Comparison

ClearSpace vs Brick

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

Head to head
About

ClearSpace

This app helps you regain control of your phone usage by making your device less addictive. It offers tools to block distractions, manage app time, and build better digital habits. Achieve greater focus, productivity, and mental well-being by reducing impulse opens and doomscrolling.

Highlights
  • Block and limit distracting apps
  • Manage social media doomscrolling
  • Set schedules for app usage
  • Build better digital habits
  • Engage in attention-building challenges
  • Minimalist and straightforward design
  • Accountability partners for goals
  • Detailed screen time reporting
Features
Read full description

Controlling Screen Time is critical for mental health, focus, productivity, and relationships. Social media and other addictive apps can easily distract you from your goals. Clearspace helps you control screen time by giving you the tools to fight phone addiction by making your phone less addictive. Clearspace blocks distractions while retaining utilities. Say goodbye to impulse opens and social media doom scrolling. You don’t need to quit cold turkey or buy a dumb phone in order to get your scrolling in check. Instead of a new device, Clearspace gives you the freedom to make sober minded decisions about your usage allowing you to get control of your screen time. Attention is a precious resource, protect it with Clearspace features: - Block and Limit apps: block any apps you find distracting and limit screen time. - Social Media Doomscrolling: app time limits enable session management makes sure you don’t scroll for too long. - Focus management: set schedules for when to use apps - Habit change: dopamine is less powerful when you pause before opening an app which eventually creates a virtuous habit loop to make habits more atomic. - Screen Time Challenges: train your attention by engaging in challenges that strengthen your ability to focus. - Minimalist Design: the app is straightforward. We don’t want to take your attention away, instead we give it back to you. - Screen Time Accountability: have trusted accountability partners help you stick to your goals. - Screen Time Reporting: Streaks and budgets give you a better look at your screen time data in a way that helps you improve. - Digital Wellbeing: Align your intentions with your usage of your phone. Alignment can be helpful in health journeys battling anxiety and adhd. Blocking Apps helps you control impulse clicks. Users find that Clearspace helps them: - Reduce social media impulse opens - Focus on deep work and engage in flow state activities Social Media Doomscrolling is the cause of excessive screen time for many people, with Clearspace users report that: - Phone Addiction subsides - Dopamine craving for apps is less powerful Digital Minimalism is a new health wave that Clearspace enables for users: - Limiting apps in alignment with your intention - Mindfulness practices encourage a more balanced approach to phone usage Digital Wellbeing is a large and growing consideration in the health and wellness spaces. Clearspace users have found it helpful in dealing with: - Anxiety - ADHD - Depression - Socializing Research demonstrates that negative habits are hard to change through willpower alone, but that small, recurring nudges are effective at reshaping default patterns of behavior. Enter Clearspace. The idea is simple: - Select an app that you want to use less - When you click on a selected app, decide - proceed after a deep breath or opt out? - Over time, you'll notice you are in control of the usage Controlling Screen Time is essential for digital wellbeing, freedom from phone addiction, and maintaining focus. Clearspace empowers users with app limits, screen time control, and an app blocker to combat social media distractions. By aligning intentions with usage, Clearspace fosters healthier habits and a mindful approach to technology. Its minimalist design ensures attention is not diverted, enabling users to reclaim their time and break free from the grips of excessive screen time. With features such as screen time reporting, accountability partners, and challenges, Clearspace offers the tools needed to reshape default patterns of behavior and reduce the powerful hold of dopamine-driven app cravings. Embrace Clearspace as your ally in the journey towards a balanced digital lifestyle. Clearspace is a diet program for your digital consumption. A reminder to breathe before making decisions. Terms: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy: https://getclearspace.notion.site/Privacy-Policy-05fb16506a294132acee914a8f6e5331

About

Brick

This app helps you regain focus by temporarily removing distracting applications and notifications from your phone. It uses NFC hardware to create distraction-free periods, allowing you to concentrate on important tasks or activities. Reconnect with your apps by simply tapping your device again.

Highlights
  • Temporarily remove distracting apps
  • Block notifications
  • Customize unblocked apps
  • Track usage history
  • NFC hardware integration
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Brick is the world's first digital wellness tool designed to turn smartphones back into tools, helping people take back control of their time, attention, and technology. A small tool paired with a powerful app that temporarily removes distracting apps and their notifications from your iPhone, leaving only what you choose. In a world designed for constant distraction, Brick introduces a simple but powerful idea: friction. By requiring a physical tap to enable or disable distracting apps, Brick creates a deliberate pause between impulse and action - turning smartphones back into tools for what matters. HOW IT WORKS Choose which apps or websites to block: social media, games, news, streaming, or anything distracting Tap your iPhone to Brick to activate your chosen mode A focus timer starts automatically, tracking your distraction-free time Place Brick somewhere out of reach and go live your life When you're ready, tap again to regain access Not nearby? Activate Brick remotely in the app. You'll still need the physical Brick to unblock, keeping the commitment real. FEATURES Block any iPhone app (except the dialer, per Apple policy) and select Safari websites Create custom modes for different parts of your day: Work, Family, Sleep, Gym, Study, Focus, and more A built-in focus timer tracks how long you stay undistracted Strict Mode closes loopholes, preventing workarounds while you're in a session 5 Emergency Unbricks included for unexpected situations Usage history tracks your progress so you can see how your habits improve over time. No subscriptions and no monthly fees. Buy once, use forever DESIGNED FOR EVERY PART OF YOUR LIFE Parents use Brick to create device-free family time and build healthier habits around technology. Students rely on it during study sessions and exam prep when focus matters most. Professionals use it for deep work without the constant pull of notifications. Athletes keep it in the locker room to stay locked in before competition. Brick is also a thoughtful gift for anyone trying to build a healthier relationship with their screen habits, reduce anxiety from constant notifications, or simply spend less time scrolling and more time living. WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING Featured in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, CNN, The Economist, Fortune, Vogue, TechCrunch, CNET, Fast Company, The Washington Post, Business Insider, and The New Yorker. With over 35,000 five-star reviews, people describe Brick as the thing that finally helped them break free from screen addiction. Join a growing community choosing to take back their time and reclaim hours lost to technology. HSA & FSA ELIGIBLE Brick qualifies as an HSA and FSA eligible purchase through our partnership with Truemed. Use pre-tax health savings to invest in your digital wellness and mental health. WHAT'S INCLUDED Your purchase includes the physical Brick and full lifetime access to the companion app. No subscriptions. No hidden fees. No ads. Brick helps you take back your time, turn your phone back into a tool, and use technology the way it should be: with intention.

Screenshots

ClearSpace4 screens
Brick4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Brick at none against ClearSpace's 8. Brick also leads on ads (none vs shown) and rating (4.9 vs 4.7). On price, device support and iOS requirement 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. ClearSpace sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Brick asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Brick holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Brick has 55K ratings behind it against 8.8K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 69% of ClearSpace's written reviews are positive against 78% of Brick's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ClearSpace ships an update every 2 weeks, Brick every 6 days. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
ClearSpace versus Brick: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterClearSpaceBrick
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (8.8K ratings)4.9 (55K ratings) — better
Positive reviews69.5% of reviews78.4% of reviews — better
Number of ratings8.8K55K — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 6 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
Best chart rank—#87 — better
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS16.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size80 MB50 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperclearspaceBrick LLC (Wisconsin)

Customer experience

ClearSpace

All ratings8,800 ratings
Positive94.3%
Neutral2.4%
Negative3.3%
Written reviews609 reviews
Positive69.5%
Neutral12.2%
Negative18.4%

Brick

All ratings54,619 ratings
Positive99.0%
Neutral0.4%
Negative0.5%
Written reviews2,133 reviews
Positive78.4%
Neutral6.8%
Negative14.9%

User reviews

ClearSpace

From 8.8K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Helps reduce screen time
  • 🚀 Effective at limiting app usage
  • 💡 Breathing exercise and quotes are helpful
  • 🤖 Tracks app usage well
  • 🤔 Makes users more mindful about phone usage

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Buggy and laggy performance
  • 💰 Expensive subscription
  • 🔓 Allows bypassing restrictions
  • 🤖 Limited to one app in free version
  • 🤔 Breathing exercise can be annoying

Brick

From 55K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Great concept
  • 🚀 Helps reclaim time and attention
  • 🔒 Physical barrier prevents mindless usage
  • 💡 Customizable blocking/allowing modes
  • 🚀 Improves productivity and focus

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Buggy app with frequent crashes
  • 🐛 Unreliable app functionality
  • 🐛 Inconsistent app behavior after updates
  • 🐛 Difficulty setting up and configuring
  • 🐛 Limited number of apps that can be allowed

Bugs and requests

ClearSpace

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Crashes when trying to block apps
  • Notification issues and UI glitches
  • Inconsistent tracking of app usage
  • Problems with phone number verification

Requested features

5 requests
  • Allow blocking multiple apps in free version
  • Add more exercise options beyond just breathing
  • Provide more customization options
  • Integrate with other fitness/health tracking apps
  • Improve website/app blocking capabilities

Brick

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • App crashes when selecting apps to block/allow
  • Saved settings get deleted or reset unexpectedly
  • Inability to block certain apps like Safari
  • Bricked mode not working as expected after phone restart

Requested features

4 requests
  • Scheduled bricking/unbricking modes
  • Remote bricking option
  • Ability to block more than 50 apps
  • Improved app stability and reliability

In-app purchases

8 purchases

ClearSpace

Subscriptions8
  • ClearSpace Premium (Monthly)$6.991 Month
  • Clearspace Premium Student$9.991 Year
  • ClearSpace Premium (Annual)$44.991 Year
Show 5 more
  • Clearspace Premium7 Days trial$44.991 Year
  • Clearspace Premium3 Days trial$49.991 Year
  • Clearspace Premium7 Days trial$49.991 Year
  • Clearspace Premium7 Days trial$59.991 Year
  • Clearspace Premium Family$79.991 Year
None

Brick

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ClearSpace free?
ClearSpace is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Brick free?
Brick is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, ClearSpace or Brick?
Brick is rated higher. ClearSpace averages 4.7 out of 5 from 8.8K ratings, while Brick averages 4.9 from 55K ratings.
Do ClearSpace or Brick have ads?
ClearSpace shows ads; Brick does not.
Which is updated more often, ClearSpace or Brick?
ClearSpace ships an update every 2 weeks, and Brick every 6 days. Most recently, ClearSpace was updated on September 24, 2026 and Brick on September 24, 2026.

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