# Opal vs STFU

The clearest difference is rating: Opal at 4.7 against STFU's 4.0. Opal also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (91K vs 4). STFU's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 61%) and update cadence (daily vs every 5 days). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model 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 and STFU sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Opal holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Opal has 91K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 61% of Opal's written reviews are positive against 100% of STFU'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, STFU daily. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Opal | STFU |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (91K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/opal-screen-time-control/id1497465230/reviews)** | [4.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stfu-app-blocker-and-focus/id6805089131/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **91K** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 61.3% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 5 days | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#40** | — |
| Size | 332 MB | 33 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Opal OS](https://appshunter.io/developer/1497465229) | [Christopher Riley](https://appshunter.io/developer/6778005973) |

## What reviewers say

### Opal

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

**Currently charting:** #40 Top Grossing · Productivity, #78 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


### STFU

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stfu-app-blocker-and-focus/id6805089131)

This app helps you regain control of your time by blocking distracting social media apps and websites. Set timed sessions or schedules for a hard mute, track your progress, and challenge friends to build better habits.

**Highlights:** Block social apps and websites, Run timed blocking sessions, Set scheduled locks, Track protected time and streaks, Challenge friends and climb leaderboards, Earn rewards for staying focused

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| STFU Pro Weekly | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| STFU Pro Annual | $49.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Opal free?

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

### Is STFU free?

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

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

Opal is rated higher. Opal averages 4.7 out of 5 from 91K ratings, while STFU averages 4.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do Opal or STFU have ads?

STFU shows ads; Opal does not.

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

Opal ships an update every 5 days, and STFU daily. Most recently, Opal was updated on November 5, 2026 and STFU on October 31, 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.*