# Opal vs Impulse

The clearest difference is rating: Opal at 4.7 against Impulse's 3.0. Opal also leads on ratings volume (88K vs 1) and update cadence (every 5 days vs fortnightly). Impulse's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 18). On price, review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Opal sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Impulse asks for nothing beyond the download.

Opal holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Opal has 88K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 62% of Opal's written reviews are positive against 67% of Impulse's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Opal ships an update every 5 days, Impulse fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Opal | Impulse |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (88K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/opal-screen-time-control/id1497465230/reviews)** | [3.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/impulse-app-blocker-and-focus/id6736623036/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **88K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 62.1% of reviews | **66.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#48** | — |
| Size | 303 MB | 28 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Opal OS](https://appshunter.io/developer/1497465229) | [Pablo Granados](https://appshunter.io/developer/1539620937) |

## What reviewers say

### Opal

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

**Currently charting:** #48 Top Grossing · Productivity, #95 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


### Impulse

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/impulse-app-blocker-and-focus/id6736623036)

This app helps you block distracting applications and websites to improve focus and productivity. It offers customizable blocking levels and group features for shared accountability.

**Highlights:** Block distracting apps and websites, Set daily usage limits, Three strictness levels: Easy, Medium, Hard, Create custom focus profiles, Group blocking for shared accountability, Works across iPhone and Chrome extension

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Opal free?

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

### Is Impulse free?

Impulse is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

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

Opal is rated higher. Opal averages 4.7 out of 5 from 88K ratings, while Impulse averages 3.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Opal or Impulse have ads?

Neither Opal nor Impulse shows ads.

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

Opal ships an update every 5 days, and Impulse fortnightly. Most recently, Opal was updated on September 26, 2026 and Impulse on September 10, 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.*