Comparison

Opal vs FocusWell

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Opal

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
Read full description

Achieve screen time control with the world’s most-loved screen time app! Opal is the fun, free Screen Time app to improve your focus and make the most out of every day. 5 to 6 hours. That’s the average time you’ll spend looking at your phone today, often without realizing it. It's time to fight back. With a combination of screen time control, app limits, app blockers, real time data, leaderboards and rewards, you will focus better and accomplish your dreams, just like Opal’s members. **As of August 2026, Opal has saved humanity 500 Million hours of screen time. ** Many of the world's top teams and companies trust Opal to help protect their focus. You can too. **Opal cut my screen time by 2 hours per day – Marketing at Google ** **You need this app. When I first got opal my daily screen-time was about 8 1/2 hours a day. Now it's 1 hour. ** **Opal has become an indispensable tool in my quest for productivity and mindful technology usage ** **Get Opal! - Ali Abdaal, productivity expert** BENEFITS Save 1 hour and 23 minutes per DAY from less screen time, on average. 94% of Opal members are less distracted 93% are more productive thanks to the app 90% report improved well-being Added benefits: - Better screen time control - Better productivity at work - Reduce stress, be more mindful - Supports focus challenges, including ADHD - Set daily work hours, sleep, and routines - Block apps to unplug and detox - Stay in focus when you need it most - You're happy and in control of your screen time FEATURES - #1 Screen Time Control: the most loved app for screen time control with 4.8/5. - #1 App Blocker: Instantly Block apps and websites you choose at a specific time of day throughout the week to organize your time. - Focus Difficulty: Make it hard, or make it a bit easier. Deep Focus won't let you cancel or bypass at all. - App Limits: Set daily usage limits on apps and websites to automatically block them and prevent overuse. - Mindful Block Screens: Discover quotes, puns and more every time you try to open an app or website you really shoudn't. - Blocklist & Allowlist: Easily pick any app, game or website you want to block or allow during your Blocks. - Focus Report: Measure your progress with clear metrics, actionable screen time stats, and benchmark against your peers. - Focus Score: Check your screen time and focus level at any point easily spotting Focus and Distracted time. - Calendar: Set daily working hours, sleep and routines, block apps automatically, so you don’t have to remember. - Precious Rewards: Unlock unique MileStones you can share with friends. - Leaderboard: Challenge friends to top the leaderboard, enhancing productivity, focus and keeping each other motivated. - Breaks: Choose the app you want to use, write your intention, and set a timer. - Focus Mode Integration: Sync your Opal Focus Sessions with iPhone Focus Mode to block apps. - Shortcut Integration: Connect iPhone shortcut automations to start/stop Focus Sessions based on app opens, time, location and more! - Focus Reminders: Get timely reminder notifications when you get distracted or reach a time limit. - Deep Focus: Need ultimate focus? Deep Focus is the maximum level of protection — you can’t bypass or cancel. - More Fun: Opal is guilt-free and fun. - Widget: Have Opal on your home screen! CREATE A PERSONALIZED APP BLOCK LIST Easily pick any app, game or website you want to block or allow to Block Apps. PRIVATE & SAFE We use Apple's Screen Time API in order to monitor and block apps you use. Installation is easy and takes a few seconds on your iPhone. Unlike most apps, Opal works entirely on your phone and personal browsing data never leaves your device. TERMS, PRIVACY & CONDITIONS Read on https://opal.so/terms & https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

FocusWell

This app helps you regain control of your daily screen time and combat excessive scrolling. It introduces a mindful pause before opening distracting applications and allows you to set custom limits and focus sessions to build lasting concentration.

Highlights
  • Mindful pause before distracting apps
  • Custom app limits
  • Focus sessions
  • Daily screen time insights
  • Distraction-free design
  • Private data handling
Read full description

Most people don't decide to scroll for forty five minutes. It just happens, somewhere between checking one notification and looking up an hour later. FocusWell is an app blocker and focus tool built for exactly that moment, the split second before autopilot takes over. Your phone is built to keep you tapping. FocusWell is built to give you a way out, not through willpower alone, but through a calm pause, honest app limits, and focus sessions that actually hold. WHY FOCUSWELL A calm pause, not a lecture. Before a distracting app opens, FocusWell gives you one honest moment to decide. No shame, no lockouts you didn't ask for, just a real choice where autopilot used to win. Block one app or everything at once. Choose exactly what to limit, one app, a category, or all of it, for a focus session or on a schedule that runs automatically in the background. See where your time actually goes. Daily and weekly screen time insights show your real habits, not a guess, so you can see the hours you win back add up week over week. Build focus that lasts. Turn one good day into a streak. FocusWell helps you trade the scroll reflex for deep work, study time, or simply being where you already are. WHAT YOU GET - A calm pause before distracting apps open - App limits and focus sessions, for one app or all of them - Schedules that run automatically, not just when you remember - Daily and weekly screen time insights - Private by design: your usage data stays on your device WHO IT'S FOR Students protecting a study block. Anyone building a career who needs one uninterrupted hour before the inbox opens. People who pick up their phone for one notification and put it down forty minutes later, more tired than when they started. FocusWell meets you at the moment you already recognize, right before the scroll starts. Every skipped scroll adds up to a real hour somewhere else, a workout, a book, a conversation, or just quiet. FocusWell doesn't ask you to try harder. It just removes the moment where autopilot used to win. FocusWell runs on Apple's own Screen Time framework, so your usage data stays on your device, not a server. No streak shaming, no guilt trips, just a clear tool for people who want their attention back. Download FocusWell and start your first focus session today. Terms, Privacy and Conditions https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ https://https://www.getfocuswell.com/terms-of-service

Screenshots

Opal4 screens
FocusWell4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: FocusWell at 100% against Opal's 61%. FocusWell also leads on monetization model (free vs freemium) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). Opal's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (91K vs 3). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Opal sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and FocusWell sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

FocusWell 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 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 61% of Opal's written reviews are positive against 100% of FocusWell's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Opal ships an update every 5 days, FocusWell every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Opal versus FocusWell: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOpalFocusWell
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (91K ratings)5.0 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews61.3% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings91K — better3
Update frequencyEvery 5 days — betterEvery 8 days
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree — better
Best chart rank#41 — better—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS18.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size332 MB71 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperOpal OSStanislav Varetskyi

Customer experience

Opal

All ratings90,917 ratings
Positive93.2%
Neutral2.0%
Negative4.7%
Written reviews5,755 reviews
Positive61.3%
Neutral9.2%
Negative29.5%

FocusWell

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Opal

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • 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

5 requests
  • 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

FocusWell

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

8 purchases

Opal

Subscriptions8
  • Weekly Plan3 Days trial$4.997 Days
  • Weekly Plan3 Days trial$9.997 Days
  • Opal Student Weekly3 Days trial$9.997 Days
Show 5 more
  • Monthly Plan3 Days trial2 variants$19.991 Month
  • Monthly Plan7 Days trial$19.991 Month
  • Opal Pro Subscription7 Days trial$49.991 Year
  • Yearly Plan7 Days trial2 variants$99.991 Year
  • Yearly Plan1 Month trial$99.991 Year
10 purchases

FocusWell

Subscriptions10
  • FocusWell Weekly3 Days trial$1.997 Days
  • FocusWell Monthly$2.991 Month
  • FocusWell Weekly3 Days trial$3.997 Days
Show 7 more
  • FocusWell Monthly7 Days trial$7.991 Month
  • FocusWell Weekly3 Days trial$7.997 Days
  • FocusWell Annual$9.991 Year
  • FocusWell Annual$14.991 Year
  • FocusWell Annual$24.991 Year
  • FocusWell Annual$34.991 Year
  • FocusWell Annual$49.991 Year

Questions

Is Opal free?
Opal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is FocusWell free?
FocusWell is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Opal or FocusWell?
FocusWell is rated higher. Opal averages 4.7 out of 5 from 91K ratings, while FocusWell averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.
Do Opal or FocusWell have ads?
FocusWell shows ads; Opal does not.
Which is updated more often, Opal or FocusWell?
Opal ships an update every 5 days, and FocusWell every 8 days. Most recently, Opal was updated on November 5, 2026 and FocusWell on October 31, 2026.

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