# Opal vs Patacon App

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Patacon App at none against Opal's 10. Patacon App also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and iOS requirement (16.6 vs 18.0). Opal's advantage is ratings volume (91K vs 5) and chart position (#48 vs unranked). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Opal sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Patacon App asks for nothing beyond the download.

Patacon App holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Opal has 91K ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Opal ships an update every 5 days, Patacon App every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Opal | Patacon App |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (91K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/opal-screen-time-control/id1497465230/reviews) | **[5.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/patacon-app/id6756758212/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **91K** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | 61.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Every 8 days |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#48** | — |
| Size | 332 MB | 25 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **16.6** |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Opal OS](https://appshunter.io/developer/1497465229) | [Jonathan Teubal](https://appshunter.io/developer/1835977760) |

## What reviewers say

### Opal

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

**Currently charting:** #48 Top Grossing · Productivity, #88 Top Free · Productivity (US App Store)

This app helps you regain control of your digital life by limiting screen time and blocking distracting applications. It offers features like app limits, focus modes, and progress tracking to boost productivity and well-being. Achieve your goals by reducing phone usage and staying focused.

**Highlights:** Screen time control, App blocker, Focus difficulty settings, App usage limits, Mindful block screens, Focus reports and scores, Calendar integration for routines

**Features:** Family Sharing, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (8)**

| 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 | $99.99 | per year |
| Yearly Plan | $99.99 | 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


### Patacon App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/patacon-app/id6756758212)

This app helps you regain control of your screen time by blocking distracting applications during focus sessions. It allows you to select apps, activate focus modes, and track your progress. Designed for students, professionals, and anyone looking to reduce phone usage.

**Highlights:** Intelligent app blocking, Customizable focus profiles, Streak tracking and statistics, Strict mode for discipline, Minimalist interface, Limited emergency exits

**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 Patacon App free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Opal or Patacon App?

Patacon App is rated higher. Opal averages 4.7 out of 5 from 91K ratings, while Patacon App averages 5.0 from 5 ratings.

### Do Opal or Patacon App have ads?

Neither Opal nor Patacon App shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Opal or Patacon App?

Opal ships an update every 5 days, and Patacon App every 8 days. Most recently, Opal was updated on November 8, 2026 and Patacon App on October 30, 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.*