# Opal vs BB

The clearest difference is review sentiment: BB at 90% against Opal's 62%. BB also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.7) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). Opal's advantage is ratings volume (88K vs 391) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Opal sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and BB sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

BB holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Opal has 88K ratings behind it against 391, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 62% of Opal's written reviews are positive against 90% of BB's.

Opal ships an update every 5 days, BB every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Opal | BB |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (88K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/opal-screen-time-control/id1497465230/reviews) | **[4.9 (391 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bb-screen-time-and-app-blocker/id6443657745/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **88K** | 391 |
| Positive reviews | 62.1% of reviews | **90.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#42** | — |
| Size | 303 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Opal OS](https://appshunter.io/developer/1497465229) | [Bruno da Rocha e Silva](https://appshunter.io/developer/843920997) |

## What reviewers say

### Opal

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

**Currently charting:** #42 Top Grossing · Productivity, #87 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


### BB

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bb-screen-time-and-app-blocker/id6443657745)

This app helps users break free from social media addiction and reduce screen time. It offers advanced blocking mechanisms to regain control over digital habits and improve mental well-being.

**Highlights:** Fight social media addiction, Reduce screen time, Multiple blocking mechanisms, Schedule-based blocking, Usage-based blocking, Strict Mode, Customizable blocking

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Kind Tip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Generous Tip | $4.99 | one-time |
| Burnout Buddy Pro | $9.99 | one-time |
| Super Tip | $9.99 | one-time |
| Supreme Tip | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great app
- 👍 Intuitive and effective
- 🔒 Strict mode makes it hard to bypass
- 💰 Reasonable one-time purchase
- 🕰️ Helpful scheduling and time management features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Some bugs and glitches
- 🔍 Difficulty customizing strict mode
- 🔒 Lack of password protection for settings

**Reported bugs**

- Schemas not working as expected
- Inconsistent app/website blocking behavior
- Crashes and function-limiting bugs

**Requested features**

- Add option to pause schemas for a set time
- Implement screen time tracking and analytics
- Provide ability to block Safari and other browsers
- Add warning before app/website gets blocked
- Sync schemas across devices


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Opal free?

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

### Is BB free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Opal or BB?

BB is rated higher. Opal averages 4.7 out of 5 from 88K ratings, while BB averages 4.9 from 391 ratings.

### Do Opal or BB have ads?

Neither Opal nor BB shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Opal or BB?

Opal ships an update every 5 days, and BB every 3 weeks. Most recently, Opal was updated on September 25, 2026 and BB on September 19, 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.*