# Opal vs Tapd

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Tapd at none against Opal's 18. Tapd also leads on review sentiment (96% vs 62%) and rating (4.9 vs 4.7). Opal's advantage is ratings volume (90K vs 37) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, 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. Tapd asks for nothing beyond the download.

Tapd holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Opal has 90K ratings behind it against 37, 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 96% of Tapd's.

Opal ships an update every 5 days, Tapd every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Opal | Tapd |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (90K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/opal-screen-time-control/id1497465230/reviews) | **[4.9 (37 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tapd-screen-time-control/id6748239381/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **90K** | 37 |
| Positive reviews | 61.6% of reviews | **95.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#45** | — |
| Size | 304 MB | 53 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **16.6** |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Opal OS](https://appshunter.io/developer/1497465229) | [TapTek LLC.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1824753763) |

## What reviewers say

### Opal

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

**Currently charting:** #45 Top Grossing · Productivity, #81 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


### Tapd

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tapd-screen-time-control/id6748239381)

This app helps you focus by blocking distracting applications with a simple NFC tag tap. It also allows you to form focus groups with friends for shared accountability and friendly competition, tracking your progress over time.

**Highlights:** NFC tag integration for focus sessions, Customizable app blocking presets, Group focus sessions with friends, Real-time 'Together Meter' for accountability, Leaderboards for competitive focus, Session analytics and streak tracking

**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 Tapd free?

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

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

Tapd is rated higher. Opal averages 4.7 out of 5 from 90K ratings, while Tapd averages 4.9 from 37 ratings.

### Do Opal or Tapd have ads?

Neither Opal nor Tapd shows ads.

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

Opal ships an update every 5 days, and Tapd every 3 weeks. Most recently, Opal was updated on October 14, 2026 and Tapd on October 5, 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.*