracting applications during designated times. Features include customizable restrictions, a "shield" screen to enforce limits, and a Pomodoro timer for enhanced productivity.

**Highlights:** App and website restrictions, Customizable time limits, "Shield" screen for enforcement, Pomodoro timer integration, Undisableable shield option (premium), Multiple restriction profiles

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (15)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium | $1.99 | per month |
| Premium | $2.99 | per month |
| Premium | $4.99 | per month |
| Premium | $9.99 | per month |
| Premium | $19.99 | per year |
| Premium | $29.99 | per year |
| Premium | $39.99 | per year |
| Premium | $79.99 | per year |
| 100yen | $0.49 | one-time |
| 300yen | $1.99 | one-time |
| 1000yen | $5.99 | one-time |
| Premium | $24.99 | one-time |
| Premium | $39.99 | one-time |
| Premium | $59.99 | one-time |
| 10000yen | $59.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Opal free?

Opal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Screen Time Blocker free?

Screen Time Blocker is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Opal or Screen Time Blocker?

Opal is rated higher. Opal averages 4.7 out of 5 from 88K ratings, while Screen Time Blocker averages 4.6 from 21 ratings.

### Do Opal or Screen Time Blocker have ads?

Neither Opal nor Screen Time Blocker shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Opal or Screen Time Blocker?

Opal ships an update every 5 days, and Screen Time Blocker every 10 days. Most recently, Opal was updated on September 25, 2026 and Screen Time Blocker on September 23, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*